LessonsThe Prohibitive: Active and Passive Paradigms with Emphatic NūnQuiz

In the second-person feminine singular imperfect, yāʾ of address is followed by an inflectional nūn. Ordinary jussive prohibition deletes that nūn but retains yāʾ. With emphatic nūn the contracted form uses kasrah to preserve the feminine address distinction.

Word / formMeaning / explanation
تَفْعَلِينَ → لَا تَفْعَلِيdo not do it (one woman).
لَا تَفْعَلِنَّemphatic feminine singular with heavy nūn.
لَا تَفْعَلِنْcorresponding light-nūn form.

All three address one woman; confusing them with «لَا تَفْعَلْ» would change the indicated gender.

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Feminine singular prohibitives

The Prohibitive: Active and Passive Paradigms with Emphatic Nūn

In the second-person feminine singular imperfect, yāʾ of address is followed by an inflectional nūn. Ordinary jussive prohibition deletes that nūn but retains yāʾ. With emphatic nūn the contracted form uses kasrah to preserve the feminine address distinction.

Word / formMeaning / explanation
تَفْعَلِينَ → لَا تَفْعَلِيdo not do it (one woman).
لَا تَفْعَلِنَّemphatic feminine singular with heavy nūn.
لَا تَفْعَلِنْcorresponding light-nūn form.

All three address one woman; confusing them with «لَا تَفْعَلْ» would change the indicated gender.