Introduction
Part One: The Basics
Chapter 1: The Dawn of Arabic Grammar
1. How old is Arabic grammar?
2. What is Classical Arabic?
3. Who wrote the first Arabic dictionary?
4. What does the Arabic word for dictionary ?(??????????) mean?
5. What prompted the first grammarian to write down rules?
6. Why do we use the word ?????? for grammar?
7. How did the inventor of the dots guide his calligrapher?
8. Who invented the vowels and markers which we use today?
9. Are there consonants which do not go well with each other?
10. Who wrote the first book about Arabic grammar?
11. What does the name Sibawayhi mean?
12. What is the first sentence of Sibawayhi's grammar?
13. What was the aim of the first Arabic grammarians?
14. What are the two most famous Arabic grammar schools?
15. How do we know that a scholar belongs to the Kufa school?
16. What role did the Bedouins play in creating Arabic grammar?
17. What does a wasp have to do with Arabic grammar?
18. What came first: noun or verb?
19. How can you tell that a word in Arabic is of foreign origin?
20. What does? ?????????? ??????????????? mean?
21. How did the scribes of the Qur'an set the rules for the Hamza?
22. Did prophet Muhammad pronounce the ??????? (glottal stop)?
Chapter 2: Decoding Arabic Grammar
What you need to know about? ?????????
23. What is the formula (steps) to analyze a word in Arabic?
24. How much do English and Arabic grammar differ?
25. What gender should we use for Arabic grammar terms?
26. How many parts of speech does Arabic know?
27. Are there particles in Arabic?
28. What does? ????????? mean?
29. Which signs are used for ???????????
30. Does every? ??????? and? ??????? get the full spectrum of case endings?
31. How do you put case or mood markers on indeclinable words?
32. Can you use letters to mark cases?
33. What is a governor or operator ?(??????) in Arabic grammar?
34. Can there be more than one ????????? in a sentence?
35. What does? ???????????? mean?
36. Which verb forms hide the subject?
37. The cryptic term ????? ???????. Can a word be the subject (??????) and serve as the predicate (??????)??
Misleading signs - the need for virtual case markers
38. What do you do when you can't put case markers on words?
39. Why is the Aleph the weakest letter in Arabic?
40. Can you put case or mood markers on weak letters?
41. Why can an extra (additional) preposition be annoying?
In any case the same - indeclinable words
42. Which kinds of words are entirely indeclinable?
43. Are there indeclinable verbs in Arabic?
The relationship of words - cases
44. What do case markers express?
45. Do verbs take cases in Arabic?
46. What is the underlying concept of nunation (??????????)???
47. What does nunation (?????????) actually express?
48. Does an indefinite word when? ??????????? always need a final Aleph?
49. How do you mark cases in words with final ???????, e.g., in ?????????
50. What is the function of the subject?
51. When does a noun have to be in the nominative case? (?????????)???
52. What causes the? ???????????? of a nominal sentence to be? ?????????????
53. What is the purpose of an object in Arabic?
54. When does a noun have to be in the ?????????-case?
55. When does a noun have to be in the ?????????-case?
56. Does it matter whether we use a verbal or nominal sentence?
57. Can you have two subjects in only one sentence?
Shaping the verb
58. What is a ??????? ????????
59. Why do we sometimes find an extra ? at the end of verbs?
60. Why do we say ????????? for I wrote - and not ???????????
61. Does an Arabic verb indicate time?
62. What does ???????????? mean?
63. What is the connection between verbs and diptotes?
64. Why is there no to be in the Arabic present tense?
65. Which imperative form of a regular verb doesn't end in a ????????????
Sentences or clauses which do the jobs of single words
66. Having (or not having) a position in ????????? - What does it mean?
67. How is it possible that a sentence does the job of a single word?
68. Can a sentence supply the place of the predicate?
69. What is a ??????? ????????????????
70. Can a whole sentence take on the job of an object?
71. Can a sentence function as an object of ????????
72. Can a sentence function as the third object of certain verbs?
73. Can a sentence take the position of a ??????
74. Can a sentence function as an adjective (?????)???
75. Why does it matter in Arabic whether a noun is truly indefinite?
76. Can a sentence supply the place of the excluded (??????????????)??
77. Can you place a sentence as the second part of a ??????????
78. Why do adverbs of place make sentences complex sometimes?
79. Can a nominal sentence take on the task of a ?????????-verb?
80. What is the tricky thing if a sentence follows another sentence?
Neutral clauses - outside the scope of ? ?????????
