In chapter
Advanced Sentence Structures and Rhetorical Precision
Nominal Sentences
The Nominal Sentence creates meaning by juxtaposing a definite Topic with an indefinite Comment, with no need for a copula.
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- Starts with a Noun (Mubtada'), not a verb.
- No word for 'is' in the present tense.
- Subject is Definite; Predicate is usually Indefinite.
- Predicate matches Subject in gender and number.
Quick Reference
| Component | Arabic Term | State (Usually) | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Mubtada' | Definite (Marfu') | The topic being discussed. |
| Predicate | Khabar | Indefinite (Marfu') | Information/news about the topic. |
| Link | (Implicit) | N/A | The invisible 'is/are/am'. |
| Inversion | Taqdim | Variable | Predicate comes first for emphasis. |
| Complex Predicate | Khabar Jumlah | Sentence | The 'news' is a whole new sentence. |
Key Examples
3 of 9الطَّقْسُ اليَوْمَ مُعْتَدِلٌ جِدًّا
The weather today is very moderate.
هَذِهِ القَضِيَّةُ أَبْعَادُهَا سِيَاسِيَّةٌ
This issue, its dimensions are political.
فِي المَكْتَبَةِ الكُبْرَى كُتُبٌ نَادِرَةٌ
In the grand library, there are rare books.
The Handshake Rule
Imagine the Subject is offering a hand (Definite) and the Predicate grabs it (Indefinite). If both hands are closed (both Definite), no handshake happens—just a description.
Non-Human Plurals
Watch out! Plural non-human objects (cars, books, ideas) are treated as single ladies (She/Her). So `Al-kutub` (The books) is followed by `mufeedah` (useful, singular female).
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- Starts with a Noun (Mubtada'), not a verb.
- No word for 'is' in the present tense.
- Subject is Definite; Predicate is usually Indefinite.
- Predicate matches Subject in gender and number.
Overview
### Overview
Welcome to the backbone of Arabic description: the Nominal Sentence, or Al-Jumlah Al-Ismiyyah. Unlike English, which is obsessed with verbs, Arabic loves to start with nouns. At the C1 level, we aren't just saying "The book is new." We are constructing complex arguments, defining abstract concepts, and setting scenes. If you want to sound sophisticated, authoritative, or poetic, you need to master this. It’s the difference between saying "He runs" and "He is a runner with great speed."
### How This Grammar Works
Here is the secret: there is no word for "is" in the present tense. We just smash a Subject (Mubtada') and a Predicate (Khabar) together, and the brain fills in the gap. It’s like a magnetic click. The Subject is usually definite (specific), and the Predicate is usually indefinite (general description). When they touch, a sentence is born. Think of it as: [Specific Thing] + [Description] = Sentence.
### Formation Pattern
- 1The Subject (
Mubtada'): This comes first (usually). It must be a noun or pronoun. It is almost always Definite (hasAl-or is a proper name/pronoun). - 2The invisible "Is": This is the psychological pause where the meaning connects.
- 3The Predicate (
Khabar): This is the news about the subject. It is usually Indefinite. It matches the subject in Gender and Number.
The Formula:
Mubtada' (Definite) + Khabar (Indefinite) = Complete Thought.
*Example:* Al-waqt (The time) + thameen (precious) = Al-waqt thameen (Time is precious).
### When To Use It
- Defining things: "Democracy is..."
- Describing states: "The situation is complex."
- Expressing possession (with prepositions): "I have an idea" (Literally: To me is an idea).
- Emphasizing the noun: "Zaid is writing" (vs. "Writes Zaid"). This focuses on Zaid, not the action.
### When Not To Use It
- Narrating a sequence of events: Use verbal sentences for storytelling ("He went, then he saw..."). Nominal sentences are for *pausing* the story to describe the scene.
- Direct Commands: Use the imperative mood.
### Common Mistakes
- The "Definite Trap": If you make the Predicate definite too, you lose the sentence.
