الاعتناء بالأشياء: 'Look after'
look after هي فعل سحري بيعني إنك تتحمل مسؤولية العناية بشخص أو شيء، أو الإشراف عليه. يعني إنك 'تهتم بـ' أو 'ترعى'.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'look after' to describe being responsible for the well-being of people, animals, or objects over a period of time.
- Always keep 'look' and 'after' together; never put the object in between them (e.g., 'look after him').
- Conjugate the verb 'look' normally for tense (looked, looking, looks) while 'after' remains unchanged.
- Use it for both temporary tasks (babysitting) and permanent responsibilities (owning a house).
نظرة عامة
Phrasal Verbs أو الأفعال المركبة، وهي مزيج من فعل وحرف جر (أو ظرف) يعطي معنى جديداً كلياً يختلف عن معنى الفعل الأصلي بمفرده.look after.look يعني «ينظر»، ولكن عندما نضيف له حرف الجر after (الذي يعني حرفياً «بعد»)، يتحول المعنى تماماً ليصبح «يعتني بـ» أو «يهتم بـ».look after ليس مجرد حفظ كلمة، بل هو فهم لكيفية بناء المعنى في الإنجليزية. في سياق حياتنا اليومية، سواء كنت في سوق تحاول حماية أغراضك، أو في تجمع عائلي وتطلب من أخيك مراقبة أطفالك، أو حتى في بيئة العمل حيث تطلب من زميلك متابعة ملفاتك، ستجد أن look after هو التعبير الأكثر طبيعية واستخداماً.look after كفعل مركب غير قابل للفصل (Inseparable Phrasal Verb). ماذا يعني هذا؟ يعني أن الفعل look وحرف الجر after هما وحدة واحدة لا تتجزأ.after جزء من الفعل ولا يفصل |look after يعمل ككتلة واحدة تعني «الرعاية». إذا قلت look the cat after، فهذا خطأ نحوي فادح في الإنجليزية، تماماً كما لو قلت في العربية «اعتنى القطة بالولد»، حيث يختل المعنى والتركيب.after في الإنجليزية يُستخدم عادة للزمن (بعد)، لكن هنا يعمل كـ «مُغير دلالي» (Semantic Modifier). هذا يشبه في العربية كيف نستخدم «أخذ على عاتقه»؛ الفعل «أخذ» تغير معناه بسبب تكملة الجملة. الفرق هو أن الإنجليزية لديها هذه التركيبات كقاعدة ثابتة في بنية الفعل نفسه.look بناءً على الزمن والفاعل. تذكر دائماً: look هو الذي يتغير، و after يبقى ثابتاً.look after + المفعول به. لا تضع أي كلمة بين look و after. إذا كنت تتحدث عن مفرد غائب، لا تنسَ إضافة s للفعل (looks)، تماماً كما تفعل مع أي فعل عادي في المضارع البسيط.look after في أربع حالات رئيسية تعكس جوانب من حياتنا الاجتماعية والعملية:- 1رعاية الأشخاص: مثل رعاية الأطفال أو كبار السن. مثال:
My sister looks after our grandmother every day.هذا يعكس قيمنا في المجتمع العربي المتعلقة ببر الوالدين ورعاية الأهل. - 2العناية بالحيوانات الأليفة: عندما تسافر وتطلب من صديقك الاهتمام بقطتك، تقول:
Can you look after my cat while I am away? - 3حماية الممتلكات: في المقهى، إذا طلبت من صديقك مراقبة حقيبتك أثناء ذهابك للحمام، تقول:
Could you look after my bag for a second? - 4المسؤولية المهنية: في العمل، قد يُطلب منك متابعة مهام معينة أو الإشراف على مشروع، مثل:
The manager looks after the daily reports.
