Breakdown of هل أوصت بالبيت لأبنائها؟
الal
the
هلhal
is / are (question marker)
بيتbayt
house
هاhâ
her / her (object) / it (feminine)
لli
for, to (attached)
ابنibn
son
أوصى بawsâ bi
to bequeath
Questions & Answers about هل أوصت بالبيت لأبنائها؟
Why is there a ب attached to البيت (the house) instead of it being a direct object?
The verb أوصى requires the preposition بـ for the item being given or recommended. So, you do not bequeath a house directly as an object; in Arabic, you use أوصى بـ which literally looks like 'bequeath with the house' (أوصت بالبيت).
I previously learned that أوصى means 'to recommend'. How do we know it means 'bequeath' here?
The verb أوصى is versatile and can mean to recommend, to advise, or to bequeath. The meaning shifts based on the context. When it is used with physical property (like a house) and given to family members or heirs, it specifically refers to leaving something in a will (a وصية).
Why is the hamza in لأبنائها written on a 'seat' (ئ) instead of sitting on the line like in أبناء?
The spelling of a middle hamza with an attached pronoun depends on its grammatical case. Because of the preposition لـ (to/for), the word is in the genitive case (majrur) and ends with a kasra vowel. A kasra forces the hamza to sit on a letter shape that resembles a ya without dots (ئ). If it were the subject of the sentence, it would take a damma and be written as أبناؤها, and if it were an accusative object taking a fatha, it would be أبناءها.
The root of the verb is و-ص-ي. Where did the final root letter go in the word أوصت?
The base Form IV past tense verb for 'he bequeathed' is أوصى (awsa). When you add the feminine suffix ـت to say 'she bequeathed', the final alif maqsurah is completely dropped to prevent two unvoweled letters from clashing. Therefore, it becomes أوصت (awsat).
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