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Media Arabic Booster 07/24
This month (07/24) in Media Arabic Booster: The meaning of the word شرطة and how the drug Captagon affects the relations between Syria, Turkey and the Arab neighbors
As a journalist, I read Arabic newspapers daily, especially the opinion section. Every month, I want to share with you on Arabic for Nerds what I find interesting from a linguistic perspective and which vocabulary might be worth learning. I call it the Media Arabic Booster.
Media Arabic Booster: 07/24 Show
A close look at a headline
Akhbar al-Hawadith: The police and the military in Egypt
- On 30 June 2013, protesters demonstrated across Egypt against Mohammed Morsi (محمد مرسي), the elected president of Egypt at that time and a prominent figure in the Muslim Brotherhood (الْإِخْوان).
- The protesters expressed their anger at the Muslim Brotherhood, which they accuse of hijacking Egypt’s revolution and using its electoral victories to monopolize power and impose Islamic law.
- Egyptian army chief General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (عبد الفتاح سعيد حسين خليل السيسي) led a coalition to remove President Mohamed Morsi from power and suspended Egypt’s 2012 constitution.
- A few days later, on 3 July 2013, the Egyptian military seized power.
- On 14 August 2013, Egyptian police and the armed forces, led by Defense Minister Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, used lethal force to break up two protest camps in Cairo: one at al-Nahda Square (ميدان النهضة) and a larger one at Rabaa al-Adawiya Square (مسجد رابعة العدوية). The camps were occupied by supporters of President Mohamed Morsi.
- The exact death toll is unclear, with conflicting estimates. Human Rights Watch reports at least 904 protesters were killed (817 in Rabaa Square and 87 in al-Nahda Square).
- These events in June and July 2013 were portrayed by the military as a way to eliminate the revolution of 2011, which led to the collapse of Hosni Mubarak’s regime (محمد حسني مبارك). For the military, the events in 2013 were the true revolution.
- Under Mubarak, the police forces were strong, which is why Egypt was called a police state. Now there is a military dictatorship that is trying to integrate the police into the structures.
Let’s focus on the headline:
بناء شرطة عصرية تواكب الجمهورية الجديدة
Building a modern police force that keeps pace with the new republic
Vocabulary list
All words marked in color above are explained here.
| ARABIC | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| بِناءٌ | building. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the I-verb بَنَى – يَبْنِي which means to build. Some examples: construction company (شَرِكةُ بِناءٍ); based on; on the basis of (بِناءً عَلَى) |
| شُرْطةٌ | police. A singular policeman is شُرْطِيٌّ. Some examples: to inform the police (أَبْلَغَ الشُّرْطةَ); police officer (ضابِطُ شُرْطَةٍ); police station (مَرْكَزُ الشُّرْطةِ) |
| عَصْرِيٌّ | modern; contemporary. It is the Nisba adjective (نِسْبةٌ) of the noun عَصْرٌ which means age; era; period. For example: contemporary technology (تكنولوجيا عَصْرِيَّةٌ) |
| واكَبَ – يُواكِبُ | to go along with; to accompany; to go together with (use a direct object in Arabic; not a preposition). III-verb. For example: to keep up with the times (واكَبَ الْعَصْرَ) |
What does al-Shurta (الشرطة) actually mean?
Most sources assume the following origin of the word al-Shurta (الشرطة): The police were given this name in reference to a strip of cloth that was placed on the hand over the clothing of the security man during the reign of Caliph ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān (الخليفة عبد الملك بن مروان) to distinguish them from the general public.
➤ How come? The root ش-ر-ط, in an old meaning, denotes to slit the ear of a camel. From this, it got the meaning of sign, token, mark; also condition. Note: The Biblical Hebrew word שֶׂרֶט (sheret) – with similar Semitic root letters – means stripe, incision, tear, line, scratch.
➤ Who was Abd al-Malik ibn Marwān? He was one of the most important caliphs of the Umayyads and ruled from 685 (65 AH) to 705 (86 AH). The Dome of the Rock – Qubbat al-Sakhrah (قُبّةُ الصَّخْرةِ) in Jerusalem (الْقُدْسُ) was built at the behest of Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan. Construction began in 687 and was completed in 691. The word صَخْرٌ (pl.: صُخوُرٌ) means rock or stone in Arabic.
Translation of an article
Let’s look at parts of a longer newspaper article in Arabic. We will translate each sentence carefully. The highlighted words are in the vocabulary list below.
al-Arabi al-Jadeed: “Did Erdoğan obtain a green Qatari light to invite Al-Assad?”
