يتناقص
يتناقص 30초 만에
- Means to decrease or diminish gradually over time.
- Rooted in N-Q-S (ن-ق-ص), signifying lack or deficiency.
- Commonly used in news, science, and economic contexts.
- Intransitive verb: the subject itself performs the decrease.
The Arabic verb يتناقص (yatanaqas) is a sophisticated and essential term in the Arabic language, primarily used to describe a gradual, ongoing process of reduction or decrease. Rooted in the triliteral root ن-ق-ص (N-Q-S), which fundamentally pertains to deficiency, lack, or shortage, this specific Form VI (Tafa'ul) construction carries a unique semantic weight. Unlike the Form I verb ينقص (yanqus), which might simply mean 'to be less' or 'to lack,' يتناقص implies a progressive movement over time. It is the linguistic equivalent of watching a sand timer or a melting ice cube; the decrease is not instantaneous but a series of diminishing states. This makes it particularly prevalent in scientific, economic, and sociological contexts where trends and cycles are discussed. When an Arabic speaker uses this word, they are often pointing toward a trajectory of decline rather than a single event of loss.
- The Morphological Nuance
- The Form VI pattern (Tafa'ul) in Arabic grammar often signifies reciprocity or a gradual progression. In the case of يتناقص, it emphasizes the 'unfolding' of the decrease. It suggests that with each passing moment, the quantity is becoming slightly less than it was before. This is why you will hear it used in weather reports regarding temperatures or in news reports regarding population growth rates.
- Semantic Range
- While 'decrease' is the primary translation, يتناقص covers a range of English concepts including 'dwindle,' 'diminish,' 'wane,' and 'subside.' It can apply to tangible objects like water in a well or intangible concepts like enthusiasm, hope, or influence. If your phone battery is slowly dying, it is يتناقص. If the light of the sun is fading at dusk, it is يتناقص.
يتناقص مستوى الماء في البحيرة بشكل ملحوظ خلال فصل الصيف الجاف.
(The water level in the lake decreases significantly during the dry summer season.)
In formal Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), this verb is a staple of academic and professional discourse. You will find it in reports from the World Bank discussing currency value, or in medical journals describing the diminishing efficacy of a drug. It conveys a sense of observation and measurement. Because it is an intransitive verb (it doesn't usually take a direct object in this form), the subject is the thing that is doing the decreasing. For example, 'The number (subject) decreases.'
يتناقص الضوء تدريجياً مع غياب الشمس خلف الأفق.
(The light gradually diminishes as the sun disappears behind the horizon.)
- Contextual Usage
- In economic discussions, يتناقص is used for 'diminishing returns' (العوائد المتناقصة). In physics, it describes radioactive decay or the fading of sound waves. It is a word of precision and scientific observation.
بدأ مخزون الطعام يتناقص بعد مرور أسبوعين على الحصار.
(The food supply began to dwindle after two weeks of the siege.)
Note: The word is highly formal. In casual Levantine or Egyptian dialects, speakers might prefer simpler verbs like بيقل (bi-yi'ill), but يتناقص remains the standard for writing and news.
Mastering the use of يتناقص requires understanding its syntactic role as an intransitive verb that focuses on the subject's state. It is rarely followed by a direct object; instead, it is often accompanied by adverbs of manner or prepositional phrases that define the rate or cause of the decrease. Because it describes a process, it is frequently paired with the word تدريجياً (tadriijiyyan), meaning 'gradually.'
يتناقص عدد السكان في القرى بسبب الهجرة إلى المدن الكبرى.
(The population in the villages is decreasing due to migration to major cities.)
- Subject-Verb Agreement
- In Arabic, if the verb comes before the subject, it remains singular even if the subject is plural. However, it must match the gender. For example: تتناقص الموارد (Resources decrease - 'Mawarid' is a non-human plural, treated as feminine singular). If the verb comes after, it matches both: الموارد تتناقص.
One of the most common ways to use this verb is to describe quantitative data. If you are presenting a graph or a report, يتناقص is your go-to word for a downward slope. It is also used metaphorically to describe emotions or social phenomena.
يتناقص اهتمام الشباب بالصحف الورقية في عصر الإنترنت.
(Young people's interest in paper newspapers is diminishing in the age of the internet.)
تتناقص قيمة العملة المحلية أمام الدولار الأمريكي.
(The value of the local currency is decreasing against the US dollar.)
