Log inSign up

اختارت المصممة مستطيلا طويلا.

اختارت المصممة مستطيلا طويلا.ikhtârati al-musammimatu mustatîlan tawîlan.
The designer chose a long rectangle.
From Lesson 223:Basic Geometry·Arabic (Modern Standard)

Questions & Answers about اختارت المصممة مستطيلا طويلا.

Why do both مستطيلا and طويلا end with an extra alif (ا) here?
This added alif carries the tanwin fatha (-an sound) which marks the accusative case. In Arabic, the direct object of a verb—the thing being chosen (مستطيلا)—takes this case. Because adjectives must strictly match the noun they describe, the adjective طويلا takes the exact same ending.
Do the words مستطيلا (rectangle) and طويلا (long) share the same root?
Yes! They both come from the root ط و ل which relates to length. مستطيلا is a Form X word that literally refers to a shape that has been lengthened or seeks length, making it a very logical word for a rectangle.
How can I recognize that المصممة refers to someone's profession or role?
Words starting with a mu- prefix (written with a مـ) often indicate the person or thing performing an action, known as an active participle. Here, it comes from the verb صمم (to design), so it means the designer. The ـة at the end simply makes it feminine to match the female subject.
Why is the feminine marker ت at the end of اختارت instead of the beginning?
This is a past tense verb (she chose). In the past tense, Arabic adds suffixes to the end of the verb to show who did the action, so the ـت at the end is the standard marker for a feminine "she" subject. If it were present tense (she chooses), the ت would go at the beginning as a prefix: تختار.

Learn اختارت المصممة مستطيلا طويلا and more in Arabic

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Arabic →