يظلم
When we talk about things getting dark, or making something dark, we use the verb يظلم (yaẓlim). This word is often used for the sky becoming dark at night, or when a light goes out.
You might also hear it in the context of someone making a place dark, like pulling curtains to obscure light.
It's a very common verb to describe changes in light or visibility.
When we talk about the verb "يظلم" (yaẓlim), it's important to understand its core meaning of darkness and obscurity. It can describe something literally becoming dark, like the sky at night, or figuratively making something unclear or difficult to understand. Think of it as the opposite of clarifying or illuminating. This verb is often used to describe situations where information is withheld or a situation is intentionally made difficult to see clearly. So, while it relates to physical darkness, its use extends to metaphorical obscurity as well, implying a deliberate act of concealing or obfuscating.
يظلم en 30 secondes
- يظلم: become dark, make dark
- Used for lighting changes and obscuring vision
- Think 'darkens' or 'it got dark'
§ What does it mean?
The Arabic verb يظلم (yaẓlim) is a versatile word that you'll hear in many different contexts. At its core, it means 'to become dark' or 'to make something dark or obscure'. Think about the natural change from day to night, or when a shadow falls over something. It's an A2 level verb, so it’s pretty common and useful to learn early on.
- DEFINITION
- To become dark; to make dark or obscure.
Let's break down how this verb is used in everyday Arabic. When you say the sky يظلم (yaẓlim), you are describing the natural process of it getting darker, usually as evening approaches. It's not about someone actively doing something to the sky, but rather observing a change. This is a very common usage.
تَبْدَأُ السَّمَاءُ فِي أَنْ تُظْلِمَ بَعْدَ غُرُوبِ الشَّمْسِ.
The sky starts to get dark after sunset.
You can also use يظلم to describe something that literally makes an area dark or blocks light. For example, if a large building is blocking the sun, it could be said to تظلم (tuẓlim) the street below it, meaning it makes the street dark or shady.
الشَّجَرَةُ الكَبِيرَةُ تُظْلِمُ الشَّارِعَ.
The large tree darkens the street.
§ When do people use it?
People use يظلم in a few key situations. The most common is describing the natural progression of day into night. You'll hear it often when talking about the time of day, or when the sun is setting.
- Describing the evening: This is probably the most frequent use. You'll hear phrases like 'the evening is getting dark' or 'it started to get dark'.
- Talking about shadows or obscured light: If something is casting a shadow or blocking light, يظلم can be used to describe that effect.
- Figurative uses (less common for A2, but good to know): While at A2 level we focus on the literal meaning, it's worth noting that this root can also relate to injustice (ظلم - ẓulm), where something is 'darkened' in a moral sense. However, for the verb يظلم itself at this level, stick to the literal meaning of darkness.
Here's another example to solidify your understanding:
مَعَ كُلِّ دَقِيقَةٍ، الْغُرْفَةُ تُظْلِمُ أَكْثَرَ فَأَكْثَرَ.
With every minute, the room gets darker and darker.
Notice how the context helps you understand whether it's 'to become dark' (intransitive) or 'to make dark' (transitive). Often, the subject of the verb will tell you. If the subject is 'the sky' or 'the room', it's usually 'becoming dark'. If the subject is something else that is causing the darkness, it's 'making dark'.
Grammaire à connaître
يظلم is a verb, and like all Arabic verbs, it changes its form based on the subject (who is doing the action) and the tense (when the action is happening). For instance, 'هو يظلم' means 'he darkens,' and 'هي تظلم' means 'she darkens.'
الليل يظلم. (The night becomes dark.)
The root of يظلم is ظ-ل-م. This root is associated with darkness, injustice, and oppression. Knowing the root helps you understand related words. For example, ظلام (darkness) comes from the same root.
الظلام يحل. (Darkness descends.)
When you want to say something 'made' something else dark, you can use يظلم in a transitive sense. For example, 'الشمس تظلم الغرفة' means 'The sun darkens the room.'
