{"id":14497,"date":"2017-06-29T04:18:49","date_gmt":"2017-06-29T04:18:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/?p=14497"},"modified":"2017-06-29T04:18:49","modified_gmt":"2017-06-29T04:18:49","slug":"arabic-verb-forms-negation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/arabic-verb-forms-negation\/","title":{"rendered":"Arabic Verb Forms: Negation"},"content":{"rendered":"

To negate a verb in English, we use the word \u2018not\u2019 along with a helping verb that indicates tense, such as \u2018doesn\u2019t, don\u2019t\u2019 for present simple, \u2018didn\u2019t\u2019 for past simple, \u2018hadn\u2019t\u2019 for past perfect simple, and so forth. In Arabic, there are multiple particles for negating verbs. The most common particles in Modern Standard Arabic are \u0645\u064e\u0627<\/strong>, \u0644\u0627<\/strong>, \u0644\u064e\u0645\u0652<\/strong>, \u0644\u064e\u0646\u0652<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Negating the Past Form of the Verb <\/strong>\u0627\u0644\u0641\u0650\u0639\u0652\u0644\u064f \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064e\u0627\u0636\u0650\u064a<\/strong><\/span>:<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n

To negate the past form of the verb in Arabic, we use \u0645\u064e\u0627<\/strong> before the verb. It means \u2018didn\u2019t.\u2019 It simply negates the meaning of the verb without causing any change on its form, as in these examples:<\/p>\n

\u0645\u064e\u0627<\/span> <\/strong>\u0634\u064e\u0631\u0650\u0628\u0652\u062a\u064f \u0627\u0644\u0639\u064e\u0635\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0631.<\/strong> \u00a0\u2018I didn\u2019t drink the juice.<\/p>\n

\u0645\u064e\u0627<\/span> <\/strong>\u0646\u0650\u0645\u0652\u062a\u064f \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0651\u064e\u064a\u0652\u0644\u0629\u064e \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064e\u0627\u0636\u0650\u064a\u064e\u0629.<\/strong> \u2018I didn\u2019t sleep last night.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u0645\u064e\u0627<\/span> \u0641\u064e\u0647\u0650\u0645\u064e \u0627\u0644\u0637\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0644\u0650\u0628\u064f \u0627\u0644\u062f\u0651\u064e\u0631\u0652\u0633.<\/strong> \u00a0\u2018the student didn\u2019t understand the lesson.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u0645\u064e\u0627<\/span> \u062c\u064e\u0627\u0621\u064e\u062a\u0652 \u0633\u064e\u0627\u0631\u064e\u0629.<\/strong> \u2018Sarah didn\u2019t come.\u2019<\/p>\n

It is also possible to use \u0644\u0627<\/strong> to negate the past form of the verb; however, it must be repeated, i.e. employed with two verbs with an intervening coordinating conjunction, i.e. \u0644\u0627<\/strong> + past verb 1 + \u0648<\/strong> +another \u0644\u0627<\/strong> + past verb 2. This repetition of \u0644\u0627<\/strong> translates as \u2018neither \u2026 nor\u2019. Like \u0645\u064e\u0627<\/strong>, the repeated particle \u0644\u0627…\u0644\u0627\u00a0<\/strong>does\u00a0not inflect any change on the form of the verb, as in these examples:<\/p>\n

\u0630\u064e\u0647\u064e\u0628\u0652\u062a\u064f \u0625\u0650\u0644\u064e\u0649 \u0627\u0644\u062d\u064e\u0641\u0652\u0644\u064e\u0629\u060c \u0644\u064e\u0643\u0650\u0646\u0652 \u0644\u0627<\/span> \u0623\u064e\u0643\u064e\u0644\u0652\u062a\u064f \u0648\u0644\u0627<\/span> \u0634\u064e\u0631\u0650\u0628\u0652\u062a.<\/strong> \u00a0\u2018I went to the party, but I neither ate nor drank.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u0643\u064e\u0627\u0646\u064e \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064f\u062f\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0631 \u062d\u064e\u0627\u0626\u0631\u060c \u0644\u0627<\/span> \u0648\u064e\u0627\u0641\u064e\u0642\u064e \u0648\u0644\u0627<\/span> \u0631\u064e\u0641\u064e\u0636.<\/strong> \u00a0\u2018the manager was confused. He neither accepted nor rejected.\u2019<\/p>\n

