Almost & Starting: Kada and Her Sisters (كاد وأخواتها)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
These verbs act like 'Kana' but require a present tense verb as their predicate to describe actions starting or nearing completion.
- They function like 'Kana' (taking a nominative subject and accusative predicate).
- The predicate must be a present tense verb (fi'l mudari').
- Verbs of initiation (like 'shara'a') cannot be used with 'an' (to).
Overview
Arabic grammar, much like its intricate calligraphy, possesses structures that add immense depth and nuance to expression. Among these are the unique verbal constructions known as Kāda and Her Sisters (كاد وأخواتها), a group of verbs that function similarly to Kāna and Her Sisters (كان وأخواتها) but with a critical distinction: their predicate is always a verbal sentence. These verbs are primarily categorized into three groups: Proximity Verbs (أفعال المقاربة) indicating an action is on the verge of occurring, Hope Verbs (أفعال الرجاء) conveying expectation or strong possibility, and Beginning Verbs (أفعال الشروع) signaling the start of an action.
At a B2 level, understanding Kāda and Her Sisters moves you beyond merely stating facts to expressing the status, imminence, or inception of an action. Instead of simply saying المطر نزل (The rain fell), you can say كاد المطرُ ينزلُ (The rain almost fell), adding a layer of dynamic information. These structures are indispensable for describing situations where events are anticipated, desired, or just commencing, thereby enriching your narrative and enhancing your ability to discuss complex topics with precision.
While they share the characteristic of entering a nominal sentence (الجمال الإسمية) and elevating the subject (الإسم) to the nominative case (مرفوع), their defining feature is the verbal nature of their predicate (الخبر). This predicate takes the form of a present tense verb (فعل مضارع), often preceded by the subordinating particle an (أن). Mastering these verbs allows you to convey subtle shifts in meaning, intent, and timing, which are fundamental to upper-intermediate and advanced Arabic proficiency.
How This Grammar Works
Kāda and Her Sisters operate as a specialized class of verbs, often termed "imperfect" or "near-perfect" verbs, due to their specific semantic and syntactic roles. Like Kāna, they precede a nominal sentence, altering its grammatical cases. The initial nominal sentence مبتدأ وخبر (subject and predicate) transforms: the original subject becomes the verb's subject (إسم كاد وأخواتها) and retains the nominative case (مرفوع), while the original predicate is replaced by a verbal clause, which serves as the new predicate (خبر كاد وأخواتها) and is grammatically in the accusative position (في محل نصب).فعل مضارع). For instance, you cannot say *كاد الطالبُ مجتهداً (The student almost diligent), because مجتهداً is a noun/adjective. Instead, you must use a verb: كاد الطالبُ يجتهدُ (The student almost strives).an (أن). This subordinating conjunction precedes the present tense verb in the predicate in many instances. When an appears, it renders the subsequent present tense verb subjunctive (منصوب), typically indicated by a fatḥa (َ) on the last letter for singular verbs, or the dropping of the final nūn (ن) for dual and sound plural verbs.an is not arbitrary; it depends on the specific verb from Kāda's sisters and can subtly influence the nuance of certainty or volition. Understanding when to use an and how it affects the present tense verb is key to accurate application of this grammar.كاد المطرُ ينزلُ (The rain almost fell). Here, كاد is the verb, المطرُ is its nominative subject, and ينزلُ (a present tense verb in the indicative mood) is its predicate. If we use أوشك, which frequently takes an, the sentence would be أوشك المطرُ أن ينزلَ (The rain is about to fall).fatḥa on ينزلَ due to an. This interaction between the main verb, its subject, an, and the present tense predicate verb forms the core syntactic mechanism of Kāda and Her Sisters.Formation Pattern
Kāda and Her Sisters follows a predictable structure, centered around the chosen auxiliary verb, its nominative subject, and a verbal predicate in the present tense. The primary variable is the presence or absence of the subordinating particle an (أن), which is dictated by the specific verb from Kāda's group.
فعل من أخوات كاد + اسم مرفوع + (أنْ) + فعل مضارع منصوب/مرفوع
an:
أفعال المقاربة): Express that an action is on the verge of happening.
كاد (kāda): "almost," "nearly." Rarely takes an. Its present tense form (يكاد) is also commonly used.
كاد الطالبُ ينجحُ. (The student almost succeeded.)
يكادُ البرقُ يخطفُ أبصارهم. (The lightning almost snatches away their sight.) [Quranic example]
أوشك (awshaka): "on the verge of," "about to." Frequently takes an. More formal than كاد. Has present tense form (يوشك).
