To express that an action happens "rarely" or "seldom" in Modern Standard Arabic, you can use a special compound particle.
The Compound Particle (قلما)
To say that someone rarely does something, use the following word:
| rarely (followed by a verb) | قلماqallamâ |
Grammatically, this word is a combination of the verb قل (to be little or rare) and the particle ما. The addition of ما blocks the verb from taking a normal noun subject. Instead, it allows the word to function like a particle that is followed directly by a verbal clause.
Because it typically describes rare habits or general truths, it is most often followed by a present tense verb.
| The company manager rarely acts hastily in her work. | مديرة الشركة قلما تتسرع في عملها.mudiiratu ash-sharikati qallamaa tatasarra'u fii 'amaliha |
| We rarely intentionally offend our friends. | قلما نتعمد أن نسيء إلى أصدقائنا.qallamā nata'ammadu an nusī'a ilâ aṣdiqâ'inâ |
In Complex Sentences
You will often see قلما placed in the second half of a sentence to show the rare result of a specific trigger or situation. It can directly follow conjunctions or time clauses.
| When my brother acts hastily, I am rarely displeased with him. | عندما يتسرع أخي، قلما أستاء منه.'indamâ yatasarra'u akhî, qallamâ astâ'u minhu. |
When قلما introduces the result clause of a conditional sentence (such as after إن, meaning "if"), it must be preceded by the prefix فـ, becoming فقلما.
| If you break your appointment, your friend rarely admonishes you. | إن أخلفت موعدك، فقلما يعاتبك صديقك.in akhlafta maw'idaka, faqallamâ yu'âtibuka sadîquka. |
Expanding Your Vocabulary
Notice how قلما stays tightly bound to the verb it modifies, even as sentences become longer or introduce new concepts like boasting or underestimating.
| The team became strong, and it rarely boasts about its success or underestimates its opponent. | أصبح الفريق قويا، وقلما يتفاخر بنجاحه أو يستهين بخصمه.asbaha al-fariiqu qawiyyan, wa qallamaa yatafaakharu binajaahihi aw yastahiinu bikhasmihi |
| The doctor rarely underestimates the disease; rather, she always consults her colleagues. | قلما تستهين الطبيبة بالمرض، بل تستشير زملاءها دائما.qallamâ tastaheenu at-tabeebatu bil-maradi, bal tastasheeru zumalâ'ahâ dâ'iman. |