Tag Archives: hans wehr

The مِـ of Tools

آلة root: ء-و-ل / noun / plural: آلات / definition: tool, instrument, device Last week, we explored ten Arabic words for “refuge” which all followed one of the place and time noun patterns (مَفعَل or مَفعَلة or مَفعِل). Today, I thought we’d cover another group of patterns—this time for nouns referring to tools (collectively: اسمContinue reading “The مِـ of Tools”

Delving into لَلأَسَف

اِكفِهْرار root: ك-ف-ه-ر / form IV quadriliteral verbal noun / definition: gloom It’s mid-November and my winter blues are bursting vibrantly into full swing. I sort of feel like I’m in a gloomy room with a heartbroken flamenco dancer who keeps passionately swishing her black skirt in my face whilst I’m trying to draft anContinue reading “Delving into لَلأَسَف”

Dictionary Finds: عَطَن

جَمَل root: ج-م-ل / noun / plural: جِمال / definition: camel I didn’t realise it’d been so long since our last proper Dictionary Finds post, especially as I’m always adding to the list of intriguing vocabulary I’ve stumbled upon whilst consulting the dictionary for one reason or another. So today I’ve chosen a word fromContinue reading “Dictionary Finds: عَطَن”

The Exclamation of Lament

أَسَف root: ء-س-ف / noun / definition: grief We’re all familiar with the vocative particle (حَرف نِداء) that is يا, which we use to call on someone. (And you can find another use of يا explained in the comments under Wehr Wednesdays #174…) But how many of us have heard of the particle وا, whichContinue reading “The Exclamation of Lament”