Arabic has a unique class of words called أسماء الأفعال (nouns functioning as verbs). These words generally remain frozen in one form and do not conjugate like regular verbs, but they carry the full meaning and force of a verb—often acting as commands or strong exclamations.
Directing the Audience and Speakers
When moderating a lively poetry recital, you can use verbal nouns to quickly manage the room. For example, صه means "hush" or "be quiet". Because its form is fixed, it looks the exact same whether you are addressing one person or an entire crowd:
| Hush, audience, the poet is reciting a poem that pleases the people. | صه أيها الجمهور، الشاعر يلقي قصيدة تعجب الناس.sah ayyuhâ al-jumhûru, ash-shâiru yulqî qasîdatan tujibu an-nâsa |
To encourage a speaker to go on, use إيه (continue / tell me more):
| Continue, Maryam, your poem is very beautiful. | إيه يا مريم، قصيدتك جميلة جدا.ih yâ maryamu, qasîdatuki jamîlatun jiddan |
To express strong approval or delight, use بخ (bravo / well done). It is often repeated as بخ بخ for extra emphasis:
| Bravo, bravo, this is a wonderful poem that describes love. | بخ بخ، هذه قصيدة رائعة تصف الحب.bakhin bakhin, hâdhihi qasîdatun râi'atun tasifu-l-hubba. |
While most verbal nouns are completely frozen, a few originated from prepositions or adverbs and take a pronoun suffix that matches the person you are addressing. For instance, رويدك (slow down) ends with the pronoun ـك, functioning as a verbal noun command:
| Slow down, sir, do not read quickly. | رويدك يا سيدي، لا تقرأ بسرعة.ruwaydaka yâ sayyidî, lâ taqra' bisur'ah. |
Expressing Impossibility and Contrast
Some verbal nouns act like past or present tense verbs to comment on a situation. هيهات means "far from it" or "impossible":
| Far from it that Maryam will forget this poem. | هيهات أن تنسى مريم هذه القصيدة.hayhâta an tansâ maryamu hâdhihi al-qasîdah |
شتان means "what a difference!" and is almost always followed by the preposition بين (between) to draw a sharp contrast:
| What a difference between a creative writer and an ignorant writer, art is not easy. | شتان بين كاتب مبدع وكاتب جاهل، ليس الفن بسهل.shattâna bayna kâtibin mubdi'in wa kâtibin jâhilin, laysa l-fannu bisahlin |
Handing Over and Calling Forth
To offer a prize or prop to a speaker, use دونك (take / here is). Like رويدك, it accepts a pronoun suffix matching who you are speaking to:
| Take the prize, Fatima, you have won the competition. | دونك الجائزة يا فاطمة، لقد فزت في المسابقة.dûnaki l-jâ'izata yâ fâtimatu, laqad fuzti fi l-musâbaqati. |
To call a performer forward to the stage, use the command هلم (come):
| Come to the platform, O winner. | هلم إلى المنصة أيها الفائز.halumma ilâ al-minassati ayyuha al-fâ'iz. |
Expressing Annoyance
Finally, verbal nouns can express sudden, strong emotions. أف translates to "ugh," carrying the force of a present-tense verb meaning "I am annoyed":
| Ugh, this writer is reading a very boring poem. | أف، هذه الكاتبة تقرأ قصيدة مملة جدا.uff, hâdhihi al-kâtibatu taqra'u qasîdatan mumillatan jiddan. |