Lesson 3: Present Continuous & Habitual Actions
In Levantine Arabic, expressing actions that are currently happening—similar to the present continuous tense in English—is achieved using the particle "عم" (pronounced "ʿam") followed by the infinitive form of the verb. This construction is akin to saying "I am doing" or "She is eating" in English.
Learn how to express ongoing actions effectively in Levantine Arabic.
Structure of the Present Continuous
The general formula for forming the present continuous tense in Levantine Arabic is:
عم + Infinitive / Present
Here, "عم" functions similarly to the English auxiliary "am/is/are," indicating that the action is ongoing. It if followed after by the ver conjugated in present or the infinitive (the verb conjugated in present without the ب), which is very common in some dialects.
Let's take the verb "كتب" (to write) as an example:
| Present Tense | Present Continuous | Pronoun |
|---|---|---|
| بكتب | عم (ب)كتب | أنا (I) |
| بتكتب | عم (ب)تكتب | إنتَ (You m.) |
| بتكتبي | عم (ب)تكتبي | إنتِ (You f.) |
| بيكتب | عم (ب)يكتب | هو (He) |
| بتكتب | عم (ب)تكتب | هي (She) |
| منكتب | عم (م)نكتب | نحنا (We) |
| بتكتبوا | عم (ب)تكتبو | إنتو (You pl.) |
| بيكتبوا | عم (ب)يكتبو | هنّ (They) |
Usage Notes
- Immediate Actions: Use the present continuous to describe actions happening right now.
Example: "أنا عم بدرس" (I am studying). -
Ongoing Situations: It can also describe situations that are ongoing but not necessarily at the moment of speaking.
Example: "هو عم يشتغل بشركة جديدة" (He is working at a new company). -
Questions: To ask what someone is doing, use the same structure.
Example: "شو عم تعمل؟" (What are you doing?)
Common Habitual Verbs in Levantine Arabic
To eat - أكل
شو عَم تَاكُل / تَاكلي؟
What are you eating?
To sleep - نام
هُوِّ عَم ينَام
He is sleeping
To wake up - فيق
عَم يفِيق ولا لِسَّا؟
Is he waking up or not yet?
To go - روح
هَلَّق أَنَا عَم يرُوح عَ المَدرَسِة
I am going to school now
To drink - شرب
عَم نِشرَب شاي
We are drinking tea
To work - شتغل
المِيكَانِيكِي عَم يِشتِغِل هَلَّق على سَيَّارتَك
The mechanic is just working on your car now
To study - درس
بِنتِي الِكبِيرة عَم تِدرُس
My oldest daughter is studying
To read - قرأ
شُو عَم تِقري؟
What are you reading?
To write - كتب
عَم يُكتُب شِي لَإِمُّو
He is writing something to his mother.
If you want to practice what you’ve just learned, here are some exercises! Translate the following sentences into Levantine Arabic using the present continuous tense.