Lesson 93 · جَلْسَةٌ
Once, and in what way: جَلْسَةٌ and جِلْسَةٌ
From a three-letter verb, the pattern فَعْلَةٌ means doing the action once: جَلَسَ (sit) → جَلْسَةٌ (one sitting, a session). With a kasra, فِعْلَةٌ means the way of doing it: جِلْسَةٌ (a way of sitting).
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Examples
طَرَقْتُ الْبَابَ طَرْقَةًṭaraqtu l-baaba ṭarqatanI knocked on the door once.
شَرِبْتُ شَرْبَةَ مَاءٍsharibtu sharbata maa’inI had a drink of water.
نَظَرَ إِلَيَّ نَظْرَةًnaẓara ilayya naẓratanHe gave me a look.
يَمْشِي مِشْيَةَ الْمَلِكِyamshii mishyata l-malikiHe walks like a king.
عَاشَ عِيشَةً سَعِيدَةًʿaasha ʿiishatan saʿiidatanHe lived a happy life.
اِبْتَسَمَتِ ابْتِسَامَةً جَمِيلَةًibtasamati btisaamatan jamiilatanShe gave a lovely smile.
Key points
- Once (اسْمُ الْمَرَّةِ): طَرَقْتُ الْبَابَ طَرْقَةً (I knocked on the door once) · نَظْرَةٌ a glance · ضَرْبَةٌ a blow · أَكْلَةٌ a meal. For twice, use the dual: طَرْقَتَيْنِ.
- Manner (اسْمُ الْهَيْئَةِ) usually has a describing word or an owner after it: يَمْشِي مِشْيَةَ الْمَلِكِ (he walks like a king) · عَاشَ عِيشَةً سَعِيدَةً (he lived a happy life).
- Longer verbs make “once” by adding ـة to the verbal noun: اِبْتَسَمَ → اِبْتِسَامَةٌ (a smile) · اِلْتَفَتَ → اِلْتِفَاتَةٌ (a turn of the head). If the verbal noun already ends in ـة, add وَاحِدَةً: إِقَامَةً وَاحِدَةً (one stay).
Practice
Tap a question to see the answer.
Say “I jumped once.” Jump: قَفَزَ.
قَفَزْتُ قَفْزَةً qafaztu qafzatan
Say “I knocked twice.”
طَرَقْتُ طَرْقَتَيْنِ ṭaraqtu ṭarqatayni
Say “He sat the way a teacher sits.”
جَلَسَ جِلْسَةَ الْمُدَرِّسِ jalasa jilsata l-mudarrisi