On July 9, 2024, the following analysis was published in the Qatari-owned London-based newspaper al-Arabi al-Jadeed (العربي الجديد). The Turkish president is under political pressure to send back Syrian refugees, and in early July 2024, shops and vehicles belonging to Syrian residents were attacked and sometimes set on fire by rioters in several Turkish cities. In July, Erdoğan extended an invitation to the Syrian ruler.
Let’s now take a closer look at a few complete paragraphs.
Note: In June 2022, the Republic of Turkey officially changed its name at the United Nations to Türkiye. In this article, I will still use Turkey to avoid confusing readers.
Section 1
رجحت أوساط عربية أن يكون الرئيس التركي رجب طيب أردوغان قد حصل على ضوء أخضر من قطر لدعوة الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد إلى زيارة تركيا بعد سنوات من القطيعة والعداء. واعتبرت الأوساط ذاتها أن عودة أردوغان إلى تأكيد الدعوة بعد مرور أقل من أسبوعين على إثارة الموضوع تشير إلى حصوله على إشارات بشأن موافقة الأسد التي تكون قد تمت بعد التأكد من تحييد قطر التي رفضت ركوب قطار التطبيع مع دمشق قبل سنة ولم تؤيد عودة سوريا إلى الجامعة العربية.
Arab circles indicated that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan may have received a green light from Qatar to invite Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to visit Turkey after years of estrangement and hostility. The same circles said (considered) that Erdoğan’s reiteration of the invitation less than two weeks after raising this issue indicates that he obtained signs of al-Assad’s approval. This may have happened after making sure that Qatar has now been convinced, knowing that the latter had refused to board the normalization train with Damascus a year ago and did not support Syria’s return to the Arab League.
Section 2
ولا يبدي الرئيس السوري تحمسا شديدا لاستعادة علاقاته السابقة مع تركيا، لكن تصريحات أردوغان المتتالية تعكس وجود تقدم في المفاوضات تجاه هذا الملف، ما يرجح دخول قطر على الخط خاصة مع غياب أي مؤشر على استعداد أنقرة لتنفيذ الشرط السوري المعلن والمتمثل في سحب تركيا قواتها من شمال سوريا. كما أن تصريحات الأسد قبل أيام لم تشر إلى شرط سحب تركيا قواتها من سوريا؛ حيث اكتفى بالحديث عن انفتاح بلاده على المبادرات الهادفة إلى عودة العلاقات مع أنقرة المستندة إلى سيادة الدولة السورية وضرورة محاربة كل التنظيمات الإرهابية.
The Syrian president doesn’t show much enthusiasm for restoring his previous relations with Turkey, but Erdoğan’s successive statements reflect that progress has been made in the negotiations on (regarding) this issue, which means that Qatar has probably entered the fray, especially in the absence of any sign indicating that Ankara will meet the declared Syrian condition, which is for Turkey to withdraw its forces from the Syrian north. Moreover, al-Assad’s statements a few days ago did not refer to the condition of Turkey pulling its troops from Syria. Instead, he merely spoke about his country’s openness to initiatives aimed at restoring relations with Ankara based on the sovereignty of the Syrian state and the need to fight all terrorist organizations.
Section 3
ويقول مراقبون إن الأسد حريص على فك عقدة العناد القطري ولو عن طريق الأتراك، خاصة أن تحسين العلاقات مع السعودية لم ينعكس بشكل إيجابي على وضع سوريا السياسي والاقتصادي، لافتين إلى أن المستفيد من تحسين العلاقات بين الرياض ودمشق هو السعودية لأنها تغلق باب الالتزامات مع فصائل المعارضة، وتترك النظام السوري أمام مسؤولية مواجهة تهريب المخدرات المصنعة في سوريا -مثل الكبتاغون- والمتجهة إلى السعودية.
Observers say that al-Assad is keen on resolving the problem (untieing the knot) of the Qatari stubbornness, even if via the Turks, especially since improving relations with Saudi Arabia has not had a positive impact on Syria’s political and economic situation. They point out that the beneficiary of improving relations Riyadh and Damascus is Saudi-Arabia, because this shall shut the door to the [Saudi] commitments with the opposition factions while leaving the Syrian regime with the responsibility of confronting the smuggling of drugs manufactured in Syria – such as Captagon – and heading to Saudi Arabia.
Captagon is an amphetamine-based drug that combines fenethylline, which was discovered in the 1960s in Germany, with other stimulants, often resulting in a highly addictive substance. It produces euphoria, increased alertness, and a lack of fatigue, making it popular with those seeking enhanced performance or an escape from reality.
Largely produced in war-torn Syria due to the lack of law enforcement and the country’s need for money, Captagon has become a significant black market commodity. The drug is mainly exported to the Middle East and Europe, where it fuels organized crime.
