Breakdown of يجب أن تتأكد من القفل قبل أن تنام.
الal
the
نامnâma
to sleep
قبلqabla
before
أنan
to (with verbs)
يجبyajibu
must / has to
تأكد منta'akkad min
to make sure of
قفلqufl
lock
Questions & Answers about يجب أن تتأكد من القفل قبل أن تنام.
Why does the verb تنام end with an 'a' sound (fatha) here?
Because it comes directly after قبل أن (before). The word أن makes the present tense verb that follows it take the subjunctive mood, which usually means changing its final vowel to a fatha (an 'a' sound). So, it becomes تنامَ (tanāma) instead of the regular تنامُ (tanāmu).
We see أن twice in this sentence. Are they doing the same job both times?
Yes! The first أن comes after يجب to mean 'it is necessary that...' The second one is part of the phrase قبل أن (before). Both of them force the present tense verb immediately following them into the subjunctive mood: تتأكدَ (tata'akkada) and تنامَ (tanāma).
Why do we use من (from/of) after تتأكد?
In Arabic, the verb تأكد (to make sure / to ensure) pairs with the preposition من. While in English we might just say 'check the lock' or 'make sure the lock is secure,' in Arabic you literally say 'make sure from the lock' (تتأكد من القفل).
Does the word يجب (must) change depending on who is doing the action?
No, يجب acts as an impersonal verb here, literally meaning 'it is necessary.' To say 'you must,' Arabic says 'it is necessary that you...' (يجب أن تتأكد). The verb يجب stays exactly like this regardless of who is acting; it is the second verb (تتأكد) that tells us it is 'you' who must make sure.
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