Basic Rules of the Subject and Predicate and Singular Masculine Sentences

Read the bilingual lesson for Basic Rules of the Subject and Predicate and Singular Masculine Sentences and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. What Will We Learn in This Level?

● In this section, we will learn three important basic rules for making a nominal sentence.
● We will study agreement between the subject and predicate in definiteness, grammatical case, and gender.
● We will learn to make Arabic sentences using singular masculine nouns as subjects.
● We will learn to translate all ten important sentences in the exercise into Arabic.

2. Three Basic Rules for the Subject and Predicate

● When making a nominal sentence, observe these three basic rules for the subject and predicate:
1. definiteness: the subject is normally definite, and the predicate is normally indefinite.
2. grammatical case: the subject and predicate are always nominative.
3. gender and number: the subject and predicate fully agree. A masculine subject takes a masculine predicate, and a singular subject takes a singular predicate.

3. Grammar Analysis of 'Zayd Is Righteous'

● Let us translate this sentence into Arabic: Zayd is righteous
○ Zayd (subject): because this is a specific person's name, it is definite. According to the rule, it is nominative: زَيْدٌ.
○ righteous (predicate): this is a general quality, so it is indefinite and also nominative: صَالِحٌ.
○ The sentence is: زَيْدٌ صَالِحٌ.
● Other examples:

English sentenceSubject (Arabic)Predicate (Arabic)Arabic sentence
Ḥāmid is truthfulحَامِدٌصَادِقٌحَامِدٌ صَادِقٌ
Maḥmūd is a teacherمَحْمُوْدٌمُعَلِّمٌمَحْمُوْدٌ مُعَلِّمٌ

4. Singular Masculine Sentence Practice (Part One)

● Study these English sentences and their Arabic translations carefully:

English sentence
Subject
Predicate
Arabic sentence

Hāshim is a doctor.
Hāshim (هَاشِمٌ)
doctor (طَبِيبٌ)
هَاشِمٌ طَبِيبٌ

ʿĀbid is an engineer.
ʿĀbid (عَابِدٌ)
engineer (مُهَنْدِسٌ)
عَابِدٌ مُهَنْدِسٌ

Nāṣir is a student.
Nāṣir (نَاصِرٌ)
student (طَالِبٌ)
نَاصِرٌ طَالِبٌ

Mujāhid is hardworking.
Mujāhid (مُجَاهِدٌ)
hardworking (مُجْتَهِدٌ)
مُجَاهِدٌ مُجْتَهِدٌ

Khālid is tall.
Khālid (خَالِدٌ)
tall (طَوِيلٌ)
خَالِدٌ طَوِيلٌ

5. Singular Masculine Sentence Practice (Part Two)

● Study these English sentences and their Arabic translations carefully:

English sentence
Subject
Predicate
Arabic sentence

Zāhid is short.
Zāhid (زَاهِدٌ)
short (قَصِيرٌ)
زَاهِدٌ قَصِيرٌ

Manṣūr is handsome.
Manṣūr (مَنْصُورٌ)
handsome (جَمِيلٌ)
مَنْصُورٌ جَمِيلٌ

Shāhid is standing.
Shāhid (شَاهِدٌ)
standing (قَائِمٌ)
شَاهِدٌ قَائِمٌ

Maẓhar is sitting.
Maẓhar (مَظْهَرٌ)
sitting (جَالِسٌ)
مَظْهَرٌ جَالِسٌ

Sājid is sick.
Sājid (سَاجِدٌ)
sick (مَرِيضٌ)
سَاجِدٌ مَرِيضٌ

Practice questions

Question 1

In terms of definiteness, what is the usual structure of the subject and predicate in a nominal sentence?

The subject is normally definite, and the predicate is normally indefinite
The subject and predicate are always both indefinite
The subject is indefinite, and the predicate is always definite

Question 2

Select the Arabic word used as the predicate in the sentence Sājid is sick:

سَاجِدٌ
مَرِيضٌ
طَالِبٌ

Question 3

Match the following singular masculine English sentences with their correct Arabic translations:

Question 4

In a nominal sentence, the subject and predicate are always nominative.

True
False

Question 5

Choose the correct word order for translating Khālid is tall into Arabic:

خَالِدٌ طَوِيلٌ
طَوِيلٌ خَالِدٌ
خَالِدًا طَوِيلًا

Question 6

Match the Arabic kalimahs with their grammar roles, subject or predicate, to form the sentence Nāṣir is a student:

Question 7

Sort the Arabic kalimahs into the correct grammar order, subject and predicate, to form Manṣūr is handsome:

Question 8

Choose the correct order of the Arabic kalimahs to form Maẓhar is sitting:

مَظْهَرٌ جَالِسٌ
جَالِسٌ مَظْهَرٌ
مَظْهَرًا جَالِسًا

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