أوشك القطارُ أن يصلَ. (The train is about to arrive.)
توشكُ الأزمةُ أن تنتهيَ. (The crisis is on the verge of ending.)
أفعال الرجاء): Express hope or strong expectation for an action to occur.
عسى ('asā): "perhaps," "hopefully." Frequently takes an. A جامد (jaamid - invariable) verb, meaning it only appears in this past tense form.
عسى اللهُ أن يرحمَنا. (Perhaps Allah will have mercy on us.)
عسى الباطلُ أن يزولَ. (Hopefully, falsehood will vanish.)
حَرى (ḥarā): "it is hoped that," "it is proper that." Obligatorily takes an. Also a جامد verb.
حَرى الحقُّ أن ينتصرَ. (It is hoped that truth will prevail.)
اخلولق (ikhlaulaqa): "it is probable that," "ought to." Obligatorily takes an. Also a جامد verb.
اخلولقتْ السماءُ أن تمطرَ. (It is probable that the sky will rain.)
أفعال الشروع): Indicate the commencement or start of an action. They always imply immediacy.
بدأ (bada'a): "began," "started."
شرع (shara'a): "began," "commenced."
أخذ (akhadha): "began," "took to."
جعل (ja'ala): "began," "started to make/do."
أنشأ (ansha'a): "began," "established."
طفق (ṭafiqa): "began," "started swiftly."
قام (qāma): "began" (in specific contexts).
an. They only appear in the past tense when functioning in this capacity.
بدأ الطفلُ يمشي. (The child began to walk.)
أخذ الطلابُ يستعدونَ للامتحان. (The students began preparing for the exam.)
شرعتِ الشركةُ تبني مصنعاً جديداً. (The company commenced building a new factory.)
Kāda and Her Sisters:
an | Example | Translation |
كاد (ك و د) | Almost, nearly | Rare | كاد الجوعُ يقتلُه. | Hunger almost killed him. |
أوشك (و ش ك) | On the verge of | Frequent | أوشكتْ السيارةُ أن تتعطلَ. | The car was about to break down. |
عسى (ع س و) | Perhaps, hopefully | Frequent | عسى الفرجُ أن يأتيَ. | Relief will hopefully come. |
حَرى (ح ر و) | It is hoped/proper | Obligatory | حَرى الشابُّ أن يتوبَ. | It is hoped the young man will repent. |
اخلولق (خ ل ق) | Likely, ought to | Obligatory | اخلولقَ السلامُ أن يتحققَ. | Peace is likely to be achieved. |
بدأ (ب د أ) | Began, started | Forbidden | بدأ العاملُ يعملُ. | The worker began to work. |
شرع (ش ر ع) | Began, commenced | Forbidden | شرعوا يبنونَ. | They began building. |
أخذ (أ خ ذ) | Began, took to | Forbidden | أخذتْ القصةُ تنتشرُ. | The story began to spread. |
جعل (ج ع ل) | Began, started | Forbidden | جعل الرسامُ يرسمُ. | The painter began to draw. |
أنشأ (ن ش أ) | Began, established | Forbidden | أنشأ الولدُ يضحكُ. | The boy began to laugh. |
طفق (ط ف ق) | Began, started swiftly | Forbidden | طفقَ الخطيبُ يتكلمُ. | The orator began to speak swiftly. |
When To Use It
Kāda and Her Sisters allows for greater precision in describing the dynamic relationship between a subject and an action. This grammar moves beyond simple statements, enabling you to express a spectrum of nuances related to an action's imminence, desirability, or initiation.أفعال المقاربة):كاد and أوشك when an action is on the verge of happening, creating a sense of anticipation or near-occurrence. This is particularly useful in narratives, news reports, or when describing narrow escapes or impending events.كاد الجليدُ يذوبُ.(The ice almost melted/was about to melt.) – Here,كادemphasizes the very narrow margin before the action. In Modern Standard Arabic (MSA),كادoften suggests that the action almost happened but didn't quite, especially if it refers to an undesirable event.لم يكد يفعل كذا حتى فعل كذا(He had barely done X when he did Y) is a common structure using negation withكاد.أوشك الاجتماعُ أن ينتهيَ.(The meeting is about to end.) –أوشكconveys a stronger sense of certainty or a closer timeframe thanكادfor an impending event, particularly withan. This is common in formal and administrative contexts.تكادُ الشمسُ تغيبُ.(The sun is almost setting.) – The present tense form ofكادis often used to describe ongoing processes approaching a conclusion.