Negating the Present Form of the Verb\u0627\u0644\u0641\u0650\u0639\u0652\u0644\u064f \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064f\u0636\u064e\u0627\u0631\u0650\u0639 :<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n

As in the table above, multiple negating prepositions\/particles are used to negate the present form of the verb. One reason for this multiplicity is the variation they cause in meaning and time\/tense. Let\u2019s look at each one of them singly.<\/p>\n

1) \u0644\u0627<\/strong> \u2018will not\u2019:<\/p>\n

When \u0644\u0627<\/strong> is used to negate the present form of the verb, it changes its tense\/time to future. Therefore, if you are talking about your general dislikes, you should be careful not to use \u0644\u0627<\/strong>. Another negative particle is more appropriate for this (i.e. \u0645\u0627<\/strong>, see below). To illustrate, if you say \u0623\u064f\u062d\u0650\u0628\u0651 \u0627\u0644\u0628\u0650\u0637\u0651\u0650\u064a\u0652\u062e<\/strong> \u2018I like watermelon\u2019 to indicate your like, you can\u2019t say \u0644\u0627 \u0623\u064f\u062d\u0650\u0628\u0651 \u0627\u0644\u0628\u0650\u0637\u0651\u0650\u064a\u0652\u062e<\/strong> to indicate your dislike because the sentence with \u0644\u0627<\/strong> means \u2018I will not like the watermelon.\u2019 As for the form of the verb, it stays the same as the affirmative. It is worth noting that this is confusing even for native speakers of Arabic. Here are more examples:<\/p>\n

\u0644\u0627<\/span> \u0623\u064f\u0634\u064e\u0627\u0647\u0650\u062f\u064f \u0627\u0644\u0623\u064e\u0641\u0652\u0644\u0627\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0650\u0635\u0652\u0631\u0650\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0629.<\/strong> \u2018I will not watch Egyptian movies.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u0644\u0627<\/span> \u0623\u064e\u0643\u0652\u062a\u064f\u0628\u064f \u062d\u064e\u062a\u0651\u064e\u0649 \u0623\u064e\u0634\u0652\u0631\u064e\u0628\u064e \u0642\u064e\u0647\u0652\u0648\u064e\u0629.<\/strong> \u2018I will not write till I drink coffee.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u0644\u0627<\/span> \u0623\u064f\u0633\u064e\u0627\u0641\u0650\u0631\u064f \u0625\u0650\u0644\u064e\u0649 \u0623\u064e\u0645\u0652\u0631\u0650\u064a\u0643\u064e\u0627 \u0628\u0650\u0633\u064e\u0628\u064e\u0628 \u062a\u064e\u0631\u064e\u0645\u0652\u0628.<\/strong> \u2018I will not travel to American because of Trump.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u0644\u0627<\/span> \u064a\u064e\u062a\u064e\u0639\u064e\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0645\u064f\u0648\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0651\u064f\u063a\u064e\u0629\u064e \u0627\u0644\u0639\u064e\u0631\u064e\u0628\u0650\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0629 \u0644\u0650\u0635\u064f\u0639\u064f\u0628\u064e\u062a\u0650\u0647\u064e\u0627.<\/strong> \u2018they will not learn Arabic for its difficulty.\u2019<\/p>\n