In Saudi Arabia, several high-profile cases have made headlines. For example, in 2015, authorities seized more than 22 million Captagon pills and arrested several suspects involved in the smuggling ring. In another case, in 2022, authorities seized a record 46 million amphetamine pills hidden in a shipment of flour. Additionally, in 2019, three people were executed after being convicted of attempting to smuggle tens of thousands of Captagon tablets into the kingdom.
Section 4
وفي العام الماضي قاومت قطر الجهود التي قادتها السعودية لإعادة سوريا إلى الجامعة العربية …. لكن مراقبين عدوا رفضها حينئذ نوعا من التريث، معتبرين أنها ستحذو حذو جيرانها الخليجيين وبقية الدول العربية في الوقت الذي تراه مناسبا. ولعبت قطر دورا كبيرا في الأزمة السورية على الصعيدين السياسي والعسكري وأدى تدخلها إلى خروج الاحتجاجات على النظام السوري عن مسارها المدني بعد عسكرة أجسام الثورة التي هيمن عليها الإسلاميون. ورغم هزيمة المعارضة بعد التدخل الروسي في سوريا إلا أن المعارضة المدعومة من قطر وتركيا مازالت تسيطر على بعض الجيوب في الشمال
Last year, Qatar resisted Saudi-led efforts to reinstate Syria in the Arab League … However, observers considered Qatar’s refusal at the time to be a kind of wait-and-see, saying that Qatar would follow the example of its Gulf neighbors and the rest of the Arab countries at the time it sees fit. Qatar had played an important role in the Syrian crisis, both on the political and military level. Its intervention caused the protests against the Syrian regime to stray away from their civil path after the militarization of the revolution bodies, which were dominated by Islamists. Despite the defeat of the opposition as a result of the Russian intervention in Syria, Qatar and Turkey-supported opposition is still controlling some pockets in the North.
Vocabulary list
Section 1
| ARABIC | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| رَجَّحَ – يُرَجِّحُ | to think likely; to think probable; to give preponderance (to something = direct object; over = عَلَى). It can also denote to prefer. If you see أَنَّ after, it usually means to think likely. II-verb. For example: Some have suggested that it may be due to an allergy (رَجَّحَ البَعْضُ أَنَّهُ قَدْ يَكُونُ بِسَبَبِ حَساسِيَّةٍ). |
| وَسَطٌ pl: أَوْساط | circle; middle; also: milieu. For example: diplomatic circles (الْأَوْساطُ الدِّبلُوماسِيَّةُ) |
| ضَوْءٌ أَخْضَرُ | green light. The noun ضَوْءٌ means light. For example: in view of/in the light of (عَلَى ضَوْءِ or فِي ضَوْءِ) plus noun = second part of a genitive construction (إِضافةٌ). |
| دَعْوةٌ لِ | invitation; call. The corresponding verbs are tricky: to accept an invitation (لَبَّى دَعْوةً); to get an invitation (تَلَقَّى دَعْوةً); to send an invitation (وَجَّهَ دَعْوةً إِلَى شَخْصٍ) |
| قَطِيعةٌ | split; rift |
| عَداءٌ عَلَى pl: عَداءاتٌ | hostility; aggression. The noun عَداءٌ is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the I-verb عَدَا – يَعْدُو which means to be hostile towards (عَلَى), but also: to run. Other مَصْدَرٌ-forms are عَدْوٌ (to express to run, or with عَلَى to steal) or عُدْوانٌ in the verbal meaning of ظَلَمَ. The word عَداءٌ can also serve to express the English prefix anti-. For example: anti-Semitism can be rendered as الْعَداءُ لِلسّاميَّةِ. However, for anti-Semitism there are other expressions too: لاساميّة (a newly coined word) or مُعاداةُ الْيَهودِ. |
| اِعْتَبَرَ – يَعْتَبِرُ | to consider; to take as; to hold (with direct object); also: to take an example from (بِ); to be warned. It is a VIII-verb. Watch out: Although the passive voice is rare in Arabic, it is often used with this verb. For example: The war was considered a mistake (اُعْتُبِرَتْ الْحَرْبُ خَطَأً كَبِيرًا). |