81. Does the independent clause have a position in ?????????
??82. How should we deal with a parenthesis in Arabic grammar?
83. What is the weirdest function of the particle ????????
84. How should we treat the content of an oath in Arabic?
85. What's the judgment on the 2nd part of a conditional sentence?
86. How do grammarians treat the relative clause (??????? ????????)??
Part Two: Letters, forms, and words
Chapter 3: Secrets of Letters and Forms
87. What does the vowel on the second root letter tell us?
88. In which position will you never find an Aleph?
89. Why is there an Aleph at the end of third-person plural verbs?
90. Why is there sometimes an Aleph instead of ? or ?? in verbs?
91. The verb ???????. What does it mean?
92. What happens when ? and ? collide?
93. What is the Ha? of silence?
94. What is the energetic form of a verb?
95. Come to prayer! (????? ????? ?????????)?. What form is ??????????
96. Give! (????). What form is that?
97. Why does the Arabic word for Caliph (????????) have a? ????
98. What is the plural of the word ?????????
99. Can a feminine word form a sound masculine plural?
Linking two nouns (??????????) - possession and belonging
100. Why does the first part of a ???????? not get nunation?
101. How do you know if a ???????-construction is definite?
102. The word for son. Should you use?? ????? or? ???????
103. The king's sons and daughters. How do you say that in Arabic?
104. ?????? ????????? ??????????? - What does it mean in English?
105. How do you say: a son of the king?
106. How do you express: my (male) teachers?
107. How do you add my or me to verbs?
108. What happens to a weak letter if it collides with my?
The? ????????
109. What came first:? ????????? or verb?
110. Is? ??????? the? ????????? of? ?????????
Chapter 4: Pronouns and Prepositions
Pronouns (??????????) - and what we call in English pronouns
111. What turns an adjective into a predicate in Arabic?
112. What is the pronoun of the story or fact?
113. ?????? ??????? ??????? ????????? ???? ??????????.? - Who was drunk?
114. What does a relative pronoun need?
115. What kind of relative pronouns does Arabic know?
116. What is a returning or fallback pronoun?
117. The house which is big... What is the problem in Arabic?
118. The man from Beirut. How do you translate that into Arabic?
119. How can you get rid of a relative pronoun?
120. What are the rules for using ????? as a relative pronoun?
121. What is the? ?? in the word ??????????
122. Can the demonstrative pronoun (this) be an adjective?
Prepositions (?????? ????????)
123. How many kinds of prepositions does Arabic know?
124. How many real prepositions does Arabic know?
125. Does a preposition have a meaning of its own?
126. Can you delete a preposition without changing the meaning?
Extra letters and prepositions to emphasize the meaning
127. Can the ? strengthen a word's meaning?
128. The preposition? ????? does not always mean from. Is it true?
129. What is the ? in the phrase? ????????? ???????? (praise belongs to Allah)?
130. ???????? ??????????? (You went to my house.) Is there a mistake?
131. What is the Lam of rejection or denial ?(???? ??????????) good for???
132. How can you use an extra/redundant ? to emphasize?
133. Is ? a preposition?
134. Can you use an extra ? to emphasize?
135. Many a. How do you say that in Arabic?
136. What type of pronoun is found in ????????? ???
137. What function has the? ??? in the expression ???????????
138. What does the word? ????? signify?
The quasi-sentence (?????? ??????????)
139. Why do we call some parts of a sentence quasi-sentence?
140. What is the grammatical concept of? ????????????? good for?
141. Do prepositional or adverbial phrases only relate to verbs?
Chapter 5: Tiny Tricky Words
142. What functions can the word ?? have?
143. When does the word? ??? lose the Aleph?
144. Can? ??? also mean when, with, or while...?
145. What is the word? ????? good for?
146. Can you say ??????????? Or is? ????? already definite?
147. Can? ????? be used as an adjective (??????)???
148. Some students came. Should the verb be plural in Arabic?
149. What can the word? ????? be used for?
150. Can you place ????? as an adjective (??????)???
151. Can the word? ?????? be cut off from the ??????????
152. Can ????? be used as an adjective (??????)???
153. What kind of word is ????????
154. What does ????????? mean?
155. What kind of word is ?????????
156. What is the word ????? made of?
157. What does ?????.??????? mean?
158. What does the word ????? mean?
The inquiry / question words? ?? (???????? ???????????????)
