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    Definite and Indefinite

    Saturday, November 3rd, 2007

    Arabic has two types of nouns: definite and indefinite. (Definite means it’s something specific–the tree in front of you, your bag, the student’s book, etc. Indefinite means it’s not specific–a tree, a car, a book, a bag.)
    Words with double tanween are indefinite, while words with single tanween and alif-lam in front of them) [...]

    The Interrogative Particle

    Saturday, October 27th, 2007

    There are two interrogative particles: alif-with-hamza (َأ) and “hal” (حَل). Both mean roughly the same thing, and can be used to ask a variety of questions, such as “is”, “are”, and “did”.

    Sound Masculine Plural

    Wednesday, August 29th, 2007

    Sound masculine plurals end with -uwna in the marfoo’ case (eg. Muslimuwna), and -iyna in the majruwr and mansoob case (eg. Muslimiyna). Other patterns exist, broken masculine patterns.

    The Number System From 11-19

    Sunday, August 26th, 2007

    In the number system from 11-19, the ma’duwd is singular and mansoob, the tens digit is singular and mansoob and similar in gender to the ma’duwd, and the ones digit is singular and mansoob and opposite in gender to the ma’duwd.

    The Number System From 1-2

    Wednesday, August 22nd, 2007

    In Arabic, the numbers one and two are NOT actually numbers, but adjectives–this is because the form of words already implies if the object is singular, dual, or plural. How do we use these numbers, then? For emphasis.

    Surah Tiyn, Verse 8

    Wednesday, August 15th, 2007

    Grammatical dissection of the last ayah of Surah Tiyn: أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَحْكَمِ الْحَاكِمِينَ (”Is Allah not the best of judges?”)

    Suratul Hajj, Verse 1

    Saturday, August 11th, 2007

    A grammatical analysis of the first verse of Suratul Hajj: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّ زَلْزَلَةَ السَّاعَةِ شَيْءٌ عَظِيمٌ

    Laysa (Not)

    Tuesday, August 7th, 2007

    Laysa means “is not” or “was not.” It’s conjugated the same way as a maadi verb. You can use laysa by itself, or with the preposition bi. The mubtada becomes “ismu laysa,” and is marfoo’; the khabar becomes “khabaru laysa,” and is mansoob.

    Adjectives (Na’at and Man’oot)

    Saturday, August 4th, 2007

    The adjective (na’at) must match the described (man’oot) in four things: number, gender, case, and definitivity. The na’at FOLLOWS the man’oot. See the examples!

    Feminine Words Without Ta-Marbuwta

    Thursday, July 26th, 2007

    As you may remember, singular feminine words in Arabic end with ta-marbuwta (ة)–with a handful of exceptions. Some of these exceptions are:

    Ash-Shams (الشَمسُ): the sun
    Qidrun (قِدرٌ): pot
    Harbun (حَربٌ): war

    Also, any body-part that humans have in pairs is considered feminine. This includes:

    3ynun (عَينٌ): eyes
    2thnun (أُثنٌ): ears
    Yahdun (يَهدٌ): hands

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