Lesson 70 · كَادَ
Almost, began, perhaps: كَادَ, بَدَأَ, عَسَى
Some verbs work like كَانَ (lesson 25), but what follows them is a present verb: كَادَ الْقِطَارُ يَتَحَرَّكُ (the train was about to move). بَدَأَ and أَخَذَ mean “began”: أَخَذَ الطِّفْلُ يَبْكِي (the child began to cry). عَسَى means “perhaps, it may be”: عَسَى أَنْ تَنْجَحَ (perhaps you will succeed).
Learn with pictures
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Examples
كِدْتُ أَنْسَى الْمَوْعِدَkidtu ansaa l-mawʿidaI almost forgot the appointment.
كَادَ الْقِطَارُ يَتَحَرَّكُkaada l-qiṭaaru yataḥarrakuThe train was about to move.
بَدَأَ الْمَطَرُ يَنْزِلُbada’a l-maṭaru yanziluThe rain began to fall.
أَخَذَ الطِّفْلُ يَبْكِيakhadha ṭ-ṭiflu yabkiiThe child began to cry.
عَسَى أَنْ تَنْجَحَʿasaa an tanjaḥaPerhaps you will succeed.
يَكَادُ الْبَرْقُ يَخْطَفُ أَبْصَارَهُمْyakaadu l-barqu yakhṭafu abṣaarahumThe lightning almost snatches away their sight.
Key points
- Almost: كَادَ يَكَادُ + present verb, with no أَنْ: كِدْتُ أَنْسَى (I almost forgot). In the Quran: يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ (its oil would almost glow).
- Began: بَدَأَ, أَخَذَ, شَرَعَ, جَعَلَ + present verb: بَدَأَ يَكْتُبُ (he started writing). بَدَأَ can also take a verbal noun: بَدَأَ الْكِتَابَةَ.
- Perhaps, may: عَسَى + أَنْ + verb: عَسَى اللّٰهُ أَنْ يَشْفِيَهُ (may Allah heal him). لَعَلَّ (lesson 43) has a similar meaning.
Practice
Tap a question to see the answer.
Say “I almost fell.” (سَقَطَ يَسْقُطُ)
كِدْتُ أَسْقُطُ kidtu asquṭu
Say “The students began to write.”
بَدَأَ الطُّلَّابُ يَكْتُبُونَ bada’a ṭ-ṭullaabu yaktubuuna
Say “Perhaps he will come.”
عَسَى أَنْ يَأْتِيَ ʿasaa an ya’tiya