كنت أطعم الخروف في المزرعة.kuntu ut'imu-l-kharûfa fî-l-mazra'ah
I used to feed the sheep on the farm.
Breakdown of كنت أطعم الخروف في المزرعة.
الal
the
فيfî
in / about, regarding
كانkâna
to be
أطعمutimu
to feed
Questions & Answers about كنت أطعم الخروف في المزرعة.
How does this sentence express 'used to feed'?
It combines كنت (I was) with the present tense verb أطعم (I feed). In Arabic, placing the past tense of 'to be' (كان) before a present tense verb describes an ongoing past action ('was feeding') or a past habit ('used to feed').
Do both verbs need to be conjugated for 'I'?
Yes, they do! When combining verbs like this, both must match the subject. So we use كنت (which has the past tense 'I' suffix) alongside أطعم (which has the present tense 'I' prefix).
I know how to say 'I eat', but this verb is different. Why?
The verb أطعم specifically means 'I feed' (giving food to someone or something else). If you wanted to say 'I eat', you would use آكل. Notice that أطعم shares its root with the Arabic word for food, طعام.
Why use the preposition في for 'on the farm'?
While في is usually translated as 'in', Arabic uses it for locations like farms, universities, or offices where English might use 'on' or 'at'. So instead of saying 'on the farm', Arabic literally says 'in the farm' (في المزرعة).