الغيوم تظلم السماء. (The clouds darken the sky.)
The past tense of يظلم is ظَلَمَ. So, 'هو ظَلَمَ' means 'he darkened.' This is important for talking about actions that have already happened.
ظلم المكان بسرعة. (The place darkened quickly.)
You can use يظلم in a metaphorical sense to mean 'to obscure' or 'to make unclear.' For example, 'الجهل يظلم العقل' means 'Ignorance darkens the mind.'
الكلمات تظلم المعنى. (The words obscure the meaning.)
Exemples par niveau
يظلم الليل تدريجياً مع غروب الشمس.
The night gradually darkens with the sunset.
Here, 'يظلم' means 'to become dark' (intransitive verb).
أدت الغيوم الكثيفة إلى أن يظلم الجو فجأة.
The thick clouds caused the atmosphere to darken suddenly.
Again, 'يظلم' is used intransitively, meaning 'to become dark'.
حاول الرسام أن يظلم هذا الجزء من اللوحة ليبرز الألوان الأخرى.
The painter tried to darken this part of the painting to highlight other colors.
Here, 'يظلم' means 'to make dark' (transitive verb).
يظلم الشتاء الأيام ويجعلها أقصر.
Winter darkens the days and makes them shorter.
'يظلم' is used transitively, meaning 'to make dark'.
كانت النوافذ المتسخة تظلم الغرفة حتى في وضح النهار.
The dirty windows darkened the room even in broad daylight.
Here, 'تظلم' (feminine form of يظلم) is used transitively, meaning 'to make dark'.
أغلقت الستائر السميكة لتظلم الغرفة وتساعده على النوم.
She closed the thick curtains to darken the room and help him sleep.
'تظلم' (feminine form of يظلم) is used transitively, meaning 'to make dark'.
بدأ المكان يظلم شيئًا فشيئًا مع انقطاع الكهرباء.
The place began to darken little by little with the power outage.
'يظلم' is used intransitively, meaning 'to become dark'.
في بعض الثقافات، يظلمون الغرفة عند سرد القصص المرعبة.
In some cultures, they darken the room when telling scary stories.
'يظلمون' (plural form of يظلم) is used transitively, meaning 'to make dark'.
يُظْلِمُ الْمَسَاءُ بِمُجَرَّدِ غُرُوبِ الشَّمْسِ.
The evening darkens as soon as the sun sets.
Simple present tense, referring to a general truth.
ظَلَّ يُظْلِمُ الْجَوُّ قَبْلَ الْعَاصِفَةِ الشَّدِيدَةِ.
The weather kept getting darker before the severe storm.
Past tense, indicating a continuous action in the past.
أَظْلَمَتِ الْغُرْفَةُ بَعْدَ انْقِطَاعِ التَّيَّارِ الْكَهْرَبَائِيِّ.
The room became dark after the power outage.
Past tense, referring to the room becoming dark.
لَا تُظْلِمْ حَيَاةَ الْآخَرِينَ بِأَفْكَارِكَ السَّلْبِيَّةِ.
Don't darken others' lives with your negative thoughts.
Imperative negative, metaphorically meaning to make life difficult or sad.
يُظْلِمُ الْقَلْبُ بِكَثْرَةِ الذُّنُوبِ وَالْمَعَاصِي.
The heart darkens with an abundance of sins and disobedience.
Present tense, metaphorical use implying a spiritual state.
قَدْ تُظْلِمُ السَّمَاءُ فَجْأَةً قَبْلَ نُزُولِ الْمَطَرِ.
The sky might suddenly darken before the rain falls.
Present tense with 'قد' for possibility.
يُظْلِمُ الدَّرْبُ عَلَى الْمُسَافِرِ إِذَا فَقَدَ بَوْصَلَتَهُ.
The path becomes dark for the traveler if he loses his compass.
Present tense, metaphorical for losing guidance.
أَظْلَمَ وَجْهُهُ عِنْدَمَا سَمِعَ الْأَخْبَارَ السَّيِّئَةَ.
