Kerala Plus Two Arabic (DHSE) key terms

The past-tense verb form in Arabic, built on a stem that usually takes suffixes for person and gender, as in كَتَبَ 'he wrote' and كَتَبُوا 'they wrote'. Kerala learners must conjugate it with attached pronouns and distinguish it from the present and imperative.

The imperfect or present-tense verb, marked by a prefix (ي، ت، أ، ن) and variable endings: rafʿ with ḍamma, naṣb with fatḥa after أن/لن/كي, and jazm with sukūn after لم/لا الناهية. Recognising its case endings is essential for grammar questions.

The system of case and mood endings showing a word's grammatical role: rafʿ (nominative), naṣb (accusative), jarr (genitive) and jazm (jussive). Candidates must parse words by naming the ending, its sign and its reason.

The nominal sentence consists of a subject (mubtadaʾ) and a predicate (khabar) that completes its meaning, both normally in the nominative, as in الطَّالِبُ مُجْتَهِدٌ 'the student is diligent'. Agreement in gender and number between the two is a frequent exam point.

A sentence beginning with a noun, built on a subject and predicate, unlike the verbal sentence that begins with a verb and has an actor and object. Identifying the type helps when parsing and when translating into English or Malayalam.

A sentence starting with a verb, normally ordered verb–actor–object, as in قَرَأَ الطَّالِبُ الكِتَابَ. The actor stays nominative and the object accusative; word order may shift for emphasis, which affects translation choices.

The doer of a verb in a verbal sentence, always in the nominative and never preceded by a preposition, as in ذَهَبَ الوَلَدُ. It controls the verb's gender and number, so singular verbs precede plural actors in standard Arabic.

The direct object of a transitive verb, normally accusative, as in شَرِبَ الطِّفْلُ اللَّبَنَ. It may be a noun, a pronoun suffix or an attached clause, and recognising it is needed for parsing and translation.

An absolute object: a verbal noun in the accusative repeating or reinforcing its verb, as in فَرِحَ فَرَحًا شَدِيدًا. It may express emphasis, type or number, and questions often ask candidates to identify it in a sentence.

The group of verbs including كان، أصبح، ظل، صار، ليس that enter a nominal sentence, keeping the subject nominative but making the predicate accusative, as in كَانَ الجَوُّ بَارِدًا. Correcting such sentences is a standard grammar exercise.

Particles such as إنَّ، أنَّ، كأنَّ، لكنَّ، ليتَ، لعلَّ that reverse the effect of كان: they make the subject accusative and keep the predicate nominative, as in إِنَّ العِلْمَ نُورٌ. Distinguishing them from كان is a common exam task.

The verbal noun naming an action without tense, such as كِتَابَة 'writing' from كَتَبَ. It fills noun slots, can be accusative as an object or absolute object, and often translates as an English gerund or infinitive.

The active participle derived from a verb to name the doer or the one performing an action, usually on the pattern فَاعِل, as in كَاتِب 'writer' from كَتَبَ. It behaves like an adjective and often translates as an English noun or present participle.

The passive participle naming the person or thing affected by an action, usually on the pattern مَفْعُول, as in مَكْتُوب 'written'. Learners must derive it correctly from hollow and defective verbs, which is a frequent morphology question.

The passive verb, formed by changing the vowels of the past (كُتِبَ) or present (يُكْتَبُ) so the doer is unnamed. Recognising it matters for comprehension and for translating passive English sentences into idiomatic Arabic.

The active verb whose doer is named or implied, as in كَتَبَ الطَّالِبُ الدَّرْسَ. It contrasts with the passive form and is the default voice in ordinary prose, so identifying voice helps in parsing and translation.

A broken plural formed by internal vowel change rather than by adding a suffix, as in كِتَاب → كُتُب and رَجُل → رِجَال. Its pattern must be memorised; it affects adjective agreement and is regularly tested in vocabulary exercises.

