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A2 verb #1,200 am häufigsten 7 Min. Lesezeit

يَدفع

yadfa' Top 1,200

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At the A1 level, you should learn 'yadfa'u' primarily as 'to pay' in very simple contexts. You will use it to say things like 'I pay for the coffee' or 'He pays the money.' At this stage, focus on the present tense conjugation for 'I' (adfa'u) and 'you' (tadfa'u). You might also see 'Idfa'' on doors, which is a good way to remember the physical meaning of 'push.' Keep your sentences short and focus on the direct object (the money or the item).

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At the A2 level, you begin to use 'yadfa'u' in more varied daily situations. You should be able to ask 'How can I pay?' (Kayfa adfa'?) and understand the difference between paying in cash (naqdan) or by card (bi-al-bitaqa). You also start to see the verb used for 'pushing' objects, like a shopping cart or a door. You should become comfortable with the past tense 'dafa'a' and the future 'sa-yadfa'u.' This level is about functional communication in shops, restaurants, and public spaces.

At the B1 level, you transition into more abstract uses of 'yadfa'u.' You will encounter it in the sense of 'motivating' or 'driving' someone to do something. For example, 'Ambition pushes him to study.' You also start to use the verbal noun 'daf'' in phrases like 'method of payment' (tariqat al-daf'). You should be able to handle more complex sentence structures involving prepositions like 'li' (to) and 'ila' (toward) and understand the passive form 'yudfa'u' (is paid) in simple contexts like bills and receipts.

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At the B2 level, you use 'yadfa'u' in professional and argumentative contexts. You might use it to mean 'to refute' an argument (yadfa'u al-hujja) or 'to repel' a claim. You will hear it in news reports about economic pressures or political 'pushes' for reform. Your vocabulary should now include synonyms like 'saddada' (to settle a debt) and 'anfaqa' (to spend), and you should know when to use 'yadfa'u' versus these alternatives. You can also use the word in idiomatic expressions about 'paying the price' for one's actions.

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At the C1 level, you explore the deep linguistic and philosophical nuances of the root D-F-'. You will encounter it in classical literature and legal texts where it means to 'ward off' harm or 'repel' evil (daf' al-mafasid). You should be able to appreciate the rhetorical use of the verb in poetry and high-level journalism. You can discuss complex topics like 'the driving forces of history' or 'the legal defense' (al-difā') using related terms. Your mastery includes subtle shifts in meaning based on context and register.

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At the C2 level, you have a near-native grasp of 'yadfa'u' in all its forms. You can interpret its use in the Quran and Hadith, where it often carries a heavy moral or existential weight (e.g., 'repelling evil with good'). You are comfortable with archaic uses and can use the verb to express highly nuanced philosophical concepts. You understand the historical evolution of the word from a purely physical 'push' to a multifaceted term covering economics, psychology, law, and theology.

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Yadfa'u is the standard Arabic verb for 'to pay' money in transactions.
It also means 'to push' physically, like pushing a door or a cart.
Abstractly, it means to motivate someone or to repel an argument or harm.
The past tense is 'dafa'a' and the verbal noun is 'daf'' (payment/pushing).

The Arabic verb يَدفع (yadfa‘u) is a cornerstone of daily communication, primarily functioning as the equivalent of the English verb 'to pay.' However, its linguistic roots in the triliteral root د-ف-ع (D-F-‘) encompass a much broader semantic field than just financial transactions. At its core, the word signifies the act of 'pushing' or 'propelling' something away from oneself or toward something else. When you pay for a coffee, you are figuratively 'pushing' your money toward the merchant. This physical origin is still very much alive in modern usage, where the word is used to describe pushing a door, repelling an enemy, or even motivating someone to take action.

Financial Transaction: This is the most common use at the A2 level. It refers to the transfer of currency in exchange for goods or services. Whether it is cash, card, or digital transfer, yadfa‘u is the standard term.

يجب أن يَدفع الزبون ثمن العشاء قبل المغادرة.
(The customer must pay the price of dinner before leaving.)

Physical Force: In a physical context, it means to push. You will see this on doors in the Arab world: إدفع (Idfa‘ - Push) vs. إسحب (Is-hab - Pull).

