Questions & Answers about هل تمضي إلى الساحة الجديدة؟
How do we know who is doing the action in the verb تمضي?
The prefix تـ tells us the subject is you (masculine singular). This verb comes from a root ending in a weak letter (ي), which makes it a defective verb. In the present tense for you, I, or he, the final weak letter just makes a long vowel sound instead of taking a short vowel ending like regular verbs do. Note: تمضي can also mean she proceeds, but as a direct question to someone here, it means are you proceeding.
If تمضي means you proceed, how would I say I proceed or he proceeds with this defective verb?
You just change the first letter (the prefix) to match the person, exactly like regular verbs, while the weak letter ي at the end stays the same. For I proceed, use the prefix أ to get أمضي. For he proceeds, use the prefix يـ to get يمضي.
I usually see the verb تمضي translated as spending time or passing. Does it really mean proceeding here?
Yes! The root verb has a few common meanings. When used with time, it means to pass or spend time. But when used with the preposition إلى (to) and a physical place, it means to proceed, go, or head towards that destination.
Why do both الساحة and الجديدة start with ال (the)?
In Arabic, an adjective must match the noun it describes in definiteness. Since الساحة (the square) is a specific, defined place starting with ال (the), the adjective الجديدة (new) must also take ال. A word-for-word translation is the square the new.