159. Are all question words in Arabic nouns (??????)??
160. What functions may ????? have in a sentence?
161. The question word what? Is it? ??? or? ????? in Arabic?
162. What kind of words are when? (?????) and where? (??????)???
163. Can the word how? (??????)? be a ???? in Arabic?
164. In Arabic, what do you need to express how much/?
165. Why can't you say in Arabic: ???? ?????? ??????????
166. What's the difference between? ????? and? ??? in questions?
167. What is the answer to a negated question in Arabic?
168. Why does a question sometimes need a ? ??????
Chapter 6: The follower? (?????????) - words that blueprint grammatical features
169. Why is it important to identify a follower? (??????)???
The adjective? (?????????? or? ????????)
170. Which words can serve as an adjective? in Arabic?
171. What is the difference between? ??????? and ???????
172. How many types of the descriptive (??????) does ?
173. Does an adjective? (?????? ??????????)?? always need full agreement?
174. What is the most important rule for the adjective?
175. Why is the causal description (?????? ?????????) hard to understand?
176. Can an adjective describe another adjective?
The emphasis (????????????)
177. What grammatical function do words used for emphasis have?
178. Can you add an extra preposition to an emphasis?
179. How can you emphasize the dual?
180. How can you stress on totality/the inclusive?
181. Does repetition, repetition, repetition express emphasis?
182. How can you express that you did something yourself?
183. Can you use? ??????? to emphasize?
The apposition (?????????)
184. How does the substitution (apposition) in Arabic work?
185. How many types of an apposition (??????) does Arabic know?
186. What are the four most important rules for the? ?????????
Conjunctions - coordinators, connectors & couplers (?????????)
187. What is a clarifying apposition (?????? ?????????)???
188. How can you express a sequence in ?
189. Does the word ?????? always mean until?
190. Is the word ????? only used in questions?
191. Should you use? ???????? or? ????????? for but?
192. You and Zayd went. How do you express this?
193. How do you say: Muhammad's book and pen?
Chapter 7: The Numbers
194. How should we read numbers in Arabic? From right to left?
195. What are the most important rules for numbers?
196. What is the crucial point in compound numbers?
197. Why are the numbers from 11 to 19 special?
198. How do you spell and pronounce hundred in Arabic?
199. Why do numbers from 3 to 10 need inverted agreement?
200. Why is the number 8 different from others?
201. ?????? ????????? (five pigeons). Is there a mistake?
202. How do you say some twenty or twenty odd in Arabic?
203. The people came two by two? How do you say that in Arabic?
204. Is it possible to place the number after a word?
205. How do you make numerical expressions (3 to 10) definite?
206. Can you use? ????? as a substitute for a number?
Part Three: The sentence
207. Does a verbal sentence always start with a verb?
Chapter 8: The Nominal Sentence
208. Why is the subject of a nominal sentence called? ?????????????
209. What are the "usual suspects" that can work as a subject of a nominal sentence?
210. Does every ??????????? (subject) have a ???????? (predicate)??
211. ???? ???? ?????? ??? ???????????? - What is the subject here?
212. ????????????? ??????????????? - Is that a sentence?
213. A dog is in the house. How do you say that in Arabic?
214. You have money. You have a lot of money. Why does a lot give us some leverage in grammar?
215. What does word order signify?
216. What does anacoluthon mean?
217. Can you delete the subject of a nominal sentence?
The predicate? (?????????)
218. What is the nature of the predicate ?(??????) in Arabic??
219. Can a prepositional phrase? (?????? ??????????)? be the predicate?
220. When does the predicate have to be a sentence?
221. What is a sentence with two faces?
222. When can the predicate do without a connector? (??????)??
223. When do you connect the predicate with?? ?????
224. When do you have to delete the predicate (?????? ?????????)???
225. Can a subject have more than one predicate?
226. When are we not allowed to forward the predicate?
227. When do you have to place the predicate before the subject?
228. How do you put emphasis on the predicate?
Chapter 9: Rule Breakers & Game Changers (???????????)