أفعال الرجاء):عسى, حَرى, and اخلولق are used to articulate a strong hope or a high probability for a future action. They inject a layer of volition or divine aspiration into the sentence, common in prayers, wishes, or expressions of earnest desire.عسى الأمرُ أن يكونَ خيراً.(Hopefully, the matter will be good.) –عسىis frequently used in general expressions of hope and can sometimes imply a request or a blessing, especially when the subject is Allah or divine will. It often appears without an explicit subject, implying a general hope (عسى أن تفهمَ- Hopefully you understand).حَرى الفريقُ أن يفوزَ بالمباراة.(It is hoped that the team will win the match.) –حَرىandاخلولقare generally more formal and less common in everyday conversation thanعسى. They convey a stronger sense of oughtness or likelihood based on circumstances, almost a moral imperative or a very high probability.حَرىimplies a greater degree of certainty or appropriateness thanعسى.اخلولقَ السلامُ أن يعمَّ العالمَ.(It is probable that peace will prevail throughout the world.) – This construction expresses a strong, almost inevitable, expectation.
أفعال الشروع):بدأ الطفلُ يتكلمُ.(The child began to speak.) –بدأis the most common and versatile of the beginning verbs. It emphasizes the initial phase of the action. It's often used when an action transitions from a state of non-existence to existence.أخذ الطالبُ يكتبُ واجبَه.(The student started writing his homework.) –أخذimplies a more active, sometimes sudden, commencement of an action. In colloquial Arabic,أخذ+مضارعis a very natural way to say "started to do something."جعل الجنودُ يتدربون.(The soldiers began to train.) –جعلhere suggests that the soldiers set themselves to training, implying an act of setting out or embarking on the action. This usage ofجعلwith a verbal predicate contrasts with its more common meaning of "to make" or "to place" when followed by a nominal predicate (جعلتُ الماءَ ثلجاً- I made the water cold).
عسى in expressions like عسى أن تكون بخير (Hopefully you are well) or عسى الله أن يوفقك (May God grant you success) reflects a cultural tendency to express hope and invoke divine blessings in daily interactions, highlighting the deep integration of such linguistic patterns into social fabric.Common Mistakes
Kāda and Her Sisters can be challenging due to their specific requirements. Learners often encounter pitfalls related to predicate type, an usage, verb tense, and case marking. Awareness of these common errors is crucial for achieving grammatical accuracy.Kāda and Her Sisters are unique because they demand an action for their predicate.- Incorrect:
*كاد الجوُّ بارداً.(The weather almost cold.) –بارداً(cold) is an adjective. - Correct:
كاد الجوُّ يبردُ.(The weather almost became cold.) –يبردُ(becomes cold) is a present tense verb. - Incorrect:
*أوشك العمالُ متعبين.(The workers were almost tired.) –متعبين(tired) is an adjective. - Correct:
أوشك العمالُ أن يتعبوا.(The workers were about to get tired.) –أن يتعبوا(to get tired) is a verbal clause.
an (أن):an is a frequent source of error, particularly with Beginning Verbs.- Using
anwith Beginning Verbs: This is strictly forbidden. Beginning verbs imply an immediate, unmediated start to an action, makingan(which suggests potentiality or future action) incongruous. - Incorrect:
*بدأ المطرُ أن يهطلَ.(The rain began to fall.) - Correct:
بدأ المطرُ يهطلُ.(The rain began to fall.) - Omitting
anwhere it's obligatory (withحَرى,اخلولق): These verbs always requireanto properly form their verbal predicate. - Incorrect:
*حَرى المريضُ يشفى.(It is hoped the patient recovers.) - Correct:
حَرى المريضُ أن يشفى.(It is hoped the patient will recover.) - Omitting
anwhere it's highly frequent (withأوشك,عسى): While not strictly forbidden, omittinganwithأوشكorعسىcan sound less natural or more informal. - Less natural:
أوشك الخبرُ يأتيكَ.(The news is about to reach you.) - More natural/common:
أوشك الخبرُ أن يأتيكَ.(The news is about to reach you.)
فعل مضارع), even if the main verb (كاد or its sisters) is in the past tense. The main verb establishes the timeframe for the proximity, hope, or beginning, while the present tense predicate describes the action itself.- Incorrect:
*كادت الشمسُ غابتْ.(The sun almost set.) –غابتْis a past tense verb. - Correct:
كادت الشمسُ تغيبُ.(The sun almost set.) –تغيبُis a present tense verb.
