ماذا تريد؟
madha turid?
In Arabic, "what do you want?" is expressed as ماذا تريد؟ (madha turid?).
This phrase is used to ask someone about their desires or what they wish to obtain.
Which one should you use?
While ماذا تريد؟ uses the standard word for "what", many spoken dialects may use shnu or eish instead of ماذا.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb changes depending on whom you are addressing. Use ماذا تريد؟ when addressing a man, ماذا تريدين؟ when addressing a woman and ماذا تريدون؟ when addressing a group of people.
How do you pronounce it?
madha turid?
Did you know?
- In many dialects, asking 'what do you want?' can sound incredibly blunt or even aggressive if not softened with polite particles. It is often more culturally appropriate to use a phrase meaning 'what can I do for you?' instead.
- The word ماذا is actually a combination of two words: ما meaning 'what' and ذا meaning 'this'. It literally translates to 'what is this'.
- The root letters of the verb تريد are R-W-D, which are shared with words relating to 'seeking' or 'desiring' across different Arabic dialects.
Examples in context
- ماذا تريد؟mādhā turīd?What do you want?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ماذا, CC BY-SA 4.0.