| ذاتٌ pl: ذَواتٌ | same; self; -self (نَفْسٌ). Note that ذاتٌ is a noun (اِسْمٌ), expressing the idea of being, essence, and therefore gets cases. Some examples: himself/he himself (بِذاتِهِ); simultaneously (فِي ذاتِ الْوَقْتِ); above all (بالذّاتِ); once (فِي ذاتِ مَرّةٍ); specifically; particularly (بِالذَّاتِ); for this very reason (لِهٰذا السَبَبِ بِالذاتِ). Used as an adverb (ذاتَ), it means “at a certain time” and indicates an indefinite point in time. ذاتَ is thus only associated with indefinite time concepts. For example: one day (ذاتَ يَوْمٍ); one night (ذاتَ لَيْلَةٍ). |
| عَوْدةٌ | return; repatriation. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the I-verb عادَ – يَعُودُ which means to go back. |
| تَأْكِيدٌ | confirmation; affirmation. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the II-verb أَكَّدَ – يُؤَكِّدُ (first root letter: ء) which means to confirm. For example: certainly (بالتَّأْكيدِ نَعَم) or certainly not (بالتَّأْكيدِ لا). |
| مُرُورٌ | passing; course; lapse. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the I-verb مَرَّ -يَمُرُّ which means to pass, to go by. For example: with the passing of time (بَعْدَ مُرُورِ الْوَقْتِ). Watch out: مُرُورٌ also means passage, crossing. Thus, password in Arabic means كَلِمةُ مُرُورٍ. And don’t confuse it with the passive participle (اِسْمُ الْمَفْعُولِ) which is مَمْرُورٌ. |
| ARABIC | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| إِثارةٌ | provocation; irritation. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the IV-verb أَثارَ – يُثيرُ which means to cause;to bring up; to incite; to stir up. For example: to cause a stir (سَبَّبَ إِثارةً); tabloid/yellow press (صُحُفُ إِثارةٍ). |
| إِشارةٌ | sign; signal; hint; gesture. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the IV-verb أَشارَ – يُشِيرُ إِِلَى which means to point to. For example: a nice gesture (إِشارةٌ وِدِّيّةٌ); with regard to (فِي إِشارةٍ إِلَى); red traffic light (إِشارةُ مُرُورٍ حَمْراءُ) |
| بِشَأْنِ | with regard to (first part of إِضافةٌ). The word شَأْنٌ means matter; case. |
| تَمَّ – يَتِمُّ | to happen; to become a fact. I-verb. Watch out: When followed by a verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ), the verb تَمَّ is often used to paraphrase the Arabic passive voice. For example: The goods were delivered (تَمَّ تَسْلِيمُ الْبَضائِعِ.). |
| تَأَكُّد | certainty; assurance. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the V-verb تَأَكَّدَ – يَتَأَكَّدُ which means to check; to verify. For example: just to be sure (من أَجْلِ التَأَكُّدِ). |
| تَحْيِيدٌ | neutralization (of a country). It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the II-verb حَيَّدَ – يُحَيِّدُ which means to neutralize; to keep/put aside. |
| رُكُوبٌ | riding, boarding. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the I-verb رَكِبَ – يَرْكَبُ which means to ride; to get in (a car, a bus, a train) = to board. |
| قِطارٌ pl: قِطَاراتٌ or قُطُرٌ or قُطُراتٌ | train. For example: subway/underground train (قِطارُ أَنْفاقٍ) |
| تَطْبِيعٌ | normalization. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the II-verb طَبَّعَ – يُطَبِّعُ which means to normalize. For example: normalization of relations (تَطْبِيعُ الْعَلاقاتِ) |
| أَيَّدَ – يُؤَيِّدُ | to support; to help. For example: I endorse this remark (أُؤَيِّدُ هٰذِهِ الْمُلاحَظةَ). |
| الْجامِعَةُ الْعَرَبِيَّةُ | The Arab League. Note: The Arab League was formed in Cairo in March 1945, initially with seven members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and North Yemen. In 2024, the League has 22 members. |
Section 2
| ARABIC | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| أَبْدَى – يُبْدِي | to utter; to express; to display; to manifest. It is a IV-verb (root: ب-د-و). For example: to express one’s opinion (أَبْدَى رَأْيَهُ). Watch out: Can it also mean to seem, to appear? No, that would be the I-verb of the same root: بَدَا – يَبْدُو. |
| تَحَمُّسٌ | passion; enthusiasm; fanaticism. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the V-verb تَحَمَّسَ – يَتَحَمَّسُ which means to be/become enthusiastic. |