- 1فصل الفعل عن حرف الجر: يميل الطالب العربي لفصل الفعل والمفعول به، فيقول:
Look my bag after. هذا خطأ لأننا في العربية أحياناً نفصل بين الفعل والمفعول بكلمات أخرى. في الإنجليزية،look afterوحدة لا تقبل الفصل. - 2الخلط بين
look afterوlook for: الطالب العربي قد يترجم «أبحث عن» بـlook afterلأننا نستخدم «بحث عن» و «اعتنى بـ». تذكر:look for= بحث،look after= رعاية. الخطأ هنا نابع من عدم التمييز بين «الطلب» و «الاهتمام». - 3حذف حرف الجر: قد يقول الطالب
I look my brotherظناً منه أن الفعلlookوحده يكفي كما في العربية «أنا أنظر أخي» (وهو تعبير غير دقيق في العربية أيضاً). يجب دائماً إضافةafterلتعطي معنى الرعاية.
look after وأفعال أخرى قد تبدو متشابهة:look after | يعتني بـ (رعاية) | I look after my plants. |look for | يبحث عن | I am looking for my keys. |look at | ينظر إلى | Look at the beautiful sky! |take care of | يهتم بـ (مرادف قوي) | Please take care of yourself. |take care of هو المرادف الأقرب لـ look after ويمكن استخدامهما بالتبادل في كثير من الحالات، لكن look after أكثر شيوعاً في المحادثات اليومية غير الرسمية.- 1س: هل يمكنني قول
look after to my baby؟
to. المفعول به يأتي مباشرة بعد after. قل فقط look after my baby.- 1س: هل
look afterتستخدم مع الجمادات؟
I need to look after my car (بمعنى صيانتها) أو look after my house (بمعنى حمايتها).- 1س: هل هناك فرق بين
look afterوcare for؟
care for قد تعني أيضاً «الحب أو العاطفة» (I care for you)، بينما look after تركز حصراً على العمل الفعلي للرعاية والمسؤولية.- 1س: هل يمكن استخدام
look afterفي صيغة الأمر؟
Look after yourself! وهي جملة شائعة جداً عند توديع الأصدقاء، وتعني «اعتنِ بنفسك».2. Negative Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
do not look after
|
don't look after
|
I don't look after cats.
|
|
does not look after
|
doesn't look after
|
He doesn't look after his car.
|
|
did not look after
|
didn't look after
|
We didn't look after the plants.
|
|
is not looking after
|
isn't looking after
|
She isn't looking after the baby.
|
Conjugating 'Look After'
| Tense | Subject | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
I / You / We / They
|
look after
|
I look after the dog.
|
|
Present Simple
|
He / She / It
|
looks after
|
She looks after the dog.
|
|
Past Simple
|
All subjects
|
looked after
|
We looked after the dog.
|
|
Present Continuous
|
I
|
am looking after
|
I am looking after the dog.
|
|
Present Continuous
|
He / She / It
|
is looking after
|
He is looking after the dog.
|
|
Present Perfect
|
I / You / We / They
|
have looked after
|
They have looked after the dog.
|
|
Future (Will)
|
All subjects
|
will look after
|
I will look after the dog.
|
|
Gerund
|
N/A
|
looking after
|
Looking after a dog is hard work.
|
Meanings
To take care of someone or something by ensuring they have what they need, remain safe, or stay in good condition.
Physical Care
Providing for the basic needs of a living being, like a child or a pet.
“She looks after her younger brother every afternoon.”
“Who is going to look after the dog while we are at work?”
Maintenance/Protection
Ensuring that property or objects do not get damaged or lost.
“Please look after my luggage for a minute while I buy a ticket.”
“You should look after your phone; it was very expensive.”
Responsibility/Management
Being in charge of a task, a department, or a business interest.
“My assistant looks after all my travel arrangements.”
“The finance department looks after the company's taxes.”