إسم كاد وأخواتها) retains the nominative case (مرفوع), similar to the subject of Kāna.- Incorrect:
*عسى المؤمنَ أن يفوزَ.(Hopefully the believer wins.) –المؤمنَis accusative. - Correct:
عسى المؤمنُ أن يفوزَ.(Hopefully the believer wins.) –المؤمنُis nominative.
Kāna:أخذ as a beginning verb (when followed by a present tense verb) from أخذ meaning "to take" (when followed by a noun).أخذ الطالبُ الكتابَ.(The student took the book.)أخذ الطالبُ يقرأُ الكتابَ.(The student began reading the book.)
جعل when followed by a nominal predicate means "to make" or "to render" (جعلتُ الماءَ بارداً - I made the water cold), but with a verbal predicate, it becomes a beginning verb.Real Conversations
Understanding Kāda and Her Sisters is not just about mastering a syntactic rule; it's about unlocking a more native and nuanced way of expressing yourself in Arabic. These structures are integral to both formal and informal communication, providing a dynamic edge to everyday interactions, media consumption, and professional contexts.
1. In Formal and Media Contexts:
أوشك and كاد are frequently encountered in news reports, political analyses, and formal speeches to describe impending events or near misses, lending gravity and immediacy.
- News Headline: أوشك الاتفاقُ النوويُّ أن يُبرَمَ بعد مفاوضاتٍ شاقةٍ. (The nuclear agreement was about to be concluded after difficult negotiations.) – أوشك conveys the imminence of the agreement.
- Political Commentary: تكادُ الأوضاعُ الاقتصاديةُ تنهارُ في بعض البلدان النامية. (Economic conditions are almost collapsing in some developing countries.) – The present تكاد highlights a continuous, perilous state.
- Academic Discussion: كادتِ النظريةُ أن تثبتَ صحتها لولا بعض الاعتراضات. (The theory almost proved its validity were it not for some objections.) – Demonstrates a near confirmation.
2. In Everyday Discussions and Social Media:
While formal, these verbs also permeate casual conversation, adding expressive power to personal anecdotes or observations. بدأ and أخذ are especially common.
- Describing a new hobby: أخذتُ أتعلمُ العزفَ على العودِ منذ شهرٍ. (I started learning to play the oud a month ago.) – أخذتُ is a natural, conversational choice for initiating an activity.
- Parent to child: ابدأْ تأكلُ طعامَكَ قبل أن يبردَ. (Start eating your food before it gets cold.) – Imperative ابدأْ used in a common command.
- Expressing frustration online: يكادُ عقلي ينفجرُ من كثرةِ العملِ! (My mind is almost exploding from too much work!) – A vivid, emphatic use of يكاد.
- On a shared experience: عسى اللهُ أن يجمعَنا في الخير قريباً. (May Allah bring us together for good soon.) – A common expression of hope and prayer among friends and family, reflecting cultural values.
3. Differentiating أخذ (to take) and أخذ (to begin):
Context is paramount. When أخذ is followed directly by a present tense verb, its meaning shifts from "to take" to "to begin."
- "To take": أخذتُ الكتابَ من الرفِّ. (I took the book from the shelf.)
- **"To begin":أخذتُ أقرأُ الكتابَ. (I began reading the book.)
This demonstrates how the syntactic environment (noun vs. verbal predicate) fundamentally alters the semantic role of the verb, a principle common in Arabic where verb meanings are often polysemous and context-dependent.
4. Colloquial Variations (Brief Note):
While MSA rules are strict regarding an with beginning verbs, some regional dialects might occasionally use a construction analogous to بدأ أن يفعل, though this is generally considered non-standard in formal Arabic and should be avoided by learners aiming for MSA proficiency. For beginning, dialects frequently use بلش (ballash) or قام (qaam) with a present tense verb (e.g., بلّش يشتغل - he started working).
Quick FAQ
Kāda and Her Sisters.Kāda and Her Sisters be negated?Yes, they can. Negation typically occurs with the main auxiliary verb. For كاد, you can use ما كاد (almost didn't, barely) or لم يكد (barely, scarcely). For other verbs, standard negation particles apply.
- Example:
ما كاد يخرجُ حتى بدأ المطرُ.(He had barely left when the rain started.) - Example:
لم يكد يفهمُ السؤالَ.(He barely understood the question.) - Example:
ليس عسى أن ينجحَ.(It is not hoped that he succeeds.) – Though less common than negating the verb in the predicate.
