Distributive Repetition
To express an action happening gradually across a sequence—like "street by street," "house by house," or "group by group"—Arabic simply repeats the noun.
Both instances of the repeated noun must be in the indefinite accusative case (typically ending in ـاً). This repeated noun phrase functions as an adverb, describing the manner in which the action unfolds.
| The dawn light crept in, and the street lighting turned off street by street. | تسلل ضوء الفجر وانطفأت إنارة الشوارع شارعا شارعا.tasallala daw'u al-fajri wantafa'at inâratu ash-shawâri'i shâri'an shâri'an |
| The workers were sleeping, but the vitality crept into the city house by house. | كان العمال نائمين لكن الحيوية تسللت إلى المدينة بيتا بيتا.kâna al-'ummâlu nâ'imîna lâkini al-hayawiyyatu tasallalat ilâ al-madînati baytan baytan |
| The female workers arrived at the market group by group. | وصلت العاملات إلى السوق فوجا فوجا.wasalati l-âmilâtu ilâ s-sûqi fawjan fawjan |
Expressing "Little by Little"
To express that a change or action is happening "little by little" or "gradually," Arabic repeats the word شيء (thing).
In this specific phrase, the two indefinite accusative nouns are joined by the particle ف (and/so), resulting in the fixed expression شيئاً فشيئاً.
| The gloom of the city dissipated little by little. | تبددت عتمة المدينة شيئا فشيئا.tabaddadat 'atamatu al-madînati shay'an fashay'an |
| The street sweeper began his work before the clamor emanated little by little. | بدأ الكناس عمله قبل أن ينبعث الضجيج شيئا فشيئا.bada'a alkannâsu amalahu qabla an yanbaitha addajîju shay'an fashay'an. |
| The city is very beautiful before the gloom dissipates little by little. | المدينة جميلة جدا قبل أن تتبدد العتمة شيئا فشيئا.al-madînatu jamîlatun jiddan qabla 'an tatabaddada al-atamatu shay'an fashay'an |
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