Reference Table
| الفعل المركب | المعنى | سياق الاستخدام | مثال |
|---|---|---|---|
|
`look after`
|
To take care of/supervise
|
People, animals, objects
|
Can you `look after` my dog?
|
|
`take care of`
|
To care for, or deal with
|
Similar to `look after`, also problems
|
I'll `take care of` the arrangements.
|
|
`care for`
|
To look after (more formal), or feel affection for
|
People (often elderly), or emotional bonds
|
She `cares for` her ailing mother.
|
|
`mind`
|
To briefly look after (BE), or object to
|
Brief supervision of items, or expressing dislike
|
Do you `mind` my bag for a minute?
|
طيف الرسمية
I am responsible for the oversight and well-being of the children. (childcare)
I am looking after the children today. (childcare)
I'm watching the kids. (childcare)
I'm on kid-duty. (childcare)
عالم 'Look After'
أشياء
- هاتف My friend looks after my phone.
- منزل Can you look after the house?
- أمتعة Please look after my luggage.
أشخاص
- أطفال She looks after her children.
- كبار السن Nurses look after patients.
- نفسك Remember to look after yourself.
حيوانات
- كلب Who's looking after the dog?
- قطة I'm looking after a cat.
- حيوانات أليفة Looking after pets is fun.
مسؤوليات
- عمل He looks after the business.
- حسابات She looks after the accounts.
'Look After' مقابل العبارات المشابهة
هل يجب أن أستخدم 'Look After'؟
هل يتعلق الفعل بتقديم الرعاية أو الإشراف؟
هل هو لشخص، حيوان، أم شيء؟
هل يتعلق الأمر بالبحث عن شيء؟
هل يتعلق الأمر بالملاحظة البصرية؟
ما الذي يمكنك 'الاعتناء به'؟
أشخاص
- • أطفال
- • أقارب كبار السن
- • أصدقاء مرضى
- • نفسك
حيوانات
- • حيوانات أليفة (كلاب، قطط)
- • حيوانات المزرعة
- • الحياة البرية المصابة
أشياء
- • هاتف/لابتوب
- • منزل/نباتات
- • أشياء ثمينة
- • حقائب/أمتعة
مسؤوليات
- • أمور مالية
- • مشاريع
- • أقسام
- • احتياجات العملاء
أمثلة حسب المستوى
I look after my cat.
I take care of my cat.
She looks after her baby.
She takes care of her baby.
Do you look after your toys?
Do you take care of your toys?
They look after the garden.
They take care of the garden.
I looked after my brother yesterday.
I took care of my brother yesterday.
Can you look after my bag for a minute?
Can you watch my bag for a minute?
We are looking after our neighbor's house.
We are taking care of our neighbor's house.
He doesn't look after his health.
He doesn't take care of his health.
I've been looking after this department for three years.
I have been managing this department for three years.
It's hard to look after a large house by yourself.
It is difficult to maintain a large house alone.
Who is looking after the arrangements for the party?
Who is handling the party arrangements?
You need to look after your skin in the sun.
You need to protect your skin in the sun.
The government needs to look after the interests of small businesses.
The government must protect small business interests.
She has a reputation for looking after her employees well.
She is known for taking good care of her staff.
If you look after your tools, they will last a lifetime.
If you maintain your tools, they will last forever.
He was looking after his elderly parents while working full-time.
He was caring for his aged parents while also working.
The executor is responsible for looking after the estate until probate is granted.
The executor manages the property until legal processes are finished.
In this industry, you really have to look after number one.
In this field, you must prioritize your own interests.
The charity looks after the welfare of retired greyhounds.
The charity manages the well-being of former racing dogs.
The museum looks after some of the world's most precious artifacts.
The museum preserves very valuable historical items.
The state's failure to look after its most vulnerable citizens led to a crisis.
The government's inability to care for the poor caused a crisis.
One must look after the nuances of the contract before signing.
One must attend to the small details of the contract.
He has spent a lifetime looking after the legacy of his late father.
He dedicated his life to preserving his father's reputation.
The ecological balance is looked after by a complex web of predators.
Nature's balance is maintained by predators.
سهل الخلط
Both start with 'look' and involve an object, but one is about care and the other is about searching.
Learners sometimes use 'look after' when they just mean 'observing' something.
They are very similar, but 'take care of' can be used for solving problems, while 'look after' cannot.
أخطاء شائعة
I look my dog after.
