# Arabic (probably) translation requested **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 10, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-probably-translation-requested/531992 "2010-03-10T16:58:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-probably-translation-requested/531992/1 "2010-03-10T16:58:58Z")
This was posted in a comment on a local news story: إنني أدعو الله أن يعذب روحك (Obviously, I apologize in advance if it’s something dirty.) ---
**Author:** ![GregH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@GregH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GregH)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-probably-translation-requested/531992/2 "2010-03-10T17:07:53Z")
I saw this very question posed in another thread recently. If you use the “search” function, you’ll find your answer. I just looked, and it was you who posed the same question. Huh? -Greg ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-probably-translation-requested/531992/3 "2010-03-10T17:15:00Z")
I compared them side by side, and while they probably convey the same intent, I don’t think they’re exactly the same, maybe a few more words at the front of the phrase. But maybe not. ---
**Author:** ![GregH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@GregH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GregH)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-probably-translation-requested/531992/4 "2010-03-10T17:22:18Z")
I studied Arabic for a while and “inna” at the beginning of a sentence or phrase is untranslatable into English. In this case, you can translate it roughly as “indeed, I pray that…” Here, the word “inna” is followed by the suffix “nee”, which means “I”. It is a grammatical necessity. Both sentences mean the same thing, but the one with “inna” is more emphatic. Hope that helps. -Greg ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-probably-translation-requested/531992/5 "2010-03-10T17:23:21Z")
Thanks. Good enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-probably-translation-requested/531992/6 "2010-03-10T17:25:04Z")
Yup, I studied Arabic for a while too, and I agree with **GregH**. Except the spelling of “inna” looks funny to me. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-probably-translation-requested/531992/7 "2010-03-10T18:49:24Z")
Least-competent Arabic student here. Agree that “inna” spelling looks odd. I learned the translation of “inna” as “surely”. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-probably-translation-requested/531992/8 "2010-03-10T20:05:24Z")
> [@GregH](#): > > I saw this very question posed in another thread recently. If you use the “search” function, you’ll find your answer. When giving answers like this, we’d prefer that you just insert a link to the other thread you’re referring to. That way we don’t end up with a whole bunch of people all searching at once and slowing things down. It’s also more polite because it saves the other posters some trouble. (The thread in question is [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=553405&highlight=arabic)). ---
**Author:** ![GregH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@GregH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GregH)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-probably-translation-requested/531992/9 "2010-03-10T23:09:02Z")
> [@Raza](#): > > Least-competent Arabic student here. Agree that “inna” spelling looks odd. I learned the translation of “inna” as “surely”. I’m not clear on why you think “inna” looks odd. As mentioned, “inna” here is connected to the suffix “nee”. So, it reads “innanee”. What’s odd about it? I haven’t typed with Arabic letters in ages, so I won’t even try! Otherwise, I’d write a few more examples to help make things clear. -G ---
**Author:** ![GregH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@GregH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GregH)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-probably-translation-requested/531992/10 "2010-03-10T23:10:15Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:8, topic:531992”] When giving answers like this, we’d prefer that you just insert a link to the other thread you’re referring to. That way we don’t end up with a whole bunch of people all searching at once and slowing things down. It’s also more polite because it saves the other posters some trouble. (The thread in question is [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=553405&highlight=arabic)). [/QUOTE] Point well taken. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabic-probably-translation-requested/531992/11 "2010-03-10T23:47:35Z")
> [@GregH](#): > > I’m not clear on why you think “inna” looks odd. As mentioned, “inna” here is connected to the suffix “nee”. So, it reads “innanee”. What’s odd about it? It looks odd to me because I’m more used to the form “'innee”, with a shadda on the nun of “inna” and no repeated nun, but I went and looked it up and found that you’re quite right that “innanee” is also correct.