EmSAT Arabic Flashcards

Which of the following is the correct plural of 'كتاب' (book)?

Answer: كتب

The correct broken plural of 'كتاب' (book) is 'كتب'. Arabic broken plurals change the internal vowel pattern of the singular word, unlike sound plurals which add a suffix.

In Arabic grammar, what is 'الفاعل' (al-faa'il)?

Answer: The subject of the verb

'الفاعل' (al-faa'il) is the subject of the verb in Arabic — the doer of the action. In an Arabic verbal sentence (الجملة الفعلية), the verb comes first, then the subject.

What is the correct form of the verb 'كتب' for 'she wrote'?

Answer: كتبتْ

In Arabic, 'كتبَ' means 'he wrote' (masculine), while 'كتبتْ' means 'she wrote' (feminine). The feminine past tense is formed by adding تْ to the verb.

What is 'التنوين' in Arabic?

Answer: The nunation (double vowel sound at end of indefinite nouns)

التنوين (tanwin) is the nunation — the doubling of a short vowel at the end of indefinite nouns in Arabic, producing a 'n' sound (e.g., كتابٌ kitaabun, كتابًا kitaaban, كتابٍ kitaabin).

Which letter is a 'حرف شمسي' (solar letter)?

Answer: ت

Solar letters (الحروف الشمسية) are those that assimilate the 'ل' of the definite article 'ال'. 'ت' is a solar letter, so 'التاء' is pronounced 'at-taa'. The letters ب, م are lunar letters.

What is 'المبتدأ' (al-mubtada') in Arabic grammar?

Answer: The subject of a nominal sentence

المبتدأ is the subject of a nominal sentence (الجملة الاسمية) in Arabic. It is always in the nominative case (مرفوع) and is followed by the predicate (الخبر).