5.2 - Nominative Sentence
Section 5.2 - Nominative Sentence الْجُمْلَةُ الْاٍسْمَيَّةُ (jum-la-tul is-miyya-tu)
An example of a nominative sentence is زيْدٌ عَالِمٌ Zai-dun 'aa-li-mun which means Zaid is a scholar. Note that a nominative sentence is always in the present tense. To make it a past tense an active element called كَانَ (kana) is added and similarly to make it a future tense, another active element يَكُوْنُ (ya-koo-nu) is used. These will be described later in the book when Verbs are discussed.
Following three rules are important to remember:
Rule No. 1:
The first part of a sentence is called the beginning اَلمُبْتَدَاءُ (al-mub-tadau). If this is a single word, it is usually a definite Noun. This could also be an incomplete compound word in which case the incomplete compound will follow its own rules mentioned in the previous chapter. The second part is called اَلْخَبَرُ (al-kha-ba-ru) predicate. This could also be a single word or a compound word. In case it is a single word, it is usually an indefinite Noun.
Rule No. 2:
a) The difference between a sentence and a descriptive compound is that in a sentence the beginning (al-mub-ta-daa-u) is usually a definite Noun and its predicate (al-kha-ba-ru) is indefinite. If you take a sentence and change either the (mubtada) or (khabar) to match the capacity of the other, it will become a descriptive compound.
b) Both mubtada and khabar are nominative unless some active element causes one or both of them to go into other states.
c) Both mubtada and Khabar have to match for number and gender.
Rule no. 3:
The Arabic language also does not have equivalent words for “is”, “are”, “was”, and “were”. The meaning is automatically created by using a proper combination of words in the sentence as mentioned in rule no.1.
Rule no. 4:
When the مُوْصُوْفٌ mau-soo-fun is a plural of a non-intelligent being, the صِفَّةٌ sif-fa-tun(adjective) can be a single. For example, اَبْوَابٌ مَفَاتِيْحٌ (ab-waa-bunmafa-tee-hun) meaning open doors can also be اَبْوَابٌ مَفْتُوْحَةٌ (ab-waa-bunmaf-too-ha-tun).
First, we will take one example of a simple sentence (Truthful Muslims) and take it through nominative رَفْعٌ (raf-un). Accusative نَصْبٌ (nas-bun) and Genitive جَرٌّ (jarr-un) states to get an idea of how states of al-mubtada (beginning) and al-khabar (predicate) are changed to create a sentence instead of a descriptive compound. Pay close attention to the first and last columns in particular. The last column is the complete compound version of the incomplete compound in the first column.
Table 24 – Descriptive Compound/Complete Compound Comparison
| Descriptive Compound | Complete Compound With the Same Example | ||
| Descriptive Compound Example | Transliteration | Properties of al-mubtada and Khabar | |
|
Nominative رَفْعٌ (raf-un)
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|