His face darkened when he heard the bad news.
Past tense, referring to a change in facial expression due to emotion.
Astuces
Basic Meaning of 'يظلم'
The primary meaning of يظلم is to become dark. Think of it like the sun setting and the sky getting darker. This is its most straightforward use.
Using 'يظلم' for 'Make Dark'
Besides 'to become dark,' يظلم can also mean 'to make dark' or 'to obscure.' This implies an action being performed on something to reduce its brightness or visibility.
Connecting 'ظلم' Root
The root letters ظ-ل-م (ḍha-la-ma) are associated with darkness, oppression, and injustice. While يظلم directly relates to darkness, understanding the broader root meaning can help with other vocabulary.
Practice with Simple Sentences
Try forming simple sentences using يظلم. For example: 'السماء تظلم في المساء' (The sky darkens in the evening). This helps solidify your understanding.
Visualizing 'يظلم'
When you hear or read يظلم, try to visualize the process of something getting darker. This mental image can aid in memory retention.
Listen for 'يظلم' in Media
Watch Arabic movies, listen to songs, or news. Try to catch instances of يظلم being used. Hearing it in natural speech is very beneficial for comprehension.
Flashcards for 'يظلم'
Create a flashcard for يظلم. On one side, have the Arabic word. On the other, include its definition and a couple of example sentences. Regularly review these.
Opposite of 'يظلم'
Think about the opposite of يظلم, which would be 'to lighten' or 'to illuminate.' This contrasting practice can strengthen your vocabulary connections.
Don't Confuse with 'ظلم' (Injustice)
While sharing the same root, be careful not to confuse يظلم (to become/make dark) with the noun ظلم which means injustice or oppression. The verb forms related to injustice are different.
Pratique dans la vie réelle
Contextes réels
Describing the sky getting dark at sunset.
- يظلم الجو عند الغروب. (The atmosphere darkens at sunset.)
- بدأت السماء تظلم. (The sky began to darken.)
- تظلم الغرفة ببطء. (The room darkens slowly.)
Referring to something making a place darker.
- الشجر الكثيف يظلم الطريق. (The dense trees obscure the road.)
- الستائر السميكة تظلم الغرفة. (The thick curtains make the room dark.)
- غيوم كثيفة تظلم المدينة. (Dense clouds darken the city.)
Figuratively describing a situation becoming grim or unclear.
- المستقبل يظلم أمام عيني. (The future darkens before my eyes.)
- الأخبار السيئة تظلم الأجواء. (Bad news makes the atmosphere grim.)
- تظلم الآمال أحياناً. (Hopes sometimes dim.)
When a light source is dim or makes things obscure.
- الضوء الخافت يظلم الزوايا. (The dim light obscures the corners.)
- القمر يظلم الليل أحياناً. (The moon sometimes makes the night obscure.)
- مصدر الضوء هذا يظلم الغرفة بدلاً من أن ينيرها. (This light source darkens the room instead of illuminating it.)
Talking about the natural progression from day to night.
- مع حلول الليل، تبدأ الأشياء تظلم. (With the arrival of night, things begin to darken.)
- تظلم الدنيا بعد غروب الشمس. (The world darkens after sunset.)
- كل يوم، تظلم السماء ثم تشرق. (Every day, the sky darkens then brightens.)
Amorces de conversation
"هل تحب أن تظلم الغرفة عند النوم؟ (Do you like to darken the room when you sleep?)"
"ما الذي يظلم مزاجك عادة؟ (What usually darkens your mood?)"
"كيف تصف شعورك عندما تظلم السماء فجأة؟ (How would you describe your feeling when the sky suddenly darkens?)"
"هل تظن أن بعض القرارات يمكن أن تظلم المستقبل؟ (Do you think some decisions can obscure the future?)"
"ما هي الأماكن التي تظلم مبكراً في الشتاء؟ (What places darken early in winter?)"
