how do i use al-masdar?
I'm learning about masdar in my Arabic class. i learned about idaffa but i don't know how to use masdar. do you always put a masdar after the verb? how does it connect to idaffa? as for the forms do i have to follow all the forms or is their an easy way? thanks in advance.
Comments
Al masdar is the noun describing an action. It is called masdar "source", because it is the source of actions.
Examples:
ركضا: running
قراءة: reading
شعورا: feeling
You do not have to always use the masdar after the verb. When you use the masdar after the verb:
1) It is either for emphasis: سعى علي لهدفه سعيا
2) It is used to describe how the action was done: eg. قال قولا جميلا/ ركض ركضا سريعا
Masdar has many uses: it can be the subject, the object, mubtada, khabar, etc.
In some cases the masdar takes the place of its corresponding verb, and thus may itself take a subject and an object. One of the cases in which this occurs, is when the masdar is mudaf to either:
1) The subject:
Example: ولولا دَفْع’ الله الناس بعضهم ببعض لفسدت الأرض) 251 البقرة)
الناس here is the object, and thus it has a fatha on the end, inspite of the fact that there is no verb preceeding it. The masdar دَفْع (for the verb دَفَعَ) is what affected الناس
2) The object
3) A zarf "ظرف": which is a word specifying time or place
Following the forms is the easiest way to form the masdar from the verb. With much reading, and with time, you will be doing it easily without even noticing.