Academic Arabic: Carrying Out, Conducting, Doing

root: ك-و-د / form I past tense verb / definition: almost

When was the last time I wrote an Academic Arabic post? Too long ago, clearly, because I almost forgot this series existed.

But since my memory has been jogged, we’re getting back into it.

And today, we’re looking at two widely-applicable Arabic verbs that you’ll read or hear in academic contexts. They’re pretty much academic ways of saying doing.

First up:

قامَ / يَقومُ بِـ

قام is a form I verb derived from the hollow root ق-و-م.

It carries a multitude of meanings (Chameleon Words post coming soon?)—but when followed by the preposition بِـ and then a noun, it means to do something or carry something out.

Here’s how it might appear in context:

قامَتْ الباحِثةُ بِتَحْليلِ الاِستِعاراتِ المُتَعَلِّقةِ بِالتَّحَوُّلِ الاِجتِماعي

the researcher conducted an analysis of the metaphors related to social transformation

…or, more concisely and idiomatically:

the researcher analysed the metaphors related to social transformation

Language teachers will advise you not to overuse قام بـ. And some would suggest trying to avoid it where you can express something more concisely (e.g. حَلَّلَتْ instead of قامَتْ بِالتَّحليل).

But as long as you don’t go overboard with it, this one’s great for essays, research papers, and just sounding more formal!

أَجْرى / يُجْري

أجرى is a form IV verb from the defective root ج-ر-ي.

For this verb, unlike قام, we don’t need to add a preposition after it. And, like قام بـ, it means carrying something out or conducting something.

Here’s how we might see it:

أَجرى فَريقُ البَحْثِ مُقابَلاتٍ مَعَ النّازِحينَ في المِنطَقة

the research team conducted interviews with displaced people in the region

…again, this could be translated more simply into English:

the research team interviewed displaced people in the region

Keep in mind that the nouns following قام بـ and أجرى here are verbal nouns or verbal noun derivatives.

مُقابلات is the plural form of the form III verbal noun مُقابَلة, from the verb قابَلَ / يُقابِلُ (“to interview, to meet with”). And تَحليل is the form II verbal noun from the verb حَلَّلَ / يُحَلِّلُ (“to analyse”).

So it’s up to you whether to use—or translate!—using the to conduct something structure or the to do structure. I think a mix is usually good.

So there we have it—two verbs that basically mean “to do” but which will make you sound more academically fluent. Write on, prof.

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