I look after my dog.
I look for my baby.
I look after my baby.
He look after the cat.
He looks after the cat.
I am look after the house.
I am looking after the house.
I will look after to you.
I will look after you.
She looked after her bag for a minute.
She looked after my bag for a minute.
Did you looked after the plants?
Did you look after the plants?
The project was looked after me.
The project was looked after by me.
I look after to my health.
I look after my health.
I'm looking after for a new job.
I'm looking for a new job.
He looks after number one's interests.
He looks after number one.
أنماط الجُمل
I need someone to look after my ___ while I am ___.
It is important to look after your ___ if you want it to ___.
Who is going to look after the ___ for the ___?
Having to look after ___ taught me a lot about ___.
Real World Usage
I am looking after a Golden Retriever this weekend.
I looked after the budget for the entire marketing department.
Can someone look after Grandma on Tuesday?
Could you look after my seat while I go to the restroom?
He looks after the lawn every Saturday.
The nurses look after the patients around the clock.
خلّيها قطعة واحدة!
look after هو فعل مركب غير قابل للفصل. المفعول به بيجي دائمًا بعد العبارة كاملة، ما تحط المفعول به بين look و after أبدًا! مثلاً: I will look after the children. (صحيح) وليس I will look the children after.(خطأ).
لا تخلط بينها وبين 'look for'!
look for معناها إنك تدور على شيء ضايع، أما look after فمعناها تعتني بشيء أو تشرف عليه. فرق بسيط في الكلمة بيغير المعنى تمامًا! مثلاً: "I'm looking for my keys.« (أبحث عن مفاتيحي) غير »Can you look after my keys?" (هل يمكنك الاعتناء بمفاتحي؟).مرونة الاستخدام هي المفتاح
look after بتزبط مع الناس، الحيوانات، والأشياء! فكر بشكل واسع في كل شيء ممكن 'تعتني فيه' أو 'تشرف عليه' – من قطتك لجدول أعمالك. مثلاً: I look after my plants every morning. (أعتني بنباتاتي كل صباح).الإنجليزية البريطانية مقابل الأمريكية
look after منتشرة أكثر شوي في الإنجليزية البريطانية. مع إنها مفهومة تمامًا في الإنجليزية الأمريكية، إلا إنهم بيفضلوا غالبًا take care of للعناية العامة. الاثنين صح، بس حلو تعرف الفرق! مثلاً: She looks after her younger brother. (بريطانية) و She takes care of her younger brother. (أمريكية).الماضي سهل!
look after سهل كتير، هو ببساطة looked after. فعل منتظم يعني ما في تصريفات صعبة تتذكرها. مثلاً: She looked after him yesterday. (اعتنت به أمس).Smart Tips
Use 'look after' to sound more like a leader. It implies you are in control of the outcome.
Treat 'look after' as a single, long verb that cannot be broken. If you can't put a word inside 'care', don't put one inside 'look after'.
Always put the pronoun at the very end. Phrasal verbs like 'pick up' change order with pronouns, but 'look after' never does.
Place the adverb at the end of the sentence, not between 'look' and 'after'.
النطق
Stress Pattern
The primary stress is on the verb 'look', while 'after' is spoken more quickly and with less emphasis.
Linking
The 'k' in 'look' often links smoothly to the 'a' in 'after' in fast speech, sounding like 'loo-kafter'.
Falling Intonation
I'll look after it. ↘
Conveys a promise or a statement of fact.
احفظها
وسيلة تذكّر
Think of 'After' as 'Behind'. If you look after someone, you are 'watching their back' to keep them safe.
ربط بصري
Imagine a mother duck walking in front and 'looking after' her ducklings who are following 'after' her in a line.
Rhyme
To keep it safe and keep it clean, look after things that must be seen.
Story
Once there was a boy who had a magic plant. He had to look after it every day. He looked after the water, he looked after the sunlight, and eventually, the plant looked after him by growing gold leaves.