هو يَدفع العربة الثقيلة في السوبر ماركت.
(He is pushing the heavy cart in the supermarket.)

Beyond these, the word takes on abstract meanings. In psychology or management, it can mean 'to motivate' or 'to drive' someone. For instance, 'His ambition pushes him to work harder.' In legal or defensive contexts, it means to 'repel' or 'refute' an argument or an attack. This versatility makes it one of the most powerful verbs to master early in your Arabic journey. Understanding that 'paying' is essentially 'pushing' money helps bridge the gap between the concrete and the abstract uses of the root.

Abstract Motivation: Using the verb to describe an internal drive or external pressure that forces an action.

الحاجة تَدفع الإنسان إلى الابتكار.
(Need pushes/drives humans to innovate.)

Culturally, the act of paying (Al-Daf‘) is often tied to hospitality. In many Arab cultures, there is a friendly 'fight' over who gets to pay the bill at a restaurant, known as 'mushajara' or a playful argument. One person might say 'Sa-adfa' ana!' (I will pay!), while the other insists. This social ritual highlights the importance of the verb in social bonding and the values of generosity and honor.

Using يَدفع correctly requires understanding its conjugation and the prepositions that typically accompany it. As a Form I verb (Thulathi Mujarrad), it follows a standard pattern. In the present tense (Al-Mudari‘), the stem vowel is a 'fatha' on the second root letter: yad-fa-‘u. This is important for correct pronunciation and grammar.

Direct Object Usage: When you pay a specific amount or a bill, the amount/bill is the direct object (Mansub).

أنا أَدفع مائة دولار شهرياً للكهرباء.
(I pay one hundred dollars monthly for electricity.)

Using Prepositions: To specify the recipient, use 'li' (to/for). To specify the reason or item, use 'thaman' (price of) or 'muqabil' (in exchange for).

هل دَفعتَ للبائع ثمن الفاكهة؟
(Did you pay the seller the price of the fruit?)

In the context of 'pushing,' the verb is often used with a direct object representing the physical item. If you are pushing someone to do something, you use the preposition إلى (ila - toward) or لـ (li - to). For example, 'The teacher pushes the student to succeed' would be 'Al-mu'allim yadfa'u al-talib ila al-najah.'

Passive Voice: The passive form 'yudfa‘u' (is paid) is common in formal writing and business.

هذا المبلغ يُدفع مرة واحدة فقط.
(This amount is paid only once.)

When discussing payments, you will often encounter the verbal noun (Masdar) دَفْع (daf‘). This is used in phrases like 'tariqat al-daf‘' (method of payment) or 'al-daf‘ ‘inda al-istilam' (cash on delivery). Mastering the verb allows you to navigate these common commercial structures with ease.

You will hear يَدفع in a variety of settings, from the bustling markets of Cairo to the high-tech offices of Dubai. Its presence is ubiquitous because it touches on the fundamental human activities of commerce and physical interaction. In a retail environment, it is the word that signals the conclusion of a deal.

At the Market/Mall: Cashiers will ask: 'Kayfa turid an tadfa'?' (How do you want to pay?). You might respond: 'Sa-adfa' naqdan' (I will pay in cash).

هل يمكنني يَدفع بالبطاقة الائتمانية هنا؟
(Can I pay with a credit card here?)

In Public Spaces: You will see the word 'Idfa'' on doors. It is a functional command, telling you to push the door to enter or exit.

اللافتة على الباب تقول إدفع وليس اسحب.
(The sign on the door says Push, not pull.)

In news broadcasts, you will hear it in political and economic contexts. For example, 'The government is pushing for new reforms' (Al-hukuma tadfa'u bi-islahat jadida). Or in sports, 'The player pushed the ball' (Al-la'ib dafa'a al-kura). It is also common in religious and philosophical discussions, particularly regarding 'repelling' evil or harm (daf‘ al-darar).

Socially, the word appears in the context of 'Daf‘ al-Bala’' (repelling misfortune), which is a concept where giving charity (Sadaqah) is believed to 'push away' bad luck or harm. Thus, the act of paying/giving becomes a spiritual shield. This deep-seated belief makes the word resonate with more than just financial meaning; it carries a sense of protection and proactive action.

