Breakdown of كان الإنفاق كبيرا، بيد أن الفائض كان مفاجئا.
الal
the
كبيرkabîr
big
كانkâna
to be
مفاجئmufâji'
sudden
إنفاقinfâq
spending
بيد أنbayda anna
however / nevertheless
فائضfâ'idh
surplus
Questions & Answers about كان الإنفاق كبيرا، بيد أن الفائض كان مفاجئا.
How does the concessive connector بيد أن affect the grammar of the noun that follows it in this sentence?
The phrase بيد أن uses أنّ, which acts like a sister of إنّ. Because of this, the noun immediately following it, الفائض (the surplus), must take the accusative case (mansub).
Could we drop the second كان and just say بيد أن الفائض مفاجئ?
Yes, but that would change the second half to the present tense: 'however the surplus IS sudden.' By keeping the second كان, we ensure the suddenness is clearly anchored in the past to match the first half of the sentence. Also, notice that مفاجئا is in the accusative case here because it is the predicate of that second كان.
What form is the word الإنفاق (the spending) and how is it built?
It is a Form IV verbal noun (masdar). It comes from the root ن-ف-ق and is the noun version of the verb أنفق (to spend money).
Why is the hamza written on the letter ya (ئ) in the word مفاجئا?
The word مفاجئ is the active participle of the Form III verb فاجأ (to surprise). The letter immediately before the hamza has a kasra (a short 'i' sound), which forces the hamza to sit on a ya-seat (ئ). When we add the accusative alif at the end for the predicate of كان, it connects directly to that seat.
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