Question 1

Since إلى المركز is genitive, why doesn't الثاني عشر take a kasra?

Accepted Answer

This is because compound ordinal numbers from 11th to 19th are indeclinable (fixed). They are always built with a fatha on both parts (a rule called مبني على فتح الجزأين), regardless of their grammatical position in the sentence. Note that while the regular cardinal number 12 changes its case, the ordinal 12th is fixed! So it remains الثانيَ عشرَ even after a preposition.

Question 2

Does the word الثاني really get a fatha on its final letter here?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Normally, nouns ending in a ي (like الثاني) hide their short vowels to make pronunciation easier. However, because compound ordinals from 11th to 19th are strictly fixed with a fatha on both parts, the fatha is actually spoken and written on the ي. It is pronounced ath-thaaniya 'ashara.

Question 3

How does gender matching work for الثاني عشر with المركز?

Accepted Answer

For compound ordinal numbers (11th-19th), both parts of the number must match the gender of the noun they describe. Since المركز (place or position) is masculine, both parts of the number take their masculine forms: الثاني and عشر. If the noun were feminine, it would be الثانية عشرة.

Question 4

Why does the verb وصلن end with just a ن?

Accepted Answer

Because the subject هن (they, feminine) triggers the feminine plural conjugation in the past tense. You attach the feminine plural suffix ن (called نون النسوة) directly to the verb root وصل, making the last letter of the root take a sukoon: وصلْن.

Question 5

Why is سريعا in the accusative case ending with a tanween fatha?

Accepted Answer

In Arabic, words that function as adverbs to describe how an action was done (like quickly) are put into the accusative case. That is why سريعا takes the tanween fatha at the end, acting as an adverb for the verb وصلن.

هن وصلن إلى المركز الثاني عشر سريعا.

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