Browse Tag
active participle
10 posts
In Arabic grammar, اسم الفاعل (ism al-fāʿil) refers to the active participle. It is derived from the root verb and indicates the doer of the action. For example, from the verb كَتَبَ (kataba) meaning “to write,” the active participle is كاتِبٌ (kātib), meaning “writer” or “one who writes”.
How States Reclaim History: Egypt’s Police Day & the Saudi-UAE Rift | Media Arabic Booster 01/26
How does a regime transform January 25 from a revolution anniversary into a Police Day celebration? Why are Saudi activists calling for a UAE tourism boycott? This Media Arabic Booster analyzes Youm7's front-page messaging on Egypt's security state and decodes the Gulf diplomatic war playing out through hashtags like #BoycottUAETourism.
Terror Plots, Tragedies, and Water Wars in Iraq | Media Arabic Booster 08/25
This issue breaks down how Arab media reports on national crises, with a deep dive into Iraq’s escalating water shortage and Turkey's controversial role. We also analyze the linguistic battle over the term DAESH.
Syria’s Crossroads: The Israel-Iran Conflict & The Damascus Church Bombing | Media Arabic Booster 06/25
Dive deep into the Syrian conflict with our June 2025 Media Arabic Booster. We analyze the aftermath of the Damascus church bombing, explore the history and etymology of the notorious Shabbiha militias, and provide expert vocabulary analysis for advanced Arabic learners.
Grammatical Imposters and Double Agents: Unmasking the True Identity of وَسِيطٌ and عَدُوٌّ | UA #5
Ever memorized an Arabic pattern only to find it doesn't work as expected? We dissect two tricky words, عَدُوٌّ (enemy) and وَسِيطٌ (mediator), to reveal a core principle of Arabic grammar: actual usage always trumps the textbook form.
Distinguishing قادة and قيادات
This episode of Unlocking Arabic delves into the root ق-و-د to clarify a common point of confusion. Do the frequently encountered terms قادة and قيادات carry identical meanings in Arabic, especially in journalistic texts? We'll uncover the subtle yet crucial distinctions.
Decoding Syria’s Media Boycott of Nasrallah & UAE Consumer News | Media Arabic Booster 08/24
This issue decodes the Syrian regime's media boycott of Hezbollah's Nasrallah and examines a report on high car repair prices in the UAE. Learn the vocabulary for analyzing political rifts and understanding consumer affairs in Arabic.
Tensions Between Morocco and Algeria & Record Numbers of New German Citizens | Media Arabic Booster 05/24
This issue decodes the geopolitical tensions and arms race between Morocco and Algeria, and a report on record numbers of new citizens in Germany. Learn the Arabic vocabulary used to discuss conflict risk, alliances, and naturalization.
How to Say ‘Next’ and ‘Last’ in Egyptian Arabic
This guide simplifies expressing "next" and "last" in Egyptian Arabic. It covers common methods, including using ordinal numbers like تانِي (second), active participles like الْجايّ (coming), and إِضافة constructions like آخِر (last).
Meanings of lissa (لِسّه) in Egyptian Arabic: still, just, not yet
The versatile Egyptian Arabic word "lissa" (لِسّه) often confuses beginners due to its multiple meanings: "still," "just," or "not yet." This article provides a clear breakdown of "lissa's" usage in affirmative and negative sentences, explaining how it combines with verbs and active participles to convey nuanced temporal meanings in Egyptian Colloquial Arabic.
The Plural of Kafir: Understanding the Difference Between Kafirun, Kuffar, and More
The plural forms of "Kafir" (كافِر) in Arabic, meaning "unbeliever," carry various nuances and can even be politically charged. This article breaks down the three main plural types (Kafirun/Kuffar, Kawafir/Kafirat, Kafara) and distinguishes them from intensifying forms like Kafur (كَفُور) and Kaffar (كَفّار), which express different degrees of ingratitude.
