ما بك؟
mā bika?
The English phrase "what is wrong with you?" is translated into Arabic as ما بك؟ (mā bika?).
This question is used to ask why someone is acting strangely or to check if they are feeling unwell. While it can be a genuine inquiry about someone's health, it is frequently used in a confrontational way to ask what is wrong with you? when someone is behaving badly.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "What is in you?", where mā means "what" and bika means "in you/with you".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Levantine dialects, the informal phrase شو فيك؟ is used to mean "What's wrong with you?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The form changes based on who you are addressing: use ما بكِ؟ (mā biki?) to address a female, and use the plural form ما بكم؟ (mā bikum?) to address a group of people.
How do you pronounce it?
mā bika?
Did you know?
- The word ما is a cognate with the Hebrew word מָה and the ancient Ugaritic word 𐎎𐎅, showing a shared linguistic root across ancient Semitic languages.
- Because Arabic is a gendered language, asking a group of women 'what is wrong with you?' requires a specific feminine plural form ما بكنَّ؟ (mā bikunna), which is distinct from the general plural ما بكم؟.
- While ما بك؟ is understood everywhere, using it in a casual street setting in Beirut or Damascus might make you sound like a character from a historical drama or a formal news broadcast.
Examples in context
- ما بك؟ تبدو متعباً جداً.Ma bika? Tabdu mut'aban jiddan.What is wrong with you? You look very tired.
- أنت غريب اليوم، ما بك؟Anta gharīb al-yawm, ma bika?You are strange today, what is wrong with you?
Example conversation
Maryam notices Ziad is not eating his meal.
- مريم Maryamزياد، ما بك؟ لماذا لا تأكل؟Ziyad, ma bika? Limadha la ta'kul?Ziad, what is wrong with you? Why aren't you eating?
- زياد Ziadأشعر ببعض الألم في معدتي.Ash'uru bi-ba'di al-alam fi ma'idati.I feel some pain in my stomach.
- مريم Maryamهل تريد أن تذهب إلى الطبيب؟Hal turidu an tadhhaba ila al-tabib?Do you want to go to the doctor?
- زياد Ziadلا، سأرتاح قليلاً فقط.La, sa-artahu qalilan faqat.No, I will just rest for a bit.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ما, CC BY-SA 4.0.
