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A2 verb #4,500 most common 2 min read

يُغَنِّي

yughanni

When you're just starting out in Arabic, one of the first verbs you'll want to learn is how to say 'to sing'. This is a fun and practical verb to know!

In Arabic, the word for 'he sings' is يُغَنِّي (yughannī). You'll notice it starts with 'yu-', which is a common prefix for verbs in the present tense when referring to 'he' or 'it'.

Think of it as a simple building block. If you want to say 'she sings', the verb will change slightly, but understanding يُغَنِّي for 'he sings' is a great first step.

This verb is very useful for talking about music, hobbies, or even describing what someone is doing. Practice saying it out loud!

When you're learning Arabic at an A2 level, you're starting to talk about daily activities. The verb يُغَنِّي is super useful for this. It means 'he sings'. You'll use this when you want to mention someone singing, like your friend or a singer on the radio.

It's a present tense verb, so it describes an action happening now or something that happens regularly. Understanding verbs like this helps you build simple sentences about what people do every day.

When discussing singing in Arabic, one common verb you'll encounter is يُغَنِّي (yughannī). This verb means 'to sing' and is used for a male singular subject in the present tense.

For example, you could say: المُطْرِبُ يُغَنِّي أغنيةً جميلةً. (The singer sings a beautiful song.)

If you wanted to express 'she sings,' you would use تُغَنِّي (tughannī). For 'I sing,' it's أُغَنِّي (ughannī), and for 'we sing,' it's نُغَنِّي (nughannī).

It's also useful to know related words like أُغْنِيَة (ughniyah) which means 'a song,' and مُغَنِّي/مُغَنِّيَة (mughannī/mughanniyah) for 'singer' (male/female).

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

§ Basic Meaning and Forms

The Arabic verb "يُغَنِّي" (yughannī) means "he sings." This is the present tense, masculine singular form. It comes from the root GHA-N-N-Y (غ-ن-ي) which is related to singing and richness/wealth in other forms. In this lesson, we'll focus on its use for singing.

Verb Form
Form II (فَعَّلَ / يُفَعِّلُ)
Present Tense (Imperfect)
يُغَنِّي (yughannī) - he sings
تُغَنِّي (tughannī) - she sings / you (masc. sing.) sing
أُغَنِّي (ughannī) - I sing
نُغَنِّي (nughannī) - we sing
تُغَنِّينَ (tughannīna) - you (fem. sing.) sing
يُغَنُّونَ (yughannūna) - they (masc.) sing
تُغَنُّونَ (tughannūna) - you (masc. plural) sing
Past Tense (Perfect)
غَنَّى (ghannā) - he sang
غَنَّتْ (ghannat) - she sang
غَنَّيْتُ (ghannaytu) - I sang

§ Using "يُغَنِّي" in Sentences

"يُغَنِّي" is usually followed by what is being sung or the context of the singing. It can be used with or without a direct object.

الولد يُغَنِّي أغنية جميلة.

Translation hint: The boy sings a beautiful song.

هي تُغَنِّي كل يوم.

Translation hint: She sings every day.

نحن لا نُغَنِّي بصوت عالٍ.

Translation hint: We do not sing loudly.

§ Prepositions with "يُغَنِّي"

Generally, "يُغَنِّي" doesn't require specific prepositions to introduce a direct object. However, you might see it used with prepositions to specify *for whom* or *about what* someone is singing.

  • لِـ (li-) - for / to: Used to indicate the recipient or beneficiary of the singing.

الأم تُغَنِّي لطفلها.

Translation hint: The mother sings for her child.

  • عن (ʿan) - about: Used to specify the topic or subject of the song.

Fun Fact

The connection between 'singing' and 'richness' in Arabic might stem from the idea of being 'rich' with song or having an 'abundance' of melody. Another theory suggests it relates to being self-sufficient and not needing external help, which can be linked to the act of singing freely.

Examples by Level

1

هو يُغَنِّي أغنية جميلة.