| اِسْتِعادةٌ | recovery; restoring, restoration. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the X-verb اسْتَعادَ – يَسْتَعيدُ (root: ع-و-د) which means to get/ask back; to reclaim. For example:restoring the national sovereignty (اِسْتِعادةُ سِيادةِ الْوَطَنِ) |
| تَصْرِيحٌ pl: تَصْرِيحاتٌ or تَصارِيحُ | statement; declaration; announcement. Also: license, permit (a word often used in Arab countries). It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the II-verb صَرَّحَ – يُصَرِّحُ بِ which means to declare; to allow. For example: residence permit (تَصْرِيحُ إقامةٍ). |
| مُتَتالٍ | consecutive; sequential. It is the active participle (اِسْمُ الْفاعِلِ) of the VI-verb تَتالى – يَتَتالى which means to follow one after another. For example: consecutive numbers (أَرْقامٌ مُتَتالِيَةٌ) |
| عَكَسَ – يَعْكِسُ | to reflect. Also: to reverse. For example: to show courage (عَكَسَ جُرْأةً); to twist/reverse the letters of a word (عَكَسَ أَحْرُفَ كَلِمةٍ) |
| تَقَدُّمٌ | progress; advancement. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the V-verb تَقَدَّمَ – يَتَقَدَّمُ بِ which means to advance; to make progress; also: to submit/present. For example: to place/submit an order (تَقَدَّمَ بِطَلَبٍ); to move forward (تَقَدَّمَ إِلَى الْأَمامِ) |
| مُفاوَضةٌ | negotiation; talk. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the III-verb فاوَضَ – يُفاوِضُ which means to negotiate; to bargain. For example: negotiation table (طاوِلةُ الْمُفاوَضاتِ) |
| تُجاهَ | towards; opposite; in front of; with respect to. It is used as an adverb (notice the “a” at the end). |
| مِلَفٌّ pl: مِلَفّاتٌ | dossier; file (also on the computer) |
| ARABIC | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| خاصّةً | especially; in particular |
| غِيابٌ | absence. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the I-verb غابَ – يَغيبُ which means to be absent. |
| مُؤَشِّرٌ | sign; indication; indicator; index; mouse cursor. It is the active participle (اِسْمُ الْفاعِلِ) of the II-verb أَشَّرَ -يُؤَشِّرُ عَلَى which means to mark. For example: an indication that (مُؤَشِّرٌ يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّ). Note that the word تَأْشِيرَةٌ means visa. It is the pattern of a so-called noun of one act (اِسْمُ مَرَّةٍ) of the II-verb أَشَّرَ. |
| اِسْتِعْدادٌ | readiness; willingness. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the X-verb اسْتَعَدَّ – يَسْتَعِدُّ which means to prepare oneself; to get ready. |
| تَنْفِيذٌ | realization; implementation. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the II-verb نَفَّذَ – يُنَفِّذُ which means to execute. |
| شَرْطٌ pl: شُرُوطٌ | condition; term/clause; requirement |
| مُعْلَنٌ | announced. It is the passive participle (اِسْمُ الْمَفْعُولِ) of the IV-verb أَعْلَنَ -يُعْلِنُ which means to make public; to announce. For example: not announced (غَيْرُ مُعْلَنٍ عَنْهُ). Watch out: the active participle (اِسْمُ الْفاعِلِ) is مُعْلِنٌ and often denotes advertiser. |
| مُتَمَثِّلٌ فِي | consisting of; represented in (body). It is the active participle (اِسْمُ الْفاعِلِ) of the V-verb تَمَثَّلَ – يَتَمَثَّلُ which means to be represented by; to (try to) become like. Depending on the context, we may have to use the passive participle for the English translation, although we use the active participle in Arabic. It is also often left untranslated. For example: The government is increasingly failing in its duty to protect us (الحُكُومَةُ فاشِلَةٌ فِي الاِضْطِلاعِ بِواجِبِها المُتَمَثِّلِ فِي حِمايَتِنا بِشَكْلٍ مُتَزايِدٍ). |
| سَحْبٌ | withdrawal; pulling. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the I-verb سَحَبَ – يَسْحَبُ which means to take back; to withdraw. For example: drag and drop (السََّحْبُ وَالْإِسْقاطُ). |
| ARABIC | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| كَما | as; like; likewise; furthermore. For example: as if (كَما لو); as usual (كَما هِي الْعادةُ) |
| اِكْتَفَى – يَكْتَفِي بِ | to be enough; to content oneself. VIII-verb |
