Breakdown of ما زال الموظف يكتب أربعة وثلاثين تقريرا في الجرد.
الal
the
وwa
and
فيfî
in / about, regarding
موظفmuwazzaf
employee
كتبkataba
to write
أربعةarba'a
four
ثلاثونthalâthûna
thirty
تقريرtaqrîr
report
ما زالmâ zâla
he is still
جردjard
the inventory
Questions & Answers about ما زال الموظف يكتب أربعة وثلاثين تقريرا في الجرد.
Why is the word for 'four' (أربعة) in the feminine form when 'reports' (تقريرا) is masculine?
In Arabic, numbers from 3 to 9 use 'reverse agreement' with the singular form of the noun they count. Since تقرير (report) is masculine, the number takes the feminine form أربعة. This reverse agreement rule still applies even when the number is part of a compound number like 34.
Why do we use ثلاثين instead of ثلاثون for 'thirty' here?
The compound number 'thirty-four' is the direct object of the verb يكتب (is writing), so it must be in the accusative case. The first part of the number, أربعة, takes an accusative ending (fatha). Because they are connected by و (and), the tens part must match that case. For tens (20-90), the accusative/genitive form ends in ـين, making it ثلاثين.
Why is the word for 'reports' (تقريرا) singular and written with an extra alif?
Nouns counted by numbers from 11 to 99 must always be singular and in the accusative case. The accusative indefinite ending is a fathatan, which usually requires adding an alif to the end of the word. Even though we translate it as the plural 'reports' in English, Arabic requires the singular تقريرا after 34.
How does ما زال work with يكتب to mean 'is still writing'?
ما زال means 'still' or 'continues to be'. When you pair it directly with a present tense verb like يكتب (he writes / is writing), it describes an action that started in the past and is still ongoing in the present: 'he is still writing'.
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