Breakdown of زار أبي القارات السبع.
الal
the
أبabun
father
يi
my / me (after a preposition)
زارzâra
to visit
سبعةsab'a
seven
قارةqârrah
continent
Questions & Answers about زار أبي القارات السبع.
Why does the number السبع (seven) look masculine here when the word for continents is a feminine plural?
In Arabic, numbers from 3 to 10 have "reverse agreement" with the noun they modify. Because the singular form of "continents" is the feminine word قارة, the number takes the masculine form سبع without the taa marbuta.
القارات (the continents) is the direct object of the verb. Why doesn't it end with a fatha?
القارات is a sound feminine plural, ending in ات. In Arabic grammar, sound feminine plurals never take a fatha. When they are in the accusative case (acting as a direct object), they take a kasra instead. So it is pronounced القاراتِ.
If القارات takes a kasra for its accusative marker, does the adjective السبع also take a kasra to match it?
No, it takes a fatha! السبع is a standard word, so its accusative marker is a normal fatha, making it السبعَ. It matches القارات in grammatical case (accusative), but each word uses its own specific vowel ending for that case.
Why are both the noun and the number definite, using ال?
When a number acts as an adjective describing a specific defined group (the seven continents, rather than just any seven continents), it comes after the noun and must match it in definiteness. Therefore, both القارات and السبع take the definite article ال.
Learn زار أبي القارات السبع and more in Arabic
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free