Hijri to Gregorian Converter: The Easiest Way to Convert Islamic Dates
Converting Hijri (Islamic) years to Gregorian (Western) years can be tricky, but a simple approximation formula helps. This article explains the lunar Hijri calendar, provides an easy mathematical formula for conversion (Year Gregorian ≈ Year Hijri × 0.97 + 622), and offers online tools for precise date transformations.
How to Use Prepositions for Emphasis in Arabic: بِ and مِنْ
Arabic uses various devices to convey emphasis, including common prepositions like بِ (bi) and مِنْ (min) as "extra letters." This article explains how these prepositions lose their original directional meaning and instead serve to intensify the word that follows them, helping you add emphasis to your Arabic sentences.
How to Emphasize Nouns in Arabic Using the “Pronoun of Separation” – ضَمِير الْفَصْل
Arabic uses ضَمِير الْفَصْل (the pronoun of separation) to emphasize a noun. This article explains how adding a corresponding personal pronoun after the noun you want to highlight provides emphasis, effectively separating the subject from the predicate and adding clarity or focus to the sentence.
Subject-Verb Agreement in Arabic: Do Verbs Agree with “Many” or the Noun?
Subject-verb agreement in Arabic can be tricky, especially with quantifiers like العديد من ("many") and كُلّ ("all"). This article explores the concept of the "logical subject," clarifying whether verbs should agree with the quantifier (grammatical subject) or the noun that follows it (semantic/logical subject), providing examples and classical vs. common usage.
7 Arabic Words That Trigger the Jussive Mood (Majzūm – مَجْزُوم)
Arabic has only two main tenses, making verb mood crucial for expressing probability. This article focuses on the jussive mood (مَجْزُوم), explaining the أَدَوات جازِمة (jussive triggers) like إِنْ, مَتى, مَنْ, ما, and أَيُّ. Learn how these words make verbs end in sukūn or elide weak letters in conditional sentences.
Why Do Some Arabic Nouns Have Two Plurals? The Minor and Major Plural Explained
Arabic features a special plural form called "minor plural" (جَمْع الْقِلّة), used for small numbers (3-10), contrasting with the "major plural" (جَمْع الْكَثْرة) for larger quantities. This article clarifies when to use forms like أَشْهُر vs. شُهُور for "months" and provides rules and examples for these distinct plural patterns, often overlooked but present in classical texts.
How to Say “Me” in Arabic: A Guide to Accusative Pronouns (like إِيّايَ)
While rare in everyday speech, Arabic expresses "me" (إِيّايَ) and other direct/indirect objects using specific accusative (مَنْصُوب) and genitive (مَجْرُور) forms of personal pronouns, such as إِيّاهُ ("him") or إِيّاكَ ("you"). This article illustrates these literary constructions and their applications, including the Quranic phrase إِيّاكَ نَعْبُدُ (Thee alone we worship).
How to Say You Did Something “Once” in Arabic: A Guide to the Noun of Frequency – اسم المرة
Arabic has an elegant way to express how often an action occurs using the "noun of frequency" (اسم المرة), or فَعْلة. This article differentiates between the general absolute object (مَفْعُولٌ مُطْلَقٌ) and the specific noun of frequency, which denotes an action done a certain number of times (e.g., "jumped once" vs. "jumped generally").
How to Pronounce the Number 10 in Arabic: ‘Ashara or ‘Ashra?
Arabic numbers can be tricky, especially "ten" (عشر). This article clarifies its pronunciation based on the noun's gender: use a fatḥa on the letter ش of عَشَرة when referring to a masculine word (e.g., ten pens) and a sukūn on the ش of عَشْر for feminine words (e.g., ten pages).
The Meaning of Hussein: How Diminutives Work in Arabic Names
Arabic diminutives (تَصْغِيرٌ) add a nuance of smallness or endearment, often making translation tricky. This article explains how names like Hussein (حُسَيْنٌ) are diminutives of Hasan (حَسَنٌ), meaning "little beauty." It explores common patterns like فُعَيْلٌ and فُعَيْلِلٌ, showing their application to nouns, adverbs, and feminine forms.
