Noun: Dual

Noun: Dual #

The dual form for:

1. Nouns
2. Adjectives, and
3. Verbs (used for two of something)

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Directions

July 20, 2025

Directions (اتجاهات) #

Nouns that describe spatial or geographical directions الاتجاهات (al-ittiǧāhāt) such as north, south, east, west, right, and left.

They are not true adverbs, but they are often used in adverbial expressions with prepositions like:

• إِلَى (to / towards)
• مِنْ (from)
• فِي (in)
• نَحْوَ (towards)

Main Directions (الاتجاهات الرئيسية) #

%% Mermaid flowchart diagram — compass
flowchart TB
  style CENTER fill:#fff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
  N[شَمَال<br/>North] -->|↑| CENTER((●))
  S[جَنُوب<br/>South] -->|↓| CENTER
  W[غَرْب<br/>West] -->|←| CENTER
  E[شَرْق<br/>East] -->|→| CENTER
  CENTER --> R[يَمِين<br/>Right]
  CENTER --> L[يَسَار<br/>Left]

  classDef dir fill:#f2f8ff,stroke:#2b6cb0;
  class N,S,W,E,R,L dir;

↔️ Horizontal Directions (الاتجاهات الجانبية) #

💡 Note: Both يَسَار and شِمَال mean “left,” though يَسَار is more common in Modern Standard Arabic.

Nouns: Plurals

June 28, 2025

Nouns: Plurals (الجمع) #

Arabic plurals fall into two main types:
Sound (regular) plurals and Broken (irregular) plurals.

Sound Plurals (الجمع السالم) #

A sound plural keeps the singular word intact and adds a regular ending.
The root structure does not change.

1. Masculine Sound Plural (جمع المذكر السالم) #

Formed by adding:

• ونَ in the nominative (مرفوع)
• ينَ in the accusative/genitive (منصوب / مجرور)

2. Feminine Sound Plural (جمع المؤنث السالم) #

Formed by changing ة → ات or adding ات.

Pronouns: Demonstrative

Demonstrative Pronouns (أسماء الإشارة) #

The demonstrative pronoun (اِسْم الإشَارَة ism al-ishārah) is a word used to point to something specific. It always comes before the noun it refers to and makes that noun definite.

Its role is to indicate whether the thing being pointed to is:

• Singular, Dual (المُثنّى), or Plural
• Masculine or Feminine
• Near (قريب) or Far (بعيد)

Demonstrative Pronouns (أسماء الإشارة) #

Mnemonic: #

• Think of هٰذَا / هٰذِهِ as “this” (close),
• and ذٰلِكَ / تِلْكَ as “that” (far).

For plurals:

Idafah - Possessive Construction

Iḍāfah (الإضافة) – The Possessive Construction #

In Arabic, الإضافة (Idāfah) is the structure used to link two nouns together in a relationship of possession or description.
It often means “the X of Y” in English.

• The first noun is the مُضَاف (the possessed thing).
• The second noun is the مُضَاف إِلَيْهِ (the possessor / owner).

Example:

• كِتَابُ الطَّالِبِ → the student’s book (book of the student)

Structure (Two-Noun Idāfah) #

Rules of Iḍāfah #

1. The first noun (مُضَاف) cannot take:

Rules

Arabic Grammar Rules (قَوَاعِد اللُّغَة العَرَبِيَّة) #

Notes from my lectures.

A list of useful Arabic grammar rules compiled for reference and memorisation.

Home | Arabic

Vocabulary - Conversation

June 28, 2025

Arabic Conversation Starters #

A collection of useful Arabic phrases to help with conversation, daily interaction, and travel situations.

Greetings & Starting #

Starting or Joining a Conversation #

• هَلْ تَسْمَحُ لِي بِمُحَادَثَتِكَ؟
  May I talk to you?

Vocabulary - Proverbs & Idioms

June 28, 2025

Proverbs and Idioms #

الأَمْثَال وَالتَّعَابِير العَرَبِيَّة

Arabic uses many short expressions that carry deep meanings.
Some are general proverbs, while others are Islamic expressions commonly used in daily speech.

Part 1: General Arabic Proverbs & Idioms #

These are cultural expressions used in everyday conversation.

• الصَّبْرُ مِفْتَاحُ الفَرَج
  Patience is the key to relief.
  Used when encouraging someone to stay patient during difficulty.

• مَنْ جَدَّ وَجَد
  Whoever strives, succeeds.
  Used to motivate effort and hard work.

• كُلُّ تَأْخِيرٍ فِيهِ خَيْر
  Every delay has good in it.
  Said when something doesn’t happen as expected.

• اليَوْمَ لَكَ وَغَدًا عَلَيْكَ
  Today it’s for you, tomorrow against you.
  Life changes; don’t be arrogant or hopeless.

• عَلَى قَدِّ لِحَافِكَ مَدَّ رِجْلَيْكَ
  Stretch your legs according to your blanket.
  Live within your means.

• لِكُلِّ مُجْتَهِدٍ نَصِيب
  Everyone who strives gets a share.
  Effort is always rewarded in some way.

• دَقَّة بِدَقَّة
  Tit for tat / action for action.
  Used when actions are repaid in kind.

• لَا نَاقَةَ لِي فِيهَا وَلَا جَمَل
  I have neither a camel nor a she-camel in it.
  Meaning: It has nothing to do with me.

• ضَرْبُ عُصْفُورَيْنِ بِحَجَرٍ وَاحِد
  To kill two birds with one stone.
  Achieving two goals with one action.

• الطُّيُورُ عَلَى أَشْكَالِهَا تَقَع
  Birds of a feather flock together.
  People with similar traits stick together.

• القِرْدُ بِعَيْنِ أُمِّهِ غَزَال
  A monkey is a gazelle in his mother’s eyes.
  Parents see their children as perfect.

• أَنَا فِي وَادٍ وَأَنْتَ فِي وَادٍ
  I am in a valley and you are in a valley.
  We are not on the same wavelength.

Part 2: Islamic Expressions & Proverbs #

These are phrases rooted in Islamic belief and commonly used by Muslims.

Vocabulary - Similar Words

December 6, 2025

Similar Arabic Words – Meanings and Nuances #

Below are groups of similar or confusing Arabic words, with short explanations, examples, and English translations.

Coming and Arriving #

جاء – أتى – وصل #

• جَاءَ
  Meaning: he came (general coming, often toward the speaker).
  Example:
  جَاءَ الطَّالِبُ إِلَى المَدْرَسَةِ.
  The student came to the school.

• أَتَى
  Meaning: he came / he brought / he performed (more formal, often Qur’anic).
  Example:
  أَتَى الرَّجُلُ مِنَ البَيْتِ.
  The man came from the house.