Question 1

In the phrase هذا المصنع, how do we know it means 'This factory' rather than 'This is the factory'?

Accepted Answer

In Arabic, a demonstrative pronoun like هذا followed immediately by a word with the definite article الـ (like المصنع) creates a single connected phrase: 'this factory.' If you wanted to say 'This is a factory,' you would drop the الـ and say هذا مصنع. Because the factory here is definite, the invisible 'is' of the sentence doesn't happen until we reach the indefinite word مستدام.

Question 2

The word مستدام means 'sustainable.' Does it share a root with the word for 'always'?

Accepted Answer

Yes! It comes from the root د و م which relates to lasting or continuing (you probably know the related word دائماً for 'always'). مستدام is a Form X passive participle, which gives it the literal meaning of 'something that is kept going' or 'sustained.'

Question 3

Is there a specific pattern behind the word المصنع (the factory)?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it uses a very common 'noun of place' pattern. The root is ص ن ع, which means 'to make' or 'to manufacture.' By putting this root into the مَفْعَل (maf'al) pattern, which indicates the physical place where an action happens, we get مصنع (masna')—literally 'the place of making' or 'factory.'

Question 4

Why are there two ل (laam) letters at the beginning of للمجتمع?

Accepted Answer

This is a special Arabic spelling rule that often trips up learners. When you attach the preposition لِـ (to/for) to a noun that starts with the definite article الـ, the ا (alif) of the definite article is dropped in writing completely. So, instead of writing لِـ + المجتمع as two pieces, they merge to become لِلْمُجْتَمَع (to the community).

هذا المصنع مستدام ومفيد للمجتمع.

Breakdown of هذا المصنع مستدام ومفيد للمجتمع.

Questions & Answers about هذا المصنع مستدام ومفيد للمجتمع.

Learn هذا المصنع مستدام ومفيد للمجتمع and more in Arabic