| مُبادَرةٌ | initiative. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the III-verb بادَرَ – يُبادِرُ which means to take the initiative; to set out. |
| هادِفٌ لِ | determined; aimed at. It is the active participle (اِسْمُ الْفاعِلِ) of the I-verb هَدَفَ – يَهْدُفُ which means to aim at. |
| مُسْتَنِدٌ إِلَى | based on. It is the active participle (اِسْمُ الْفاعِلِ) of the VIII-verb اسْتَنَدَ – يَسْتَنِدُ إِلَى which means to be based on; to lean. Watch out: مُسْتَنَدٌ (with “a”; plural: مُسْتَنَداتٌ) means document; proof. |
| سِيادةٌ | sovereignty; rule; dominance. When used with certain people: Excellency. For example: His Excellency the minister (سِيادةُ الْوَزيرِ). |
| ضَرُورةٌ | necessity; urgency. For example: if absolutely necessary (عِنْدَ الضَّرُورَةِ الْقُصْوَى); necessarily (بِالضَّرُورةِ) |
| مُحارَبةٌ | battle; fight; warfare. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the III-verb حارَبَ – يُحارِبُ which means to fight. |
| تَنْظِيمٌ pl: تَنْظيمات | organization. It is often used before the name of a terrorist organization to denote that it is an organization. For example: al-Qaida (تَنْظِيمُ الْقاعِدةِ) |
| إِرْهابِيٌّ | terrorist. It is the Nisba adjective (نِسْبةٌ) of the noun إِرْهابٌ which means terror; terrorism. إِرْهابٌ is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the IV-verb أَرْهَبَ – يُرْهِبُ which means to frighten; to terrorize. |
Section 3
| ARABIC | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| مُراقِبٌ | observer; overseer; inspector, censor. It is the active participle (اِسْمُ الْفاعِلِ) of the III-verb راقَبَ – يُراقِبُ which to control; to watch. |
| حَرِيصٌ عَلَى | striving for; to be keen on. It is a quasi-participle (صِفةٌ مُشَبَّهةٌ) of the I-verb حرِصَ – يَحْرِصُ عَلَى which means to desire; to strive. Watch out: depending on the context, it may also denote miserly; greedy. |
| فَكٌّ | taking apart. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the I-verb فَكَّ – يَفُكُّ which means to take apart. In colloquial language, the verb is often used to express to give change (money). |
| عُقْدةٌ | knot; tie. For example: to untie a knot (فَكَّ عُقْدةً) |
| عِنادٌ | stubbornness; resistance. It is a verbal noun form (مَصْدَرٌ سَماعِيٌّ) of the III-verb عَانَدَ – يُعانِدُ which means to be stubborn. The standard الْمَصْدَرُ الْقِياسِيُّ is مُعَانَدَةٌ. |
| تُرْكِيٌّ | Turkish; Turk. Note: If you want to say the Turks (= the Turkish people), you use الْأَتْراكُ. |
| تَحْسِينٌ | improvement; also: decoration. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the II-verb حَسَّنَ – يُحَسِّنُ which means to beautify; to improve. |
| اِنْعَكَسَ – يَنْعَكِسُ | to reflect; to be reflected. VII-verb. For example: to have positive effects (اِنْعَكَسَ إِيجابيًّا) |
| شَكْلٌ pl: أَشْكالٌ | form, shape; image. For example: positively (بِشَكْلٍ إِيجابِيٍّ); in general (بِشَكْلٍ عامٍّ) |
| إِيجابِيٌّ | positive; affirmative. For example: a positive result (نَتِيجَةٌ إِيجابِيَّةٌ). Antonym: negative; unfavorable; adverse (سَلْبِيٌّ) |
| ARABIC | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| لَفَتَ – يَلْفِتُ إِلَى | to point out that; to attract attention. I-verb. For example: what caught my attention was (ما لَفَتَ اِنْتِباهِي أَنَّ) |
| مُسْتَفِيدٌ | beneficiary; entitled person. It is the active participle (اِسْمُ الْفاعِلِ) of the X-verb اِسْتَفادَ – يَسْتَفيدُ (root: ف-ي-د) which means to benefit from (ب or مِنْ). |
| أَغْلَقَ – يُغْلِقُ | to close; to lock. IV-verb. For example: to close the window (أَغْلَقَ النّافِذةَ) |
| الْتِزامٌ pl: الْتِزاماتٌ | commitment; compliance; agreement. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the VIII-verb الْتَزَمَ – يَلْتَزِمُ بِ which means to comply with; to observe. |
| فَصِيلةٌ pl: فَصائِلُ | group; faction; species; family (in biology). For example: blood type (فَصِيلةُ دَمٍ); firing squad (فَصِيلَةُ الْإِعْدامِ) |