229. What is meant by the grammar term? ??????????
The verb? ?????? (to be, to exist)
230. What makes ???? so special?
231. Why don't we say that ???? has a subject (??????)??
232. Can the verb? ????? be a full verb? (?????? ?????)????
233. Is a sentence with ???? a nominal or verbal sentence?
234. What does ??????? ?? ???? mean?
235. Can you change the word order in a sentence with ???????
236. Can ????? be redundant?
237. Can you add? ? to the predicate of ?????????
238. Is it possible to delete the ? in ???????
239. Is it possible to delete ????? without changing the meaning?
The sisters of ????
240. Why are they called sisters?
241. How many sisters does? ????? have?
242. How do you know whether ????? is a full or incomplete verb?
243. What is the job of the ? ??? in the phrase? ??????? (perhaps you)?
244. Many verbs mean to become. Do they have other meanings too?
245. Which verbs convey change or transformation?
246. Can you add the preposition? ?? to the? predicate of a sister?
Still, to remain
247. Is there a difference between ?? ?????? and ?? ?????????
248. Are there alternatives to? ???????????
249. What is the function of? ??? in the expression? ??? ??????
250. What happens if ?? in ?? ???? is, in fact, a negation?
Verbs of approaching
251. Should you use ????? after? ???????????
Optical twins:? ?????? and ?????
252. Which particles are abrogators? (?????????? ??????????)??
253. Can you change the word order in a sentence with? ??????????
254. What is the difference between ?????? and ?????????
255. When do you have to use? ?????? (with ????????)??
256. In which situations can you use? ?????? or ?????????
257. What is the difference between? ?????? and? ???????????
258. In what way is the expression ?????????? special?
259. What is the difference between? ???????? and? ????? ?????
260. What is a wandering or slipping Lam?
261. Why do we use different names for the emphatic Lam?
262. Can you lighten (?????????)?? the sisters of? ?????? and? ????????
263. Can you lighten ?????? in a sentence that starts with ???????
264. Can you lighten the particle ????????
265. Can you lighten the particle ??????????
266. Can you lighten the particle ???????????
The reported or indirect speech
267. Does the indirect speech work differently in Arabic?
The negation of a nominal sentence
268. What kind of word is ?????????
269. Can you add ??? before the predicate of ?????????
270. Why did the grammarians of Basra & Kufa quarrel about ?????????
271. How many particles can do the job of ?????? ? (as a negation)?
272. Can you use ?? to negate a nominal sentence?
273. What happens if ?? is used together with but (???? ? or ???????)???
274. Can you negate a nominal sentence with?? ???????????
275. Can you negate a nominal sentence with ??????
276. Can you negate a nominal sentence with ???????
The absolute negation (the general denial)
277. What is meant by absolute negation?
278. Why is the absolute negation grammatically interesting?
279. Can you use the absolute negation with the dual or plural?
280. What happens if you repeat the ??? of the absolute negation??
281. Which case marker does an adjective get after the ???? of denial???
282. There is no God but Allah. What got lost in this sentence?
283. What does ?? ??????? mean?
Chapter 10: The Verbal Sentence
284. What is a verbal sentence?
285. What is the usual word order in Arabic?
286. What else can do the job of a verb?
287. Does a verbal sentence have to start with a singular verb?
288. Can a verb end a sentence?
289. When do you use the verb's feminine form to start a sentence?
The subject of a verbal sentence
290. Is the subject of a verbal sentence always a single word?
291. Can an interpreted? ????????? function as the subject? (??????)????
292. Which verbs tend to have an interpreted ???????? as a subject?
293. The subject is always in the nominative case, isn't it?
294. When do you have to add ? before the subject?
295. Can you delete the subject of a verbal sentence?
296. Are there verbs that don't need a subject?
297. Can you delete the regent (??????) of the subject?
298. It was spring. How do you say that in Arabic?
The subject of the passive verb (?????? ?????????)
299. Can something else step in for the subject (??????)???
300. What was the function of the? ?????? ?????????? in the active voice?
301. What is the regent? (??????)? of the? ?????? ????????????
302. Which verbs are almost only used in the passive voice?
Chapter 11: The Objects (????????????)
