UPMSP High School Arabic key terms

The noun phrase that opens a nominal sentence and carries the topic, usually in the nominative case. It is followed by a predicate that says something about it, as in الطالبُ مجتهدٌ.

The predicate of a nominal sentence: the word or phrase that completes the meaning about the subject and normally agrees with it in gender and number, as in الطالبُ مجتهدٌ.

A sentence beginning with a noun, made of a subject and predicate with no verb stated, such as العلمُ نورٌ. It contrasts with a verbal sentence that opens with a verb.

A sentence that begins with a verb, followed by its doer and optionally an object, as in كتبَ الطالبُ الدرسَ. Word order normally puts the verb first and the doer in the nominative.

The doer of a verb: the noun or pronoun that performs the action and is always in the nominative case, as الطالبُ in كتبَ الطالبُ. It follows the verb in a verbal sentence.

The direct object: the noun receiving the action of a transitive verb, normally in the accusative case, as الدرسَ in كتبَ الطالبُ الدرسَ. It may be explicit or an attached pronoun.

The system of case endings that shows a word's grammatical role: nominative, accusative, genitive, or jussive. Endings may be marked by short vowels, letters, or omission depending on the word type.

The nominative state of a word, usually marked by ḍammah on a singular noun or by wāw on sound masculine plurals. Subjects and predicates of nominal sentences take this case.

The accusative state, marked by fatḥah on singular nouns or by yāʾ on duals and sound masculine plurals. Direct objects and several adverbial complements take this case.

The genitive state, marked by kasrah or by yāʾ in duals and sound masculine plurals. Nouns after prepositions and the second term of an iḍāfah construction take this case.

A preposition such as في, مِنْ, على, or بِ that puts the following noun into the genitive case. These particles connect nouns to verbs or other nouns and often express place, time, or means.

A possessive construction joining two nouns, where the first loses its tanwīn and definiteness and the second stands in the genitive, as بابُ البيتِ. It expresses ownership, relation, or specification.

The second noun in an iḍāfah construction, always genitive and often carrying the definite article, as البيتِ in بابُ البيتِ. It specifies or possesses the preceding noun.

An adjective that describes a preceding noun and agrees with it in gender, number, case, and definiteness, as الطالبُ المجتهدُ. It follows the noun it modifies.

The noun being described by an adjective, as الطالبُ in الطالبُ المجتهدُ. It governs the adjective's agreement in gender, number, case, and definiteness.

The past tense verb, describing an action already completed, as كتبَ (he wrote). It is built on fatḥah unless joined to a pronoun that changes its ending.

The present or future tense verb, beginning with one of the prefix letters أ, ن, ي, ت, as يكتبُ (he writes). It is normally nominative unless preceded by a particle that changes its mood.

The imperative verb, used to give a command, as اكتبْ (write!). It is built on sukūn or another fixed ending and addresses the second person directly.

Particles such as أَنْ, لَنْ, كَيْ, and لِ that come before a present verb and put it in the subjunctive, usually marked by fatḥah, as لن يذهبَ.

Particles such as لَمْ, لا الناهية, and إِنْ الشرطية that place a present verb in the jussive mood, often marked by sukūn, as لم يذهبْ.

The negative command, formed with لا before a present verb in the jussive, as لا تكتبْ (do not write). It forbids an action and contrasts with the positive imperative.

The set of usually three consonants that carries a word's core meaning, as ك-ت-ب for writing. Patterns built on the root produce verbs, nouns, and participles.

The morphological pattern, shown with the model فَعَلَ, that determines how a root is shaped into a word, as مَفْعُول or فَاعِل. The pattern signals meaning such as doer, place, or instrument.

The verbal noun that names the action without tense or person, as كِتَابَة (writing). It functions as a noun in the sentence and is used in many fixed expressions.

The active participle, a noun formed on the pattern فَاعِل for a sound verb, naming the one who performs the action, as كَاتِب (writer). It behaves like an adjective in agreement.

The passive participle, formed on مَفْعُول for a sound verb, naming the person or thing that receives the action, as مَكْتُوب (written). It agrees with the noun it describes.

The passive verb form, in which the doer is not named and the vowel pattern changes, as كُتِبَ (it was written). The former object becomes the subject and takes the nominative.

A personal pronoun, either attached like ـهُ and ـكَ or separate like هُوَ and أَنْتَ. Pronouns carry person, gender, and number and often serve as hidden subjects.

The dual form, marking exactly two by adding انِ in the nominative or يْنِ in the accusative and genitive, as كتابانِ and كتابَيْنِ. Adjectives and verbs agree with it in duality.

The plural form, of three main types: sound masculine, sound feminine, and broken. Each type has its own case markers, so agreement with verbs and adjectives must be checked.

A question word such as مَنْ, مَا, أَيْنَ, مَتَى, or كَيْفَ. These particles open interrogative sentences and are common in comprehension passages and dialogue exercises.

The main idea of a passage: the central point the writer wants the reader to grasp. Identifying it requires distinguishing supporting details from the overall message of the text.

The moral or underlying message of a story or lesson, often stated at the end or implied through events. Questions on prescribed prose frequently ask the reader to state it in their own words.

A lesson drawn from an event or character's experience, common in moral tales in the syllabus. It is usually expressed as a general statement about conduct or values.

A character in a narrative text, identified by name, role, and traits revealed through action and speech. Questions often ask about a character's qualities or motives.

Dialogue between characters in a passage, often marked by quotation or speech verbs such as قال. It reveals personality, advances plot, and is a frequent focus of comprehension questions.

A line of poetry made of two half-lines, the first and second hemistich. Counting and quoting lines by bayt is standard when explaining prescribed verses.

The first half-line of a poetic bayt, preceding the rhyme. In explanation questions, candidates quote the ṣadr and its matching ʿajuz together to give complete sense.

The second half-line of a bayt, which carries the rhyme letter. Its ending must match the poem's rhyme scheme throughout the piece.

The rhyme at the end of each poetic line, formed by the final consonant and its vowel plus what precedes it. Consistent rhyme is a defining feature of classical Arabic poetry.

The metrical pattern of a poem, one of the classical Arabic meters such as الطويل or الكامل. Recognizing the meter helps in reciting and appreciating verse correctly.

A simile that explicitly compares two things using a particle such as كَ or مِثْل, as وجهه كالقمر. Identifying it is a standard part of poetic appreciation questions.

A metaphor in which a comparison is implied by transferring a word from its original meaning, as أسدٌ for a brave man. Noting it supports explanation of imagery in prescribed poems.

An allusion that hints at a meaning without stating it directly, as طويل اليد for generosity. It is used in poetry and prose to suggest qualities indirectly.

Translation from one language into another, either Arabic to Hindi or English, or the reverse. It requires preserving meaning, tense, and idiom rather than word-for-word substitution.

A synonym: a word with a meaning close to another, as سَعِيد and فَرْحَان for happy. Synonyms help in translation and in vocabulary questions asking for equivalents.

An antonym: a word with the opposite meaning, as كَبِير and صَغِير. Antonym pairs are frequently tested in objective vocabulary items.

The vocabulary of a language or of a lesson: individual words with their meanings. Building a store of them is essential for reading, translation, and composition tasks.

A formal address or speech, or a letter directed to an authority. In composition, it means writing in an appropriate register with a salutation and a clear purpose.

An article or short essay written on a topic, with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Composition questions often ask for a maqāl of a set length.

A report or formal account of events, often factual and organized in paragraphs. It differs from a personal letter in tone and structure.

The title of a passage or lesson, which often hints at its theme. Reading it first helps a candidate predict content and locate the main idea quickly.