Sujets d'écriture
صف شعوراً مررت به عندما بدا لك المستقبل يظلم. (Describe a feeling you experienced when the future seemed to darken for you.)
اكتب عن مكان تظلم فيه الأضواء لتستمتع بالجو. (Write about a place where the lights dim for you to enjoy the atmosphere.)
تخيل يوماً كاملاً حيث لا تشرق الشمس أبداً، وكل شيء يظلم. كيف سيكون شعورك؟ (Imagine a full day where the sun never rises, and everything darkens. How would you feel?)
اذكر ثلاثة أشياء يمكن أن تظلم رؤيتك أو فهمك لموضوع ما. (Mention three things that can obscure your vision or understanding of a topic.)
هل هناك أوقات في حياتك تظلم فيها الأمور ثم تتحسن؟ اكتب عن تجربة كهذه. (Are there times in your life when things darken and then improve? Write about such an experience.)
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsBoth refer to darkness. يظلم (yaẓlim) means "to become dark" or "to obscure," often referring to a natural process or a general state. أظلم (aẓlam) also means "to become dark," but it can also be used transitively to mean "to darken something." Think of يظلم as more intransitive, and أظلم as potentially transitive.
Yes, absolutely! It's a very common usage. For example: بدأت السماء تظلم مع غروب الشمس. (The sky started to become dark with the sunset.)
While it's frequently used for the sky, you can use it for other things that become dark or are obscured. For instance, a room could "تظلم" if the lights go out: أطفأت الأنوار فظلمت الغرفة. (I turned off the lights, so the room became dark.)
You can say ظلمت السماء. (The sky became dark.) or المكان يظلم. (The place is becoming dark.)
The past tense is ظلم (ẓalama). For example: ظلمت المدينة عندما انقطع التيار الكهربائي. (The city became dark when the electricity went out.)
That's a great observation! Yes, both words come from the same root (ظ ل م). While يظلم here refers to darkness, the root also forms words related to injustice (ظلم, ẓulm), which metaphorically means to 'darken' someone's rights or to 'obscure' justice. They are distinct in meaning but share an etymological connection.
You could say: الضباب يظلم الرؤية. (The fog obscures the visibility.) Here, it makes the view dark or unclear.
Yes, it's quite common, especially when talking about changes in light, like the sky getting dark or a room becoming dim.
It's not the most natural usage for a mood. For a mood, you'd typically use phrases like تغير مزاجه (his mood changed) or أصبح حزيناً (he became sad). While darkness can be a metaphor for sadness, يظلم is more literal for light.
Good question! You might want to learn: أضاء (aḍāʼa) - to light up, to illuminate; أشرق (ashraqa) - to shine, to glow; غربت الشمس (gharabat ash-shams) - the sun set. These are all useful for describing natural light changes.
Teste-toi 48 questions
The night grows dark.
Don't darken the room.
The weather darkens when it rains.
Read this aloud:
الغرفة تظلم.
Focus: ظَلَمَ
Tu as dit :
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Read this aloud:
لا تظلم المكان.
Focus: تَظْلِم
Tu as dit :
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Read this aloud:
السماء تظلم بسرعة.
Focus: تَظْلِمُ بِسُرْعَة
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence means 'The night becomes dark.'
This sentence means 'The room becomes dark in the evening.'
This sentence means 'When the sun sets, the weather becomes dark.'
The night gets dark early in winter.
Don't make the room dark, I want to read.
After sunset, the weather becomes dark quickly.
Read this aloud:
يظلم النهار عندما تكون هناك غيوم كثيرة.
Focus: يظلم
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
أحيانًا، يظلم مزاجي بدون سبب.
Focus: يظلم مزاجي
Tu as dit :
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Read this aloud:
عندما تغلق الستائر، يظلم المكان.
Focus: تغلق الستائر، يظلم
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
ماذا يحدث عند غروب الشمس؟
عند غروب الشمس، يصبح الجو مظلمًا، وهذا يعني 'يظلم الجو'.
