Advice without must
To advise someone without the bluntness of يجب, Arabic uses an impersonal frame: من + a definite adjective + أن + a verb in the subjunctive. من الأفضل أن(mina l-afdali an) is literally of the better that: it is better to. The frame never changes; the person shows only in the verb.
| It is better that you sleep early tonight. | من الأفضل أن تنام مبكرا الليلة.mina al-afdali an tanâma mubakkiran al-laylata |
| It is better that we go to the doctor now. | من الأفضل أن نذهب إلى الطبيب الآن.mina l-afdali an nadhhaba ila t-tabibi l-ana |
Necessary or not
من الضروري أن(mina ddarûriyyi an) and من اللازم أن(mina l-lâzimi an) say what has to happen, more formally than يجب. Put ليس in front for it is not necessary.
| It is not necessary that you go to the hospital. | ليس من الضروري أن تذهب إلى المستشفى.laysa mina addarûriyyi an tadhhaba ilâ almustashfâ |
| It is required that the patient rest for a week. | من اللازم أن يستريح المريض لمدة أسبوع.mina l-lâzimi an yastarîha al-marîdu limuddati usbû'in. |
How likely?
| frame | meaning |
|---|---|
| من الممكن أن | it is possible that |
| من المحتمل أن(mina al-muhtamali an) | it is likely that |
| من المرجح أن(mina al-murajjahi an) | it is probable that (the odds favour it) |
| من المتوقع أن(mina al-mutawaqqa'i an) | it is expected that |
| It is likely that the child's temperature will increase at night. | من المحتمل أن تزيد حرارة الطفل في الليل.mina al-muhtamali an tazeeda harâratu at-tifli fee al-layli. |
With كان in front, the frame moves into the past:
| It was expected that the patient would leave today. | كان من المتوقع أن يخرج المريض اليوم.kâna mina almutawaqqa'i an yakhruja almarîdu alyawma |
A known fact
من المعروف أن(mina al-ma'rufi anna) introduces a fact, not an action, so what follows is أنّ with a noun and its description, like any that-clause, instead of a subjunctive verb.
| It is well known that sugar is harmful to health. | من المعروف أن السكر مضر بالصحة.mina al-ma'rufi anna as-sukkara mudirrun bis-sihhati |
بإمكان: can
بإمكان(bi'imkâni) (in the power of) takes a noun or an attached pronoun, then أن and the subjunctive: بإمكاني I can, بإمكانك you can, بإمكان الطبيب the doctor can. ليس بإمكاني is I can't.
| The doctor can examine you now. | بإمكان الطبيب أن يفحصك الآن.bi'imkâni ttabîbi an yafhasaka al'âna. |
| I can't sleep because of the cough. | ليس بإمكاني أن أنام بسبب السعال.laysa bi'imkâni an anâma bisababi s-su'âl. |
