Arabic: An Essential Grammar

hamzatu l-qat

̇



i. Grammarians recommend that only the

alif be written with a

vowel over or under it and without hamzatu l-qat

̇



i, although it is fully pro-

nounced at the beginning of a sentence or in isolation. However, most school

textbooks throughout the Arab world do write hamzatu l-qat

̇



i initially over or

under the

alif (أ, ِإ). In keeping with the principle of the phonetic rather than

historical-etymological way of spelling, the hamzatu l-qat

̇



i initially over or

under the

alif will be used in this book also.

Exercises

Practise your reading:

1

ُبِلا َّ طل َمِهَف

2

. َسْر َّ دل

(1) fahima t

̇

-t

̇

a ̄libu d-darsa.

The student

1

understood

2

the lesson.

.َن ƒ اْرُقْل ُماَمِْلإ َأَرَق

(2) qara

a l-

ima ̄mu l-qur

a ̄na.

The imam read the Quran.

1

. ىَفـْشَتْسُمـْل يِف ُبيِب َّ طلَأ

(3)

at

̇

-t

̇

abı-bu fı- l-mustasˇfa ̄.

1

The physician (is) at the hospital.

1

ُبِلا َّ طل َرَسَك

2

. َمـَلَقـْل

(4) kasara t

̇

-t

̇

a ̄libu l-qalama.

The student

1

broke

2

the pen.

1

ُُذاَتْسْ لأ َحَرَش

2

. َسْر َّ دل

(5) sˇarah

̇

a l-

usta ̄d

̄

u d-darsa

The professor

1

explained

2

the lesson.

1

َمَسَر

2

ُسِدْنَهُمـْل

3

اًرْسِج

4

. ًلايِوَط

(6) rasama l-muhandisu g ̆isran t

̇

aw-ılan.

2

The engineer

1

drew

4

a long

3

bridge.

1

ُحْو َّ للَأ

2

. ٌميِدَق ُدَوْسْ َلأ

(7)

al-lawh

̇

u l-

aswadu qadı

• mun.
  2
  The black
  1
  board (is) old.

Sun and

moon

letters,

hamzatu

l-was

̇

li

(was
̇

lah)

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