These are the most common time words you need to know:

To ask when something happens, use مَتَى before your verb.

Pattern:

مَتَى + verb + object?

Examples:

• مَتَى تَناوَلْتَ الْفُطورَ؟ (When did you eat breakfast?)
• مَتَى ذَهَبْتَ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ؟ (When did you go to school?)

To answer, put the time word before the verb or the action.

Pattern:

[Time word] + [action]

Examples:

• تَناوَلْتُ الْفُطورَ صَبَاحًا. (I ate breakfast in the morning.)
• ذَهَبْتُ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ السَّاعَةَ السَّابِعَةَ. (I went to school at seven o'clock.)

Arabic uses السَّاعَةُ (the hour) + number:

1. Past Events (What happened)

Use the past tense (ماضٍ). Here are some common verbs:

Example sentence:

• اسْتَيْقَظْتُ السَّاعَةَ السَّادِسَةَ فَجْرًا. (I woke up at six o'clock in the early morning.)

2. Present and Future Events (What is happening or will happen)

Use the present tense (مُضَارِع). Here are some common verbs:

Example sentences:

• أَذْهَبُ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ صَبَاحًا. (I go to school in the morning.)
• سَأَذْهَبُ إِلَى السُّوقِ غَدًا. (I will go to the market tomorrow.)

Question: مَتَى تَناوَلْتِ الْعَشَاءَ؟ (When did you eat dinner?)

Answer: تَناوَلْتُ الْعَشَاءَ مَسَاءً. (I ate dinner in the evening.)

Another example:

Question: مَتَى ذَهَبَ مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ؟ (When did Muhammad go to school?)

Answer: ذَهَبَ مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ السَّاعَةَ السَّابِعَةَ. (Muhammad went to school at seven o'clock.)

Use these patterns to describe your day:

Past (What you did):

• اسْتَيْقَظْتُ فَجْرًا. — I woke up at dawn.
• تَناوَلْتُ الْفُطورَ صَبَاحًا. — I ate breakfast in the morning.
• ذَهَبْتُ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ السَّاعَةَ السَّابِعَةَ. — I went to school at seven.
• رَجَعْتُ مِنَ الْمَدْرَسَةِ ظُهْرًا. — I returned from school at noon.

Present/Future (What you do or will do):

• أَتَنَاوَلُ الْغَدَاءَ ظُهْرًا. — I eat lunch at noon.
• أَذْهَبُ إِلَى السُّوقِ مَسَاءً. — I go to the market in the evening.
• سَأَزورُ جَدَّتي غَدًا. — I will visit my grandmother tomorrow.

1. Memorize the time words — Start with صَبَاحًا, ظُهْرًا, مَسَاءً, لَيْلًا.
2. Learn the question word مَتَى — It always starts your question about time.
3. Remember: time word comes first — Say صَبَاحًا first, then your verb.
4. Practice with a partner — Take turns asking and answering: مَتَى تَ...؟

In everyday life in Tanzania, you can use these phrases when talking about your daily routine with family or friends. For example, if you are helping at home or at a shop in town, you might say: "أَذْهَبُ إِلَى السُّوقِ مَسَاءً لِشِراءِ الْخُضَرَاتِ" (I go to the market in the evening to buy vegetables) — this helps you plan your time and tell others when you will do things.