Questions & Answers about المتطوعون يساعدون الفقير.
How do we know the verb يساعدون means "they help"?
In the present tense, the "they" (masculine/mixed plural) form uses the prefix يـ (ya-) and the suffix ـون (-un). Here, they are added to the base of the verb to make يساعدون (they help).
Why do both the noun المتطوعون and the verb يساعدون end in ـون?
It is just a coincidence that they look identical! For regular masculine nouns, ـون (-un) makes the noun plural, like adding "-s" in English. For present tense verbs, ـون is a suffix for the "they" conjugation. Because the subject is plural, the verb must match it, so you see the sound twice.
The English translation says "the poor", which is plural. Is الفقير plural in Arabic?
No, الفقير (al-faqir) is actually singular and literally means "the poor person." In Arabic, you can often use a singular noun with "the" (الـ) to represent an entire category of people, similar to how we say "the poor" in English. The actual plural word for "poor" is الفقراء (al-fuqara').
Can I put the verb first and say يساعدون المتطوعون الفقير?
No, because Arabic has a special rule: if the verb comes before the subject, the verb stays in the singular form (يساعد المتطوعون الفقير). Because this sentence puts the noun first instead, the verb must "catch up" and match the plural subject, taking the full plural form يساعدون.
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