You can also use it in the past tense تناقص (tanaqasa) to describe a completed trend or in the future tense سيتناقص (sayatanaqasu) for predictions. The active participle متناقص (mutanaqis) acts as an adjective meaning 'decreasing' or 'diminishing.'
نحن نعيش في عالم ذي موارد متناقصة.
(We live in a world with diminishing resources.)
- Comparative Structures
- Often, يتناقص is paired with its opposite, يتزايد (to increase), to show contrast in a sentence. 'While X increases, Y decreases.' This is a classic structure in analytical Arabic writing.
The word يتناقص is a pillar of formal Arabic media and education. If you tune into Al Jazeera, BBC Arabic, or Sky News Arabia, you will hear it during the economic segment, weather forecast, or environmental reports. It is the language of statistics and empirical reality. In an era of global warming, you will frequently hear about how 'the polar ice is decreasing' (يتناقص الجليد القطبي).
أشار التقرير إلى أن مخزون النفط العالمي يتناقص بوتيرة سريعة.
(The report indicated that global oil reserves are decreasing at a rapid pace.)
- In the Classroom
- In math and science classes across the Arab world, this verb is used to describe functions, chemical reactions, or physical decay. A teacher might say, 'As the temperature rises, the volume of the gas decreases' (though usually it increases, but you get the point of the linguistic structure!). It is fundamental for students of STEM fields.
In business meetings, executives use يتناقص to discuss market share or profit margins. It carries a serious, analytical tone. If a manager says 'Our profits are decreasing,' they use تتناقص أرباحنا to sound professional and objective, rather than emotional.
مع مرور السنين، يتناقص عدد أصدقاء الطفولة الذين نتواصل معهم.
(With the passing of years, the number of childhood friends we keep in touch with decreases.)
- News Headlines
- Headlines often use the verbal noun تناقص (decreasing) or the verb itself to save space. 'Population Decreases in Eastern Europe' would be تناقص عدد السكان في شرق أوروبا.
Finally, you'll hear it in sports commentary when discussing a team's energy or the time remaining in a match. 'The time is decreasing, and the pressure is mounting!' (الوقت يتناقص والضغط يزداد).
Learning يتناقص comes with a few pitfalls, especially for English speakers who might over-rely on a single translation for 'decrease.' The most common error is confusing it with other verbs from the same root or similar semantic fields. Here is a breakdown of what to avoid to sound like a native speaker.
- Confusing يتناقص with ينقص
- While both come from N-Q-S, ينقص (yanqus) usually means 'to be missing' or 'to lack.' For example, if you are cooking and 'the salt is missing,' you use ينقص. If the amount of salt in a container is 'gradually going down,' you use يتناقص. Using ينقص to describe a statistical trend sounds slightly 'off' or overly simplistic.
- Transitive vs. Intransitive
- A major mistake is trying to 'decrease something' using يتناقص. You cannot say 'He decreased the price' using this verb. يتناقص is intransitive; the price decreases on its own. To say 'He decreased the price,' you must use the Form II verb ينقّص (yunaqqis) or يخفض (yukhaffid).
Wrong: يتناقص المدير الرواتب.
Right: تتناقص الرواتب بسبب الأزمة.
(The manager is decreasing salaries [Wrong]. Salaries are decreasing due to the crisis [Right]. )
Another mistake is using يتناقص for physical size reduction (like shrinking a shirt in the wash). For physical shrinking, ينكمش (yankamish) is the correct term. يتناقص is almost always about quantity, number, or abstract intensity.
Incorrect context: يتناقص قميصي في الغسيل.
Correct: ينكمش قميصي في الغسيل.
(My shirt is 'decreasing' in the wash [Wrong]. My shirt is shrinking in the wash [Right].)
Lastly, remember the gender of the subject. Since many 'groups' or 'quantities' in Arabic are feminine, forgetting to change يتناقص to تتناقص is a frequent error for intermediate learners.
Arabic is a language of vast synonyms, each with a specific flavor. While يتناقص is excellent for gradual numerical decrease, other words might be more appropriate depending on the context. Understanding these nuances will elevate your Arabic from functional to eloquent.
- يتناقص vs. يقل (yaqill)
- يقل is more general and common in daily speech. It simply means 'to become less.' يتناقص is more formal and emphasizes the process. If you say 'The rain is becoming less,' يقل المطر is fine. If you say 'The annual rainfall is decreasing over decades,' يتناقص is better.
