Arabic Grammar Terms — Full A–Z Index

مُعْجَم المُصْطَلَحَات النَّحْوِيَّة والصَّرْفِيَّة

mu'jam al-mustalahat al-nahwiyya wa-l-sarfiyya

Every grammatical term that appears in the word-by-word analysis of the Quran, organised and fully vocalised, with transliteration and a plain-English meaning. Terms drawn straight from the I'rab (syntax) and Sarf (morphology) of all 77,000+ words. Search above in Arabic (no tashkeel needed), any transliteration spelling, or the plain English meaning — or click any term for its full entry.

Tier marks whether a term is a core teaching concept or a finer technical detail. Transliteration follows undotted IJMES.

Sarf — Morphology (صَرْف) Nahw — Syntax (نَحْو) States & Markers (الإعراب والعلامات)

Sarf — Morphology (صَرْف)

How words are built: type, derivation, gender, number, root structure.

أَقْسَام الكَلِمَةPart of speech (Sarf)

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
أَقْسَام الْكَلِمَة	aqsam al-kalima	Types of words (ism · fi'l · harf)	core
حَرْف	harf	Particle (harf) — indeclinable	core
اِسْم	ism	Noun (ism)	core
خَصَائِص الِاسْم الْأَرْبَع	khasa'is al-ism al-arba'	The four properties of the noun	core

الجُمُود والاشْتِقَاقDerivation status

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
جَامِد	jamid	Primitive / non-derived	core
مَأْخُوذ مِنَ الْفِعْل	ma'khudh min al-fi'l	Derived from the verb	core
مُشْتَقّ	mushtaqq	Derived	core
جَامِد (لَا فِعْل لَهُ)	jamid (la fi'l lahu)	Primitive noun with no verbal root	advanced

المُشْتَقَّاتDerived noun (mushtaqq)

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
اِسْم التَّفْضِيل	ism al-tafdil	Elative / comparative-superlative	core
اِسْم فَاعِل	ism fa'il	Active participle	core
اِسْم مَفْعُول	ism maf'ul	Passive participle	core
اِسْم مَكَان	ism makan	Noun of place	core
اِسْم زَمَان	ism zaman	Noun of time	core
مَصْدَر	masdar	Verbal noun (masdar)	core
صِفَة مُشَبَّهَة	sifa mushabbaha	Quasi-participle (permanent quality)	core
صِيغَة مُبَالَغَة	sigha mubalagha	Intensive/hyperbolic form	core
اِسْم هَيْئَة	ism hay'a	Noun of manner	advanced
اِسْم مَرَّة	ism marra	Noun of single instance	advanced
اِسْم مَصْدَر	ism masdar	Quasi-verbal-noun	advanced
مَصْدَر مِيمِيّ	masdar mimi	Mimi verbal noun	advanced

التَّذْكِير والتَّأْنِيثGender

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
مُؤَنَّث	mu'annath	Feminine	core
مُذَكَّر	mudhakkar	Masculine	core

العَدَد والجَمْعNumber & plural type

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
الْمُفْرَد	al-mufrad	Singular of (a plural)	core
جَمْع مُؤَنَّث سَالِم	jam' mu'annath salim	Sound feminine plural	core
جَمْع مُذَكَّر سَالِم	jam' mudhakkar salim	Sound masculine plural	core
جَمْع تَكْسِير	jam' taksir	Broken plural	core
مُفْرَد	mufrad	Singular	core
مُثَنَّى	muthanna	Dual	core
صِيغَة مُنْتَهَى الْجُمُوع	sighat muntaha al-jumu'	Ultimate-plural pattern (diptote)	advanced

نِهَايَة الاسْمNoun ending type

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
مَمْدُود	mamdud	Mamdud (ending in hamza after alif)	advanced
مَنْقُوص	manqus	Manqus (ending in ya)	advanced
مَقْصُور	maqsur	Maqsur (ending in alif)	advanced

الصِّحَّة والإعْلَالRoot soundness (sihha/i'lal)

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
أَجْوَف	ajwaf	Hollow root (weak middle)	core
لَفِيف	lafif	Doubly-weak root (lafif)	core
مَهْمُوز	mahmuz	Hamzated root	core
مِثَال	mithal	Assimilated root (weak first)	core
مُضَعَّف	muda''af	Doubled (geminate) root	core
نَاقِص	naqis	Defective root (weak final)	core
صَحِيح سَالِم	sahih salim	Sound root	core