The sound masculine plural, formed by adding ونَ in the nominative and ينَ in the accusative or genitive, as in مُعَلِّمُونَ / مُعَلِّمِينَ. Used mainly for male humans and adjectives agreeing with them, it is a standard inflection question.

The sound feminine plural, formed by adding ات to the singular after removing the feminine tāʾ, as in مُعَلِّمَة → مُعَلِّمَات. It is always genitive with kasra and accusative with kasra instead of fatḥa, an important exception.

The dual form, made by adding انِ in the nominative and ينِ in the accusative or genitive, as in كِتَابَانِ / كِتَابَيْنِ. It is used for exactly two items and requires adjectives and pronouns to agree in duality.

Arabic derivation, the process of forming new words from a three-letter root by fitting it to patterns, producing verbs, verbal nouns, participles and adjectives. Understanding it lets a candidate guess unfamiliar vocabulary in reading passages.

An attached pronoun written as part of the preceding word, serving as subject, object or possessor, as in كِتَابِي 'my book' and كَتَبْتُ 'I wrote'. Distinguishing it from the separate pronoun is important in parsing and translation.

A standalone personal pronoun such as أَنَا، هُوَ، هُمْ، used as an independent word, often for emphasis or when no verb carries the person. Candidates must match it in gender and number with the noun it replaces.

Prepositions such as في، مِن، إلى، على، عَن، بِ that put the following noun in the genitive, as in فِي البَيْتِ. Their meanings vary idiomatically, so learners must memorise common verb–preposition combinations.

The possessive construction joining two nouns, where the first loses its tanwīn and takes the case its role requires while the second is genitive, as in بَابُ المَدْرَسَةِ. It is the main way Arabic expresses possession and belonging.

A noun in the genitive case, marked by kasra or by a substitute sign such as yaʾ in duals and sound masculine plurals. It follows prepositions or serves as the second term of an iḍāfa, so recognising it supports accurate parsing.

The second noun in an iḍāfa construction, always genitive and never carrying the definite article or tanwīn, as in كِتَابُ الطَّالِبِ. Its definiteness or indefiniteness determines the definiteness of the whole phrase.

Particles that put a following present verb in the subjunctive, marked by fatḥa: أن، لن، كي، لام التعليل, and حَتَّى in some uses, as in لَنْ أَتَأَخَّرَ. Spotting them is a routine grammar question.

A present verb in the jussive mood, marked by sukūn or by dropping the final vowel, occurring after لم، لَمَّا، لا الناهية and لام الأمر, as in لَمْ يَكْتُبْ. Correcting jussive forms is a standard exercise.

The vowel marks (ḥarakāt) written above or below letters to indicate short vowels, doubling and absence of vowels. Reading a fully vocalised passage aloud correctly depends on knowing these signs and their names.

The doubled final vowel mark (ـًا، ـٌ، ـٍ) pronounced as an n sound at the end of an indefinite noun, as in كِتَابًا. It marks indefiniteness and disappears in iḍāfa or before the definite article.

The interrogative construction, using words like مَا، مَنْ، كَيْفَ، أَيْنَ، مَتَى، لِمَاذَا, or the particle هَلْ for yes–no questions. Recognising question words helps candidates locate answers in a reading passage.

The set of question particles and pronouns: هَلْ، مَا، مَنْ، أَيْنَ، مَتَى، كَيْفَ، كَمْ، لِمَاذَا، أَيّ. Each governs a different kind of answer, so matching the question word to the expected reply is a reading skill.

Translation between Arabic and English or Malayalam, requiring accurate rendering of meaning, tense, gender and idiom rather than word-for-word substitution. Passages and single sentences are set, and marks reward grammatical correctness and natural style.

A synonym: a word with the same or very close meaning to another, such as سَعِيد and فَرْحَان for 'happy'. Synonym questions test vocabulary breadth and help candidates avoid repetition in composition.