Al-bayt al-kabeeris not "The house is big." It's just "The big house..." (and we are waiting for the rest of the sentence!). - Gender mismatches:
Al-sayyarah(feminine) cannot besaree'(masculine). It must besaree'ah. - Forgetting the "Is" doesn't exist: Don't try to translate "is" using
yakoonin simple present tense sentences. Just drop it.
### Contrast With Similar Patterns
- Verbal Sentences (
Jumlah Fi'liyyah): Start with a verb. Focus on action.Yadhabu al-rajul(Goes the man). - Kana and Inna: These are "invaders." They enter a Nominal Sentence and mess up the case endings (vowels at the end), but the structure remains Noun-based.
### Quick FAQ
Q: Can the Predicate come first?
Yes! Especially if the Subject is indefinite. Indee su'al (I have a question).
Q: Can the Predicate be a whole sentence?
Absolutely. Al-rajul yaskunu huna (The man [is] he lives here). The verbal sentence "he lives here" serves as the Predicate.
Reference Table
| Component | Arabic Term | State (Usually) | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Mubtada' | Definite (Marfu') | The topic being discussed. |
| Predicate | Khabar | Indefinite (Marfu') | Information/news about the topic. |
| Link | (Implicit) | N/A | The invisible 'is/are/am'. |
| Inversion | Taqdim | Variable | Predicate comes first for emphasis. |
| Complex Predicate | Khabar Jumlah | Sentence | The 'news' is a whole new sentence. |
The Handshake Rule
Imagine the Subject is offering a hand (Definite) and the Predicate grabs it (Indefinite). If both hands are closed (both Definite), no handshake happens—just a description.
Non-Human Plurals
Watch out! Plural non-human objects (cars, books, ideas) are treated as single ladies (She/Her). So `Al-kutub` (The books) is followed by `mufeedah` (useful, singular female).
Emphasis Trick
Want to sound dramatic? Start with the preposition phrase. `Laka al-majd` (To you belongs the glory) sounds way more powerful than `Al-majd laka` (The glory is yours).
Titles and Honorifics
In formal introductions, Arabic often drops the 'is' entirely in ways English wouldn't. `Hadha Sadiq` (This [is] Sadiq). Short, punchy, elegant.
Examples
9الطَّقْسُ اليَوْمَ مُعْتَدِلٌ جِدًّا
Focus: مُعْتَدِلٌ
The weather today is very moderate.
Standard structure: Definite Subject + Indefinite Predicate.
هَذِهِ القَضِيَّةُ أَبْعَادُهَا سِيَاسِيَّةٌ
Focus: أَبْعَادُهَا سِيَاسِيَّةٌ
This issue, its dimensions are political.
Complex Predicate: The Khabar here is itself a nominal sentence (`ab'aduha siyasiyyah`).
فِي المَكْتَبَةِ الكُبْرَى كُتُبٌ نَادِرَةٌ
Focus: فِي المَكْتَبَةِ
In the grand library, there are rare books.
Inverted order: Indefinite Subject (`kutub`) forces the Predicate (`fi al-maktaba`) to come first.
المُوَظَّفُونَ المُجْتَهِدُونَ يُكَرَّمُونَ دَائِمًا
Focus: يُكَرَّمُونَ
Hardworking employees are always honored.
Predicate is a Verbal Sentence (`yukarramun`).
أَنْتَ صَاحِبُ القَرَارِ فِي هَذَا المَشْرُوعِ
Focus: أَنْتَ
You are the decision-maker in this project.
Pronoun as Subject.
البَابُ المَفْتُوحُ ✗ — البَابُ مَفْتُوحٌ ✓
Focus: مَفْتُوحٌ
The open door (Wrong) — The door is open (Correct)
Common Mistake: Making the predicate definite creates a phrase, not a sentence.
الطَّالِبَةُ نَاجِحٌ ✗ — الطَّالِبَةُ نَاجِحَةٌ ✓
Focus: نَاجِحَةٌ
The student (f) is successful (m) (Wrong) — (f) is successful (f) (Correct)
Mistake: Gender agreement is mandatory.
