When dealing with safety hazards, chemical leaks, or DIY repair accidents, use the Warning Style (أسلوب التحذير) to issue strong, immediate warnings.
The Warning Particle (إيا)
The particle (إيا) is used to issue strong commands and warnings, translating to "Beware of..." or "Watch out for...". Attach a second-person pronoun suffix to specify who you are warning:
| Person | Suffix | Warning Pronoun | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Sg. | ك | إياك | Beware (you, sg.) |
| 2nd Plural | كم | إياكم | Beware (you, pl.) |
Structuring the Warning
Follow the warning pronoun with the conjunction (و) and the hazard (which takes the accusative case in formal Arabic).
[إيا] + [pronoun suffix] + [و] + [hazard]
The hazard can be a physical object, like a sharp blade or a spark.
| Beware of the sharp blade when you cut the wood. | إياك والشفرة الحادة حينما تقطع الخشب.iyyâka wash-shafratal-hâdda hînamâ taqta'u al-khashab |
| Beware of the spark; the material caught fire during the welding. | إياكم والشرارة؛ لقد اشتعلت المادة أثناء اللحام.iyyâkum wash-sharârata; laqadi shta'alat il-mâddatu athnâ'a l-lihâmi. |
| Beware of the electricity shock after you find the water leak. | إياك وصعقة الكهرباء بعدما تجد تسرب الماء.iyyâka wa sa'qata al-kahrabâ'i ba'damâ tajidu tasarruba al-mâ'i |
Warning Against Actions
You can also warn against a dangerous action by using a verbal noun, such as "inhaling" (استنشاق).
| Beware of inhaling the chemical materials in a room without ventilation. | إياكم واستنشاق المواد الكيميائية في غرفة بدون تهوية.iyyâkum wastinshâqa almawâddi alkîmiyâ'iyyati fî ghurfatin bidûni tahwiyatin |
These warnings are often connected to another clause to provide context for the danger.
| The welding became dangerous, so beware of the spark. | أصبح اللحام خطيرا، لذا إياكم والشرارة.asbaha al-lihâmu khatîran, lidhâ iyyâkum wa-sh-sharârah. |
| The wire caught fire when he walked near the oven, so beware of the shock! | اشتعل السلك حينما مشى قرب الفرن، فإياك والصعقة!ishta'ala as-silku hînamâ mashâ qurba l-furni, fa-iyyâka wa-ssa'qah |
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