Not all of them. كاد and أوشك have commonly used present tense forms (يكاد, يوشك), which function identically to their past tense counterparts in this grammatical pattern. However, most of the Hope Verbs (عسى, حَرى, اخلولق) and all Beginning Verbs (بدأ, أخذ, etc.) are typically used in their past tense form (فعل ماضٍ) when functioning as auxiliary verbs in this construction, even if the action refers to the present or future. These forms are often considered جامد (invariable) in this specific grammatical role.
Kāda and Her Sisters be a pronoun?Absolutely. The subject can be an attached pronoun (ضمير متصل) or a hidden pronoun (ضمير مستتر), just like with regular verbs and Kāna and Her Sisters.
- Example:
كدتُ أنسى اسمَه.(I almost forgot his name.) –تُis the subject pronoun. - Example:
كادوا يذهبون.(They almost left.) –واو الجماعةis the subject pronoun. - Example:
عسى (هو) أن ينجحَ.(Hopefully, he succeeds.) –هوis a hidden pronoun.
كاد and أوشك?Both express proximity, but with subtle differences. كاد often suggests a narrower margin or a near-miss, sometimes implying that the action almost happened but was averted (especially with negative contexts). It is less formal and generally avoids an. أوشك, conversely, often implies a stronger sense of imminence or certainty that the action will occur, and it very frequently takes an. It is also generally more formal.
كاد يسقطُ.(He almost fell, but didn't quite.)أوشك أن يسقطَ.(He was about to fall, implying a higher likelihood of falling.)
أخذ considered a beginning verb when it also means "to take"?The meaning of أخذ is determined by its syntactic context. When أخذ is immediately followed by a present tense verb that functions as its predicate (i.e., أخذ + فعل مضارع), it functions as a Beginning Verb, meaning "to start" or "to begin." When أخذ is followed by a noun (the object it takes), it retains its primary meaning of "to take" or "to seize."
أخذ الطفلُ يلعبُ.(The child began to play.) –أخذis a Beginning Verb.أخذ الطفلُ اللعبةَ.(The child took the toy.) –أخذis a regular verb.
Common Aspectual Verbs
| Verb | Category | Takes 'An'? | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
|
كاد
|
Proximity
|
Rarely
|
Almost
|
|
أوشك
|
Proximity
|
Yes
|
About to
|
|
عسى
|
Hope
|
Yes
|
Hopefully
|
|
شرع
|
Initiation
|
No
|
Started
|
|
طفق
|
Initiation
|
No
|
Began
|
Meanings
A group of verbs that function as 'Kana' but specifically indicate the proximity, hope, or initiation of an action.
Proximity (المقاربة)
Indicates an action is very close to happening.
“كادَ الوقتُ ينتهي”
“أوشك الصيفُ أن يرحل”
Hope (الرجاء)
Indicates a desire for an action to occur.
“عسى اللهُ أن يرحمنا”
“حَرَى الجوُّ أن يعتدل”
Initiation (الشروع)
Indicates the start of an action.
“شرعَ الطالبُ يدرس”
“أنشأ المهندسُ يخطط”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Verb + Subj + Verb
|
كاد المطر يهطل
|
|
Negative
|
Ma + Verb + Subj + Verb
|
ما كاد المطر يهطل
|
|
With 'An'
|
Verb + Subj + An + Verb
|
أوشك الوقت أن ينتهي
|
|
Initiation
|
Verb + Subj + Verb
|
شرع الطالب يدرس
|
Formality Spectrum
أوشك المطرُ أن يهطلَ (Weather report)
كاد المطرُ يهطل (Weather report)
المطر قرب ينزل (Weather report)
المطر خلاص بينزل (Weather report)
The Three Pillars of Kada
Proximity
- كاد almost
Hope
- عسى hopefully
Initiation
- شرع started
Examples by Level
كادَ القطارُ يصلُ
The train is almost arriving.
شرعَ الولدُ يكتبُ
The boy started writing.
عسى اللهُ أن يوفقنا
May God grant us success.
أوشك الوقتُ أن ينتهي
The time is about to end.
طفقَ الحضورُ يغادرون القاعة
The attendees began leaving the hall.
اخلولقَ المطرُ أن ينزل
The rain is likely to fall.
Easily Confused
Both take nominative subjects, but Kada requires a verbal predicate.
Both mean 'to start', but initiation verbs have specific syntactic rules.
Learners forget 'an' with hope verbs.