لَوْلَا الأَمَلُ لَمَاتَ العَمَلُ
Focus: الأَمَلُ
Were it not for hope, action would have died.
Advanced: The Predicate is omitted/deleted because it is understood (existential 'mawjud').
كُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ
Focus: كُلٌّ
All [of them] swim in an orbit.
Quranic style: `Kullun` implies 'everyone', functioning as the Subject.
Test Yourself
Complete the nominal sentence with the correct form of the predicate.
الحَدَائِقُ فِي المَدِينَةِ ___ (wasi' / wasi'ah / wasi'atun)
Gardens (Hada'iq) is a non-human plural, so it is treated as feminine singular grammatically. The predicate must be indefinite.
Identify the correct structure for 'The solution is difficult'.
___ ___
Subject must be definite (Al-Hal), Predicate must be indefinite (Sa'b) to create the meaning 'is'.
Choose the correct pronoun to start the sentence.
___ مُهَنْدِسَاتٌ بَارِعَاتٌ.
The predicate is feminine plural (Muhandisat), so the subject pronoun must match (Hunna - They, female).
🎉 Score: /3
Visual Learning Aids
Nominal vs. Verbal Sentence
Is it a Sentence or a Phrase?
Does it start with a noun?
Is the second word indefinite (no 'Al')?
Does it make complete sense?
Types of Predicates (Khabar)
Single Word
- • Mufrad
- • Just one noun
Sentence
- • Jumlah
- • Starts with verb or noun
Semi-Sentence
- • Shibh Jumlah
- • Preposition + Noun
Frequently Asked Questions
20 questionsArabic values efficiency. If you put a noun next to a description, the relationship is obvious. You only need kana (was) to indicate the past.
Yes, but usually only for identification or restriction. Anta al-mas'ool (You are THE person in charge). It implies you are the *only* one.
Arabic hates starting a sentence with an indefinite noun. To fix this, we usually flip the sentence order: Fi al-bayt rajul (In the house is a man).
Al-walad taweel (Sentence: The boy is tall). Al-walad al-taweel (Phrase: The tall boy...).
Usually, yes. But it *must* come first if it's a prepositional phrase and the subject is indefinite.
That's called the 'Pronoun of Separation' (Dameer al-Fasl). It emphasizes the subject. Al-haqq huwa al-quwwah (Truth, *it* is power).
Sort of! In Al-bayt babuhu kabeer (The house, its door is big), 'The house' is Subject 1, and 'its door' is Subject 2 of the sub-sentence.
Use Laysa. Laysa al-jaw baridan (The weather is not cold).
Inna adds emphasis (Indeed/Verily). It requires a Nominal Sentence to follow it.
The structure itself doesn't change, but you add Kana (was) before it. Kana al-jaw baridan.
Yes, always, unless a particle like Inna changes it to Mansub (Accusative).
It means the predicate is a single word, not a sentence or phrase. Even if that word is plural (Al-rijal aqwiya), it's grammatically 'Mufrad' in type.
Headlines are often Nominal Sentences with the verb deleted or implied. Look for the first definite noun—that's your topic.
Yes. Hadha Zaid (This is Zaid).
Pronouns are definite by nature. So Ana mudarris (I am a teacher) works perfectly.
Not really. You just add Hal or A at the start. Hal al-bayt ba'eed? (Is the house far?).
Yes, adverbs of time or place work as 'Semi-sentences' (Shibh Jumlah). Al-safar ghadan (The travel is tomorrow).
The Predicate must be dual too. Al-waladan taweelan (The two boys are tall).
100%. Dialects drop the case endings (vowels), but the Noun + Noun structure is exactly the same.
Nominal sentences are the playground of Raf' (Nominative case). Both parts are Marfu' by default.
Learn These First
Understanding these concepts will help you master this grammar rule.
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