HOW

HOW

Dialogue 7

A: How are you? (informal/formal)

كَيْفَ حالُكَ؟ / كَيْفَ حَالُكُمْ؟

Kayfa ḥāluka? / Kayfa ḥālukum?

B: I am well. Thank you. And you?

أَنَا بِخَيْرٍ، شُكْراً. وَأَنْتَ؟ / وَأَنْتُمْ؟

Anā bikhayrin, shukran. Wa-anta? / Wa-antum?

A: How is your fiancé?

كَيْفَ حالُ خَطِيبِكَ؟

Kayfa ḥālu khaṭībika?

B: He is well. Thank you.

هُوَ بِخَيْرٍ، شُكْراً

Huwa bikhayrin, shukran.

A: How is your mother?

كَيْفَ حالُ أُمِّكَ؟

Kayfa ḥālu ummika?

B: She is sick.

هِيَ مَرِيضَةٌ

Hiya marīḍah.

A: How is your father?

كَيْفَ حالُ أَبِيكَ؟

Kayfa ḥālu abīka?

B: He is in good health.

هُوَ بِصِحَّةٍ جَيِّدَةٍ

Huwa biṣiḥḥatin jayyidah.

A: Your sisters, how are they?

أُخَواتُكَ، كَيْفَ حَالُهُنَّ؟

Ukhawātuka, kayfa ḥāluhunna?

B: They are well.

هُنَّ بِخَيْرٍ

Hunna bikhayrin.

A: And your brothers, how are they?

وَإِخْوَتُكَ، كَيْفَ حَالُهُمْ؟

Wa-ikhwatuka, kayfa ḥāluhum?

B: They are in good health.

هُمْ بِصِحَّةٍ جَيِّدَةٍ

Hum biṣiḥḥatin jayyidah.

A: How is Ahmed?

كَيْفَ حالُ أَحْمَدَ؟

Kayfa ḥālu Aḥmada?

B: I don't know.

لا أَعْلَمُ

Lā aʿlamu.

A: How is Samira?

كَيْفَ حالُ سَمِيرَةَ؟

Kayfa ḥālu Samīrata?

B: I don't know how she is.

لا أَعْلَمُ كَيْفَ حالُها

Lā aʿlamu kayfa ḥāluhā.

A: How are your cousins?

كَيْفَ أَقارِبُكَ؟ (أَوْ: كَيْفَ حالُ أَقارِبِكَ؟)

Kayfa aqāribuka? (Aw: Kayfa ḥālu aqāribika?)

B: I don't know how they are.

لا أَعْلَمُ كَيْفَ هُمْ

Lā aʿlamu kayfa hum.

Dialogue 8

A: How are your neighbors?

كَيْفَ جيرانُكَ؟

Kayfa jīrānuka?

B: I don't know how they are.

لا أَعْلَمُ كَيْفَ هُمْ

Lā aʿlamu kayfa hum.

Glossary (Dialogues 7 & 8):

*   how: كَيْفَ - Kayfa.

*   a fiancé: خَطِيبٌ - Khaṭīb.

*   a fiancée: خَطِيبَةٌ - Khaṭībah.

*   well: بِخَيْرٍ / جَيِّدٌ - Bikhayrin / Jayyid.

*   sick: مَرِيضٌ - Marīḍ (مَرِيضَةٌ - Marīḍah).

*   a cousin (paternal, male): اِبْنُ العَمِّ - Ibn al-ʿamm.

*   a cousin (maternal, male): اِبْنُ الخالِ - Ibn al-khāl.

*   a cousin (paternal, female): اِبْنَةُ العَمِّ - Ibnat al-ʿamm.

*   a cousin (maternal, female): اِبْنَةُ الخالِ - Ibnat al-khāl.

    (Note: I used "أَقارِب" in the dialogue as a common, general term for "cousins/relatives")

*   a neighbor: جارٌ - Jār.

*   neighbors: جيرانٌ - Jīrān.