Questions & Answers about هذا صحيح.
Where is the word for 'is' in this sentence?
In Arabic, the word 'is' is not used in the present tense. Instead, we use a nominal sentence (a sentence without a verb). You simply put the subject هذا (this) and the predicative adjective صحيح (correct) next to each other to mean 'This is correct.'
Why doesn't صحيح have ال (the) at the beginning?
Because it is giving new information about the subject, acting as the predicate. In Arabic, when an adjective tells us what something is (like 'correct' here), it is usually indefinite, meaning it does not take ال. If you added ال, the phrase would just mean 'this correct thing' rather than 'this is correct.'
The English translation says 'That is correct', but doesn't هذا mean 'this'?
Yes, هذا literally means 'this'. However, languages often use different pointing words in conversation. While English speakers typically say 'That is correct' to agree with what someone just said, Arabic speakers naturally use هذا (this) for the same situation.
Would the sentence change if we were talking about a feminine word?
Yes! Both the pointing word and the adjective must match the gender of the thing you are talking about. If you were referring to a feminine noun, you would use the feminine 'this' (هذه) and add a Taa Marbuta to the adjective to make it feminine: هذه صحيحة.
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