303. Is every verb capable of carrying a direct object?
304. I want to visit him. Is to visit? (???? ?????????)? the? ????????? ??????
305. Can only verbs have (direct) objects in Arabic???
Verbs with two (or three) objects
306. Which verbs need two objects?
307. Why do you sometimes use? ?????? after verbs?
308. Verbs with two objects - What's the nature of these objects?
309. Verbs with two objects - can you delete one object?
310. Why may verbs of meaning lead to complicated structures?
311. If there is a verb of meaning, can you change the word order?
312. What happens if to see really means to see?
313. To consider. Does this verb have two objects in Arabic?
314. What is the mysterious thing about the word ???????
315. Can the verb ????? have two objects?
316. Are there verbs with three objects?
317. Can you change the word order if there are three direct objects?
The absolute or inner object (???????????? ???????????)
318. How did the absolute object get its name?
319. What is the purpose of the absolute object?
320. Why do we say "shukran" (???????) and not "shukrun"? (??????)??
321. Can a ???????? govern another ???????????
322. Can you repeat the absolute object?
323. Can you delete the absolute object and keep its idea?
324. Which words are suitable to function as an absolute object?
325. What is a so-called ?????? ????????? ????????????
The purpose of the action (???????????? ??????????)
326. What is the so-called ????????? ?????????????
327. Can only a verb have a causative object?
328. Can you move the ????????? ?????????? to the beginning?
329. Can a causative object be mistaken for a? ???????
Adverbial expression of time and place (???????????? ?????)
330. Why do we call an adverb in Arabic ?????????
331. Is the? ????????? ?????? the same as an adverb of time or place?
332. Why is the adverb in the accusative case (?????????)???
333. Can an adverb of time/place be the predicate (??????)???
334. What is a vague adverb?
335. Which words can govern an adverb?
336. Can it be required to delete the regent (??????) of an adverb?
337. Can one regent (??????) govern two adverbs?
338. Where in the sentence should you place an adverb of time?
339. What does? ???? ?????????? mean?
340. What can act as a substitute for an adverb (?????? ??? ?????????)??
341. Can a noun of place (?????? ?????????) fill the place of an adverb?
342. When is? ???? treated as an adverb?
343. Can? ???? work as the second part of a ??????????
344. Can the particle? ????? function as an adverb?
345. What happens if ???? denotes surprise?
346. Can the word ??? function as an adverb?
347. Does together really always mean just together?
348. How do you say: I have money?
349. Which part of the Arabic word for while (????????) is an adverb?
350. I have never done that. How do you say that?
351. What is the job of the adverb ????????
352. Are ??????? and ????? prepositions or adverbs?
353. We want to express while. Should we use ???????? or a ???????
354. What does? ?????? ??????? mean?
The tricky ?? - the object of accompaniment (???????????? ??????)
355. Why does ? not always mean and?
356. How do you know that ?? starts a ????????? ?????????
357. Can you use a? ????????? ??????? in questions?
The state or circumstance (???????)
358. To which question does the? ????? give an answer?
359. What is suitable as a ??????? ?????????
360. Can the ???? refer to any kind of object?
361. What is the regent of the ???????
362. What is the regent of the? ????? in a nominal sentence?
363. Which forms of a word can be used to work as a ???????
364. What happens if the? ????? can't be interpreted as a ????????????
365. Is the ???? always indefinite?
366. Is it correct to use the expression ????????? to translate alone?
367. Is the status of the? ????? only temporary?
368. Can the? ????? be a full sentence, and what would happen then?
369. Can a prepositional/adverbial phrase be understood as a ???????
370. Does it matter whether a verb or a participle serves as the ?????????
371. Can you move the? ????? closer to the front?
372. How do you know whether a word is a? ????? or an adjective?
373. Can an adjective become a ???????
374. Can a ????? also express an intention?
The specification (????????????)
375. Why do we need specifications?
376. When do you have to specify a single word?
377. What is the grammatical DNA of a specification of a sentence?
378. Why is the word that is placed as a? ?????????? in the accusative?
379. ???????? ?????? ??????? - Is the word ??????? here the direct object?