إذا لم تكن هناك مصابيح، ماذا سيحدث للغرفة في الليل؟
بدون إضاءة، ستصبح الغرفة مظلمة، أي 'ستظلم'.
أي من هذه الكلمات تعني عكس 'يظلم'؟
'ينير' تعني يضيء أو يجعل شيئًا مضيئًا، وهو عكس 'يظلم'.
عندما يظلم الجو، يصبح من السهل رؤية الأشياء بوضوح.
عندما يظلم الجو، تصبح الرؤية أصعب، وليس أسهل.
يمكن استخدام كلمة 'يظلم' لوصف نهاية اليوم وبداية الليل.
الفعل 'يظلم' يُستخدم لوصف تحول الجو إلى الظلام عند بداية الليل.
إذا قمت بإطفاء جميع الأضواء في الغرفة، فإنك تجعلها تظلم.
إطفاء الأضواء يؤدي إلى جعل الغرفة مظلمة، وهذا يصف معنى 'يظلم'.
The night gradually darkens after sunset.
The painter tried to darken a part of the painting to highlight the other part.
The room is very dark, I can't see anything.
Read this aloud:
تظلم السماء قبل العاصفة دائماً.
Focus: تظلم
Tu as dit :
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Read this aloud:
هل يمكن أن تظلم هذه الصورة قليلاً؟
Focus: تظلم
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
مع غياب القمر، تظلم الصحراء تماماً.
Focus: تظلم
Tu as dit :
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بعد انقطاع الكهرباء، بدأت الغرفة ___ شيئًا فشيئًا.
The room becomes dark when the electricity is cut off.
الغيوم الكثيفة ___ الأفق وتمنع ضوء الشمس.
Dense clouds obscure the horizon and block sunlight.
في ليلة بدون قمر، ___ السماء تمامًا.
On a moonless night, the sky becomes completely dark.
لا تستخدم هذا اللون الداكن كثيرًا، فقد ___ اللوحة.
Using too much dark color can make the painting dark.
عندما يحل الليل، تبدأ كل الزوايا المعتمة في الوجود و___ كل شيء.
When night falls, all dark corners appear and everything becomes dark.
المطر الغزير غالبًا ما ___ الرؤية على الطرقات.
Heavy rain often obscures visibility on the roads.
This room becomes dark when the windows are closed.
Dense clouds darken the sky before it rains.
He lit the lamp so that reading would not become obscure for him.
Imagine you are describing a dramatic storm approaching a city at dusk. Use the verb 'يظلم' to convey the sense of the sky and surroundings becoming dark. Describe the impact of this deepening darkness on the city. Focus on imagery and atmosphere.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
مع اقتراب العاصفة، بدأت السماء تظلم تدريجياً، فتحولت الأفق من اللون البرتقالي إلى الرمادي الداكن. أضواء المدينة بدأت تبرز أكثر مع كل لحظة تظلم فيها الأجواء، وكأنها نقاط مضيئة تتحدى الظلام القادم. شعور بالرهبة والترقب خيم على الشوارع مع تعمق الظلمة.
You are writing a short story about a character who feels a sense of injustice or oppression. Use 'يظلم' metaphorically to describe how this feeling obscures their hope or future. Elaborate on the character's internal struggle.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
كانت روحها تظلم شيئاً فشيئاً تحت وطأة الظلم الذي تعرضت له، فبدأت ترى المستقبل غامضاً ومبهماً. أحلامها التي كانت تلمع في الأفق، أخذت تتلاشى مع كل ليلة تظلم فيها أفكارها باليأس. حاولت جاهدة أن تبدد هذا الظلام الداخلي، لكن قوة الإحساس بالظلم كانت طاغية.