| مُعارَضةٌ | opposition; resistance. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the III-verb عارَضَ – يُعارِضُ which means to resist; to oppose. |
| تَرَكَ – يَتْرُكُ | to leave; to leave behind; to abandon; also: to allow. I-verb. For example: to leave luggage behind (تَرَكَ أَمْتِعَةً); to leave a company (تَرَكَ شَرِكةً) |
| نِظامٌ pl: نِظاماتٌ or نُظُمٌ or أَنْظِمةٌ | regime; system; order. For example: legal system (نِظامٌ قَضائِيٌّ); to take down/overthrow the regime (أَسْقَطَ – يُسْقِطُ النِّظامَ) |
| مَسْؤُولِيّةٌ | responsibility. It is the artificial verbal noun (مَصْدَرُ صِنَاعِيٌّ) of مَسْؤُولٌ (responsible) which is the passive participle (اِسْمُ الْمَفْعُولِ) of I-verb سَأَلَ – يَسْأَلُ which means to ask; to request. For example: fully accountable (كامِلُ الْمَسْؤوليّةِ); disclaimer (إِخْلاءُ مَسْؤُولِيَّةٍ) |
| مُواجَهةٌ | confrontation. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the III-verb واجَهَ – يُواجِهُ which means to confront; to defy. |
| تَهْرِيبٌ | smuggling; trafficking. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the II-verb هَرَّبَ – يُهَرِّبُ which means to smuggle; also: to let escape. For example: human trafficking (تَهْرِيبُ الْأَشْخاصِ) |
| مُخَدِّرٌ pl: مُخَدِّراتٌ | drug; narcotic. It is the active participle (اِسْمُ الْفاعِلِ) of the II-verb خَدَّرَ – يُخَدِّرُ which means to sedate; to drug. For example: drug dealer (تاجِرُ الْمُخَدِّراتِ); drug user (مُسْتَهْلِكٌ لِلْمُخَدِّراتِ); drug addict (مُدْمِنٌ عَلَى مُخَدِّراتٍ) |
| مُصَنَّعٌ | manufactured; processed. It is the passive participle (اِسْمُ الْمَفْعُولِ) of the II-verb صَنَّعَ – يُصَنِّعُ which means to produce; to make. |
| مُتَّجِهٌ | direction. For example: the train to Cairo (الْقِطارُ الْمُتَّجِهُ إِلَى الْقاهِرَةِ). It is the active participle (اِسْمُ الْفاعِلِ) of the VIII-verb اِتَّجَهَ – يَتَّجِهُ إِلَى which means to head to; to go to. |
Section 4
| ARABIC | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| قاوَمَ – يُقاوِمُ | to resist; to oppose. III-verb. For example: to fight evil (قاوَمَ الشَّرَّ) |
| قادَ – يَقُودُ | to lead; to chair. I-verb. For example: to lead a political party (قادَ حِزْبٌ سِياسِيٌّ) |
| عَدَّ – يَعُدُّ | to count, to calculate; to consider; to regard as. For example: to count to a hundred (عَدَّ إِلَى مِائةٍ); countless = lit.: not to be counted (لا يُعَدُّ). In the passive voice, عُدَّ means to be considered as. For example: This man is considered to be the leader of the terrorist organization (يُعَدُّ هٰذا الرَّجُلُ زَعِيمَ التَّنْظِيمِ الْإِرْهابِيِّ). Watch out: In the text, we had the verb form عدوا which is they (3rd person; masculine plural). Don’t mix it with form I (عَدَا – يَعْدُو) which looks the same without tashkeel: عَدّوا (II) versus عَدَوا (I). Form I means to run but also: to be hostile towards (→ then use the preposition عَلَى). |
| حِينَئِذٍ | then; at the time. It is an adverb of time (ظَرْفُ زَمانٍ) There are many phrases like this which basically mean the same (then; at the time; at that time): وَقْتَئِذٍ or يَوْمَئِذٍ (then; on that day). Note that such words are compound nouns (كَلِمَةٌ مُرَكَّبَةٌ) consisting of a first part denoting time and the noun إِذْ. |
| نَوْعٌ | type; kind; form; category |
| تَرَيُّثٌ | wait-and-see; hesitation; procrastination. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the V-verb تَرَيَّثَ – يَتَرَيَّثُ which means to take one’s time; to linger. For example: to delay making the decision (تَرَيَّثَ فِي اِتِّخاذِ الْقَرارِ). |
| مُعْتَبِرٌ | thinking, holding, having the opinion that (أَنَّ), considering. It is the active participle (اِسْمُ الْفاعِلِ) of the VIII-verb اِعْتَبَرَ – يَعْتَبِرُ which means to consider; to regard as; to take as. Note that the passive participle (اِسْمُ الْمَفْعُولِ) is مُعْتَبَرٌ with “a” often means respected; esteemed; respectable |
| حَذَا – يَحْذُو | to imitate, to take an example; to do it like. I-verb. Often occurs in the expression حَذا حَذْوَ شَخْصٍ which means to follow someone’s footsteps/example. The adverb حَذْوَ means parallel to; face to face with. |