التَّجْرِيد والزِّيَادَةRoot size & augmentation

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
مَزِيد	mazid	Augmented root (+letters)	core
مُجَرَّد	mujarrad	Bare (unaugmented) root — Trilateral	core

بِنْيَة الجَذْرRoot structure

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
الْمَادَّة (الْجِذْر)	al-madda (al-jidhr)	Root material (radicals)	core
الْوَزْن (الْمِيزَان الصَّرْفِيّ)	al-wazn (al-mizan al-sarfi)	Morphological scale (wazn/mizan)	core
الْأَصْل	al-asl	Underlying original form	advanced

البَابVerb form (baab)

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
الْبَاب	al-bab	Verb gateway/measure (baab)	core

زَمَن الفِعْل والإسْنَادVerb: tense & conjugation

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
فِعْل أَمْر	fi'l amr	Imperative verb (al-amr)	core
فِعْل مَاضٍ	fi'l madi	Past-tense verb (al-madi)	core
فِعْل مُضَارِع	fi'l mudari'	Present/future verb (al-mudari)	core

التَّصَرُّفVerb: conjugability

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
مُتَصَرِّف	mutasarrif	Fully conjugable verb	core

المَعْلُوم والمَجْهُولVerb voice

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
مَبْنِيّ لِلْمَعْلُوم	mabni li-l-ma'lum	Active voice	core
مَبْنِيّ لِلْمَجْهُول	mabni li-l-majhul	Passive voice	core

الإعْرَاب والبِنَاءDeclinability (i'rab/bina)

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
مَبْنِيّ	mabni	Indeclinable (mabni)	core

التَّغْيِيرَات الصَّرْفِيَّةMorphophonemic process

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
حَذْف التَّاء لِلتَّخْفِيف	hadhf al-ta' li-l-takhfif	Ta-deletion for ease	advanced
إِعْلَال بِالْحَذْف	i'lal bi-l-hadhf	Weak-letter deletion (i'lal by hadhf)	advanced
إِعْلَال بِالنَّقْل	i'lal bi-l-naql	Vowel transfer (i'lal by naql)	advanced
إِعْلَال بِالْقَلْب	i'lal bi-l-qalb	Weak-letter substitution (i'lal by qalb)	advanced
إِبْدَال	ibdal	Letter replacement (ibdal)	advanced
إِدْغَام	idgham	Assimilation (idgham)	advanced

Nahw — Syntax (نَحْو)

How words function in the sentence: roles, particles, clauses.

الوَظَائِف النَّحْوِيَّةSyntactic role

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
فَاعِل	fa'il	Agent / doer (fa'il)	core
حَال	hal	Circumstantial accusative (hal)	core
اِسْم إِنَّ	ism inna	Subject of inna & sisters	core
اِسْم كَانَ	ism kana	Subject of kana & sisters	core
اِسْم مَجْرُور	ism majrur	Noun governed by preposition	core
خَبَر	khabar	Predicate (khabar)	core
خَبَر إِنَّ	khabar inna	Predicate of inna & sisters	core
خَبَر كَانَ	khabar kana	Predicate of kana & sisters	core
مَعْطُوف	ma'tuf	Conjoined element (ma'tuf)	core
مَفْعُول بِهِ	maf'ul bih	Direct object (maf'ul bih)	core
مَفْعُول فِيهِ (ظَرْف)	maf'ul fih (zarf)	Adverbial object (zarf)	core
مُبْتَدَأ	mubtada'	Subject of nominal sentence (mubtada)	core
مُضَاف	mudaf	First term of idafa (mudaf)	core
مُضَاف إِلَيْه	mudaf ilayh	Possessor in idafa (mudaf ilayh)	core
مُنَادَى	munada	Vocative noun (munada)	core
نَائِب فَاعِل	na'ib fa'il	Deputy agent (passive subject)	core
نَعْت	na't	Adjective (na't / sifa)	core
تَمْيِيز	tamyiz	Specification (tamyiz)	core
عَطْف بَيَان	'atf bayan	Explanatory apposition	advanced
الِاشْتِغَال	al-ishtighal	Pre-occupation construction (ishtighal)	advanced
بَدَل	badal	Appositive substitute (badal)	advanced
اِسْم لَا النَّافِيَة لِلْجِنْس	ism la al-nafiya li-l-jins	Noun of la of absolute negation	advanced
مَفْعُول لِأَجْلِهِ	maf'ul li-ajlih	Object of purpose	advanced
مَفْعُول مَعَهُ	maf'ul ma'ah	Object of accompaniment	advanced
مَفْعُول مُطْلَق	maf'ul mutlaq	Absolute/cognate object	advanced
مُلْحَق بِـ	mulhaq bi-	Annexed to (dual/sound plural)	advanced
مُسْتَثْنَى	mustathna	Excepted noun (mustathna)	advanced
تَوْكِيد	tawkid	Corroborative emphasis (tawkid)	advanced

