Browse Tag

common mistake

22 posts

Tricky and common mistakes made by native and non-native Arabic speakers.

Arabic calligraphy text on a white signboard mounted above a stone archway.
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God, Girls, and Grammar

Adding final ي changes the imperative: صَلِّ (masc. sg. “send blessings”) vs صَلِّي (fem. sg.). In “صَلِّ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ”, the default general address is masculine; writing صَلِّي restricts it to one woman.
The number 100 rendered in a glowing, colorful space-themed style with planets and stars inside and around the digits, set against a dark starry galaxy background with green and blue swirling nebula effects.
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Solving the Mystery of مِائَة: The Story Behind the Spelling of 100 in Arabic

The Arabic word for "hundred," مِائَة, presents a fascinating linguistic anomaly: it's written with an extra Aleph, but pronounced as مِئَة. This article delves into the historical reasons behind this unique spelling, clarifies the correct pronunciation, and explains its grammatical usage, including how it combines with other numbers.
Large stone letters spelling 'WAW!' illuminated at night, set against a starry sky and sandy terrain with ripples in the sand.
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Beyond “and”: Meanings of وَ in Arabic Grammar

The Arabic conjunction "وَ" (wa) can have meanings beyond "and," often translating as "when," "with," or "while," which can be challenging for learners. This article clarifies these specific uses, detailing the واوُ الْحالِ (circumstantial description) and مَفْعُولٌ مَعَهُ (object of accompaniment) constructions, with examples to distinguish them from the common conjunctive "and".