Question 1

How does حسب affect the word that comes immediately after it in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

In this sentence, حسب (ḥasaba) functions to mean "according to" and acts as the first part of an idafa (possessive construction). Because of this, it forces the noun that follows it, اللون, into the genitive case (مجرور). Therefore, اللون ends with a kasra (اللونِ).

Question 2

Could we use بحسب instead of حسب here, and would it change the grammar?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can easily swap حسب (ḥasaba) for بحسب (bi-ḥasabi) here, and the meaning "according to" remains exactly the same. The only difference is that حَسَبَ ends with a fatha, while بِحَسَبِ takes a kasra due to the attached preposition بِـ. In both cases, the following noun (اللون) is forced into the genitive case.

Question 3

Since النفايات (the waste) is the direct object of the verb, why doesn't it end in a fatha?

Accepted Answer

As the direct object, it is indeed in the accusative case (منصوب). However, النفايات is a sound feminine plural (ending in ـات). In Arabic grammar, sound feminine plurals never take a fatha. Instead, they take a kasra in both the accusative and genitive cases. So it is correctly pronounced an-nufāyāti.

Question 4

What verb form is نصنف, and how does that relate to its meaning?

Accepted Answer

نصنف (nuṣannifu) is a Form II verb in the first-person plural present tense, derived from the root ص - ن - ف. Form II verbs are built by doubling the middle root letter (indicated by a shadda: نّ), and they are typically highly transitive or causative. Here, it gives the active meaning of "sorting" or "categorizing" items.

نصنف النفايات حسب اللون.

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