Lesson 94 · حُرِّيَّةٌ
Verbal nouns with مَـ, and ideas with ـِيَّةٌ
Besides the ordinary verbal noun (lesson 47), many verbs have one that starts with مَـ: رَجَعَ (return) → مَرْجِعٌ (a return). It means the same as the ordinary verbal noun. Grammarians call it الْمَصْدَرُ الْمِيمِيُّ.
Learn with pictures
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Examples
إِلَى اللّٰهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْila llaahi marjiʿukumTo Allah is your return. (5:48)
عِنْدِي مَوْعِدٌ مَعَ الطَّبِيبِʿindii mawʿidun maʿa ṭ-ṭabiibiI have an appointment with the doctor.
الْحُرِّيَّةُ نِعْمَةٌal-ḥurriyyatu niʿmatunFreedom is a blessing.
هٰذِهِ مَسْؤُولِيَّتِيhaadhihi mas’uuliyyatiiThis is my responsibility.
لَهُ شَخْصِيَّةٌ قَوِيَّةٌlahuu shakhṣiyyatun qawiyyatunHe has a strong personality.
سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِsalaamun hiya ḥattaa maṭlaʿi l-fajriPeace it is, until the rising of dawn. (97:5)
Key points
- Usually مَفْعَلٌ, sometimes مَفْعِلٌ: مَطْلَعٌ rising · مَسْعًى effort · مَرْجِعٌ return · مَوْعِدٌ promise, appointment · مَصِيرٌ destiny. In the Quran: إِلَى اللّٰهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ (to Allah is your return).
- Longer verbs use the same shape as their “thing done” word (lesson 85): اِنْطَلَقَ → مُنْطَلَقٌ (a starting point) · اِلْتَقَى → مُلْتَقًى (a meeting).
- To make an abstract idea, add ـِيَّةٌ to a word: حُرٌّ free → حُرِّيَّةٌ freedom · إِنْسَانٌ → إِنْسَانِيَّةٌ humanity · شَخْصٌ → شَخْصِيَّةٌ personality · مَسْؤُولٌ → مَسْؤُولِيَّةٌ responsibility. This is الْمَصْدَرُ الصِّنَاعِيُّ, common in the news and at work.
Practice
Tap a question to see the answer.
Make “humanity” from إِنْسَانٌ.
إِنْسَانِيَّةٌ insaaniyyatun
Ask “Where is the meeting place?” using مُلْتَقًى.
أَيْنَ الْمُلْتَقَى؟ ayna l-multaqaa?
Say “I have an appointment tomorrow.”
عِنْدِي مَوْعِدٌ غَدًا ʿindii mawʿidun ghadan
