Aramaic Grammar 7 (particle דִּי)

Question 1

Translate the Phrase בַּיְתָּא דִּי מַלְכָּא. Which word does the דִּי represent?

Answer 1

“The house of the king”. דִּי = “of”

Question 2

Translate the phrase בֵּיתֵהּ דִּי מַלְכָּא LITERALLY. And which word is redundant and doesn’t need to be translated?

Answer 2

LITERALLY = “His house of the king”. “his..” as in “his house” is redundant. Thus “The house of the king” is sufficient.

Question 3

Translate the phrase עֲבִידְתָּא דִּי מְדִינַת בָּבֶל

Answer 3

“The administration of the province of Babylon”

Question 4

Translate the phrase שְׁמֵהּ דִּי אֱלָהָא LITERALLY. Then translate it contextually.

Answer 4

“his name of the God” vs “The name of God”

Question 5

What makes the phrase שַׁלִּטִן שְׁמַיָּא a nominal sentence?

Answer 5

Difference in level of definiteness.

Question 6

Is the phrase מַלְכַיָּא טָבַיָּא a nominal sentence?

Answer 6

No. Both words have the same level of definiteness.

Question 7

Is the phrase בֵּית מַלְכָתָא a nominal sentence?

Answer 7

Yes. בֵּית is indefinite, whereas מַלְכָתָא is definite.

Question 8

Is the phrase מַלְכָּא טָב a nominal sentence?

Answer 8

Yes. טָב is indefinite, whereas מַלְכָּא is definite.

Question 9

Is the phrase מַלְכָּה טָבָה a nominal sentence?

Answer 9

No. Both words have the same level of definiteness.

Question 10

Is the phrase בְּרַהּ רַבָּא a nominal sentence? Why/Why not?

Answer 10

It is not a nominal sentence. Because a pronominal suffix carries the same level of definiteness as a definite article.