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Understanding the Interpreted Infinitive (الْمَصْدَر الْمُؤَوَّل) in Arabic Grammar
The Arabic verbal noun often appears as الْمَصْدَر الْمُؤَوَّل (interpreted infinitive), formed by أَنْ or ما followed by a verb. This article clarifies how it achieves the same meaning as the explicit Masdar (e.g., أُريدُ أَنْ أذْهَبَ vs. أُريدُ الذَّهابَ), and notes the verb’s accusative mood.
In Arabic grammar, a common point of confusion among learners is the verbal noun, specifically when comparing forms like أُريدُ أَنْ أذْهَبَ and أُريدُ الذَّهابَ.
This article clarifies that both sentences convey the same meaning, “I want to go“, by explaining the concept of الْمَصْدَر الْمُؤَوَّل (al-Masdar al-Muawwal), or the interpreted infinitive, formed using particles such as أَنْ or ما, which act as Masdariya particles (حَرْف مَصْدَرِيّ).
In short: Yes, أُريدُ أَنْ أذْهَبَ and أُريدُ الذَّهابَ both mean the same: I want to go.
The word ذِهابٌ is the مَصْدَر of ذَهَبَ.
You can build the الْمَصْدَر الْمُؤَوَّل by using the particles أَنْ or ما. They are a so called حَرْف مَصْدَرِيّ. Let us take a look at it:
| أَنْ يَذْهَبَ | = | ذَهابٌ |
| الْمَصْدَر الْمُؤَوَّل | = | الْمَصْدَر الصَّرِيح |
| going; go | = | going; go |
Watch out: The verb in the sentence above has a فَتْحة at the end, as it is preceded by أَنْ.
Therefore, the verb has to be مَنْصُوب.
Did you know? There are many other masdar forms in Arabic. You can denote the number of times an action is done or express certain actions.
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Wanna cite this article?
Drißner, G. (2015, December 26). Understanding the Interpreted Infinitive (الْمَصْدَر الْمُؤَوَّل) in Arabic Grammar. Arabic for Nerds. https://arabic-for-nerds.com/grammar/masdar-muawwal-interpreted-infinitive-arabic/
Published: December 26, 2015
Please check the citation before use, especially if your style guide has local requirements.
Publication ISSN: 3055-1730
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