Word Web
تحدٍّ
Find three things in your room right now that you need to look after. Say out loud: 'I look after my [object] because [reason].'
ملاحظات ثقافية
In the UK, 'look after' is the standard way to talk about childcare. 'Babysitting' is the activity, but 'looking after' is the verb used most often in conversation.
Americans use 'look after' frequently, but 'take care of' is often the first choice in casual speech.
Using 'look after' in a CV or resume is seen as a positive trait, suggesting the candidate is reliable and capable of management without sounding overly aggressive.
The phrase dates back to Middle English. The word 'look' comes from Old English 'locian' (to see), and 'after' comes from 'æfter' (behind/following).
بدايات محادثة
Who looks after your pets when you go on holiday?
What is the most difficult thing you have ever had to look after?
In your opinion, should the government look after everyone's health for free?
How do you look after your mental health during busy times?
مواضيع للكتابة اليومية
أخطاء شائعة
Test Yourself
Can you ___ my dog while I'm on holiday?
Look after تعني الاعتناء بـ. Look at تعني الملاحظة، و look for تعني البحث عن.Find and fix the mistake:
I need to look my little sister after tonight.
Look after هو فعل مركب غير قابل للفصل. يجب أن يأتي المفعول به ('my little sister') بعد العبارة كاملة.Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
الفاعل + look after + المفعول به.Score: /3
تمارين تطبيقية
8 exercisesYesterday, I ___ my neighbor's cat.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
She is look after the baby right now.
I take care of the garden every Sunday.
1. Look after, 2. Look for, 3. Look at
A: Can you help me? B: Sure, I can ___ your bags while you go.
Sentence: 'He looks his health after.'
after / will / your / who / dog / look / ?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesDon't worry about your jacket, I'll ___ it for you.
Which of these sentences is grammatically incorrect?
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Ella cuida a sus padres ancianos.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the subjects with the correct ending:
My job is to ___ the customers' needs and ensure their satisfaction.
Which sentence is correct?
Translate into English: '¿Puedes cuidar mi casa mientras estoy fuera?'
The security guard looks out for the valuables in the gallery.
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Score: /11
الأسئلة الشائعة (8)
No, 'after' is the only preposition needed. Adding 'to' is a common mistake. Just say `look after someone`.
Not at all! You can `look after` pets, plants, houses, cars, and even abstract things like a business or your health.
They are mostly the same. However, `take care of` can also mean 'to deal with a problem' or 'to kill someone' (in movies!), while `look after` is strictly about caring and maintenance.
It is neutral. You can use it with your friends, but it is also perfectly fine to use in a business meeting or a job interview.
No. Unlike some phrasal verbs, `look after` is inseparable. The object must always come after the word 'after'.
Similar, but `look after` is more active. If you 'watch' a baby, you might just be looking at them. If you `look after` a baby, you are responsible for their needs.
You can say `The dog is looked after by my sister`. Note that 'looked' and 'after' still stay together.
It is very common in both, but British English speakers use it slightly more frequently than Americans, who might prefer 'take care of'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Cuidar / Ocuparse de
English requires the particle 'after' to change the meaning of 'look'.
S'occuper de / Garder
The English structure is not reflexive and uses a phrasal verb.
Aufpassen auf / Sich kümmern um
German prepositions don't always map 1:1 with English particles.
世話をする (Sewa o suru)
Japanese uses a 'Noun + Verb' construction instead of a 'Verb + Particle' construction.
يعتني بـ (Ya'tani bi)
The direction of the prepositional logic differs.
照顾 (Zhàogù)
Chinese has no verb conjugation for tense, unlike 'look/looked/looking'.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
فيديوهات ذات صلة
16:12 British vs American vs Canadian ENGLISH Differences! (PART 2) (+ Free PDF & Quiz)
08:50 Pulled Chicken Shawarma Sandwich | Food Wishes
01:36 Black Mirror, Yorkie & Kelly (1)
الفرق بين look after و take care of
Learn English with Rania
شرح Phrasal Verbs | Look after | Look for | Look forward to
English with Wafaa
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