Breakdown of ليكتب كل معلم أسماء تلاميذه.
اسمism
name
هhu
his / him (object) / it (dummy pronoun after لأن)
كتبkataba
to write
تلميذtilmîdh
pupil
Questions & Answers about ليكتب كل معلم أسماء تلاميذه.
Why does the verb start with لِـ (li-) instead of being a standard command like اكتب (uktub)?
The standard command اكتب is only for talking directly to someone ('you, write!'). To give a command to a third person ('let him write' or 'every teacher should write'), Arabic uses the prefix لِـ (the 'lam of command') attached to the present tense verb. This puts the verb in the jussive mood, making it ليكتب.
Why is معلم (mu'allim) singular here if we're talking about multiple teachers doing this?
Because of how كل (kull) works. When كل is followed by a singular indefinite noun like معلم, it means 'each' or 'every' ('every teacher'). If it were followed by a plural definite noun, like كل المعلمين, it would mean 'all the teachers'.
What is the grammatical role of أسماء (asma') in this sentence?
It is the direct object of the verb ليكتب ('let him write'), so it takes the accusative case. It is also the first part of a possessive chain (idafa) with تلاميذه ('his pupils'), combining to mean 'the names of his pupils'.
Why is the masculine possessive suffix pronounced 'hi' in تلاميذه instead of the usual 'hu'?