Common Mistakes
كاد الولدُ نائماً
كاد الولدُ ينامُ
كاد الولدَ ينام
كاد الولدُ ينام
شرع الولد أن يكتب
شرع الولد يكتب
عسى الولد ينجح
عسى الولد أن ينجح
أوشك الوقتُ ينتهي
أوشك الوقتُ أن ينتهي
كاد المطرُ أن يهطل
كاد المطرُ يهطل
طفقَ الطلابُ أن يدرسوا
طفقَ الطلابُ يدرسون
كادَ أن يغرقَ
كادَ يغرقُ
عسى المطرُ يهطلُ
عسى المطرُ أن يهطلَ
أنشأَ المهندسُ أن يبني
أنشأَ المهندسُ يبني
كادَ الأمرُ أن يكونَ سهلاً
كادَ الأمرُ يكونُ سهلاً
طفقَ الناسُ أن يتكلموا
طفقَ الناسُ يتكلمون
أوشك المريضُ يشفى
أوشك المريضُ أن يشفى
Sentence Patterns
كاد ___ ___
أوشك ___ أن ___
شرع ___ ___
عسى ___ أن ___
Real World Usage
أوشكت المفاوضات أن تنتهي
شرع الباحثون يحللون النتائج
كادت الشمس تغرب
عسى أن تجدكم رسالتي بخير
طفقنا نستمتع بالرحلة
أوشكت على إنهاء دراستي
Check the 'An'
No Nouns!
Use in Writing
Dialect vs Fusha
Smart Tips
Use 'Awshaka' instead of 'Kada' for a more professional tone.
Use 'Shara'a' to sound like a native narrator.
Always pair 'Asa' with 'an'.
Scan for any nouns following these verbs and change them to verbs.
Pronunciation
Emphasis
The verb should be stressed to indicate the urgency of the action.
Rising
عسى أن ينجح؟
Used when expressing hope as a question.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember 'Kada' as the 'Almost' sister who is always running to catch a verb.
Visual Association
Imagine a runner at the starting line (Initiation), a runner nearing the finish line (Proximity), and a fan hoping they win (Hope).
Rhyme
Kada is near, start with Shara'a, hope with Asa, keep the verb clear.
Story
The sun was almost setting (Kada). The birds started singing (Shara'a). I hoped the day would last longer (Asa).
Word Web
Challenge
Write three sentences describing your day using one verb from each category.
Cultural Notes
Often replaced by 'qarraba' in daily speech.
Uses 'Asa' frequently in blessings.
Prefers 'bada' over initiation verbs.
These verbs evolved from classical Arabic to express aspectual nuances.
Conversation Starters
هل أوشكتَ على إنهاء عملك؟
هل شرعتَ في تعلم لغة جديدة؟
هل عسى أن تسافر هذا الصيف؟
هل كاد الوقت أن يدركنا؟
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
___ المطرُ يهطلُ.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
كاد الولدُ نائماً.
أوشك الوقت ينتهي.
Initiation verbs take 'an'.
A: هل شرعت في العمل؟ B: ___.
أن / ينجح / عسى / الطالب
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises___ المطرُ يهطلُ.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
كاد الولدُ نائماً.
أوشك الوقت ينتهي.
Initiation verbs take 'an'.
A: هل شرعت في العمل؟ B: ___.
أن / ينجح / عسى / الطالب
Match: 1. كاد 2. شرع 3. عسى
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercises___ الشمس تشرق.
أخذ - يقرأ - الطالب - القصة
The baby started to cry.
Which one means 'The glass almost broke'?
How do you correct the 'Beginning' verb usage?
Match the following:
أوشك الصيفُ___ أن ينتهي.
Select the best formal sentence:
Use 'Asā.
The student almost succeeded.
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
Yes, but they are more common in formal settings. In dialects, other words are used.
It's a grammatical rule based on the verb's category. Initiation verbs never take it.
It can be used in the present, but past is more common.
It's grammatically incorrect. Always use a verb.
They are related but have different predicate requirements.
Use 'ma' or 'la' before the verb.
'Asa' is the most common.
Yes, dialects often simplify these into 'qarraba' or 'bada'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Estar a punto de + infinitive
Spanish uses an infinitive, while Arabic uses a finite verb.
Être sur le point de + infinitive
Arabic requires a conjugated verb.
Kurz davor sein zu + infinitive
Arabic is more concise.
~sou ni naru
Arabic uses a separate verb.
快要...了
Arabic uses verb conjugation.
أفعال المقاربة
N/A
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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