ما اسمك؟
mā ismuka?
The English phrase "what is your name?" is translated into Arabic as ما اسمك؟ (mā ismuka?).
This phrase is a question used to ask someone for their name.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ما اسمك؟ is composed of mā (what), ism (name) and the suffix -ka (your, masculine).
Which one should you use?
The standard mā ismuka? is direct and can feel slightly blunt in very formal social settings compared to more honorific versions.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
You can use ما اسم حضرتك؟ to be more polite and respectful. This is a more formal way to ask for someone's name than the standard version.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Levantine Arabic, you will commonly hear Shu ismak? In Egyptian Arabic, Esmeek eh? is widely used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word ism ends with a 'u' sound (ismuka) when it is the subject of the sentence. To ask a female for her name, the masculine suffix -ka is replaced with the feminine suffix -ki, resulting in ما اسمكِ؟.
How do you pronounce it?
mā ismuka?
Did you know?
- In many Arabic-speaking cultures, instead of asking 'what is your name?', it is often more polite to ask 'what is your kunya?', which refers to a person's nickname or their status as a parent.
- The word ما used to ask 'what' is a cognate with the Hebrew word מָה (ma) and the ancient Ugaritic word 𐎎𐎅 (mh).
- When using the formal version ما اسم حضرتك؟, you are actually addressing the person's 'presence' or 'prestige' rather than the person themselves.
Examples in context
- ما اسمك؟ma ismuka?What is your name?
- يا بني، ما اسمك؟ya bunayya, ma ismuka?My son, what is your name?
- عذراً، ما اسمك؟adhran, ma ismuka?Excuse me, what is your name?
Example conversation
Two people meeting for the first time at a party.
- عمر Omarمرحباً، ما اسمك؟Marhaban, ma ismuki?Hello, what is your name?
- ليلى Laylaاسمي ليلى. وأنت؟Ismi Layla. Wa anta?My name is Layla. And you?
- عمر Omarأنا اسمي عمر.Ana ismi Omar.My name is Omar.
- ليلى Laylaتشرفنا يا عمر.Tasharrafna ya Omar.Nice to meet you, Omar.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ما, CC BY-SA 4.0.