أَنْوَاع الحُرُوفParticle type

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
أَدَاة شَرْط	adat shart	Conditional operator	core
حَرْف عَطْف	harf 'atf	Conjunction (harf 'atf)	core
حَرْف اسْتِئْنَاف	harf isti'naf	Resumption particle (isti'naf)	core
حَرْف اسْتِفْهَام	harf istifham	Interrogative particle	core
حَرْف جَرّ	harf jarr	Preposition (harf jarr)	core
حَرْف جَزْم	harf jazm	Jussive particle (jazm)	core
حَرْف مَصْدَرِيّ	harf masdari	Subordinating (masdari) particle	core
حَرْف مُشَبَّه بِالْفِعْل	harf mushabbah bi-l-fi'l	Particle resembling a verb (inna & sisters)	core
حَرْف نَفْي	harf nafy	Negation particle	core
حَرْف نَصْب	harf nasb	Accusative particle (nasb)	core
حَرْف نِدَاء	harf nida'	Vocative particle (ya)	core
حَرْف شَرْط	harf shart	Conditional particle	core
حَرْف تَوْكِيد	harf tawkid	Emphasis particle	core
لَا النَّاهِيَة	la al-nahiya	La of prohibition	core
أَدَاة اسْتِثْنَاء	adat istithna'	Exception particle (illa…)	advanced
حَرْف جَوَاب	harf jawab	Answer particle (jawab)	advanced
حَرْف رَدْع	harf rad'	Deterrence particle (rad')	advanced
حَرْف تَنْبِيه	harf tanbih	Attention particle (tanbih)	advanced
حَرْف زَائِد	harf za'id	Redundant/extra particle	advanced

حُرُوف مُعَيَّنَةSpecific particle

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
اللَّام الْمُزَحْلَقَة	al-lam al-muzahlaqa	Displaced lam of emphasis	advanced
فَاء السَّبَبِيَّة	fa' al-sababiyya	Fa of causation	advanced
هَمْزَة التَّسْوِيَة	hamzat al-taswiya	Hamza of equalisation	advanced
إِذَا الْفُجَائِيَّة	idha al-fuja'iyya	Surprise idha	advanced
لَام الْأَمْر	lam al-amr	Lam of command	advanced
لَام التَّعْلِيل	lam al-ta'lil	Lam of purpose/reason	advanced
نُون التَّوْكِيد	nun al-tawkid	Nun of emphasis	advanced
نُون الْوِقَايَة	nun al-wiqaya	Protective nun (wiqaya)	advanced
وَاو / لَام الْقَسَم	waw / lam al-qasam	Oath particle (waw/lam of qasam)	advanced
وَاو الْمَعِيَّة	waw al-ma'iyya	Waw of accompaniment	advanced

Specific particle (lam)

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
اللَّام	al-lam	The lam (various roles)	core

Specific particle (fa)

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
الْفَاء	al-fa'	The fa (various roles)	core

Specific particle (waw)

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
الْوَاو	al-waw	The waw (various roles)	core

Specific particle (ba)

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
الْبَاء	al-ba'	The ba (preposition)	core

Specific particle (ma)

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
مَا	ma	Ma (negation/relative/masdari…)	core

الضَّمَائِر المُتَّصِلَةAttached-pronoun letter

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
نَا الْفَاعِلِين	na al-fa'ilin	'na' (we/us)	core
تَاء الْفَاعِل	ta' al-fa'il	Subject ta	core
وَاو الْجَمَاعَة	waw al-jama'a	Plural waw (subject)	core
يَاء الْمُتَكَلِّم	ya' al-mutakallim	First-person ya (my)	core
أَلِف الِاثْنَيْن	alif al-ithnayn	Dual alif	advanced
نُون النِّسْوَة	nun al-niswa	Feminine-plural nun	advanced
يَاء الْمُخَاطَبَة	ya' al-mukhataba	2nd-fem-sing ya	advanced

أَنْوَاع الضَّمَائِرPronoun type

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
ضَمِير مُنْفَصِل	damir munfasil	Detached pronoun	core
ضَمِير مُسْتَتِر	damir mustatir	Hidden/implied pronoun	core
ضَمِير مُتَّصِل	damir muttasil	Attached pronoun	core
ضَمِير الْفَصْل	damir al-fasl	Separating pronoun (fasl)	advanced
ضَمِير الشَّأْن	damir al-sha'n	Pronoun of the matter (sha'n)	advanced

