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    Verbal Sentences

    By ArabicTree | June 11, 2012

    Verbal sentences are known as jumla fi’liyah. All it really means is a sentence that begins with a verb (fi’l). Any sentence beginning with a noun (ism) is called a nominal sentence (Jumla ismiyyah).

    Getting back to the jumla fi’liyah. This is the usual format it will appear in.
    1. It begins with a verb (fi’l).
    2. the doer (faail) usually comes after fi’l in the sentence. [its state is marfoo]
    3. Lastly the object(mafool bihi) that it was done comes last. [its state is mansoob]

    Lets look at this example.
    Daraba Zaydun Qittan
    [fi'l] [ faail] [ mafool bihi]
    Zaid hit a cat

    Which translates to:

    Daraba: {he hit} : Ma’rifa This is the fi’l. Its state is raf‘ .

    - By default we assume all such words to be in raf’ state, if no other influencing factors are visible. Therefore, this too is marfo)
    -“he” refers to doer, in this case, Zayd. Since it follows after this fi’l and is in marfo’ state.
    -“he” is the hidden/attached pronoun.
    -In arabic, a pronoun in this form is known as dameer muttasil marfo.

    Zaydun : {Zayd}

    - note its in raf state indicated by the dumma at the end.
    (so Zayd is doing the action of hitting)

    Qittan: {a cat}

    - Note its in the nasb state (so a cat is the object being hit.)

    So it properly would translate to:

    Zayd hit a cat.

    How would this compare to saying:

    A cat is hit.

    This can be done to emphasis on the more important fact, i.e. the cat is being hit/hurt. So that the attention is naturally on help the cat, rather then get angry at Zayd :)

    In Arabic, this is why such sentences make sense. Eg: Water is running out. Especially in the Quran. When Allah wants to emphasize on whats happening, rather than who is doing. We see in the Quran:

    خَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ

    and

     وَخُلِقَ الْإِنْسَانُ ضَعِيفًا

    So here is how you convert a regular sentence into such a sentence:

    1. You leave out the doer (i.e. faail, is not mentioned in the sentence. For the above intention of emphasis on whats happening to the object)

    2. We still start the verbal sentence with a verb (fi’l). however, its no longer in the structure of fa’ala rather it is fu’ila. And in this form its called “majhool”

    3. Then we still need to mention the object (maf’ool bihi) that is undergoing the action. So how to do that? Well the Arabs did so by converting the object into the ’substitute’ of the faail. So how does it work? Basically the object is no longer called maf’ool bihi, it becomes “nawaibul faail” which means a substitute of faail. And instead of being mansoob, it ‘acts’ like the faail by taking the form of Faail, marfo.

    So in summary, the object will be:

    1. the marfoo state.
    2. Instead of being mafool bihi, its now called nawaibul faail.

    Getting back to the jumla fi’liyah in this type its in the following format:

    1. It begins with a verb (fi’l) called majhool, in the form of “fu’ila”
    2. the doer is NO longer mentioned. Instead the object substitutes in its place (naaibul faail) and takes the form of marfoo

    Lets look at this example.

    Duriba Qittun
    [majhool] [Naaibul Fail]

    Which translates to:

    Duriba : {its hit}

    it refers to object being hit

    Qittun: {a cat}

    Note its in the marfo state (so a cat is the object being hit. But is taking form of faail. And is naaibul faail instead of mafool bihi.)

    So it properly would translate to:

    a cat is hit.

    Lets take an example from the quran, see if you can fill in the blanks! Answers are at the end of the article.

    Ayah (29:44:1)
    خَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ

    Sentence type:_____________________________________________________
    Fi’l (verb) form and meaning: ________________ i’rab: ____________________
    Faail (doer): ______________________________ i’rab:____________________
    Object term in arabic, and meaning_______________________ i’rab:_________

    Verbal sentence missing Faail. (4:28:6 )

     وَخُلِقَ الْإِنْسَانُ ضَعِيفًا

    Sentence type:_____________________________________________________
    Fi’l (verb) form and meaning: ________________ i’rab: ____________________
    Faail (doer): ______________________________ i’rab:____________________
    Object term in arabic, and meaning_______________________ i’rab:_________

    Answers:

    Ayah (29:44:1): خَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ

    Sentence type: Normal Verbal Sentence

    Fi’l (verb): Khalaqa

    term ma’rifa,
    form madi – fa’ala (past tense)
    meaning “He created”
    i’rab: raf’ (by default)

    Faail (doer): Allah.

    i’rab:raf’, Marfo by default (indicated by dumma)

    Objects : samawati and al-ardha

    term in arabic mafool bihi
    i’rab: mansoob (indicated by ta and fatha)

    (4:28:6 ) :  وَخُلِقَ الْإِنْسَانُ ضَعِيفًا

    Sentence type:Verbal sentence missing Faail.

    Fi’l(verb): Khuliqa

    term Majhool
    form: fu’ila
    means “it is created”
    i’rab is raf’ by default

    Faail (doer): No Faail mentioned.

    Object: Al-Insanu

    term in arabic Naaibul Faail
    i’rab: marfoo (indicated by dumma at end).
    Note: It takes the form of Faail by being marfo.

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