Grammar Terminology

Arabic Grammar Terms and Structure #

This section introduces essential Arabic Grammar (نحو عربي) terms, grouped into clear categories. Each term is listed with its Arabic equivalent and a concise explanation.

🟦 Sentence Structure #

English Term	Arabic Term	Explanation
Verbal Sentence	جُمْلَة فِعْلِيَّة	A sentence beginning with a verb. Structure: Verb → Subject → Object.
Nominal Sentence	جُمْلَة اِسْمِيَّة	A sentence beginning with a noun. Structure: Subject (مبتدأ) → Predicate (خبر).
Subject	مُبْتَدَأٌ	The topic of a nominal sentence.
Predicate	خَبَرٌ	What is said about the subject in a nominal sentence.
Object	مَفْعُولٌ بِهِ	The noun receiving the action in a verbal sentence.

🟨 Parts of Speech #

English Term	Arabic Term	Explanation
Noun	اِسْمٌ	A word that refers to a person, place, thing, or idea.
Verb	فِعْلٌ	A word that shows an action or occurrence.
Adjective	صِفَةٌ	Describes a noun; matches in gender, number, and case.
Adverb	ظَرْفٌ	Modifies a verb or adjective (e.g., quickly, yesterday).
Pronoun	ضَمِيرٌ	Replaces a noun (e.g., he, she, it, we).
Active Participle	اِسْمُ الْفَاعِلِ	Describes the doer of an action (e.g., كَاتِب = writer).
Passive Participle	اِسْمُ الْمَفْعُولِ	Describes the one who the action is done to (e.g., مَكْتُوب = written).

🟩 Verb Tenses and Moods #

English Term	Arabic Term	Explanation
Past Tense	الْمَاضِي	Indicates a completed action.
Present Tense	الْمُضَارِعُ	Indicates an ongoing or habitual action.
Imperative / Command	الْأَمْرُ	Used to give orders or requests.
Jussive Mood	الْمَجْزُومُ	Used after particles like lam (لَم) or li (لِـ); removes final vowel.
Active Voice	مَعْرُوفٌ	The subject performs the action.
Passive Voice	مَجْهُولٌ	The action is done to the subject.

🟥 Cases and Declension #

English Term	Arabic Term	Explanation
Nominative Case	الْمَرْفُوعُ	Typically for subjects; marked with ḍammah (ـُ).
Accusative Case	الْمَنْصُوبُ	For objects or adverbs; marked with fatḥah (ـَ).
Genitive Case	الْمَجْرُورُ	Used after prepositions or in iḍāfah; marked with kasrah (ـِ).
Declinable Noun	مُعْرَبٌ	A noun whose ending changes based on grammatical position.
Fully Declinable	مُنْصَرِفٌ	Accepts all case endings and tanwīn.
Partially Declinable	غَيْرُ مُنْصَرِفٍ	Does not take tanwīn and is limited in case endings.
Indeclinable Noun	مَبْنِيٌّ	A noun whose form remains fixed.

🟪 Possession (Iḍāfah) #

English Term	Arabic Term	Explanation
Possessed Word	مُضَافٌ	The item owned; the first part of an iḍāfah phrase.
Possessor (of the item)	مُضَافٌ إِلَيْهِ	The owner; always in the genitive case.