Browse Tag
ألف
16 posts
Aleph (ألف) is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, representing a glottal stop or a long vowel sound “ā” in various contexts.
The Hamza Overcorrection
Trying to fix an Arabic typo can create a new one. On a Cairo street sign, a well-meant Hamza correction left one Hamza too many — turning a small spelling fix into a small spelling fight. Thanks to this sharp catch by Marnix Demesmaeker, let’s unpack the glottal-stop rules behind it.
The Ghost of the Company
A headline about the "New Egyptian Countryside" uses a feminine verb for a masculine noun. Is it a mistake, or is there a "ghost noun" haunting the sentence?
Decoding the Fall of Assad and Hamas’s Political Pivot | Media Arabic Booster 12/24
In this issue, we break down Arabic media coverage of Bashar al-Assad's fall in Syria. Learn the key vocabulary used to report on the end of a regime and the complex political maneuvering of groups like Hamas.
The Ultimate Guide to the Arabic Passive Voice (المبني للمجهول)
Arabic's passive voice is unique and far less common than in English. This article simplifies its rules, detailing how to form passive verbs in both past and present tenses. You'll also learn about active verb forms (like Stem V and VII) that surprisingly carry a passive meaning, and how different verb types handle passive conjugation.
Three Tough Arabic Challenges: Verb رَأَى, Numbers & Egyptian ‘Bala Neela’ | Arabic Workout #01
This Arabic Workout episode (#01) offers focused practice on key Arabic elements. Sharpen your skills with the tricky verb رَأَى, learn to write the complex number 9,441,861, and dive into the fascinating Egyptian-Arabic expression "بلا نيلة" (bala neela).
Learning Hebrew as an Arabic Speaker: A Practical Guide to Grammar, Vocabulary, and the Alphabet
Learning Hebrew is much easier if you already know Arabic. This article reveals the strong connections between these Semitic languages, from shared roots and grammatical structures to alphabet similarities. It also uncovers a fascinating mistranslation in the Old Testament concerning Moses and the "Red Sea."
The Number 8 in Arabic: Grammar and Spelling
The number 8 in Arabic is tricky! This article breaks down its special grammatical rules, including why the masculine form is unique, how to correctly use 18, and why 800 often sounds the same. Master this challenging area of Arabic numbers.
JAIS: An In-Depth Review of the “Arabic ChatGPT”
Media calls Jais the "Arabic ChatGPT," a new AI trained with Arabic data. This article reviews Jais's practical performance on tasks like writing messages, correcting grammar, answering facts, and translating, revealing its current capabilities and limitations.
The Islamic Basmala: Its Meaning, Use in the Qur’an, and a Surprising Link to Immanuel Kant
The Islamic Basmala, "In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful," found its way onto Immanuel Kant's doctoral invitation. This article delves into the Basmala's meaning, its presence in the Quran, and its unexpected appearance in popular culture.
Why Do Some Arabic Verbs End With a Silent Aleph (ا)?
Why do some Arabic verbs end with a silent Aleph (ا) after the و, as in كَتَبُوا (they wrote)? This article explains the "guarding Aleph" (أَلِفُ الْوِقايةِ), a unique spelling rule that prevents confusion with the conjunction وَ.
