Questions & Answers about رأيت دحرجة الحجر.
In the English translation it says 'the rolling,' but there is no ال on دحرجة. Why is that?
دحرجة and الحجر form an Idafa (possessive construction) meaning 'the rolling of the stone.' In an Idafa, the first word never takes ال, but it becomes definite automatically because the second word (الحجر) is definite.
How do we form the verbal noun (maSdar) for a four-letter root like this?
For standard quadriliteral verbs that follow the pattern فَعْلَلَ, like دَحْرَجَ (to roll), the verbal noun usually just adds a taa marbuuTa (ة) at the end. This gives us the pattern فَعْلَلَة, which makes دَحْرَجَة (rolling).
If I read this sentence fully with case endings, what vowel goes on the end of دحرجة?
It takes a fatHa, sounding like دحرجةَ (daHrajata). This is because it is the direct object (the thing being seen) of the verb رأيت (I saw), which puts it in the accusative case.
What are the root letters here, and what does the past tense verb for 'he rolled' look like?
The root is four consonants: د ح ر ج. Because it is a quadriliteral verb, the base past tense form is دَحْرَجَ (daHraja), following the فَعْلَلَ pattern.
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