Question 1

Why is this translated as "We saw the wall's crack" when the Arabic literally says "We saw the wall, its cracking"?

Accepted Answer

This sentence uses an advanced apposition structure for parts and attributes. Instead of a standard possession phrase (Idafa) like "the crack of the wall", Arabic places the main noun first for emphasis (الجدار), followed by a clarifying noun representing its attribute (تصدعه). It emphasizes that you saw the wall itself, specifically its cracked state.

Question 2

Why does تصدع take the accusative case here?

Accepted Answer

In an apposition structure, the clarifying noun (the badal) must copy the grammatical case of the noun it characterizes. Because الجدار is the direct object of the verb رأينا and is therefore in the accusative case, تصدع must also be accusative, resulting in the pronunciation تصدعَهُ (taṣaddu'a-hu).

Question 3

Is it mandatory to include the attached pronoun ـه at the end of the sentence?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it is strictly required. Whenever you use this type of apposition to specify a part or attribute, the second noun must have a possessive pronoun that refers back to the main noun. Here, the singular masculine pronoun ـه (its) links directly back to the singular masculine noun الجدار.

Question 4

What verb form does the word تصدع come from?

Accepted Answer

The word تصدع (taṣaddu') is the verbal noun (masdar) of the Form V verb تصدع (to crack or become divided). Form V often expresses the consequence of an action or a physical state, so the verbal noun here perfectly describes the physical condition of cracking that the wall is exhibiting.

رأينا الجدار تصدعه.

Breakdown of رأينا الجدار تصدعه.

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