Level 32: Transitive Verbs and Their Objects

1. Transitive Verbs and Their Objects: Core Idea

Core definition: A transitive verb may take one, two, or three objects, according to the verb's meaning and construction.
• An intransitive verb does not extend to a direct object.
• An ordinary transitive verb may take one object.
• Verbs such as giving and clothing may take two objects.
• Some verbs of knowing take two objects that were originally a subject and predicate.

2. Transitive Verbs and Their Objects: Key Terms

Key terms

Arabic termEnglish meaning
الْمُتَعَدِّيtransitive
اللَّازِمُintransitive
أَفْعَالُ الْقُلُوبِverbs of the heart
الْمَفْعُولُ الثَّانِيsecond object

3. Transitive Verbs and Their Objects: Worked Examples

Example and grammatical analysis

Arabic exampleMeaningGrammatical point
ضَرَبْتُ زَيْدًاI struck Zayd.one object
أَعْطَيْتُ زَيْدًا دِرْهَمًاI gave Zayd a dirham.two objects
ظَنَنْتُ زَيْدًا عَالِمًاI considered Zayd learned.two objects of a verb of the heart
أَعْلَمْتُ زَيْدًا عَمْرًا فَاضِلًاI informed Zayd that Amr is virtuous.three objects

4. Transitive Verbs and Their Objects: Rules and Distinctions

Keep the rules distinct
• Rule 1: An intransitive verb does not extend to a direct object.
• Rule 2: An ordinary transitive verb may take one object.
• Rule 3: Verbs such as giving and clothing may take two objects.
• Rule 4: Some verbs of knowing take two objects that were originally a subject and predicate.

5. Transitive Verbs and Their Objects: Review and Application

Lesson summary
• A transitive verb may take one, two, or three objects, according to the verb's meaning and construction.
• ضَرَبْتُ زَيْدًا: one object
• أَعْطَيْتُ زَيْدًا دِرْهَمًا: two objects
• ظَنَنْتُ زَيْدًا عَالِمًا: two objects of a verb of the heart
• أَعْلَمْتُ زَيْدًا عَمْرًا فَاضِلًا: three objects
Next step: Identify the governor, governed word, and case sign separately in each example.