- يتناقص vs. ينخفض (yankhafid)
- ينخفض means 'to drop' or 'to sink' (literally or figuratively). It is used for levels (like water or temperature) and prices. You can use both for prices, but ينخفض focuses on the lower level reached, while يتناقص focuses on the reduction of the amount.
- يتناقص vs. يتضاءل (yatada'al)
- يتضاءل means 'to dwindle' or 'to shrivel.' It is often used for things that are becoming very small or disappearing, like hope, influence, or a physical object seen from a distance. It carries a more dramatic or poetic tone than the clinical يتناقص.
تتضاءل فرص النجاة مع مرور الوقت.
(The chances of survival are dwindling as time passes.)
For more extreme cases, you might use يضمحل (yadmahilla), which means 'to decay' or 'to fade away completely,' often used for civilizations or physical matter in physics (like an atom decaying). Using يتناقص in these contexts might be too 'weak' or 'dry.'
تضمحل الثقافات القديمة إذا لم يتم الحفاظ عليها.
(Ancient cultures decay/fade away if they are not preserved.)
In summary, choose يتناقص when you want to sound objective, professional, and focused on a measurable downward trend.
수준별 예문
يتناقص الماء في الكوب.
The water in the cup is decreasing.
Simple present tense verb.
عدد الطلاب يتناقص اليوم.
The number of students is decreasing today.
Verb following the subject.
يتناقص التفاح في السلة.
The apples in the basket are decreasing.
Verb before plural non-human subject (stays singular).
شحن الهاتف يتناقص.
The phone charge is decreasing.
Common daily use.
يتناقص الضوء في الغرفة.
The light in the room is decreasing.
Describing a physical state.
هل يتناقص السكر عندك؟
Is your sugar decreasing (running low)?
Question form.
الثلج يتناقص في الشمس.
The ice is decreasing in the sun.
Natural process.
يتناقص الوقت بسرعة.
Time is decreasing fast.
Abstract concept in simple sentence.
يتناقص عدد الأشجار في الغابة.
The number of trees in the forest is decreasing.
Subject-verb agreement with 'number'.
تتناقص الحرارة في الليل.
The heat decreases at night.
Feminine verb for 'heat' (al-harara).
يتناقص الضجيج عندما ينام الناس.
The noise decreases when people sleep.
Using a 'when' clause.
المطر يتناقص تدريجياً الآن.
The rain is decreasing gradually now.
Using the adverb 'gradually'.
سيتناقص سعر الخبز غداً.
The price of bread will decrease tomorrow.
Future tense with 'sa-'.
تناقص عدد السياح هذا العام.
The number of tourists decreased this year.
Past tense form.
تتناقص مياه النهر في الصيف.
The river water decreases in summer.
Feminine plural agreement.
هل يتناقص وزنك مع الرياضة؟
Is your weight decreasing with exercise?
Interrogative with a prepositional phrase.
يتناقص مخزون القمح في المستودعات.
The wheat stock in the warehouses is decreasing.
Economic/Resource context.
تتناقص فرص العمل في هذا القطاع.
Job opportunities are decreasing in this sector.
Abstract plural subject.
يتناقص اهتمام الناس بالأخبار القديمة.
People's interest in old news is diminishing.
Psychological state.
يتناقص عدد المهاجرين بنسبة كبيرة.
The number of migrants is decreasing by a large percentage.
Using 'bi-nisba' for percentage.
بدأ صبر المعلم يتناقص مع الطلاب.
The teacher's patience began to dwindle with the students.
Verbal sentence with 'bada'a' (began).
يتناقص الطلب على الفحم الحجري.
The demand for coal is decreasing.
Business/Market term.
سيتناقص عدد السكان في المستقبل.
The population will decrease in the future.
Sociological prediction.
تتناقص قيمة السيارة كلما قدمت.
The car's value decreases the older it gets.
Conditional 'kullama' structure.
يتناقص الغطاء النباتي بسبب الزحف العمراني.
The vegetation cover is decreasing due to urban sprawl.
Environmental terminology.
تتناقص الثقة بين الطرفين بعد الخلاف.
Trust between the two parties is diminishing after the dispute.
Relational/Political context.
يتناقص تأثير الدواء بعد عدة ساعات.
The medicine's effect diminishes after several hours.
Medical/Technical context.
يتناقص احتمال وقوع الحادث الآن.
The probability of the accident occurring is decreasing now.
Probability/Statistical use.
تتناقص الموارد الطبيعية بشكل مقلق.