| جارٌ pl: جِيرانٌ | neighboring; adjacent; neighbor |
| خَلِيجيٌّ | Gulf (Arab region). For example: the Gulf Cooperation Council – GCC (مَجْلِسُ التَّعاوُنِ الْخَلِيجِيِّ) |
| ARABIC | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| بَقيّةٌ pl: بَقايا | rest; remains; remainder. For example: for the rest of her life (بَقيّةَ عُمْرِها) |
| رَأَى – يَرَى | to see; to regard; to think. For example: What do you think? (يا تُرَى؟). For the conjugation of the verb, see this article. |
| مُناسِبٌ | suitable; convenient. It is the active participle (اِسْمُ الْفاعِلِ) of the III-verb ناسَبَ – يُناسِبُ which means to suit; to be suitable. For example: this is good! that fits (هٰذا مُناسِبٌ) |
| صَعِيدٌ pl: ٌصُعُد | level; area; domain; field |
| تَدَخُّلٌ | interference; intervention. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the V-verb تَدَخَّلَ – يَتَدَخَّلُ فِي which means to interfere in. For example: military intervention (تَدَخُّلٌ عَسْكَرِيٌّ) |
| اِحْتِجاجٌ pl: اِحْتِجاجاتٌ | objection; protest. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the VIII-verb اِحْتَجَّ – يَحْتَجُّ عَلَى which means to protest against; to object. |
| مَسارٌ pl: مَساراتٌ | path; route; course. Depending on the context, it is the noun of place (اِسْمُ مِكانٍ) or a special type of the verbal noun, the Masdar Mimiy (مَصْدَرٌ مِيمِيٌّ), of the I-verb سارَ – يَسيرُ which means to go, to walk. Note: An Egyptian band from Alexandria is called Massar Egbari (مَسار إِجبارِيّ). They explain their name as Compulsory Detour. |
| مَدَنِيٌّ | civil; civic. It is the Nisba adjective (نِسْبةٌ) of مَدِينَةٌ which today mainly denotes city. |
| عَسْكَرةٌ | militarization, militarism |
| ARABIC | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| جِسْمٌ pl: أَجْسامٌ or جُسُومٌ | body; object. For example: the human body (جِسْمُ الْإنْسانِ) |
| ثَوْرةٌ | revolution; revolt; uprising. It is the verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) of the I-verb ثارَ – يَثورُ which means to revolt. For example: The French Revolution (الثَّوْرةُ الْفَرَنْسيّةُ) |
| هَيْمَنَ – يُهَيْمِنُ عَلَى | to dominate; to control. The verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) is هَيْمَنةٌ. It is a I-verb based on four root letters. For example: to control a region (هَيْمَنَ عَلَى مِنْطَقةٍ). Watch out: Depending on the context, هَيْمَنَ may also mean: to say “amen” (قالَ آمِين) |
| الْإِسْلاميِّونََ | The Islamists. This is the masculine human plural جَمْعُ الْمُذَكَّرِ السَّالِمِ. It is a relatively new term. You should be careful when using it as the adjective إِسْلامِيٌّ just means Islamic and does not have any bad connotation in the Arab world at all. For example: the Islamic law = Sharia (الشَّرِيعةُ الْإِسْلاميّةُ) |
| رَغْمَ | despite; in spite of; for all; notwithstanding. Often used with أَنَّ as in رَغْمَ أنّ which means although. |
| هَزِيمةٌ pl: هَزائِمُ | defeat. It is a verbal noun form (مَصْدَرٌ) of the I-verb هَزَمَ – يَهْزِمُ which means to defeat. For example: to gain a crushing victory (هَزَمَ هَزيمةً ساحِقةً). |
| إِلّا أَنَّ | but; however; only |
| مَدْعُومٌ | supported; reinforced; subsidized. It is the passive participle (اِسْمُ الْمَفْعُولِ) of the I-verb دَعَمَ – يَدْعَمُ which means to support. For example: subsidized loans (قُرُوضٌ مَدْعُومَةٌ). |
| ما زالَ or لا يَزالُ | still. This is a common phrase consisting of the negation particle and the I-verb زالَ – يَزالُ which literally means not stop being. For example: he is still poor (ما زالَ فَقِيرًا) |
| سَيْطَرَ – يُسَيْطِرُ عَلَى | to rule; to master; to control. It is a I-verb based on four root letters. The verbal noun (مَصْدَرٌ) is سَيْطَرةٌ. |
| جَيْبٌ pl: جُيوب | pocket; also: small compartment of a suitcase. For example: a pocket dictionary (قامُوسُ جَيْبٍ) |
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