Learners often struggle with يَدفع due to its multiple meanings and the specific prepositions required for each. One of the most common errors is confusing it with the verb 'to give' (yu'ti). While you 'give' money, in Arabic, the specific act of paying for something is almost always yadfa‘u.

Confusing 'Pay' and 'Give': Mistake: 'A'taytu al-thaman' (I gave the price). Correct: 'Dafa'tu al-thaman' (I paid the price). Use yadfa‘u for commercial transactions.

خطأ: أعطيتُ الفاتورة. صح: دَفعتُ الفاتورة.
(Wrong: I gave the bill. Right: I paid the bill.)

Preposition Errors: Learners often forget 'li' when paying a person. You don't 'pay the waiter,' you 'pay TO the waiter' (tadfa'u lil-nadil).

يجب أن تَدفع لصاحب المحل.
(You must pay [to] the shop owner.)

Another mistake is using the wrong stem vowel in the present tense. Some learners say 'yadfu'u' or 'yadfi'u' by analogy with other verbs. Remember, it is yad-fa-‘u (with a fatha). Additionally, confusing 'push' (yadfa'u) with 'pull' (yashabu) is a common directional error for beginners looking at signs.

Finally, learners sometimes use yadfa‘u when they mean 'to spend' (yunfiqu). While paying is a specific act of transaction, spending refers to the general use of money over time. If you are talking about your monthly budget, yunfiqu is more appropriate than yadfa‘u.

Arabic is rich with synonyms that provide nuance to the act of paying or pushing. Depending on the context—whether it is settling a debt, spending for charity, or shoving an object—different words might be more precise than يَدفع.

سدّد (Saddada): This means 'to settle' or 'to pay off.' It is specifically used for debts, loans, or bills that are due. It implies fulfilling an obligation.

سدّد التاجر جميع ديونه.
(The merchant settled all his debts.)

أنفق (Anfaqa): This means 'to spend.' It is often used in the context of spending money on one's family or for charitable causes. It has a more general and sometimes noble connotation.

هو ينفق الكثير من المال على التعليم.
(He spends a lot of money on education.)

In the context of 'pushing,' you might encounter دَحرج (dahraja - to roll/push something round) or زَحزح (zahzaha - to budge/move slightly). For 'repelling,' رَدّ (radda - to return/push back) is a strong alternative, often used for responding to greetings or repelling attacks.

When choosing between these, consider the formality and the specific intent. In a shop, yadfa‘u is perfect. In a bank, saddada might be used for your mortgage. In a discussion about philanthropy, anfaqa is the word of choice. Understanding these distinctions will make your Arabic sound more natural and sophisticated.

How Formal Is It?

Wusstest du?

The word for 'cannon' in Arabic is 'midfa'', which literally means 'the instrument that pushes' (referring to the projectile being pushed out).

Aussprachehilfe

UK /jad.fa.ʕu/

US /jæd.fæ.ə/

The stress is typically on the first syllable: YAD-fa-'u.

Reimt sich auf

Yarfa'u (lifts) Yanfa'u (benefits) Yasma'u (hears) Yajma'u (collects) Yaqta'u (cuts) Yarja'u (returns) Yabda'u (starts) Yazra'u (plants)

Häufige Fehler

Pronouncing the 'ayn' as a simple 'a' or 'h'.
Changing the middle vowel 'a' to 'u' (yadfu'u).
Merging the 'd' and 'f' sounds without a clear stop.

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Lesen 2/5

Easy to recognize in text, but context is needed to distinguish 'pay' from 'push'.

Schreiben 3/5

Requires knowledge of the 'ayn' at the end and correct vowel marks.

Sprechen 3/5

The pharyngeal 'ayn' can be tricky for English speakers.

Hören 2/5

Commonly heard in markets and very distinct.

Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest

Voraussetzungen

مال (Money) باب (Door) أعطى (To give) حساب (Bill) سعر (Price)

Als Nächstes lernen

سدّد (To settle) اشترى (To buy) باع (To sell) فاتورة (Invoice) صرف (To spend)

Fortgeschritten

اندفاع (Impulse) مدافع (Defender) تدافع (Crowding) دوافع (Motives) دفاع (Defense)

Wichtige Grammatik

Form I Verb Conjugation

أنا أدفع، أنت تدفع، هو يدفع.

