Questions & Answers about محرك السيارة قوي.
Why doesn't the word for engine (محرك) have the prefix ال (the) in front of it?
In an Arabic possessive phrase (Idafa), the first word (the thing possessed) never takes ال (the). It automatically becomes a specific, definite thing because the second word, السيارة (the car), has ال. Together, they mean 'the engine of the car'.
The word for car (السيارة) is feminine. Why is the word for strong (قوي) in its masculine form?
The word قوي (strong) describes the engine (محرك), not the car. Since محرك is a masculine word, the description must also be masculine. In Arabic, adjectives always match the gender of the specific noun they describe, regardless of the other words in the possessive phrase.
Could I change the word order and say محرك قوي السيارة to mean 'the strong car engine'?
No, because the two main nouns in an Idafa possessive phrase (محرك and السيارة) must stay glued together. You cannot put an adjective or any other word between the thing possessed and the possessor. Any descriptive words must come after the entire possessive phrase.
Where is the word for 'is' in this sentence?
Arabic does not use a word for 'is' in simple present-tense sentences like this. You just state the subject phrase (محرك السيارة, meaning 'the car's engine') and immediately follow it with the description (قوي, meaning 'strong'). The 'is' is understood automatically.
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