Breakdown of الفكرة الجديدة ليست واضحة.
الal
the
جديدjadeed
new
ليسlaysa
to not be
واضحwâdih
clear
فكرةfikra
idea
Questions & Answers about الفكرة الجديدة ليست واضحة.
Why is the word for "is not" written as ليست instead of ليس?
ليس changes to match the gender of the subject. Because the subject of the sentence, الفكرة (the idea), is feminine (indicated by the tied-t ة at the end), we add the feminine suffix ـت to make it ليست.
Why do both الفكرة and الجديدة have الـ (al-) attached to them?
In Arabic, an adjective must match the noun it describes. Since الفكرة (the idea) is specific and has الـ (the), its adjective الجديدة (new) must also take الـ. Together, they form the phrase "the new idea."
Why doesn't واضحة (clear) also have الـ at the beginning?
واضحة is the predicate, which is the new information we are stating about the idea. If you added الـ, it would turn into another describing adjective ("the clear new idea"), and the sentence would feel incomplete. Keeping it indefinite (without الـ) is what gives us the "is" (or here, "is not") connection.
Does ليست change the grammar or pronunciation of واضحة?
Yes! When you negate a sentence with ليس or ليست, the predicate (the word giving the information, like واضحة) takes the accusative case. If you are reading with full vowel endings, it gets a "tanween fatha" at the end, making it واضحةً (waaDiHatan) instead of waaDiHatun.
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