lesson 7 - Arabic Gems
Lesson 7: Idafa اإلضافة This lesson covers Idafa’s – what they are and how they are used. What is an idafa? It is a way of denoting the association of one noun to another (most commonly possession – although not always so). the / a / example: (noun 2) (noun 1) The ______________ of his / her ______________ their / your Noun 1 is Known as mudaaf ُ ال ُ ُمضاف etc It is the thing which is possessed by noun 2 Does not display الor tanween. (due to it being the thing which is possessed or dependant in its relationship to the 2nd part – therefore it is always definite in meaning) Case will differ according to its grammatical position in the sentence (subject/object/after preposition etc) Noun 2 is known as Mudaaf ilay ُ ال مضاف إليه ُُ That which possesses noun 1 Can be definite or indefinite, therefore will display tanween, الor be a suffix pronoun accordingly. Must always be مجرور Important Nothing can come between a mudaaf and mudaf ilay except a demonstrative adjective Ie: The book of that boy There are 2 keys to recognise an idafa sentence: 1. 2 nouns in succession 2. The 1st noun has no tanween and no def article and the 2 nd noun is majroor case. ِكتاب الولد The book of the boy Noun 1 of noun 2 Arabic Gems Lesson 7 page: 1 Examples Example 1: The book of the mother of the boy There are 2 idaafas in this construction above: 2. 1. The book of the mother is mudaf ilay to The mother of the boy because she possess the book – yet also at the same time mudaf to because the boy possess the mother (or the mother belongs to the boy). To show is mudaf ilay she takes kessrah (majroor case) and also to show she is mudaf she has no definite article or tanween. We translate as “the mother of the boy” because here ilay) and mudaf is always definite in meaning. is mudaf (although at same time is mudaf Example 2: If I want to say the book in example 1 above, is long If I put at the end of the sentence, how do I know that I am referring to describing the book and not the mother of the boy? We know that the adjective must agree with the noun in 4 things: 1. In/definiteness 2. Gender 3. Number 4. Case Arabic Gems Lesson 7 page: 2 1. In/definiteness Is Yes – because it is Mudaf. definite? Therefore must also be definite 2. Gender Is masculine or feminine? Masculine. singular, dual or plural? Singular 3. Number Is 4. Case What case is ? marfu – so must be marfu The long book of the mother of the boy Example 3: What if I wanted to describe the mother as being the tall one instead? Again, as with the previous example, can not come in the middle besides because nothing can come between an idaafa accept a demonstrative. So we must place it as the end – but we need to show that it refers to and is describing and not the book or the boy. So, we know the adjective must agree with the noun in 4 things: 1. In/definiteness Is definite? Therefore Yes – because it is Mudaf. must also be definite 2. Gender Is masculine or feminine? Feminine. So must be also Arabic Gems Lesson 7 page: 3 3. Number Is singular, dual or plural? Singular 4. Case What case is majroor – so ? must be majroor The book of the tall mother of the boy Example 4: What if I want to write “in the long book of the mother of the boy” – Write again at the end. فيis a preposition, so it will change How do I know that to majroor case. refers to the book or the boy? – CONTEXT! Making 1st noun indefinite What if I don’t want the first (possessed) noun to be definite? In this case, you wouldn’t actually use an idafa construction. Instead you will write a more literal translation using For example: ِمنor ل ُِ . ُار ِ ّحُفرةُ ِمنُ الن Instead of writing A pit from the fire The pit of the fire ع ُدوُ ُلِي An enemy for me Arabic Gems Lesson 7 page: 4 Idiomatic uses of the idafa An idiom is a phrase that you should not take literally – rather it has a special combined meaning that has evolved that is different to the meaning of the individual words themselves. For example, “raining cats and dogs” to mean its raining heavily. (see slide 6) When you come across this in the Qur’an, look at the Tafseer to understand the correct meaning. Sound masculine plural as an idafa Sound masculine plural, when in the position of a definite article, but also, it looses its final المضاف, then we know it can not display the ُ( نin the same way that other words loose tanween). For example, if I want to say “The Muslims of the city”: 1. Make sure the المضافdoes not have الor tanween / final ُن ُمسلِمو 2. Make sure the mudaf ilay is correct (definite, majroor) ُُمسلِموُالمدين ِة The Muslims of the city Example: Majroor with a fatha – because it is a Type 2 partially inflected word (as is a proper noun so can not take a tanween- ) It is a proper noun so definite in meaning, however it is not displaying the definite article therefore takes the partially inflected “indefinite” fatha not the partially inflected definite kesra ُ إسرائي ُل+ ُبنون ُبنو إِسرائيل Drops the ُن The children of Israel Example: What happens with a preposition? إسرائيل+ بنون+من ُِمن بني إِسرائيل ِمنmakes بنونmajroor – therefore ends ن - then because it is mudaf it looses the leaving it as بني Arabic Gems Lesson 7 page: 5 Note about The word أُولو ( أولوmasculine plural for ‘possessor of’ acts like a sound masculine plural. However, it will never ever be seen with its sentence as a نon the end because it can only ever function in a مضافand therefore drops the ن Arabic Gems Lesson 7 page: 6 Lesson 7: Quick revision summary the / a / Idaafa (noun 1) The ______________ of his / her (noun 2) ______________ their / your etc Noun 1 ُال ُ ُمضاف No الor tanween Case will alter depending upon grammatical position in sentence (ie object, subject, following a preposition etc) Noun 2 - ُ ال مضاف إليه ُُ Definite or indefinite Must always be مجرور . Nothing can come between a mudaaf and mudaf ilay except a demonstrative adjective Ie: The book of that boy There are 2 keys to recognise an idafa sentence: 1. 2 nouns in succession 2. The 1st noun has no tanween and no def article and the 2 nd noun is majroor case. Making that which is possessed indefinite – you would not use an idaafas construction, instead write a more literal sentence using Ie ِمنor ل ُِ . ُار ِ ّحُفرةُ ِمنُ الن A pit from the fire Sound masculine plural as ُمسلِمون المضافlooses its final ُن مسلِمو المدين ِة Arabic Gems Lesson 7 page: 7
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