Preposition 'li' for Recipient

أدفع للمعلم (I pay the teacher).

Preposition 'ila' for Motivation

يدفعني إلى النجاح (Pushes me to success).

The Passive Voice (Yudfa'u)

الثمن يُدفع الآن (The price is being paid now).

The Masdar (Verbal Noun)

الدفع سهل (Payment is easy).

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Beispiele nach Niveau

أنا أدفع الثمن.

I pay the price.

Present tense, 1st person singular.

هو يدفع بالبطاقة.

He pays by card.

Present tense, 3rd person masculine.

هل تدفع الآن؟

Do you pay now?

Question form, 2nd person masculine.

هي تدفع للحليب.

She pays for the milk.

Present tense with preposition 'li'.

نحن ندفع في السوق.

We pay in the market.

Present tense, 1st person plural.

هم يدفعون المال.

They pay the money.

Present tense, 3rd person plural.

إدفع الباب!

Push the door!

Imperative (command) form.

أريد أن أدفع.

I want to pay.

Verb following 'an' (subjunctive).

دفعْتُ الحساب في المطعم.

I paid the bill in the restaurant.

Past tense, 1st person singular.

هل دفعتَ ثمن التذكرة؟

Did you pay the price of the ticket?

Past tense question.

هو يدفع الإيجار كل شهر.

He pays the rent every month.

Habitual action in present tense.

سوف أدفع لك غداً.

I will pay you tomorrow.

Future tense with 'sawfa'.

دفع الولد الكرة بعيداً.

The boy pushed the ball away.

Physical use of the verb.

لا تدفع الباب بقوة.

Don't push the door strongly.

Negative imperative.

أين يمكنني أن أدفع؟

Where can I pay?

Common travel phrase.

هي تدفع ثمن القهوة لصديقتها.

She pays the price of the coffee for her friend.

Using 'li' for the recipient.

هذا النجاح يدفعني للعمل أكثر.

This success pushes me to work more.

Abstract use: motivation.

يجب دفع الفواتير في وقتها.

Bills must be paid on time.

Verbal noun (Masdar) 'daf''.

ما الذي يدفعك لتعلم العربية؟

What pushes you to learn Arabic?

Inquiry about motivation.

دفع الرجل العربة إلى المتجر.

The man pushed the cart to the store.

Physical direction with 'ila'.

طريقة الدفع هي نقداً فقط.

The payment method is cash only.

Genitive construction (Idafa).

دفع عن نفسه التهمة.

He repelled the accusation from himself.

Abstract use: defending/repelling.

البنك يدفع الفوائد سنوياً.

The bank pays interest annually.

Financial terminology.

دفعني الفضول لفتح الصندوق.

Curiosity pushed me to open the box.

Personification of curiosity.

دفع الثمن غالياً بسبب خطئه.

He paid a high price because of his mistake.

Idiomatic use of 'paying the price'.

الحكومة تدفع باتجاه الإصلاح.

The government is pushing toward reform.

Political metaphor.

يُدفع هذا المبلغ كضمان.

This amount is paid as a guarantee.

Passive voice 'yudfa'u'.

دفع المحامي ببراءة موكله.

The lawyer argued for the innocence of his client.

Legal context: to argue/plead.

الفقر يدفع الناس إلى الهجرة.

Poverty pushes people to emigrate.

Sociological context.

دفع الصبي الدراجة في الطين.

The boy pushed the bike in the mud.

Physical struggle.

يجب دفع الضرر قبل وقوعه.

Harm must be repelled before it occurs.

Legal/Philosophical maxim.

دفع بالتي هي أحسن في الجدال.

He repelled with that which is better in the argument.

Reference to ethical behavior.

دفع الشبهات عن عقيدته.

He repelled doubts from his creed.

Intellectual/Theological use.

كانت الدوافع وراء الجريمة غامضة.

The motives behind the crime were mysterious.

Plural of 'dafi'' (motive).

دفع الجيش العدو إلى الوراء.

The army pushed the enemy back.

Military context.

تدافع الناس عند مدخل الملعب.