He sings a beautiful song.

هو (huwa) = he, يُغَنِّي (yughanni) = sings, أغنية (ughniya) = song, جميلة (jamila) = beautiful.

2

هل تُغَنِّي في الحفلة؟

Do you (male) sing at the party?

هل (hal) = question particle, تُغَنِّي (tughanni) = you sing, في (fi) = in/at, الحفلة (al-hafla) = the party.

3

هي تُغَنِّي كل يوم.

She sings every day.

هي (hiya) = she, كل (kull) = every, يوم (yawm) = day.

4

أنا لا أُغَنِّي جيداً.

I don't sing well.

أنا (ana) = I, لا (la) = not, أُغَنِّي (ughanni) = I sing, جيداً (jayyidan) = well.

5

نحن نُغَنِّي معاً.

We sing together.

نحن (nahnu) = we, نُغَنِّي (nughanni) = we sing, معاً (ma'an) = together.

6

متى تُغَنِّي الأغنية؟

When do you (male) sing the song?

متى (mata) = when, الأغنية (al-ughniya) = the song.

7

هل تحب أن تُغَنِّي؟

Do you (male) like to sing?

تحب (tuhibb) = you like, أن (an) = to (introduces infinitive).

8

لا تُغَنِّي بصوت عالٍ.

Don't sing loudly.

لا (la) = don't (for prohibition), بصوت عالٍ (bi-sawt 'alin) = loudly.

Tips

Basic Meaning of يُغَنِّي

The word يُغَنِّي (yughanni) means 'to sing'. This is the present tense form, specifically for 'he sings' or 'he is singing'.

Pronunciation Practice for يُغَنِّي

Pay close attention to the pronunciation: 'yoo-ghan-nee'. The 'gh' sound is similar to the French 'r' or the gargling sound. Practice saying it aloud.

Verb Conjugation Start

This verb is in the present tense (فعل مضارع - fi'l mudari'). The 'يُ' (yu) prefix indicates the third person masculine singular, meaning 'he'.

Related Noun: Song

The noun for 'song' is أغنية (ughniya). Knowing related words helps expand your vocabulary efficiently.

Related Noun: Singer

The noun for 'singer' is مغنّي (mughanni). Notice the shared root letters: غ-ن-ي (gh-n-y).

Using يُغَنِّي in a Simple Sentence

Try forming a basic sentence. For example: هو يُغَنِّي أغنية جميلة. (Huwa yughanni ughniya jameelah.) He sings a beautiful song.

Future Tense with سوف/سَـ

To say 'he will sing', you add سوف (sawfa) or سَـ (sa-) before the verb: سوف يُغَنِّي (sawfa yughanni) or سَيُغَنِّي (sayughanni).

Common Usage Contexts

You'll often hear يُغَنِّي in contexts related to music, concerts, or someone just humming a tune. Think about when people sing in your daily life.

Listen to Arabic Music

A great way to reinforce this word and its sound is to listen to Arabic music. Pay attention when you hear variations of 'to sing' or 'song'.

Practice Different Subjects

While يُغَنِّي is 'he sings', remember the patterns for other subjects. For example, 'I sing' is أُغَنِّي (ughanni) and 'she sings' is تُغَنِّي (tughanni).

Word Origin

From the Arabic root غ-ن-ي (gh-n-y)

Original meaning: to be rich, to be free from want

Semitic

Cultural Context

Arabic music and singing have a very rich history and are deeply embedded in the culture. From classical Arabic poetry (like Qasidas) that was often sung, to various folk traditions and modern pop music, singing is a fundamental form of expression. It’s common to hear people singing in everyday life, whether it's children's songs, religious chants, or popular tunes. Singing is often associated with joy, celebration, and storytelling.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

To say 'he sings' in Arabic, you use the verb يُغَنِّي (yughannī).

Certainly! An example is: هو يُغَنِّي أغنية جميلة. (Huwa yughannī ughniyah jamīlah.) which means 'He sings a beautiful song.'

