Breakdown of ضع الورقة مكشوفة.
الal
the
ورقةwaraqah
paper / card (playing card)
وضعwadaʿa
to put
مكشوفmakshûf
face up / exposed, uncovered
Questions & Answers about ضع الورقة مكشوفة.
The verb ضع seems very short. What is its root and why is it missing letters?
It is the command (imperative) form of the verb وضع (to put or place). Because this verb starts with the weak letter و (waw), that letter disappears in the present tense (يضع) and in the command form (ضع).
I learned that الورقة means 'the paper' or 'the leaf'. Why is it translated as 'the card' here?
While ورقة does literally mean a leaf or piece of paper, it is the standard word used in Arabic for a playing card. It is essentially short for ورقة لعب (playing card).
مكشوفة literally means 'uncovered' or 'exposed'. How does it translate to 'face-up'?
In the context of card games, an 'uncovered' card is one where the face is visible to everyone. To say 'face-down' in Arabic, you would typically use مقلوبة (flipped or upside-down).
Why is مكشوفة indefinite (it has no ال) when it describes the definite noun الورقة?
Because it is not a regular adjective here. Instead, it acts as an adverb of state called a Hal (حال). It describes the condition of the card at the exact moment it is placed. In Arabic grammar, a حال is always indefinite, which is why it does not match the definiteness of الورقة.