Question 1

Why does the sentence use أن before the verb and أنّ before the noun? Both translate to "that."

Accepted Answer

In Arabic, the word for "that" changes depending on what follows it. You use أن (an) when it is followed by a verb (like تعرف), which puts the verb in the subjunctive mood. You use أنّ (anna) when it introduces a nominal sentence and is followed by a noun or pronoun (like هذا).

Question 2

I usually see يجب for "must." How does لا بد work differently?

Accepted Answer

لا بد (lā budda) literally means "there is no escape" and is a very common fixed expression for "must" or "it is inevitably necessary." Unlike verbs such as يجب, لا بد doesn't conjugate for tense or subject. It is almost always followed by من (if followed by a noun/pronoun) or أن (if followed by a verb, as in this sentence).

Question 3

What case ending does الشرط take here and why?

Accepted Answer

It takes an accusative ending (a fatha, pronounced ash-sharṭa). This is because it is part of the subject of أنّ, which requires the accusative case. Even though the demonstrative pronoun هذا is technically the subject here, الشرط acts as an appositional substitute (badal) for هذا, meaning it has to copy its grammatical case.

Question 4

How is the word إلزامي (mandatory) formed?

Accepted Answer

It comes from the root ل-ز-م (related to necessity). Specifically, it is built from إلزام, which is the Form IV verbal noun meaning "compulsion" or "obligation." By adding the suffix ـي, it becomes a relational adjective (a nisba adjective), transforming "compulsion" into the adjective "compulsory" or "mandatory."

لا بد أن تعرف أن هذا الشرط إلزامي.

Breakdown of لا بد أن تعرف أن هذا الشرط إلزامي.

Questions & Answers about لا بد أن تعرف أن هذا الشرط إلزامي.

Learn لا بد أن تعرف أن هذا الشرط إلزامي and more in Arabic