No, يُغَنِّي specifically means 'he sings.' For 'she sings,' you would use تُغَنِّي (tughannī).

The root of يُغَنِّي is غ-ن-ي (gh-n-y).

Here are a few conjugations:

  • I sing: أُغَنِّي (ughannī)
  • You (masculine) sing: تُغَنِّي (tughannī)
  • We sing: نُغَنِّي (nughannī)

In Arabic, يُغَنِّي generally covers both. If you want to specify 'in a choir,' you might add 'في جوقة' (fī jawqah) but the verb itself remains the same.

The noun for 'a song' is أغنية (ughniyah). The verbal noun for 'singing' is غناء (ghinā').

يُغَنِّي is a standard, formal Arabic verb and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

While it primarily means 'to sing,' in certain contexts, particularly religious or poetic ones, it can sometimes carry a sense of 'chanting' or 'reciting with a melodic voice.' However, 'to sing' is its primary meaning.

It's pronounced 'yoo-ghan-nee'. The 'gh' is a guttural sound, similar to the 'r' in French or German, but from the back of the throat. The 'ī' at the end is a long 'ee' sound.

Test Yourself 18 questions

fill blank B1

كل صباح، الطائر الصغير ___ بصوت جميل.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: يُغَنِّي

The context implies the bird makes a beautiful sound, which is 'sings'.

fill blank B1

أحب أن أستمع إلى الموسيقى بينما المغني ___ أغنيته المفضلة.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: يُغَنِّي

A singer 'sings' their favorite song.

fill blank B1

في الحفل، كان الجميع يرقصون و___ المطرب بحماس.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: يُغَنِّي

At a concert, a performer 'sings' enthusiastically.

fill blank B1

عندما يكون سعيدًا، غالبًا ما ___ الطفل بصوت عالٍ.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: يُغَنِّي

A happy child often 'sings' loudly.

fill blank B1

هل تستطيع أن ___ هذه الأغنية معي؟

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: تُغَنِّي

The question asks if you can 'sing' this song with me.

fill blank B1

كانت الأم تهدهد طفلها و___ له أغنية هادئة.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: تُغَنِّي

A mother 'sings' a lullaby to her baby.

listening B1

The speaker is asking about preference for singing Arabic songs.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: هل تحب أن تغني الأغاني العربية؟
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
listening B1

Someone heard a beautiful singing voice at a party last night.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: سمعتُ صوتًا جميلًا يغني في الحفل الليلة الماضية.
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
listening B1

Children sometimes sing their favorite songs before bedtime.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: أحيانًا يغني الأطفال أغانيهم المفضلة قبل النوم.
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
speaking B1

Read this aloud:

يمكنك أن تغني هذه الأغنية معي.

Focus: تغني

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
speaking B1

Read this aloud:

عندما تشعر بالسعادة، هل تحب أن تغني بصوت عالٍ؟

Focus: تغني بصوت عالٍ

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
speaking B1

Read this aloud:

في المساء، غالبًا ما يغني المغنيون في المطاعم.

Focus: يغني المغنيون

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
sentence order B2

Tap words below to build the sentence
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: يُغَنِّي الفنان أمام الجمهور

This sentence means 'The artist sings in front of the audience.' The verb usually comes first in Arabic sentences.

sentence order B2

Tap words below to build the sentence
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: تُغَنِّي الطيور دائمًا في الصباح

This sentence means 'The birds always sing in the morning.' The verb 'تُغَنِّي' (they sing, feminine) comes first, followed by the subject and then the adverbs of time and place.

sentence order B2

Tap words below to build the sentence
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: تُغَنِّي سعاد بصوت جميل

This sentence means 'Suad sings with a beautiful voice.' The verb 'تُغَنِّي' (she sings) comes first, followed by the subject 'سعاد' and then the adverbial phrase describing how she sings.

/ 18 correct

Perfect score!

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