“Have You Ever…?” and “I Have Never…”

Lesson objective

In this lesson, you will learn how to ask about someone’s past experience and how to say that something has never happened.

Asking “Have you ever…?”

Darija uses the word 3mmr, which changes form depending on the person.

The verb after 3mmr is often in the past tense.

Examples

weš 3mmrk mšiti l Fransa? — Have you ever gone to France?

weš 3mmrhum klau l-ksksu? — Have they ever eaten couscous?

weš 3mmrkum šrbtu atay b n-n3na3 f mirikan? — Have you ever drunk mint tea in America?

Saying “I have never…”

To say never, add ma- before 3mmr.

Examples

ma-3mmrni klit l-hamborgr. — I have never eaten a hamburger.

ma-3mmrha safrat l l-xarij. — She has never travelled abroad.

ma-3mmru tkllm l-3rbiya. — He has never spoken Arabic.