Natural resources are decreasing in a worrying manner.
Adverbial phrase 'bi-shakl muqliq'.
يتناقص الدعم الشعبي لهذه السياسة.
Public support for this policy is waning.
Political analysis.
يتناقص الفارق بين الفريقين في النتيجة.
The gap between the two teams' scores is decreasing.
Sports/Competitive context.
تتناقص الرؤية بسبب الضباب الكثيف.
Visibility is decreasing due to thick fog.
Safety/Weather context.
يتناقص هامش الربح نتيجة ارتفاع التكاليف.
The profit margin is decreasing as a result of rising costs.
Advanced economic terminology.
تتناقص سيادة الدول في ظل العولمة.
State sovereignty is diminishing in the shadow of globalization.
Political science discourse.
يتناقص الزخم الثوري بعد سنوات من الصراع.
The revolutionary momentum is waning after years of conflict.
Sociopolitical analysis.
يتناقص معدل الوفيات بفضل التطور الطبي.
The mortality rate is decreasing thanks to medical development.
Demographic terminology.
تتناقص المادة المشعة بمرور الزمن.
The radioactive material diminishes over time.
Physics/Technical use.
يتناقص بريق النجوم كلما اقترب الفجر.
The stars' brightness diminishes as dawn approaches.
Literary/Poetic tone.
يتناقص احتمال الخطأ مع زيادة الخبرة.
The probability of error decreases with increasing experience.
Logic/Professional context.
تتناقص قدرة المحرك على العمل بكفاءة.
The engine's ability to operate efficiently is diminishing.
Engineering context.
يتناقص الوعي الجمعي بالقيم التقليدية.
The collective consciousness of traditional values is waning.
Sociological/Philosophical discourse.
تتناقص حدة التوترات الجيوسياسية في المنطقة.
The intensity of geopolitical tensions in the region is subsiding.
International relations terminology.
يتناقص أمد الحياة الافتراضي للمنتجات الاستهلاكية.
The expected lifespan of consumer products is decreasing.
Economic/Consumerist critique.
تتناقص مشروعية النظام مع تزايد القمع.
The regime's legitimacy diminishes with increasing repression.
Political theory.
يتناقص التنوع البيولوجي بمعدلات غير مسبوقة.
Biodiversity is decreasing at unprecedented rates.
Scientific/Environmental urgency.
يتناقص الفارق الجوهري بين الحقيقة والخيال.
The fundamental difference between reality and fiction is diminishing.
Philosophical/Technological critique.
تتناقص فاعلية المؤسسات الدولية في حل النزاعات.
The effectiveness of international institutions in resolving conflicts is waning.
Global governance analysis.
يتناقص الحيز المخصص للخصوصية في العصر الرقمي.
The space allocated for privacy is diminishing in the digital age.
Digital ethics discourse.
자주 쓰는 조합
자주 쓰는 구문
Summary
The word <span class='font-bold'>يتناقص</span> is the essential verb for describing downward trends and gradual reductions in Arabic. Use it when you want to sound professional and precise about something becoming less over time, such as <span class='italic'>يتناقص عدد السكان</span> (the population is decreasing).
- Means to decrease or diminish gradually over time.
- Rooted in N-Q-S (ن-ق-ص), signifying lack or deficiency.
- Commonly used in news, science, and economic contexts.
- Intransitive verb: the subject itself performs the decrease.
관련 콘텐츠
general 관련 단어
عادةً
A1보통, 대개; 정상적인 조건 하에서.
عادةً ما
B2이 부사는 보통 무언가가 대부분의 경우에 일어난다는 것을 의미합니다.
إعداد
B2음식이나 프로젝트처럼, 무언가를 준비하는 과정이나 절차를 말합니다.
عاضد
B2누군가를 돕거나 지지한다는 뜻의 동사예요. 특히 도움이 필요할 때 사용해요.
عادي
A1그것은 평범한 날입니다.
عاقبة
B1행동의 결과나 영향, 종종 불쾌한 것. 자신의 선택에 따른 결과를 받아들여야 한다.
أعلى
A1더 높은, 또는 가장 높은.
عال
B1이 단어는 소리가 크거나 수준이 높다는 뜻이에요. 높은 소리나 높은 가격처럼요.
عالٍ
A2물리적 높이(높은) 또는 소리 크기(큰)를 의미합니다.
عَالَمِيّ
B1전 세계와 관련된; 세계적인 또는 글로벌한.