Breakdown of المشروع رقم ثلاثة مهم.
الal
the
رقمraqm
number
مهمmuhimm
important
مشروعmashrû'
project / draft (bill)
ثلاثةthalâtha
three
Questions & Answers about المشروع رقم ثلاثة مهم.
Why does the number for "three" (ثلاثة) end with the feminine marker (ة) here?
In Arabic, when you are just naming a number or reading it out like in a list, math problem, or saying "number three" (رقم ثلاثة), you use the default "bare" counting form. For numbers 3 to 10, this default counting form always ends with the feminine marker taa marbuta (ة).
Since ثلاثة ends in a feminine ة, why is the word for important (مهم) in the masculine form?
The word مهم (important) describes المشروع (the project), which is a masculine noun. The number three just identifies which project it is, but the main subject is the project itself. Because the subject is masculine, the adjective must match it in gender.
The English translation says "Project number three", but the Arabic adds "al-" to make it "the project" (المشروع). Why?
In English, saying "Project number three" automatically makes it a specific, known project. In Arabic, to show that the main subject of your sentence is specific, it almost always needs the definite article الـ (al-). If you dropped it, it would sound like you were saying "a project number three".
Where is the word "is" in this sentence?
Arabic doesn't use a word for "is" or "are" in the present tense. Instead, it uses a nominal sentence (a sentence starting with a noun). You just put the subject (المشروع رقم ثلاثة) and the describing word (مهم) side by side, and the "is" is naturally understood by the listener.
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