أنا متعب قليلا الآن.

Questions & Answers about أنا متعب قليلا الآن.

Why does قليلا end with an extra Alif (ـا)?
This extra Alif marks the accusative case. In Arabic, when a word is used as an adverb to show degree -- like قليلا (a little), كثيرا (a lot), or جدا (very) -- it takes this case. It is written with a double-Fatha (called tanwin) on an added Alif at the end of the word.
Why does قليلا come after متعب rather than before it?
In Arabic, adverbs of degree generally come right after the adjective they describe. So, instead of saying 'I am a little tired' like in English, the Arabic word order is literally 'I am tired a little' (أنا متعب قليلا).
If a woman is speaking, does the word قليلا need to change?
No, قليلا is an adverb, so its form is fixed and never changes to match gender. However, the adjective does change! A woman would say أنا متعبة قليلا changing متعب to the feminine متعبة by adding a Taa Marbuta, while the adverb stays exactly the same.
How do you pronounce the ending of قليلا with that double line symbol?
That double stroke symbol is a grammatical marker called 'tanwin fatha' and it adds an '-an' sound to the end of the word. Because of this, قليلا is pronounced 'qalilan'. The final Alif doesn't make a long 'aa' vowel sound here; it just acts as a written carrier for that '-an' ending.

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