Breakdown of كاد الرضيع ينام، لكنه ظل يبكي.
الal
the
هhu
his / him (object) / it (dummy pronoun after لأن)
نامnâma
to sleep
لكنlâkin
but
بكىbakâ
to cry
كادkâda
to almost do
رضيعradî'
baby, infant
ظلdhalla
to keep on, remain (+ present verb)
Questions & Answers about كاد الرضيع ينام، لكنه ظل يبكي.
Why is ينام in the present tense if the sentence translates to 'almost fell asleep' in the past?
The verb كاد (to almost do something) sets the past tense context for the phrase. It requires the following action to be a present tense (imperfect) verb. So, the past tense كاد combined with the present tense ينام gives the meaning 'almost fell asleep.'
What kind of verb is ظل and how does it mean 'kept crying'?
ظل literally means 'he remained' or 'he stayed' and is one of the 'sisters of كان' (verbs that act like 'was'). When you pair ظل in the past tense with a present tense verb like يبكي (he cries), it creates a continuous past action meaning 'he kept crying.'
Why isn't the particle أن (to) used before ينام?
Unlike many other verbs that take a second action (like wanting or trying to do something), the verb كاد is special. It is most commonly followed directly by a present tense verb without the particle أن in between.
Why does لكن (but) have a pronoun attached to it here?
لكن with a shadda on the noon is one of the 'sisters of إنّ', which means it requires a noun or an attached pronoun right after it to act as its subject. Since the subject here is 'he' (the baby), we attach the pronoun ـه to make لكنه (but he).
Learn كاد الرضيع ينام، لكنه ظل يبكي and more in Arabic
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free