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Fisal’s Dictionary: كتب Posted by on Jun 13, 2011 in Arabic Language, Pronunciation, Vocabulary

Today, we are going to go on a journey to the depths of the Arabic Dictionary to discover some of its secrets. We will look up the root verb كتب   and explore some of its derivatives.

* كَتـَبَ    [V. T.] = to write, e.g. Ali wrote a letter كتب علىٌ خطاباً

كَتـَبَ الكِتابَ   =  to write the book.

                   (2) To write or sign the marriage contract / To officially get married.

* كَتـَبَ اللهُ  = If Allah writes something, then it is predestined or should be done.

e.g. – « لَن يُصيبَنا إلا مَا كَتـَبَ اللهُ لَنَا »

=  Nothing will happen to us unless Allah has predestined it.

« كُتِبَ عليكم الصيام » = Fasting was prescribed for you.

* كِتـَابٌ    [N. C.] = (1) book, pl. كُتُبْ = books

(2) a message; e.g. سوف أُرسِلُ لكَ كِتاباَ قريباً  = I will send you a message soon.

الكِتـَابُ  = any of the three holy books (The Qura’an / The Bible / The Torah)

* أهلُ الكِتـابِ   =  (literally) the people of the Book and refers to the people of the other two holy religions than Islam; The Christians and the Jews.

* أُمُ الكِـتـَابِ   = a name of the first Surah (Chapter) of the Qura’an; The Opening الفاتِحة of the Qura’an.

* كِتـََابَة     [N. C.] = writing or the job of a writer, pl. كِتَابَات  = writings

كَاتـِبْ    [N. C.] = (male) writer; pl. كُـتـَّابٌ  / كَـتـَبـَةٌ = writers

*  كَاتِـبَة      [N. C.] = (female) writer; pl. كَاتِبَاتٌ   = writers

* مَكْـتـَـبْ     [N. C.] = desk / a piece of furniture for writing on, pl. مَكاتِـبْ = desks.

*  المَـكْـتـَبْ   [N. C.] = the office / a place for running a business, pl. مَكاتِـبْ = offices.

*  مَكْـتـَـبَة     [N. C.] = (1) bookshop / a place for selling books and other stationary, pl. مَكتَبات

(2) library / a place for keeping books, pl. مَكتَبات

* الكُتـَّابُ   [N. C.] = a school or small place (usually in a mosque) for teaching and learning the Qura’an, pl. كتاتيبُ .

* مَكتـُُوب   [Adj.] = written

المَكتـُوب   [N.] = what is written or predestined / fate / destiny.

* المَكتـُوبَة  [N.] = prayer / any of the five daily prayers Muslims do.

* كَتِـيـبَة  [N. C.] = a battalion or brigade or a large unit of an army or troops, pl. كَتـَائِب

* كَاتـَبَ   [V. T.] = to exchange letters or to write to someone or a news agency/to correspond.

* المُكاتِبُ  [N. C.] = journalist/reporter/correspondent /the person who writes for a newspaper.

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For listening to the pronunciation of this word family, visit and subscribe to our Transparent Arabic Channel on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/user/ArabicTransparent

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Check us back soon

Peace  سلام  /Salam/

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About the Author: Fisal

Well, I was born near the city of Rasheed or Rosetta, Egypt. Yes, the city where the Rosetta Stone was discovered. It is a small city on the north of Egypt where the Nile meets the Mediterranean. I am a Teacher of EFL.


Comments:

  1. Scheich Josef:

    مرحبا يا فيصل

    did you explain the abbreviations in your dictionary? For example, what is [N. C.]?

    سلام

    يوسف

    • Fisal:

      @Scheich Josef مرحبا بك يا شيخ يوسف
      it is nice to hear from you after a while. I hope everything is ok.
      The abbreviations !! Yes, sorry. I just assumed they are familiar to everyone. They are exactly like those in English dictionaries. the (N.) = noun, the (C.) = countable, the (U.) = Uncountable. (V.)= Verb and (T.) = transitive, the (I.) = Intransitive. (Pl.)= Plural.
      سلام
      فيصل

  2. Scheich Josef:

    مرحبا يا فيصل

    أنا ، الحمد لله ، بخير

    yes, most of the abbreviations are familiar. But I didn’t recognize (C.) und (U.) which are not in my English dictionaries. And I’m still wondering about your [ph.v. + على ] in your posting for جمع.

    سلام

    يوسف

  3. Fisal:

    OK,The (ph. v.) means that the word is a phrasal verb and should be used with a preposition to give an exact meaning.
    سلام
    فيصل
    P.S. Can I say your name is جوزيف ?

  4. Scheich Josef:

    @Fisal

    In German the proniuciation يوزيف would be better …

    يوسف

  5. Ahmed:

    As-slamo alaikum,
    Masha’Allah,
    You are doing great task. Thanks alot my brother for the effort you do in spreading the Arabic language. By the way I teach English and Arabic for non-Arab. It is my pleasure to add you to my study and work list, here’s my skype> edufireegypt
    Best Regards
    Ahmed Amin

  6. Fisal:

    It is a pleasure brother Ahmed.
    Fisal