Lesson 91 · غَفُورٌ
Very and always: intensive forms like غَفُورٌ and فَعَّالٌ
To say someone does something a lot, or very much, Arabic uses special patterns instead of the plain doer word فَاعِلٌ. غَافِرٌ is “one who forgives”, but غَفُورٌ is “ever-forgiving”. These are called صِيَغُ الْمُبَالَغَةِ (forms of intensity).
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Examples
إِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌinna llaaha ghafuurun raḥiimunAllah is ever-forgiving, most merciful.
الْجَمَلُ صَبُورٌal-jamalu ṣabuurunThe camel is very patient.
لَا تُصَدِّقْهُ، إِنَّهُ كَذَّابٌlaa tuṣaddiqhu, innahuu kadhdhaabunDon’t believe him; he is a big liar.
أَبِي نَجَّارٌabii najjaarunMy father is a carpenter.
الثَّلَّاجَةُ فِي الْمَطْبَخِath-thallaajatu fi l-maṭbakhiThe fridge is in the kitchen.
وَهَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُwa-hab lanaa min ladunka raḥmatan innaka anta l-wahhaabuAnd grant us mercy from You; You are the Giver. (3:8)
Key points
- Five common patterns: فَعَّالٌ عَلَّامٌ all-knowing, كَذَّابٌ big liar · فَعُولٌ غَفُورٌ, صَبُورٌ very patient · فَعِيلٌ رَحِيمٌ, سَمِيعٌ all-hearing · مِفْعَالٌ مِقْدَامٌ very bold · فَعِلٌ حَذِرٌ very careful.
- Many of the names of Allah use them: الْغَفُورُ, الرَّحِيمُ, الْوَهَّابُ (the Giver), الرَّزَّاقُ (the Provider), الْعَلِيمُ. You will often read إِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ.
- فَعَّالٌ also names jobs, because a job is done again and again: خَبَّازٌ baker · نَجَّارٌ carpenter · طَبَّاخٌ cook. With ـة it names machines: غَسَّالَةٌ washing machine · ثَلَّاجَةٌ fridge · سَمَّاعَةٌ headphones.
Practice
Tap a question to see the answer.
Make the intensive form of صَبَرَ (be patient) on فَعُولٌ.
صَبُورٌ ṣabuurun
Make “a baker” from خَبَزَ (bake bread).
خَبَّازٌ khabbaazun
Say “Allah is all-hearing, all-knowing.”
اللّٰهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ allaahu samiiʿun ʿaliimun
