Quranic Arabic Glossary: Grammar Terms Explained Simply

Use this glossary alongside Quranic Arabic grammar basics and Namaz meaning word by word. Each entry has its own link, so you can share a single term.

اسْم Ism

A noun: a word that names a person, thing, place, quality or idea, such as رَبّ (Lord) or الْحَمْد (the praise). Pronouns and adjectives also count as ism.

فِعْل Fe’il (Fiʿl)

A verb: a word that shows an action tied to time, such as نَعْبُدُ (we worship).

حَرْف Harf

A particle: a word that has meaning only together with other words, such as بِ (in, with) or لِ (for).

إِعْرَاب Iʿrāb

The change in a word’s ending that shows its role in the sentence. It is why the same word can end in -u, -a or -i.

رَفْع Rafʿ (marfūʿ)

The nominative case, usually marked by a ḍamma (-u). The subject of a sentence is marfūʿ: الْحَمْدُ.

نَصْب Naṣb (manṣūb)

The accusative case, usually marked by a fatḥa (-a). The object of a verb is manṣūb: إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ.

جَرّ Jarr (majrūr)

The genitive case, usually marked by a kasra (-i). A noun after a preposition is majrūr: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ.

ضَمَّة Ḍamma

The short vowel “u” written as a small wāw above the letter.

فَتْحَة Fatḥa

The short vowel “a” written as a small stroke above the letter.

كَسْرَة Kasra

The short vowel “i” written as a small stroke below the letter.

سُكُون Sukūn

A small circle above a letter showing it has no vowel.

تَنْوِين Tanwīn

A doubled vowel mark that adds an “n” sound (-un, -an, -in). It usually marks a noun as indefinite: هُدًى (a guidance).

الْ Al- (definite article)

The prefix meaning “the”. A noun with al- never takes tanwīn: الْكِتَابُ (the Book).

مُبْتَدَأ Mubtada’

The subject of a nominal sentence (a sentence that begins with a noun). In الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ the mubtada’ is الْحَمْدُ.

خَبَر Khabar

The predicate of a nominal sentence: what is said about the mubtada’. In اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ the khabar is أَكْبَرُ.

فَاعِل Fāʿil

The doer of a verb’s action. In نَعْبُدُ the doer is “we”, contained in the verb.

مَفْعُول بِهِ Mafʿūl bihi

The direct object: the one the action falls on. It is manṣūb.

إِضَافَة Iḍāfa

The possessive construction “X of Y”, such as رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (Lord of the worlds). The second noun is always majrūr.

مُضَاف / مُضَاف إِلَيْه Muḍāf / Muḍāf ilayh

The first and second terms of an iḍāfa. In اسْمِ اللَّهِ, اسْمِ is the muḍāf and اللَّهِ is the muḍāf ilayh.

حَرْف جَرّ Ḥarf jarr

A preposition such as بِ، لِ، مِنْ، فِي، عَلَىٰ. The noun after it is majrūr.

ضَمِير Ḍamīr

A pronoun. It can be detached (أَنْتَ, إِيَّاكَ) or attached to a word (رَبُّنَا, “our Lord”).

صِفَة Ṣifa (naʿt)

An adjective. It follows its noun and matches it in case and definiteness: الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ.

مَاضٍ Māḍī

The past-tense verb, such as أَنْعَمْتَ (You have favoured).

مُضَارِع Muḍāriʿ

The present/future-tense verb, marked by a prefix: نَعْبُدُ (we worship), نَسْتَعِينُ (we ask for help).

أَمْر Amr

The command (imperative) verb, such as اهْدِنَا (guide us) and اقْرَأْ (read).

جِذْر Jidhr (root)

The usually three-letter core that carries a word’s basic meaning. ح م د gives حَمْد (praise), مَحْمُود (praised) and مُحَمَّد.

وَزْن Wazn (pattern)

The template a root is poured into. The pattern أَفْعَل gives أَكْبَر (greater) and أَعْلَىٰ (higher).

مُفْرَد، مُثَنًّى، جَمْع Mufrad, Muthannā, Jamʿ

Singular, dual (exactly two) and plural. Arabic has a separate form for two.

مُذَكَّر / مُؤَنَّث Mudhakkar / Mu’annath

Masculine and feminine. Many feminine nouns end in tā’ marbūṭa (ة), such as رَحْمَة (mercy).

خُشُوع Khushūʿ

Humility and presence of heart in prayer. Understanding what you recite helps build it.

تَجْوِيد Tajwīd

The rules for reciting the Qur’an correctly. It is about sound; grammar is about meaning.

تَفْسِير Tafsīr

Explanation and commentary of the Qur’an by scholars. Grammar helps you follow a tafsīr more closely.

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