Meaning
Referring to a future occasion or occurrence.
Cultural Background
The phrase is almost always followed by 'Insha'Allah' (God willing). It reflects a cultural avoidance of absolute certainty about the future. Egyptians often use 'المرة الجاية' (Al-marra el-gayya). It sounds warmer and more casual in social settings. In the Levant, 'المرة الجاية' is also common, but they might use 'المرة التانية' (the second/other time) to mean 'next time' in specific contexts. In professional settings in the Gulf, 'المرة القادمة' is strictly used to maintain a high level of formal respect (Adab).
The 'Al' Rule
Always remember: if the noun has 'Al-', the adjective MUST have 'Al-'. This is the #1 mistake for B1 learners.
Add Insha'Allah
To sound like a native, always add 'Insha'Allah' after saying you'll do something 'next time'.
Meaning
Referring to a future occasion or occurrence.
The 'Al' Rule
Always remember: if the noun has 'Al-', the adjective MUST have 'Al-'. This is the #1 mistake for B1 learners.
Add Insha'Allah
To sound like a native, always add 'Insha'Allah' after saying you'll do something 'next time'.
Marra vs Waqt
Never use 'Waqt' for 'next time'. 'Waqt' is for duration (e.g., 'I don't have time'). 'Marra' is for occasions.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing word to say 'See you next time'.
أراك في المرة _______.
The word must have 'Al-' and be feminine to match 'المرة'.
Which sentence means 'Better luck next time'?
Choose the correct translation:
'Hazan sa'idan' means good luck.
Complete the dialogue naturally.
أ: هل تريد القهوة الآن؟ ب: لا شكراً، سأشربها _______.
The context implies declining now and deferring to the future.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You missed your bus.
This means 'I will ride the bus next time'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
MSA vs Dialect
Practice Bank
4 exercisesأراك في المرة _______.
The word must have 'Al-' and be feminine to match 'المرة'.
Choose the correct translation:
'Hazan sa'idan' means good luck.
أ: هل تريد القهوة الآن؟ ب: لا شكراً، سأشربها _______.
The context implies declining now and deferring to the future.
Situation: You missed your bus.
This means 'I will ride the bus next time'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, for 'next week' you say 'الأسبوع القادم'. Use 'المرة القادمة' only for 'the next time/occasion'.
It is always 'Al-qadima' because 'Marra' is a feminine noun.
'Qadima' is more common in speech; 'Muqbila' is more formal and used in literature or news.
The most common way is 'حظاً أوفر في المرة القادمة' (Hazzan awfar...).
Yes, in Arabic you still say 'THE next time' (المرة القادمة).
Yes, even though it's dialectal, almost all Arabic speakers understand it due to Egyptian media.
Only if you are using it in a very specific grammatical construction, but 99% of the time you need the 'Al-'.
The root is M-R-R (م-ر-ر), which means to pass by.
You can say 'نلتقي في المرة القادمة' (We shall meet in the next time).
The word 'Marra' appears many times, but this specific two-word phrase is more common in Modern Standard Arabic.
Related Phrases
مرة أخرى
similarOnce again
فيما بعد
similarLater on
السنة القادمة
builds onNext year
المرة السابقة
contrastThe previous time
آخر مرة
contrastThe last time
