Question 1

Why do we use the masculine form بضع instead of the feminine بضعة?

Accepted Answer

The words بضع and بضعة follow the exact same grammar rules as the numbers 3 through 10. They must take the opposite gender of the singular form of the noun they are counting. The singular of نسخ is نسخة which is feminine, so the quantifier must be the masculine بضع without the taa marbuta.

Question 2

What case endings do بضع and نسخ take in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

The word بضع is the direct object of the verb يقتني, so it takes the accusative case with a fatha. It forms an idaafa (possessive construction) with the counted noun, which means نسخ must be plural and in the genitive case with a kasratayn. You would pronounce the phrase as biḍʿa nusakhin.

Question 3

The verb يقتني ends in a weak letter. Does this final yaa ever disappear?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but not in this sentence. Because this is the regular present tense (indicative mood), the final yaa remains and is pronounced with a long ee sound. It would only drop if the verb were in the jussive mood, such as if it were preceded by a negative particle like لم (did not).

Question 4

Why is the preposition لـ attached to الألبوم instead of just making it part of an idaafa with the copies?

Accepted Answer

Because بضع نسخ is already an idaafa (literally a few of copies), adding another noun directly to the chain to say a few copies of the album can be awkward. Using the preposition لـ (for or belonging to) is the most natural way in Arabic to link the copies to their specific album.

يقتني الباحث دائما بضع نسخ للألبوم الجديد.

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