Breakdown of أرسلت الوكالة مسبارا إلى الكوكب، وهو لما يرجع.
وwa
and
هوhuwa
he / his / him (attached)
إلىilâ
to
رجعraja'a
to return
أرسلarsala
to send
كوكبkawkab
planet
وكالةwikâla
agency
لماlammâ
not yet
مسبارmisbâr
probe
Questions & Answers about أرسلت الوكالة مسبارا إلى الكوكب، وهو لما يرجع.
How does لما affect the verb يرجع in this sentence?
The particle لما means "not yet" and requires the verb following it to be in the jussive mood (مجزوم). For a regular present tense verb like يرجع, this means the final vowel changes to a sukoon (يرجعْ), though it is unwritten here. It also shifts the time frame, translating a present tense verb into a past/perfect "has not yet" meaning.
What is the difference in meaning between using لما يرجع versus using لم يرجع?
If you used لم يرجع, it would simply negate the past, meaning "it did not return," with no expectation about the future. Using لما adds the nuance of "not yet," which carries a strong anticipation that the action is still expected to happen eventually. Both particles put the verb in the jussive mood.
Why do we use the masculine pronoun هو in the second clause when the subject of the first clause, الوكالة, is feminine?
The pronoun هو refers back to the direct object مسبارا (a probe), which is a masculine noun. The agency sent the probe, but it is the probe itself that has not yet returned, so the pronoun and the verb يرجع must agree with it in gender.
What is the function of the و at the beginning of the phrase وهو لما يرجع?
This is known as the "waw of circumstance" (واو الحال). It links the main clause to a descriptive state, explaining the situation of the probe. While it translates literally as "and," in this context it means "while" or establishes the ongoing state that the probe is currently in.
As a refresher, why is there an extra alif at the end of the word مسبارا?
The word مسبار (probe) is the direct object of the verb أرسلت, putting it in the accusative case (منصوب). Because it is an indefinite noun, it takes the "tanween fatha" ending, which typically requires adding a silent alif at the end in written Arabic.
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