380. What is the difference between a? ????? and a ????????????
381. Can you use a ????????? together with a comparative?
382. Does the ????????? go along with surprise and wonder (?????????)?????
383. Does the? ?????????? work with praise and blame?
384. What will happen to a ????????? if you place the word ???? before it??
Chapter 12: Fine Ways of Wording (????????? ????????????????)
The conditional sentence (??????? ?????????)
385. What are the main ingredients of a conditional sentence?
386. Does the first part of a conditional sentence need a verb?
387. How many types of if are there in Arabic?
388. What are the most common indeclinable conditional particles?
389. Why do we need a? ?? in a conditional sentence?
390. Does it matter whether you use the present or the past tense in a conditional sentence?
391. How do you mark a past tense verb in the jussive mood?
392. Why is the conditional particle ????? often tricky?
393. Why is the word ???? special?
394. What is the difference (in meaning) between ???? and ???????
395. What is the difference between ???? and ???????
396. Can you place a noun (??????) after ???????
397. What is the peculiar thing about the conditional particle ???????
398. Which tense should you use with? ??????? in Arabic??
399. How do you negate a sentence that starts with? ?????????
400. Can the 1st part of a conditional sentence work as an adjective?
The exclusion (??????? ???????????????)
401. Why does the excluded thing take the accusative case?
402. Does the word ????? only mean except?
403. Is there only one possible case marker for the ?????????????????
404. What happens if the ? ?????????????? ??????? is missing?
405. Can you use ????? to combine sentences?
406. Are there alternatives to ?????????
407. What does the word? ??????? mean?
408. What function has the ?? in the expression ?? ???? or ?? ???????
The particularization (????????? ?????????????)
409. What is a particularization in Arabic?
The occupied regent (?????????????) or: emphasis by word order
410. ???? ??????? ???????????? - Why is Zayd here in the accusative case?
Two regents want to rule over one patient (???????????)
411. What do you do if you have two verbs but only one subject?
The vocative (?????????)
412. Why does the word after? ??? take the ?????????-case?
413. Which case marker should you use for the person called?
414. How do you call? ??????? ?? ??????? (Said son of Zayd) correctly?
415. Can you call someone whose name ends in a weak letter?
416. How does a blind man call someone?
417. What does ?? ??????? mean?
418. Is it true that the person being called can't have ??????
419. By which trick can you use ?? in the vocative?
420. What is the finest way to call God (Allah)?
Warnings (????????????) and instigations ?(??????????)
421. The road! The road! Which case do we use to warn people?
422. What is the purpose of the word ????????
423. Can the object of a warning take the nominative case?
Sorrow and pain (??????????)
424. How do you lament in Arabic?
The call for help (??????????????)
425. How do you call someone for help in Arabic?
426. What was the war-cry of the time of ignorance?
427. What is the strange additional ending ?? good for?
428. How can you turn a call for help into a call for destruction?
Prohibition (?????????) and proposal (?????????)
429. How do you call upon a person who is absent (?????????)???
430. Let's.! How do you say that in Arabic?
431. Can words other than verbs also express an imperative?
432. Can you put a negation particle ("don't") before an imperative?
433. How can you demand something with urgency?
Surprise and astonishment (??????? ????????????)
434. How can you express surprise or astonishment?
435. Why do we use a past tense form to express astonishment?
436. What a pretty blue! How do you say that?
437. Can you delete the ? in the ?????????????-form of ???????? ????????
438. How excellent Zayd was! How do you say this in Arabic?
439. What happens if we negate an exclamation of surprise??
440. Can you use a passive verb to express astonishment?
441. How do you express wonder with the verb to be?
Praise and blame (??????? ????????? ?????????)
442. Which words do you use for praise and blame?
443. Why are? ??????? and? ??????? regarded as verbs?
444. How does the subject of a praise and blame-sentence look like?
445. What does the pattern ??????? express?
446. Is the verb ????? used for praise - or for blame?
The oath - taking a vow (??????? ?????????)
447. How can you swear by Allah in Arabic?
448. What are the specialties of the complement of the oath?
449. Can you use a conditional clause (??????) with an oath?
450. Can you express an oath by combining? ? ? ?and ??????
Epilogue
What's the function of the? ???? in ?????? ???? ?????????? ????????????
Glossary of English grammar terms
Islamic Salutations after certain names
INDEX
