Breakdown of لم ينتفخ العجين لأن الخميرة قديمة.
الal
the
قديمqadîm
old
لأنli'anna
because
لمlam
did not
عجينajîn
dough
انتفخintafakha
to rise (dough) / to swell
خميرةkhamîra
yeast
Questions & Answers about لم ينتفخ العجين لأن الخميرة قديمة.
Why is the verb ينتفخ in the present tense when the English translation says "did not rise"?
The word لم is used to negate actions in the past, but it grammatically requires a verb in the present tense (specifically in the jussive mood). This combination (لم + present tense) is the standard way in Modern Standard Arabic to express that something "did not" happen.
What is the literal meaning of ينتفخ and what verb form is it?
It is a Form VIII verb, which you can spot by the extra "taa" inserted after the first root letter. The root is ن ف خ, which relates to blowing or puffing. Form VIII often carries a reflexive meaning, so ينتفخ literally translates to "swells up" or "inflates itself."
Why does الخميرة (the yeast) take an accusative case ending here?
It directly follows لأن (because). This word is one of the "sisters of inna," meaning it forces the noun immediately following it to be in the accusative case (which takes a fatha, or "a" sound). If read with full vowels, it is لأن الخميرةَ.
How is the word لأن (because) constructed?
It is made up of two parts: the preposition لِـ (li-), meaning "for," and the particle أنَّ (anna), meaning "that." Put together, it literally means "for that," which is how Arabic expresses "because."
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