Learn Arabic (Modern Standard): أخذ الإعصار يقتلع الأشجار في حديقة جدي. - The hurricane began to uproot the trees in my grandfather's garden.

أخذ الإعصار يقتلع الأشجار في حديقة جدي.akhadha al-i'sâru yaqtali'u al-ashjâra fî hadîqati jaddî

The hurricane began to uproot the trees in my grandfather's garden.

Breakdown of أخذ الإعصار يقتلع الأشجار في حديقة جدي.

الal

the

فيfî

in / about, regarding

شجرةshajara

tree

يi

my / me (after a preposition)

Questions & Answers about أخذ الإعصار يقتلع الأشجار في حديقة جدي.

Why does أخذ mean "began" here instead of its usual meaning "took"?

In Arabic, certain verbs like أخذ function as "Verbs of Beginning" (أفعال الشروع) when they are followed by a present tense verb. Because أخذ is followed by the present tense verb يقتلع (uproot), it changes its meaning from "took" to "began to".

Why isn't there an أن (to) before the verb يقتلع? We usually say "began to uproot".

Unlike standard verbs that take أن followed by the subjunctive mood to mean "to do something", Verbs of Beginning strictly forbid the use of أن. Their predicate must be a plain present tense verb in the indicative mood. That's why we say أخذ الإعصار يقتلع and never أخذ الإعصار أن يقتلع.

What is the grammatical case of الإعصار in this sentence?

It is in the nominative case (marfu'), taking a damma on the final letter (الإعصارُ). Just like كان and its sisters, Verbs of Beginning enter a nominal sentence and keep the subject (اسم أخذ) in the nominative case.

What form is the verb يقتلع and how does it relate to its root?

It is a Form VIII verb from the root ق ل ع (to pull out or remove). Form VIII often carries the meaning of doing an action thoroughly, so يقتلع means to completely uproot or tear out by the roots, which fits the context of a hurricane perfectly.