Breakdown of ألا تأنيتما قبل أن تتحدثا؟
قبلqabla
before
أنan
to (with verbs)
تحدثtahaddatha
to talk, to speak
ألاalâ
don't / doesn't (question particle)
Questions & Answers about ألا تأنيتما قبل أن تتحدثا؟
Since ألا is used for urging, why does this sentence translate to "why didn't you" instead of "why don't you"?
The meaning of ألا changes based on the tense of the verb that follows it. Because it is placed before the past tense verb تأنيتما, it expresses reproach or regret (التنديم) for something that should have been done. If it were followed by a present tense verb instead, it would express urging or encouragement for a future action.
Could we use هلا instead of ألا in this sentence?
Yes, you could say هلا تأنيتما قبل أن تتحدثا؟ with the exact same meaning. Both ألا and هلا are interchangeable here as particles of reproach because they precede a past tense verb.
What is the base form of the verb تأنيتما?
The base verb is the Form V verb تأنى (to take one's time / to act slowly), from the root أ-ن-ي. Because the base verb ends in a weak letter (alif maqsurah), when you conjugate it for the second-person dual past tense by adding ـتما, that weak letter appears as a regular yaa (ي).
Why is the final word تتحدثا missing its final nūn?
The particle أن forces the present tense verb following it into the subjunctive mood (mansub). For dual verbs (which are part of the "Five Verbs"), the subjunctive is marked by dropping the final nūn. Therefore, the standard present tense تتحدثان (you two speak) drops its nūn and becomes تتحدثا.