Describe a historical event where the truth was obscured or manipulated to hide facts. Use 'يظلم' to explain how the truth became dark or was made unclear. Focus on the impact of this obscuring of truth.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
في تلك الفترة العصيبة من التاريخ، بدأت الحقائق تظلم عمداً من قبل السلطة، حيث تم تزييف الوقائع وتشويه الروايات. كان الهدف هو أن تظلم الرؤية العامة للأحداث، ليصعب على الناس تمييز الصواب من الخطأ. هذا التضليل أدى إلى عواقب وخيمة، حيث ضاعت أصوات المظلومين في غياهب النسيان.
ما هو الشعور الرئيسي الذي انتاب الفريق مع حلول الظلام؟
Read this passage:
في نهاية المطاف، وبعد مرور أيام من البحث المضني، بدأت الشمس تغيب ببطء خلف الأفق، وتظلم السماء تدريجياً. كان الظلام يلف المكان بخطوات ثابتة، مما زاد من صعوبة الرؤية وتقليل فرص العثور على أي أثر. شعر الفريق بالإحباط مع كل لحظة تظلم فيها الآمال في العثور على المفقود.
ما هو الشعور الرئيسي الذي انتاب الفريق مع حلول الظلام؟
النص يذكر بوضوح أن 'شعر الفريق بالإحباط مع كل لحظة تظلم فيها الآمال'.
النص يذكر بوضوح أن 'شعر الفريق بالإحباط مع كل لحظة تظلم فيها الآمال'.
ما الذي تظلم في ذهن الكاتب؟
Read this passage:
لقد تظلمت الصورة تماماً في ذهن الكاتب، وباتت تفاصيل الرواية غامضة ومبهمة. كان يسعى لإيجاد طريقة لتوضيح الأحداث، لكن كلما حاول، تظلمت الرؤية أكثر. هذا التعتيم في الأفكار جعله يشعر باليأس من إكمال عمله.
ما الذي تظلم في ذهن الكاتب؟
النص يوضح أن 'تظلمت الصورة تماماً في ذهن الكاتب، وباتت تفاصيل الرواية غامضة ومبهمة'.
النص يوضح أن 'تظلمت الصورة تماماً في ذهن الكاتب، وباتت تفاصيل الرواية غامضة ومبهمة'.
ما هو تأثير الأخبار السيئة على المدينة والناس؟
Read this passage:
عندما بدأت الأخبار السيئة تنتشر، شعرت المدينة وكأنها تظلم ببطء تحت وطأة الخوف والقلق. لم تعد الشوارع تضج بالحياة كما كانت، بل أصبحت الأجواء كئيبة وثقيلة. حتى وجوه الناس تظلمت، عاكسةً حالة من اليأس العام.
ما هو تأثير الأخبار السيئة على المدينة والناس؟
النص يصف كيف 'شعرت المدينة وكأنها تظلم ببطء تحت وطأة الخوف والقلق' وأن 'الأجواء كئيبة وثقيلة' و'وجوه الناس تظلمت'.
النص يصف كيف 'شعرت المدينة وكأنها تظلم ببطء تحت وطأة الخوف والقلق' وأن 'الأجواء كئيبة وثقيلة' و'وجوه الناس تظلمت'.
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Summary
يظلم is a versatile verb for talking about things becoming or being made dark.
- يظلم: become dark, make dark
- Used for lighting changes and obscuring vision
- Think 'darkens' or 'it got dark'
Basic Meaning of 'يظلم'
The primary meaning of يظلم is to become dark. Think of it like the sun setting and the sky getting darker. This is its most straightforward use.
Using 'يظلم' for 'Make Dark'
Besides 'to become dark,' يظلم can also mean 'to make dark' or 'to obscure.' This implies an action being performed on something to reduce its brightness or visibility.
Context is Key with 'يظلم'
The exact nuance of يظلم often depends on the context. Pay attention to the surrounding words in a sentence to understand whether it's 'becoming dark' or 'making something dark'.
Connecting 'ظلم' Root
The root letters ظ-ل-م (ḍha-la-ma) are associated with darkness, oppression, and injustice. While يظلم directly relates to darkness, understanding the broader root meaning can help with other vocabulary.
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