People crowded/pushed each other at the stadium entrance.

Form VI verb 'tadafa'a' (reciprocal pushing).

دفع القول بالدليل القاطع.

He refuted the statement with decisive evidence.

Academic/Logical refutation.

دفع الزكاة ركن من أركان الإسلام.

Paying Zakat is a pillar of Islam.

Religious obligation.

دفع به إلى حافة الهاوية.

He pushed him to the edge of the abyss.

Metaphorical extreme.

دفع الله الناس بعضهم ببعض.

God checks some people by means of others.

Quranic concept of social balance.

يستعصي دفع هذا المنطق المتهافت.

It is difficult to repel this crumbling logic.

High-level philosophical discourse.

دفع في صدره ليمنعه من الدخول.

He pushed against his chest to prevent him from entering.

Specific physical description.

تدافع الأفكار في ذهنه منعه من النوم.

The jostling of ideas in his mind prevented him from sleeping.

Metaphorical crowding.

دفع الغالي والنفيس في سبيل وطنه.

He gave everything precious for his country.

Idiomatic expression of sacrifice.

دفع عادية الزمان بالصبر.

He repelled the calamities of time with patience.

Poetic/Classical phrasing.

لا يندفع المرء وراء أهوائه.

One should not be driven/rushed by their whims.

Form VII 'indafa'a' (to be driven/rushed).

دفع المظلمة عن المظلوم واجب.

Removing/repelling injustice from the oppressed is a duty.

Legal/Ethical terminology.

دفع القول بتأويل بعيد.

He refuted the statement with a far-fetched interpretation.

Hermeneutic context.

Häufige Kollokationen

دفع نقداً

دفع بالبطاقة

دفع الثمن

دفع الفاتورة

دفع الإيجار

دفع الحساب

دفع الضرائب

دفع الباب

دفع كفالة

دفع بلاء

Häufige Phrasen

كم أدفع؟

— How much do I pay? Used to ask for the total.

كم أدفع لك يا سيدي؟

دفع مسبق

— Pre-payment. Used for services paid in advance.

هذا الاشتراك دفع مسبق.

دفع عند الاستلام

— Cash on delivery. Common in e-commerce.

أفضل الدفع عند الاستلام.

دفع بالتقسيط

— Payment in installments. Used for expensive items.

اشتريت السيارة بالتقسيط.

دفع دفعة واحدة

— Lump sum payment. Paying everything at once.

دفع المبلغ دفعة واحدة.

دفع من جيبه

— Paid out of his own pocket. Implies personal expense.

دفع المدير من جيبه الخاص.

دفع دية

— To pay blood money. A legal/tribal concept.

دفعوا الدية لأهل القتيل.

دفع عربون

— To pay a deposit/down payment.

دفعتُ عربوناً للشقة.

دفع رسوم

— To pay fees (visa, school, etc.).

دفع رسوم الامتحان.

دفع غرامة

— To pay a fine.

دفع غرامة مرورية.

Wird oft verwechselt mit

يَدفع vs أعطى

A'ta means 'to give' generally, while yadfa'u is specifically 'to pay' or 'to push'.

يَدفع vs اشترى

Ishtara means 'to buy'. You 'pay' (tadfa'u) money to 'buy' (tashtari) something.

يَدفع vs سحب

Sahaba means 'to pull', the direct physical opposite of yadfa'u (to push).

Redewendungen & Ausdrücke

"دفع الثمن غالياً"

— To pay dearly for a mistake or action.

دفع الثمن غالياً بسبب تهوره.

Neutral

"دفع به إلى الهاوية"

— To push someone to their ruin or destruction.

الديون دفعت به إلى الهاوية.

Literary

"دفع ضريبة النجاح"

— To pay the price of success (sacrifices made).

التعب هو ضريبة النجاح التي يدفعها.

Neutral

"دفع البلاء بالصدقة"

— To ward off misfortune by giving to the poor.

كان دائماً يتصدق ليدفع البلاء.

Religious

"دفع بالتي هي أحسن"

— To respond to evil with good to resolve conflict.

حاول أن تدفع بالتي هي أحسن مع جارك.

Formal/Religious

"دفع الفضول"

— To be driven by curiosity.

