وأنت أيضا
wa-anta aydan
In Arabic, "you too" is expressed as وأنت أيضا (wa-anta aydan).
This phrase is a response used to return a greeting or a wish to the person who first said it.
Which one should you use?
The default form وأنت أيضا is specifically masculine and is used when speaking to a male.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes based on who you are addressing: to address a woman, the pronoun changes from 'anta' to 'anti' (making the form وأنتِ أيضا).
How do you pronounce it?
wa-anta aydan
Did you know?
- The word أيضا originates from a root meaning 'to return' or 'to revert'. This makes the phrase 'you too' literally function as a return of the sentiment to the speaker.
- When responding to a religious greeting like 'Peace be upon you', it is more common to use a specific reciprocal phrase rather than the generic وأنت أيضا.
- Using the formal وأنت أيضا in a very casual street setting might make you sound like a news anchor or a textbook.
Examples in context
- وأنت أيضاwa anta aydanAnd you too.
- شكرا، وأنت أيضاshukran, wa anta aydanThanks, and you too.
Example conversation
Sara and Ahmed are saying goodbye after a work meeting.
- سارة Saraأتمنى لك عطلة نهاية أسبوع سعيدة يا أحمد.Atamanna laka utlat nihayat usbu' sa'ida ya Ahmed.I wish you a happy weekend, Ahmed.
- أحمد Ahmedشكرا، وأنت أيضا يا سارة.Shukran, wa anti aydan ya Sara.Thanks, and you too, Sara.
- سارة Saraهل ستسافر في العطلة؟Hal satusafiru fil 'utla?Are you traveling during the holiday?
- أحمد Ahmedلا، سأبقى في المنزل.La, sa-abqa fil manzil.No, I will stay at home.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries أيضا, CC BY-SA 4.0.
