Quranic Grammar - The Verb kāna (كان واخواتها)
Certain verbs do not take a subject and object, but instead take a subject and predicate. In traditional Arabic grammar the two most common groups of these verbs are known as kāna and her sisters (كان واخواتها) and kāda and her sisters (كاد واخواتها). Figure 1 below lists words from the first group kāna and her sisters (كان واخواتها).
A related group of verbs is known as kāda and her sisters (كاد واخواتها). In traditional Arabic grammar these verbs are also known as أفعال المقاربة. The verb kāda (كاد) is similar to the verb kāna (كان) but there are some differences. As with kāna (كان) the subject is a nominal word (noun or pronoun) found in the nominative case. However for kāda (كاد) the predicate will be an imperfect verb (فعل مضارع) found in the indicative mood marfūʿ (مرفوع). This verb takes the place of an accusative noun manṣūb (منصوب). An example of kāda (كاد) can be found in the first part of verse (67:8):
The particle mā (ما) in a negative sense can behave like the verb laysa (ليس). In this construction, the negative particle mā will take a subject and predicate. An example may be found in verse (86:14):
Certain verbs do not take a subject and object, but instead take a subject and predicate. In traditional Arabic grammar the two most common groups of these verbs are known as kāna and her sisters (كان واخواتها) and kāda and her sisters (كاد واخواتها). Figure 1 below lists words from the first group kāna and her sisters (كان واخواتها).
| Verb | Arabic | Translation* |
| kāna | كَانَ | be |
| laysa | لَيْسَ | not be |
| ṣāra | صَارَ | reach |
| aṣbaḥa | أَصْبَحَ | become, reach morning |
| aḍḥā | أَضْحى | reach forenoon |
| amsā | أَمْسى | reach evening |
| ẓalla | ظَلَّ | become |
| bāta | بَاتَ | spend the night |
Fig 1. The verb kāna and related verbs.
* precise meaning depends on context (see translation accuracy).
In a dependency graph, the verb kāna (كان) does not link to other words through subject and object dependencies. Instead kāna has dependencies known as ism kāna (اسم كان) and khabar kāna (خبر كان). The subject ism kāna is always in the nominative case marfūʿ (مرفوع) and the predicate khabar kāna is always in the accusative case manṣūb (منصوب). Verse (110:3) contains dependencies for ism kāna and khabar kāna as shown below:* precise meaning depends on context (see translation accuracy).
| (110:3:7) tawwāban Oft-Returning. | (110:3:6) kāna is | (110:3:5) innahu Indeed, He |
Fig 2. The verb kāna in verse (110:3).
The Verb kāda (كاد واخواتها)A related group of verbs is known as kāda and her sisters (كاد واخواتها). In traditional Arabic grammar these verbs are also known as أفعال المقاربة. The verb kāda (كاد) is similar to the verb kāna (كان) but there are some differences. As with kāna (كان) the subject is a nominal word (noun or pronoun) found in the nominative case. However for kāda (كاد) the predicate will be an imperfect verb (فعل مضارع) found in the indicative mood marfūʿ (مرفوع). This verb takes the place of an accusative noun manṣūb (منصوب). An example of kāda (كاد) can be found in the first part of verse (67:8):
| (67:8:4) l-ghayẓi rage. | (67:8:3) mina from | (67:8:2) tamayyazu bursts | (67:8:1) takādu It almost |
Fig 3. The verb kāda in verse (67:8).
Negative Particles Acting Like laysaThe particle mā (ما) in a negative sense can behave like the verb laysa (ليس). In this construction, the negative particle mā will take a subject and predicate. An example may be found in verse (86:14):
| (86:14:3) bil-hazli (is) for amusement. | (86:14:2) huwa it | (86:14:1) wamā And not |
Fig 4. The particle mā in verse (86:14) with its accusative predicate.
