Lesson 48 · مُسْرِعًا
How did he come? Describing the state (الْحَال)
To say how someone did something, add a describing word ending in -an after the sentence: جَاءَ الطَّالِبُ مُسْرِعًا (the student came in a hurry). Grammarians call this the حَال, the state.
Learn with pictures
Tap a picture to hear the sentence.
Examples
جَاءَ الطَّالِبُ مُسْرِعًاjaa’a ṭ-ṭaalibu musriʿanThe student came in a hurry.
رَجَعَتِ الْبِنْتُ فَرِحَةًrajaʿati l-bintu fariḥatanThe girl came back happy.
ذَهَبْتُ إِلَى الْعَمَلِ مَاشِيًاdhahabtu ila l-ʿamali maashiyanI went to work on foot.
دَخَلَ الْأَطْفَالُ ضَاحِكِينَdakhala l-aṭfaalu ḍaaḥikiinaThe children came in laughing.
أَكَلْتُ الطَّعَامَ جَالِسًاakaltu ṭ-ṭaʿaama jaalisanI ate the food sitting down.
كَيْفَ جِئْتَ؟ جِئْتُ رَاكِبًاkayfa ji’ta? ji’tu raakibanHow did you come? I came riding.
Key points
- It matches the person in gender and number: جَاءَتِ الْبِنْتُ مُسْرِعَةً · جَاءُوا مُسْرِعِينَ.
- Many are doer forms from lesson 35: رَاكِبًا riding · مَاشِيًا on foot · ضَاحِكًا laughing · جَالِسًا sitting.
- Ask about it with كَيْفَ: كَيْفَ جِئْتَ؟ جِئْتُ مَاشِيًا (How did you come? I came on foot.)
Practice
Tap a question to see the answer.
Say “He came on foot.”
جَاءَ مَاشِيًا jaa’a maashiyan
Say “She came back happy.”
رَجَعَتْ فَرِحَةً rajaʿat fariḥatan
Say “I drank the water standing.”
شَرِبْتُ الْمَاءَ قَائِمًا sharibtu l-maa’a qaa’iman