When you're learning Arabic at a B2 level, you're moving beyond basic communication. Understanding verbs like "يستفهم" (yastafhim) is crucial. This verb means to actively seek information or clarification, not just to ask a simple question. It implies a deeper inquiry, often because something is unclear or more details are needed.
Think of it as asking "to inquire" or "to seek clarification." You would use this verb when you want to make sure you fully grasp a concept, a direction, or a situation. It's a useful word for academic settings, professional discussions, or even just understanding complex instructions in everyday life.
Exemples par niveau
هل يستفهم الطالب عن الدرس؟
Does the student ask about the lesson?
هي تستفهم عن الوقت.
She asks about the time.
أنا أستفهم عن هذا الكتاب.
I ask about this book.
نحن نستفهم عن طريق الوصول.
We ask about the way to arrive.
هو يستفهم عن السعر.
He asks about the price.
أنتم تستفهمون عن الطعام.
You (plural) ask about the food.
أنتِ تستفهمين عن العمل.
You (female singular) ask about the work.
هم يستفهمون عن المكان.
They ask about the place.
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
أريد أن أستفهم عن هذا.
I want to inquire about this.
هل يمكنني أن أستفهم عن بعض النقاط؟
Can I ask about a few points?
لا تتردد في أن تستفهم.
Don't hesitate to ask (for clarification).
المحقق يستفهم من الشهود.
The investigator is questioning the witnesses.
يجب أن نستفهم قبل أن نتخذ قراراً.
We must inquire before making a decision.
هل استفهمت عن موعد الاجتماع؟
Did you ask about the meeting time?
كان يستفهم عن كل صغيرة وكبيرة.
He was asking about every little detail.
الطلاب يستفهمون عن الدرس.
The students are asking about the lesson.
لقد استفهمت من المصدر الموثوق.
I inquired from the reliable source.
من المهم أن تستفهم جيداً.
It is important to inquire well.
Souvent confondu avec
The basic form of 'to ask.' 'يستفهم' comes from the root س ف ه (s-f-h) with the 'ista-' prefix for seeking, making it 'to seek understanding/clarification by asking.'
Meaning 'to understand.' 'يستفهم' directly relates to the act of asking in order to achieve 'فهم' (understanding).
Meaning 'to request' or 'to ask for.' While you can 'طلب معلومات,' 'يستفهم' implies the specific intent of clarifying understanding through that request.
Facile à confondre
Both 'يستفهم' and 'يسأل' involve asking. Learners often use 'يسأل' for everything.
'يسأل' is a general verb for 'to ask a question.' 'يستفهم' is more specific: 'to ask for information/clarification' with the intent to understand deeply.
هو يسأل سؤالاً بسيطاً. (He is asking a simple question.) / هو يستفهم عن تفاصيل الحادث. (He is asking for details/clarification about the accident.)
Similar in meaning to 'يستفهم,' as both relate to seeking information.
'يستعلم' usually implies seeking specific information, often from a source like a database or an official. 'يستفهم' is about clarifying understanding.
أنا أستعلم عن مواعيد القطار. (I am inquiring about the train schedule.) / أنا أستفهم عن معنى هذه الكلمة. (I am asking for clarification about the meaning of this word.)
Very close in meaning to 'يستفهم,' sometimes used interchangeably.
While very similar, 'يستفسر' often carries a nuance of making an inquiry or seeking an explanation for something that is unclear or confusing. 'يستفهم' is more broadly about seeking understanding.
هو يستفسر عن المشكلة. (He is inquiring about the problem.) / هو يستفهم ليفهم الدرس. (He is asking for clarification to understand the lesson.)
Both involve thinking about questions.
'يتساءل' means 'to wonder' or 'to ask oneself' a question, often without an immediate expectation of an answer from someone else. 'يستفهم' is actively asking someone else.
هي تتساءل عن مستقبله. (She is wondering about his future.) / هي تستفهم من المعلمة. (She is asking the teacher for clarification.)
Directly translates to 'to ask for information,' which is part of 'يستفهم's meaning.
'يطلب معلومات' is a more general phrase. 'يستفهم' implies a deeper engagement with the information to achieve understanding, rather than just receiving it.
هو يطلب معلومات عن الشركة. (He is asking for information about the company.) / هو يستفهم ليفهم كيفية عمل النظام. (He is asking for clarification to understand how the system works.)
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Think of 'yastafhim' as 'yes, tell me more, I need to find something out.' The 'fhim' part sounds a bit like 'understand' or 'comprehend'. So, 'yes, tell me more to understand'.
Association visuelle
Imagine a detective with a magnifying glass, actively 'يستفهم'ing, looking for clues and asking pointed questions to clarify a mystery. The magnifying glass is like them zooming in on information.
Word Web
Défi
Try to use 'يستفهم' in a sentence when you next have a question about something specific. Instead of just 'ما هذا؟' (what is this?), try to formulate a question where you are 'يستفهم'ing for more detail. For example, if someone says 'The plan changed,' you could ask, 'هل يمكنني أن أستفهم عن التغييرات؟' (Can I ask for clarification about the changes?)
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsBoth يستفهم (yastafhim) and يسأل (yas'al) mean 'to ask,' but يستفهم implies a specific intention to seek information or clarification, often when there's uncertainty or a need for understanding. يسأل is a more general term for asking a question.
No, you wouldn't typically use يستفهم for a general social greeting like 'how are you?' (كيف حالك؟). يستفهم is used when you are actively trying to gain specific information or clarify something you don't understand.
A common phrase is يستفهم عن شيء (yastafhim 'an shay') meaning 'to ask for information about something.' For example, هو يستفهم عن تفاصيل المشروع. (He is asking for details about the project.)
يستفهم is a standard verb used in formal and semi-formal contexts. It's perfectly appropriate in written Arabic and in spoken situations where you are expressing a clear need for information.
While يسأل (yas'al) is a general synonym for 'to ask,' if you want to emphasize seeking clarification, you might consider phrases like طلب توضيحاً (talaba tawdihan - requested clarification) or استفسر عن (istafsar 'an - inquired about).
In the past tense, يستفهم becomes استفهم (istafhama) for 'he asked for information.' For example, استفهمتُ عن السعر. (I asked for information about the price.)
No, يستفهم is typically followed by the preposition عن ('an) meaning 'about' or 'concerning.' You wouldn't directly say 'he asks the information,' but rather 'he asks about the information.'
The root of يستفهم is ف ه م (f-h-m), which relates to understanding and comprehension. This root gives you a clue about the meaning of the word – to seek understanding.
الطالب يستفهم عن الدرس الذي لم يفهمه. (The student is asking for clarification about the lesson he didn't understand.)
Yes, the verbal noun (مصدر) related to يستفهم is استفهام (istifham), which means 'interrogation' or 'questioning.' It can also refer to a question mark.
Teste-toi 12 questions
The student asks the professor about the lesson.
Can you inquire about the meeting time?
I was asking about how to use the new device.
Read this aloud:
أستفهم عن تفاصيل المشروع.
Focus: أس تَفْ هِم
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
هل سيستفهم المدير عن غيابك؟
Focus: سَ يَسْ تَفْ هِم
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
أرجو أن تستفهم عن هذا الأمر بوضوح.
Focus: تَسْ تَفْ هِم
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
The correct order is 'The man inquires about the destination.'
The correct order is 'I want to inquire about the price of this.'
The correct order is 'She always inquires about everything.'
/ 12 correct
Perfect score!
Exemple
يستفهم الطالب من الأستاذ عن الدرس.
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