2) \u0644\u064e\u0645\u0652<\/strong> \u2018did not\u2019:<\/p>\n

\u0644\u064e\u0645\u0652<\/strong> \u00a0is used to negate the present form of the verb, but it changes its tense to past. Contrary to \u0645\u064e\u0627<\/strong>, which is used to negate an action in the past (see above), \u0644\u064e\u0645\u0652<\/strong> \u00a0indicates that negation continued from the past until the present moment. For example, if you say \u0644\u064e\u0645\u0652 \u0623\u064e\u0643\u0652\u062a\u064f\u0628\u0652 \u0627\u0644\u062f\u0651\u064e\u0631\u0652\u0633<\/strong>, it means that action of \u2018not writing\u2019 started in the past and continued to the present. Therefore, \u0644\u064e\u0645\u0652 \u0623\u064e\u0643\u0652\u062a\u064f\u0628\u0652 \u0627\u0644\u062f\u0651\u064e\u0631\u0652\u0633<\/strong> means \u2018I have not written the lesson.\u2019 As to the form of the verb, it changes a bit. That is, if the verb is in singular form, its final diacritical mark changes from dhammah <\/em>to sukoon<\/em>. If it is dual or plural, the final \u0646<\/strong> is dropped. If it is irregular<\/a>, it loses its final or medial weak letter. Here are more examples:<\/p>\n

\u0644\u064e\u0645\u0652<\/span> \u064a\u064e\u062a\u064e\u063a\u064e\u062f\u0651\u064e \u0623\u064e\u062d\u0652\u0645\u064e\u062f.<\/strong> \u2018Ahmed hasn\u2019t eaten lunch.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u0644\u064e\u0645\u0652<\/span> \u064a\u064f\u063a\u064e\u0627\u062f\u0650\u0631\u0650 \u0627\u0644\u0636\u0651\u064f\u064a\u064f\u0648\u0641.<\/strong> \u2018the guests have not left.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u0644\u064e\u0645\u0652<\/span> \u062a\u064f\u0631\u0652\u0642\u064f\u0635\u0650 \u0627\u0644\u0628\u064e\u0646\u064e\u0627\u062a.<\/strong> \u2018the girls have not danced.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u0627\u0644\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0639\u0650\u0628\u064f\u0648\u0646 \u0644\u064e\u0645<\/span> \u064a\u064e\u062e\u0652\u0631\u064f\u062c\u064f\u0648\u0627 \u0645\u0650\u0646\u064e \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064e\u0644\u0652\u0639\u064e\u0628.<\/strong> \u2018the players have not left the playground.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u0645\u064f\u062d\u064e\u0645\u0651\u064e\u062f \u0648\u0623\u064e\u062e\u064f\u0648\u0652\u0647 \u0644\u064e\u0645\u0652<\/span> \u064a\u064e\u0630\u0652\u0647\u064e\u0628\u064e\u0627 \u0625\u0650\u0644\u0649 \u0627\u0644\u0633\u0651\u064f\u0648\u0652\u0642.<\/strong> \u2018Mohammed and his brother have not gone to the market.\u2019<\/p>\n

3) \u0644\u064e\u0646\u0652<\/strong> \u2018will not\u2019:<\/p>\n

\u0644\u064e\u0646\u0652<\/strong> \u00a0is used to negate the present form but changes its tense\/time to future. That is, the action will take place in the future, not the present, as in these examples:<\/p>\n

\u0644\u064e\u0646\u0652<\/span> \u0623\u064e\u0643\u0652\u0630\u0650\u0628\u064e \u0639\u064e\u0644\u064e\u064a\u0652\u0643.<\/strong> \u2018I won\u2019t lie to you.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u0644\u064e\u0646\u0652<\/span> \u0646\u064e\u0635\u064f\u0648\u0652\u0645\u064e \u0627\u0644\u064a\u064e\u0648\u0652\u0645.<\/strong> \u2018we won\u2019t fast today.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u0644\u064e\u0646\u0652<\/span> \u064a\u064e\u0630\u0652\u0647\u064e\u0628\u064f\u0648\u0627 \u0625\u0644\u0649 \u0627\u0644\u062e\u064e\u0645\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0631\u064e\u0629.<\/strong> \u2018they won\u2019t go to the bar.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u0646\u064e\u062d\u0652\u0646\u064f \u0645\u064f\u062a\u0652\u0639\u064e\u0628\u064f\u0648\u0646 \u0644\u0650\u0630\u064e\u0644\u0650\u0643 \u0644\u064e\u0646\u0652<\/span> \u0646\u064e\u062c\u0652\u0631\u0650\u064a\u064e \u0627\u0644\u064a\u064e\u0648\u0645.<\/strong> \u2018we are tired, so we will not go running today.\u2019<\/p>\n

