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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.
While Arabic strictly speaking only has two tenses, the mood of the verb is essential for conveying the probability of a situation.
This article explores the Arabic jussive mood (مَجْزُوم), also known as the jussive, focusing on the specific words or أَدَوات جازِمة that trigger this verb form in conditional sentences, such as إِنْ (if), مَتى (when), مَنْ (who), ما (which), and أَيُّ (every/whoever).
It all depends on the initial word of a conditional sentence if the verb after it has to be مَجْزُوم. Words that put a verb into the مَجْزُوم-mood are called: أَدَوات جازِمة
Notice that مَجْزُوم basically means that the verb ends in a سُكُون – which also means that you have to watch out for weak letters, as they might be elided.
The word إِنْ
Meaning: if – used for time or place
| If you put an effort into your work, you’ll succeed in your life. | إِنْ تَجْتَهِدْ فِي عَمَلِكَ تَنْجَحْ فِي حَياتِكَ |
The word مَتى
Meaning: when
| If/when you come to Egypt, you will find beautiful weather. | مَتى تأتِ إِلَى مِصْرَ تَجِدْ جَوَّها جَمِيلًا |
Notice that the weak letter in أتى/ يَأتي is elided.
The words مَنْ and ما
- The word مَنْ means who and is used for people
- The word ما means who; whoever; which – for animals, trees; non-human things
| Whoever travels a lot will see different people. | مَنْ يُسافِرْ كَثيرًا يَرَ شُعُوبًا مُخْتَلِفةً |
The weak letter in رَأَى/ يَرَى is elided. Remark: رَأَى is one of the very few pretty irregular verbs. You cannot conjugate it by using the common rules. The same is true for its IV-form أَفْعَلَ, which looks like أَرَى in its basic form (past tense).
The word مَهْما
Meaning: what; which; whatever
| What you do for the good of the people will make you happy. | مَهْما تُقَدِّمُوا مِن خَيْرٍ لِلنَّاسِ تُصْبِحُواسَعْداءَ |
The word أيْنَما
Meaning: what; which; whatever
| Wherever you travel, you will find friends. | أيْنَما تُسافِرْ تَجِدْ أصْدِقاءَ |
You will find more information about the specialties and meanings of the مَجْزُوم-mood in the book Arabic for Nerds.
The word كَيْفَما
Meaning: how
| The way you treat friends, the way they will treat you. | كَيْفَما تُعامِلْ زُمَلاءَكَ يُعامِلُوكَ |
The word أَيُّ
Meaning: every; whoever. For people; places; time
Notice that there has to be a noun (اِسْم) after أَيُّ and never a verb; you have to treat it like a إِضافة
| Every worker who works diligently will find the fruits of his work. | أَيُّ عامِلٍ يَعْمَلْ بِجِدٍّ يَلْقَ ثَمَرَةَ عَمَلِهِ |
Notice that the weak letter in لَقِيَ/ يَلْقَى is elided.
Wanna cite this article?
Drißner, G. (2016, April 16). 7 Arabic Words That Trigger the Jussive Mood (Majzūm – مَجْزُوم). Arabic for Nerds. https://arabic-for-nerds.com/grammar/conditional-sentences-arabic-majzum/
Published: April 16, 2016
Please check the citation before use, especially if your style guide has local requirements.
Publication ISSN: 3055-1730
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