A Whole Sentence as the Comment
In Arabic, the 'news' or comment about a subject (المبتدأ) doesn't have to be a single word; it can be an entire sentence. This allows for more complex descriptions, like 'The house, its windows are large' instead of just 'The house is large.'
How It Works
In a standard Subject and Comment structure, the predicate usually provides information about the subject. While a single noun or adjective is common, Arabic frequently uses a whole sentence as the predicate.
There are two types of sentence predicates:1. Nominal Sentence Predicate (جملة اسمية):
Here, the predicate is itself a small nominal sentence consisting of a second subject and its own comment.
Example: الحديقةُ أشجارُها مثمرةٌ (The garden, its trees are fruitful).
• 'The garden' is the main subject.
• 'Its trees are fruitful' is the predicate sentence.
• The suffix ـها (its) is the رابط (link) connecting the trees to the garden.
2. Verbal Sentence Predicate (جملة فعلية):
Here, the predicate is a verbal sentence starting with a verb.
Example: المعلمُ يشرحُ الدرسَ (The teacher explains the lesson).
• 'The teacher' is the subject.
• 'Explains the lesson' is the predicate sentence.
• The link here is a 'hidden pronoun' (هو - he) inside the verb يشرح.
Key Rules:
- The main subject must be definite (معرفة). An indefinite subject is only allowed if it has a specific justification, such as being preceded by a negation or interrogation, or being followed by an adjective (النعت).
- The predicate sentence must have a رابط (link) that connects it back to the subject. There are four primary types of links:
1. A Pronoun (explicit or hidden) matching the subject in gender and number.
2. Repetition of the Subject (إعادة المبتدأ بلفظه) for emphasis, e.g., الحاقةُ ما الحاقةُ.
3. A Demonstrative pointing to the subject, like هذا.
4. A General Term (عموم) that encompasses the subject. - Identity Exception: If the predicate sentence is identical in meaning to the subject (e.g., 'My speech is: Allah is my sufficiency'), no linking pronoun is required.
- For non-human plurals, the linking pronoun should be singular feminine (e.g., الكتبُ نفعُها كبيرٌ).
- Grammatically, we say the sentence is في محل رفع خبر (in the place of a nominative predicate).
Examples (4)
- البنتُ شعرُها طويلٌ
The girl, her hair is long.
Word by Word: The girl hair-her long.
This is a nominal sentence predicate. 'Her hair is long' describes the girl. The pronoun '-ha' (her) links the hair to the girl.
- الطلابُ يدرسون بجدٍّ
The students study hard.
Word by Word: The students they-study with-diligence.
This is a verbal sentence predicate. The verb 'study' contains the plural 'waw' which acts as the link to 'the students'.
- المدينةُ شوارعُها واسعةٌ
The city, its streets are wide.
Word by Word: The city streets-its wide.
A nominal sentence predicate where 'its streets are wide' provides the news about the city.
- الأمُّ تحبُّ أطفالَها
The mother loves her children.
Word by Word: The mother she-loves children-her.
A verbal sentence predicate. The hidden pronoun 'she' in the verb 'loves' links back to 'the mother'.
Common Mistakes
Omitting the linking pronoun (the Rabit).
الرجل البيت كبيرالرجل بيتُه كبيرWithout the pronoun '-hu' (his), the words 'the man' and 'house is large' are grammatically disconnected. You must link them.
Gender mismatch in the linking pronoun.
البنت أبوه مريضالبنت أبوها مريضThe linking pronoun must match the main subject's gender. Using the masculine '-hu' for a female subject like 'the girl' is incorrect; you must use the feminine '-ha'.
Incorrect agreement with non-human plurals.
الكتب نفعهم كبيرالكتب نفعها كبيرAs per the rule Plural Things Take a Feminine Singular Adjective, non-human plural subjects require the linking pronoun to be singular feminine (-ha) rather than plural (-hum).
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'الخبر الجملة' (The Sentence as a Comment), you must first be comfortable with the basic Subject-Comment (Mubtada' and Khabar) structure. You also need to know how to form complete nominal and verbal sentences, as these will now function as a single unit within a larger sentence. Finally, understanding attached pronouns is crucial because a sentence-comment almost always requires a pronoun that links it back to the main subject.
- Subject and Comment
The learner must first understand the basic structure of a nominal sentence (Subject and Comment) before learning that the Comment itself can be a complex sentence.
Level 1 - Possessive Endings on Nouns
A sentence serving as a comment requires a 'link' (رابط), which is typically a possessive pronoun attached to a noun within that sentence pointing back to the subject.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- Comments Made of a Phrase
Another type of predicate where a prepositional phrase or adverb acts as the comment.
Level 4 - Describing an Indefinite Noun
Often confused with sentence predicates; these are sentences that describe indefinite nouns as adjectives.
Level 3 - The Case and Mood Endings
Understanding case positions is necessary to realize the whole sentence is 'in the place of' a nominative noun.
Foundations
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice A Whole Sentence as the Comment in Bubblegum
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