Truthful Muslim | mus-li-mun Saa-di-qun | مُذَكَّرٌ، مُفْرَدٌ ، .نَكِرَةٌ ، رَفْعٌ Male, single, common Noun, Nominative رَفْعٌ (raf-un) state | المُسْلِمُ صَادِقٌ The Muslim is truthful |
| مُسْلِمانِ صَادِقَانِ Two Truthful Muslims | Mus-li-maa-ni Sa-di-qaa-ni | مُذَكَّرٌ، مُثَنَّىٰ ، .نَكِرَةٌ ، رَفْعٌ Male, dual, common Noun, Nominative رَفْعٌ (raf-un) state | المُسْلِمانِ صَادِقَانِ The two Muslims are truthful |
| مُسْلِمُوْنَ صَادِقُوْنَ Truthful Muslims | Mus-li-moo-na Saa-di-qoo-na | مُذَكَّرٌ، جَمْعٌ ، .نَكِرَةٌ ، رَفْعٌ Male, plural, common Noun, Nominative رَفْعٌ (raf-un) state | المُسْلِمُوْنَ صَادِقُوْنَ The Muslims are truthful |
| مُسْلِمَةٌ صَادِقَةٌ Truthful Muslimah | Mus-li-ma-tun Sa-di-qa-tun | مُوْنَّثٌ، مُفْرَدٌ ، .نَكِرَةٌ ، رَفْعٌ Female, single, common Noun, Nominative رَفْعٌ (raf-un) state | الْمُسْلِمَةٍ صَادِقَةٍ The muslimahs are truthful
|
| مُسْلِمَتَانِ صَادِقَتَانِ Two Truthful Muslimahs | Mus-li-ma-taa-ni Saa-di-qa-taa-ni | مُوْنَّثٌ ، مُثَنَّى ، نَكِرَةٌ ، رَفْعٌ Female, dual, common Noun, Nominative رَفْعٌ (raf-un) state | الْمُسْلِمَتَانِ صَادِقَتَانِ The two muslimahs are truthful
|
| مُسْلِمَاتٌ صَادِقَاتٌ Truthful Muslimahs (plural) | Mus-li-maatun Saa-di-qaa-tun | مُوْنَّثٌ ، جَمْعٌ ، نَكِرَةٌ ، رَفْعٌ Female, plural, common Noun, Nominative رَفْعٌ (raf-un) state | الْمُسْلِمَاتُ صَادِقَاتٌ The muslimahs are truthful
|
|
Accusative نَصْبٌ (nas-bun)
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| مُسْلِمً صَادِقًا Truthful Muslim | Mus-li-man Saa-di-qan | مُذَكَّرٌ، مُثَنَّىٰ ، نَكِرَةٌ ، نَصْبٌ Male, single, common Noun, Accusative نَصْبٌ (nas-bun) state | المُسْلِمَ صَادِقاً The Muslim is truthful |
| مُسْلِمَيْنِ صَادِقَيْنِ Two Truthful Muslims | Mus-li-mai-ni Sa-di-qai-ni | مُذَكَّرٌ، مُثَنَّىٰ ، نَكِرَةٌ ، نَصْبٌ Male, dual, common Noun, Accusative نَصْبٌ (nas-bun) state | المُسْلِمَانِ صَادِقَانِ The two Muslims are truthful |
| مُسْلِمِيْنَ صَادِقِيْنَ Truthful Muslims | Mus-li-mee-na Saa-di-qee-na | مُذَكَّرٌ، جَمْعٌ ، نَكِرَةٌ ، نَصْبٌ Male, plural, common Noun, Accusative نَصْبٌ (nas-bun) state | المُسْلِمِيْنَ صَادِقِيْنَ The Muslims are truthful |
| مُسْلِمَةً صَادِقَةً Truthful Muslimah | Mus-li-ma-tan Sa-di-qa-tan | مُوْنَّثٌ، مُفْرَدٌ ، نَكِرَةٌ ، نَصْبٌ Female, single, common Noun, Accusative نَصْبٌ (nas-bun) state | الْمُسْلِمَةَ صَادِقًا The muslimahs are truthful
|
| مُسْلِمَتَيْنِ صَادِقَتَيْنِ Two Truthful Muslimahs | Mus-li-ma-tai-ni Saa-di-qa-tai-ni | مُوْنَّثٌ ، مُثَنَّى ، نَكِرَةٌ ، نَصْبٌ Female, dual, common Noun, Accusative نَصْبٌ (nas-bun) state | الْمُسْلِمَتَيْنِ صَادِقَتَيْنِ The two muslimahs are truthful
|
| مُسْلِمَاتٍ صَادِقَاتٍ Truthful Muslimahs (plural) | Mus-li-maa-tin Saa-di-qaa-tin | مُوْنَّثٌ ، جَمْعٌ ، نَكِرَةٌ ، نَصْبٌ Female, plural, common Noun, Accusative نَصْبٌ (nas-bun) state | الْمُسْلِمَاتِ صَادِقَاتٍ The muslimahs are truthful
|
|
Genitive جَرٌّ (jar-run)