An antonym: a word of opposite meaning, such as كَبِير 'big' against صَغِير 'small'. Antonym items are common in vocabulary sections and require attention to gender and pattern when the pair is given in a sentence.

Free composition in Arabic: writing a paragraph, letter, application or short essay on a given topic. Marks depend on relevance, correct grammar, appropriate connectors and clear paragraph structure rather than length alone.

A letter, formal or informal, with salutation, body, closing and signature. Formal letters such as an application to a headmaster follow set phrases and a fixed layout that candidates should practise in advance.

Connective words and particles such as وَ، ثُمَّ، لَكِنَّ، لِذَلِكَ، بِالإِضَافَة إِلَى ذَلِكَ that link clauses and sentences. Using them well raises the coherence mark in composition and aids comprehension of long prose passages.

Arabic literature, traditionally divided into poetry (شِعْر) and prose (نَثْر), with the pre-Islamic, Islamic, Umayyad, Abbasid and modern periods. Candidates should know major genres, representative authors and the main features of each era.

Arabic poetry, composed in lines (أَبْيَات) of two hemistichs with a single rhyme and metre. Traditional criticism requires knowledge of the qaṣīda structure and of terms such as البَيْت، الصَّدْر، العَجُز، القَافِيَة.

A formal Arabic poem, traditionally opening with a nostalgic prelude and moving through themes such as praise, satire or elegy. Modern poems may break the classical unity, and candidates are often asked about theme and structure.

Metre and rhyme, the two formal pillars of classical Arabic poetry. Metre follows fixed patterns (بحور) of long and short syllables, while rhyme is the repeated final sound; identifying them supports appreciation of prescribed poems.

Arabic prose, covering the short story, novel, essay, biography and maqāma. Modern prose is a major part of prescribed texts, and candidates should distinguish narrative from argumentative styles and identify the writer's purpose.

The short story, a compact narrative with limited characters, a single incident and a turning point. In prescribed texts, candidates are asked about plot, character, setting and theme, and about the author's background.

An essay or article presenting a viewpoint on a topic in organised paragraphs. Prescribed essays test comprehension of argument and vocabulary, and the same structure guides candidates writing their own composition.

A character in a narrative, described directly or revealed through speech and action. Questions on prescribed stories often ask candidates to describe a character and support the description with evidence from the text.

The main idea or central message of a passage, stated or implied. Locating it requires distinguishing supporting detail from the writer's overall point, a skill tested in both reading comprehension and prose set texts.

Modern Arabic literature from the nineteenth-century revival onward, shaped by contact with Western forms and by printing, journalism and translation. Candidates should know figures of the nahḍa and of the modern Egyptian and Mahjar schools.

The writing of Arabic letters with their distinguishing dots, and by extension correct spelling. Errors in dots change meaning, as between ب and ت or ج and ح, so spelling accuracy affects translation and composition marks.

Either the rendering of a foreign word into Arabic, or in grammar the conversion of a non-Arabic name into an Arabic pattern. The term is also used for Arabisation of terminology, a topic in modern literary and linguistic history.

The exception construction, where a noun is excluded from a general ruling using إِلَّا or related words, as in حَضَرَ الطُّلَّابُ إِلَّا زَيْدًا. The excepted noun is usually accusative, and parsing it is a standard grammar item.

A noun or verb in the accusative or subjunctive case, marked by fatḥa or by a substitute sign such as yaʾ or kasra. Objects, absolute objects and predicates of كان all take this case, so recognising it is central to parsing.

A noun in the nominative case, marked by ḍamma or by a substitute sign such as wāw or alif. Subjects, predicates and actors of verbs take this case, and naming its sign correctly earns parsing marks.

Citing evidence, especially quoting the Qurʾān, ḥadīth or classical poetry to support a grammatical ruling or a literary point. Knowing why a line is quoted in a prescribed text helps candidates answer appreciation questions.