Breakdown of أنهينا كل التحضيرات قبل أن يبدأ الحفل.
الal
the
ناnâ
our / us (object) / we (subject suffix on past verb)
بدأbada'a
to begin
قبلqabla
before
أنan
to (with verbs)
كلkull
all / every
أنهىanhâ
to end
تحضيرtahdîr
preparation (making ready, e.g. food, lessons)
حفلhafl
ceremony
Questions & Answers about أنهينا كل التحضيرات قبل أن يبدأ الحفل.
Why do we use the present tense verb يبدأ here when the English translation says 'started' in the past tense?
In Arabic, the phrase قبل أن (before) must be followed by a present tense verb in the subjunctive mood, even when you are talking about the past. Since the main verb أنهينا (we finished) establishes the past tense context, قبل أن يبدأ is understood as 'before it started.'
I see أن before the verb. Does this change the ending of يبدأ?
Yes. The particle أن forces the following present tense verb into the subjunctive mood (منصوب). If this sentence were fully voweled, it would be يَبْدَأَ with a fatha on the final letter (the hamza), rather than the standard damma (يَبْدَأُ).
The verb أنهينا (we finished) comes from the root ن-ه-ي. Why does it start with an alif?
It is a Form IV verb, أنهى (to finish or complete something), which adds an alif prefix to the Form I root. Notice how the final alif maqsura (ى) in أنهى changes to a regular ي before adding the 'we' suffix ـنا, making it أنهينا.
How do we know كل التحضيرات means 'all the preparations' rather than 'every preparation'?
The meaning of كل depends on what follows it. When كل is followed by a definite plural noun like التحضيرات (the preparations), it translates to 'all the...'. If you wanted to say 'every preparation,' you would use an indefinite singular noun: كل تحضير.
Is التحضيرات related to the verb for 'to attend' (حضر)?
Yes! The root is ح-ض-ر. While Form I حضر means 'to attend' or 'to be present,' Form II حضّر means 'to prepare' (literally, to make something present). تحضير is the verbal noun (masdar) of Form II, and التحضيرات is its plural form.
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