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| مُسْلِمٍ صَادِقٍ Truthful Muslim | Mus-li-min Saa-di-qin | مُذَكَّرٌ، مُفْرَدٌ ، نَكِرَةٌ ، جَرٌّ Male, single, common Noun, Genitive جَرٌّ (jarr-un) state | المُسْلِمِ صَادِقٍ The Muslim is truthful |
| مُسْلِمَيْنِ صَادِقَيْنِ Two Truthful Muslims | Mus-li-mai-ni Sa-di-qai-ni | مُذَكَّرٌ، مُثَنَّىٰ ، نَكِرَةٌ ، جَرٌّ Male, dual, common Noun, Genitive جَرٌّ (jarr-un) state | المُسْلِمَيْنِ صَادِقَيْنِ The two Muslims are truthful |
| مُسْلِمِيْنَ صَادِقِيْنَ Truthful Muslims | Mus-li-mee-na Saa-di-qee-na | مُذَكَّرٌ، جَمْعٌ ، نَكِرَةٌ ، جَرٌّ Male, plural, common Noun, Genitive جَرٌّ (jarr-un) state | المُسْلِمِيْنَ صَادِقِيْنَ The Muslims are truthful |
| مُسْلِمَةٍ صَادِقَةٍ Truthful Muslimah | Mus-li-ma-tin Sa-di-qa-tin | مُوْنَّثٌ، مُفْرَدٌ ، نَكِرَةٌ ، جَرٌّ Female, single, common Noun, Genitive جَرٌّ (jarr-un) state | الْمُسْلِمَةِ صَادِقَةٍ The Muslimah is truthful
|
| مُسْلِمَتَيْنِ صَادِقَتَيْنِ Two Truthful Muslimahs | Mus-li-ma-tai-ni Saa-di-qa-tai-ni | مُوْنَّثٌ ، مُثَنَّى ، نَكِرَةٌ ، جَرٌّ Female, dual, common Noun, Genitive جَرٌّ (jarr-un) state | الْمُسْلِمَتَيْنِ صَادِقَتَيْنِ The two muslimahs are truthful
|
| مُسْلِمَاتٍ صَادِقَاتٍ Truthful Muslimahs (plural) | Mus-li-maa-tin Saa-di-qaa-tin | مُوْنَّثٌ ، جَمْعٌ ، نَكِرَةٌ ، جَرٌّ Female, plural, common Noun, Genitive جَرٌّ (jarr-un) state | اَلمُسْلِمَاتِ صَادِقَاتٍ muslimahs are truthful |
|
Other Examples
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| اَلاَيَّامُ الْمَعْدَوْدَاتُ Numbered days This can also be اَيَّامٌ مَعْدَوْدَةٌ | Al-ay-yaa-mul maa-doo-daa-tu Or Ay-yaa-mun Ma’doo-daah | مُذَكَّرٌ ، جَمْعٌ ، نَكِرَةٌ ، رَفْعٌ Male, plural, common Noun, Nominative رَفْعٌ (raf-un) state It is also allowed to use a single female for all plurals which are non-intelligent beings | اَلْاَيَّامُ مَعْدَوْدَاتٌ The days are numbered
|
| اَلصِّرَاطُ الْمُسْتَقِيْمُ The Straight path | Si-raa-tum mus-ta-qee-mun | مُذَكَّرٌ ، مُفْرَدٌ ، نَكِرَةٌ ، رَفْعٌ Male, single common Noun, Nominative رَفْعٌ (raf-un) state | الصِّرَاطُ مُسْتَقِيْمٌ The path is straight
|
| اَلسَّاعَاتُ الْجَمِيْلَاَتُ Two beautiful watches | As-sa-aa-tul jam-ee-laa-tu | مُوْنَّثٌ ، جَمْعٌ ، مَعْرِفَةٌ ، رَفْعٌ Female, plural, proper Noun, Nominative رَفْعٌ (raf-un) state | اَلسَّاعَاتُ جَمِيْلَاَتٌ The watches are beautiful
|
| اَلْوَلَدَانِ الْمُجْتَهِدَانِ The two Hard-working boys | Al-wala-daa-ni muj-ta-hi-da-ni | مُذَكَّرٌ ، جَمْعٌ ، مَعْرِفَةٌ ، جَرٌّ Male, plural, proper Noun, Genitive جَرٌّ (jarr-un) state | اَلْوَلَدَانِ مُجْتَهِدَانٍ The two boys are hard-working |
| الْكِتَابَ الصَّغِيْرَ small book | Kita-bun Sa-ghee-run | مُذَكَّرٌ ، مُفْرَدٌ ، نَكِرَةٌ ، نَصْبٌ Male, single, accusative, Accusative نَصْبٌ (nas-bun) state | الْكِتَابَ صَغِيْرً The book is small |
| الْمَسْجِدِ الْكَبِيْرِ Big mosque | Mas-ji-dun Ka-bee-run | مُذَكَّرٌ ، مُفْرَدٌ ، نَكِرَةٌ ، جَرٌّ Male, single, common Noun, Genitive جَرٌّ (jarr-un) state | الْمَسْجِدِ كَبِيرٍ The mosque is big |
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