دفعه الفضول لمعرفة السر.

Neutral

"دفع عنه الأذى"

— To protect someone from harm.

الأب يدفع الأذى عن أطفاله.

Neutral

"دفع الوقت"

— To kill time (less common, but used in some dialects).

كنا ندفع الوقت باللعب.

Informal

"دفع في صدره"

— To confront or stop someone physically.

دفع في صدره ليمنعه.

Literary

"دفع عجلة التنمية"

— To push the wheel of development (to progress).

المشاريع الجديدة تدفع عجلة التنمية.

Formal/Economic

Leicht verwechselbar

يَدفع vs يَدفع

Multiple meanings.

It means pay, push, or repel. Context determines which.

يدفع المال (pays) vs يدفع الباب (pushes).

يَدفع vs يَرفع

Sounds similar.

Yarfa'u means 'to lift' or 'to raise'.

يرفع يده (he raises his hand).

يَدفع vs يَنفع

Sounds similar.

Yanfa'u means 'to benefit' or 'to be useful'.

هذا الكتاب ينفعني (this book benefits me).

يَدفع vs يَسمع

Same ending sound.

Yasma'u means 'to hear'.

يسمع الموسيقى (he hears music).

يَدفع vs يَجمع

Same ending sound.

Yajma'u means 'to collect' or 'to gather'.

يجمع الطوابع (he collects stamps).

Satzmuster

أنا أدفع [المال].

أنا أدفع المال.

هو يدفع [الثمن].

هو يدفع الثمن.

هل يمكنني أن أدفع بـ [البطاقة]؟

هل يمكنني أن أدفع بالبطاقة؟

دفع [الاسم] لـ [الشخص].

دفع أحمد للبائع.

[الشيء] يدفعني إلى [الفعل].

الطموح يدفعني إلى العمل.

يجب دفع [الاسم] قبل [الوقت].

يجب دفع الفاتورة قبل السبت.

دفع [الشخص] عن [نفسه] [التهمة].

دفع الرجل عن نفسه التهمة.

دفع [الاسم] بالتي هي أحسن.

دفع الإساءة بالتي هي أحسن.

Wortfamilie

Substantive

دَفْع (Payment/Pushing)

دافِع (Motive/Driver)

مَدْفوع (Paid/Pushed)

مِدْفَع (Cannon - literally 'the pusher')

دِفاع (Defense)

Verben

دَفَعَ (Past: Paid/Pushed)

يَدفع (Present)

إدفع (Imperative)

تَدافَعَ (To crowd/push each other)

اندفع (To rush/be pushed)

Adjektive

دِفاعي (Defensive)

مَدْفوع (Paid)

مُندَفِع (Impulsive/Rushing)

Verwandt

مال (Money)

حساب (Bill)

قوة (Force)

سبب (Reason)

حافز (Incentive)

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frequency

Very High (Top 500 verbs)

Häufige Fehler

Using 'A'ta' (give) for paying a bill. → Dafa'a al-fatoura.
While 'give' is understood, 'pay' is the correct technical term for transactions.
Saying 'yadfu'u' instead of 'yadfa'u'. → يَدفعُ
The stem vowel for this verb is always 'a' (fatha) in the Mudari'.
Forgetting the preposition 'li' for people. → أدفع للبائع.
In Arabic, you pay 'to' the seller, not just 'the seller'.
Confusing 'idfa'' (push) with 'is-hab' (pull). → إدفع (Push)
This is a common mistake when entering shops.
Using 'yadfa'u' for 'spending' time. → yaqdi al-waqt.
'Yadfa'u' is for money or force, not for spending time.

Tipps

Present Tense Vowel

Always remember the 'fatha' on the 'fa' in the present tense: yad-fa-'u. Don't use 'u' or 'i'.

Push vs Pay

If you see the word on a door, it's 'push'. If you see it on a bill, it's 'pay'.

Generosity

In Arab culture, saying 'Sa-adfa' ana' (I will pay) is a common way to show hospitality to guests.

The Ayn Sound

The 'ayn' at the end is crucial. Practice it by tightening your throat slightly at the end of the word.

Prepositions

Use 'li' for the person you are paying and 'thaman' for the item you are paying for.