You may ask, though, what difference is there between \u0644\u0627<\/strong> and \u0644\u064e\u0646\u0652<\/strong>. Well, \u0644\u064e\u0646\u0652<\/strong> \u00a0is used for absolute negation. That is, the action is certainly not going to happen. However, with \u0644\u0627<\/strong> the action is likely to happen. Hence, if you say \u0644\u064e\u0646\u0652 \u0623\u064f\u0634\u064e\u0627\u0647\u0650\u062f\u064e \u0627\u0644\u0623\u064e\u0641\u0652\u0644\u0627\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0650\u0635\u0652\u0631\u0650\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0629<\/strong>, you are utterly and surely determined that you \u2018won\u2019t watch Egyptian movies\u2019; unlike saying \u0644\u0627 \u0623\u064f\u0634\u064e\u0627\u0647\u0650\u062f\u064f \u0627\u0644\u0623\u064e\u0641\u0652\u0644\u0627\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0650\u0635\u0652\u0631\u0650\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0629<\/strong> in which you are not completely sure \u2018you won\u2019t.\u2019 As to the form of the verb, if the verb is in singular form, its final diacritical mark changes from dhammah<\/em> to fatHah<\/em>. And if the verb is dual or plural, the final \u0646<\/strong> is dropped. This is the case with both regular and irregular verbs.<\/p>\n

4) \u0645\u064e\u0627<\/strong> \u2018don\u2019t\/doesn\u2019t\u2019:<\/p>\n

Besides using it to negate the past form of the verb, \u0645\u064e\u0627<\/strong> is used to negate the present form of the verb while maintaining its present meaning, as in these examples:<\/p>\n

\u0645\u064e\u0627<\/span> \u064a\u064e\u0634\u0652\u0631\u064e\u0628 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064f\u0633\u0652\u0644\u0650\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u062e\u064e\u0645\u0652\u0631.<\/strong> \u2018A Muslim does not drink alcohol.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u0645\u064e\u0627<\/span> \u0622\u0643\u064f\u0644\u0651\u064f \u0627\u0644\u062f\u0651\u064e\u062c\u064e\u0627\u062c.<\/strong> \u2018I don\u2019t eat chicken.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u0645\u064e\u0627<\/span> \u0623\u064e\u062a\u064e\u0643\u064e\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0645\u064f \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0651\u064f\u063a\u064e\u0629\u064e \u0627\u0644\u0635\u0651\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0646\u0650\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0629.<\/strong> \u2018I don\u2019t speak Chinese.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064f\u0633\u0652\u0644\u0650\u0645\u064f\u0648\u0646 \u0645\u064e\u0627<\/span> \u064a\u064e\u0623\u0643\u064f\u0644\u064f\u0648\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u062e\u0650\u0646\u0652\u0632\u0650\u064a\u0631.<\/strong> \u2018Muslims don\u2019t eat pork.\u2019<\/p>\n

As for the form of the verb, no change is caused by \u0645\u064e\u0627<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

To recap, let\u2019s look at the following sentence, the possible ways to make it negative, and how each negative particle affect the meaning and tense.<\/p>\n

\u0623\u064e\u0634\u0652\u0631\u0628\u064f \u0627\u0644\u0642\u064e\u0647\u0652\u0648\u0629 \u0641\u0650\u064a \u0627\u0644\u0635\u0651\u064e\u0628\u064e\u0627\u062d. <\/strong><\/p>\n