Word
هذه موسوعة في قسم المراجع.
Meaning
This is an encyclopedia in the reference section.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Lesson
Breakdown of هذه موسوعة في قسم المراجع.
هذه
this
في
in
قسم المراجعqismu l-marâji'
reference section
موسوعةmawsû'a
encyclopedia
Questions & Answers about هذه موسوعة في قسم المراجع.
Why does the sentence use هذه and not هذا?
هذه means this for a feminine singular noun. The word موسوعة (encyclopedia) is grammatically feminine, so the demonstrative has to match it.
- هذه موسوعة = This is an encyclopedia
- If the noun were masculine, you would normally use هذا
A very common clue for feminine nouns is the ending ـة (called tāʾ marbūṭa), which موسوعة has.
Why is there no word for is in the sentence?
In Arabic, the verb to be in the present tense is usually not expressed. So a sentence like:
- هذه موسوعة
literally looks like this encyclopedia, but it means This is an encyclopedia.
This kind of sentence is called a nominal sentence. Arabic often leaves out is / am / are in the present.
Why is it موسوعة and not الموسوعة?