“Couldn’t” in Tunisian Arabic

In Tunisian Arabic, “Couldn’t” is written using the Latin script as:

(I) Ma najjamtech

(You) Ma najjamtech

(You, plural) Ma najjamtouch

(He) Ma najjamch

(She) Ma najmetch

(We) Ma najjamnech

(They) Ma najmouch

Using the Arabic script, it is written as:

ما نجّمتش (I)

ما نجّمتش (You)

ما نجّمتوش (You, plural)

ما نجّمش (He)

ما نجمتش (She)

ما نجّمناش (We)

ما نجّموش (They)

Listen to these words pronounced (audio)

 

Examples in sentences or statements

 
“I couldn’t find my keys.”

Ena ma najjamtech nel9a mfet7i.

.أنا ما نجّمتش نلقى مفاتحي

 
“Couldn’t you just leave the door open?”

Ma najjamtech juste t5alli el beb ma7loul?

ما نجّمتش جيست تخلّي الباب محلول؟

 
“He couldn’t open the door because it was jammed.”

Howa ma najjamch y7el el beb 3la 5atrou ken ma9foul.

.هو ما نجّمش يخل الباب على خاطرو كان مقفول

 
“She couldn’t solve the problem.”

Hiya ma najmetch t7el el mochkla.

.هي ما نجمتش تحل المشكلة

 
“We couldn’t go to the park because of the rain.”

A7na ma najjamnech nemchiw lel jarda 3la 5ater lmtar.

.أحنا ما نجّمناش نمشيو للجردة على خاطر المطر

 
“They couldn’t agree on which movie to watch.”

Houma ma najmouch yetfehmou 3la film yetfarjou 3lih.

.هوما ما نجموش يتفاهمو على فيلم يتفرجو عليه