Verbs That Take Two Objects

Level 5

ظنّ وأخواتها (Zanna and its sisters) are 'abrogating' verbs that enter a nominal sentence, turning the subject into the first object and the predicate into the second object, both in the accusative case.

How It Works

In Arabic grammar, ظنّ وأخواتها are classified as nawāsikh (abrogators) because they change the grammatical state of a nominal sentence. They are traditionally divided into Af‘āl al-Qulūb (Verbs of the Heart) and Af‘āl al-Taḥwīl (Verbs of Transformation).

1. The Three Categories:

  • Verbs of Doubt/Preponderance (أفعال الرجحان): Expressing a belief that is likely but not certain. Examples: ظنّ (thought), حسب (deemed), زعم (claimed), خال (imagined), حجا (deemed), عدّ (counted/considered), and the imperative-only هَبْ (suppose).
  • Verbs of Certainty (أفعال اليقين): Expressing absolute knowledge. Examples: علم (knew), وجد (found/realized), رأى (deemed mentally), ألفى (found), درى (knew), and the imperative-only تَعَلَّمْ (know/learn).
  • Verbs of Transformation (أفعال التحويل): Expressing change. Examples: جعل (made), اتخذ (adopted), تخّذ (took), صيّر (turned into), وهب (rendered/made - used primarily in the past tense in this sense), ردّ (returned/turned), and ترك (left/rendered).

2. Grammatical Impact:
When these verbs enter a sentence, the original subject and predicate both become accusative. The subject becomes the First Object and the predicate becomes the Second Object. For example, al-imtiḥānu sahlun (The exam is easy) becomes Ẓanantu al-imtiḥāna sahlan (I thought the exam easy).

3. The Clause as an Object (المصدر المؤول):
Frequently, these verbs do not take two separate nouns. Instead, they are followed by a Masdar Mu'awwal (interpreted infinitive) clause, usually starting with أنَّ or أَنْ. In this case, the entire clause is said to "stand in the place of the two objects" (sadda masadda al-maf‘ūlayn). For example: Ẓanantu annaka musāfirun (I thought that you were traveling).

4. Cancellation and Suspension:

  • Cancellation (al-Ilghā’): If the verb is placed between the two objects or at the end, its grammatical work can be cancelled. In Modern Standard Arabic, cancellation is generally avoided if the verb is at the beginning.
  • Suspension (al-Ta‘līq): The verb's effect is suspended if certain particles come before the objects, preventing the accusative case from appearing. This occurs with negative particles (e.g., ‘alimtu mā Zaydun qā’imun), interrogative words (e.g., daraytu ayyuha al-rajulu fā’izun), or the emphatic Lām al-ibtidā’ (e.g., ‘alimtu la-Zaydun qā’imun).

5. Mental vs. Physical Verbs:
If a verb like ra’ā (to see) is used for physical sight, it takes only one direct object. In this case, any second noun describing the state of the object is parsed as a circumstantial adverb (ḥāl), not a second object.

Examples (6)

  1. ظَنَنْتُ السَّفَرَ قَرِيباً.

    I thought the journey [was] near.

    Word by Word: I-thought the-journey near.

    Here, 'the journey' and 'near' are both accusative because they are the two objects of the verb 'Zanna'.

  2. وَجَدْتُ العِلْمَ نُوراً.

    I found knowledge [to be] a light.

    Word by Word: I-found the-knowledge light.

    The verb 'wajada' here indicates a mental realization, thus taking two objects.

  3. جَعَلَ النَّجَّارُ الخَشَبَ بَاباً.

    The carpenter made the wood [into] a door.

    Word by Word: Made the-carpenter the-wood door.

    This is a verb of transformation; 'the wood' and 'a door' are the two objects.

  4. حَسِبْتُ الصَّدِيقَ أَخاً.

    I considered the friend [to be] a brother.

    Word by Word: I-considered the-friend brother.

    The verb 'hasiba' (to deem/consider) turns the original relationship into two accusative objects.

  5. ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّكَ مُسَافِرٌ.

    I thought that you were traveling.

    Word by Word: I-thought that-you traveling.

    In this sentence, the clause starting with 'anna' acts as a single unit that replaces both objects of the verb.

  6. عَلِمْتُ لَزَيْدٌ قَائِمٌ.

    I knew [that] surely Zayd is standing.

    Word by Word: I-knew surely-Zayd standing.

    This is an example of suspension (ta‘līq) where the emphatic Lām prevents the verb from making the nouns accusative, though the whole clause remains the object in meaning.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving the second object in the nominative case.

    ظننتُ الامتحانُ سهلٌ
    ظننتُ الامتحانَ سهلاً

    Both the subject and the predicate of the original sentence must change to the accusative case (-a/-an) when following Zanna.

  • Using two objects for physical 'seeing'.

    رأيتُ الهلالَ طالعاً (as two objects)
    رأيتُ الهلالَ طالعاً (as object + Hal)

    If you physically see something, the second noun is a 'Hal' (circumstantial adverb), not a second object. The two-object rule only applies to mental perception (e.g., 'I saw the truth to be clear').

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Verbs That Take Two ObjectsLevel 5

Learn This First

To understand 'Zanna and its sisters', you need to know how a basic sentence is structured. These verbs act upon a nominal sentence (Subject and Predicate), turning both parts into direct objects that must take the accusative case (Mansub).

Words in This Pattern

ظن