Mnemonic

Think of 'Daf' as 'Driving' money toward someone else.

Context Clues

Listen for currency words like 'riyal', 'dinar', or 'dollar' to know it means 'pay'.

Paying the Price

Use 'yadfa'u al-thaman' to talk about consequences of actions, just like in English.

Consistency

This verb is one of the most consistent across different Arabic dialects (Egyptian, Levantine, Gulf).

E-commerce

Look for 'Al-daf' 'inda al-istilam' when shopping online in the Arab world for 'Cash on Delivery'.

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Think of 'Daf' sounding like 'Duff' (a push). When you pay, you 'duff' your money over to the cashier.

Visuelle Assoziation

Imagine a person 'pushing' a stack of coins across a table. This links the physical 'push' to the financial 'pay'.

Word Web

Pay Push Repel Motivate Drive Defend Settle Cannon

Herausforderung

Try to use 'yadfa'u' in three different ways today: once for a payment, once for a physical push, and once for a motivation.

Wortherkunft

From the Semitic root D-F-', which primarily relates to the physical act of pushing or thrusting.

Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: To push, thrust, or drive away.

Afroasiatic -> Semitic -> Central Semitic -> Arabic.

Kultureller Kontext

Be careful when using 'idfa'' (push) as a command; it can sound blunt. Use 'min fadlak' (please) with it.

In English, 'pay' and 'push' are completely different words. In Arabic, they are the same root, reflecting a more unified view of 'exerting force'.

The Quranic verse: 'Repel (idfa') evil with that which is better.' The word 'Midfa'' (cannon) used in historical military contexts. Modern Arabic pop songs often use 'yadfa'u al-thaman' (paying the price) in romantic betrayals.

Im Alltag üben

Kontexte aus dem Alltag

Restaurant

أريد دفع الحساب.
هل الحساب مدفوع؟
سأدفع عن الجميع.
أين أدفع؟

Shopping

هل تدفع نقداً؟
ادفع عند الكاشير.
كم يجب أن أدفع؟
دفعتُ ثمن القميص.

Office/Work

دفع الرواتب.
دفع الفواتير.
دفع عجلة العمل.
دفع بالموظفين للنجاح.

Physical Action

ادفع الباب.
لا تدفعني!
دفع العربة.
دفع الكرة.

Legal/News

دفع الغرامة.
دفع التعويضات.
دفع الشبهات.
دفع الجيش العدو.

Gesprächseinstiege

"هل تفضل أن تدفع نقداً أم بالبطاقة؟"

"من سيدفع ثمن العشاء الليلة؟"

"ما الذي يدفعك للاستيقاظ مبكراً كل يوم؟"

"هل سبق ودفعت غرامة مرورية؟"

"كيف تدفع فواتيرك في بلدك؟"

Tagebuch-Impulse

اكتب عن موقف اضطررت فيه لدفع ثمن غالٍ لخطأ ارتكبته.

ما هي الأشياء التي تدفعك للنجاح في حياتك المهنية؟

صف شعورك عندما تدفع لشخص آخر ثمن وجبته.

هل تفضل الدفع مسبقاً أم الدفع عند الاستلام؟ ولماذا؟

اكتب عن مرة قمت فيها بدفع شخص ما (جسدياً أو معنوياً) للأفضل.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

No, it also means 'to push' physically or 'to motivate' abstractly. For example, 'yadfa'u al-bab' means 'he pushes the door'.

You say 'Dafa'tu' (دَفَعْتُ). For example, 'Dafa'tu al-hisab' (I paid the bill).

'Yadfa'u' is the specific act of paying for something. 'Yunfiqu' means 'to spend' money generally over time.

Yes, you say 'yadfa'u bi-al-bitaqa' (he pays by card).

Yes, both physically pushing someone or metaphorically pushing them to do something.

The opposite is 'yashabu' (يَسحب), which means 'to pull'.

The verbal noun is 'daf'' (دَفْع), which means 'payment' or 'pushing'.

You can say 'Ayna makan al-daf'?' (أين مكان الدفع؟).

It is neutral and used in both formal Modern Standard Arabic and daily dialects.

It means 'Push'. You will often see it opposite 'is-hab' (pull).

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