نَوْع الكَلِمَةWord class

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
عَلَم	'alam	Proper noun (alam)	core
فِعْل (نَوْع الْكَلِمَة)	fi'l (naw' al-kalima)	Verb (fi'l) — word class tag	core
حَرْف (نَوْع الْكَلِمَة)	harf (naw' al-kalima)	Particle (harf) — word class tag	core
اِسْم (نَوْع الْكَلِمَة)	ism (naw' al-kalima)	Noun (ism) — word class tag	core
اِسْم إِشَارَة	ism ishara	Demonstrative noun	core
اِسْم اسْتِفْهَام	ism istifham	Interrogative noun	core
اِسْم مَوْصُول	ism mawsul	Relative noun (mawsul)	core
اِسْم شَرْط	ism shart	Conditional noun	core
اِسْم فِعْل	ism fi'l	Verbal noun-of-command (ism fi'l)	advanced

الفِعْل في الإعْرَابVerb class (in syntax)

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
فِعْل أَمْر	fi'l amr	Imperative verb	core
فِعْل مَاضٍ	fi'l madi	Past-tense verb	core
فِعْل مُضَارِع	fi'l mudari'	Present/future verb	core
فِعْل الشَّرْط	fi'l al-shart	Verb of the condition	advanced

النَّوَاسِخParticle/verb class

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
نَاسِخ	nasikh	Abrogator (nasikh — kana/inna family)	core

الجُمَل وأَشْبَاهُهَاClause/structure

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
الْجُمْلَة الْفِعْلِيَّة	al-jumla al-fi'liyya	Verbal sentence	core
الْجُمْلَة الِاسْمِيَّة	al-jumla al-ismiyya	Nominal sentence	core
الْمُرَكَّبَات	al-murakkabat	The five phrase types (murakkabat)	core
جُمْلَة مَعْطُوفَة	jumla ma'tufa	Conjoined clause	core
جُمْلَة مَقُول الْقَوْل	jumlat maqul al-qawl	Direct-speech clause (maqul al-qawl)	core
مُتَعَلِّق بِـ	muta'alliq bi-	Attached/related to (ta'alluq)	core
شِبْه الْجُمْلَة	shibh al-jumla	Quasi-sentence (prep/adverbial phrase)	core
صِلَة الْمَوْصُول	silat al-mawsul	Relative clause (sila)	core
الْجُمْلَة الِاعْتِرَاضِيَّة	al-jumla al-i'tiradiyya	Parenthetical clause	advanced
الْمَصْدَر الْمُؤَوَّل	al-masdar al-mu'awwal	Interpreted verbal noun (an+verb)	advanced
جَوَاب الْقَسَم	jawab al-qasam	Answer of the oath	advanced
جَوَاب الشَّرْط	jawab al-shart	Apodosis of the condition	advanced
جُمْلَة مُعْتَرِضَة	jumla mu'tarida	Parenthetical clause	advanced
جُمْلَة تَفْسِيرِيَّة	jumla tafsiriyya	Explanatory clause	advanced
جُمْلَة الشَّرْط	jumlat al-shart	Conditional (protasis) clause	advanced

عَمَلِيَّات إعْرَابِيَّةOperation

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
مَحْذُوف	mahdhuf	Elided/omitted element	core
مُؤَخَّر	mu'akhkhar	Postponed (mu'akhkhar)	core
مُقَدَّم	muqaddam	Fronted (muqaddam)	core
تَقْدِير	taqdir	Implied estimation (taqdir)	core
أَنْ الْمَصْدَرِيَّة الْمُضْمَرَة	an al-masdariyya al-mudmara	Hidden 'an' (masdari)	advanced
الْتِقَاء السَّاكِنَيْن	iltiqa' al-sakinayn	Two-quiescents resolution	advanced

خَاصّSpecial

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
حُرُوف مُقَطَّعَة	huruf muqatta'a	Disjoined Quranic letters (muqatta'at)	advanced

States & Markers (الإعراب والعلامات)

Case states, their markers, position, and definiteness.

الحَالَة الإعْرَابِيَّةI'rab state

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
الْإِعْرَاب	al-i'rab	I'rab — the case/declension system	core
مَجْرُور	majrur	Genitive state (jarr)	core
مَجْزُوم	majzum	Jussive state (jazm)	core
مَنْصُوب	mansub	Accusative state (nasb)	core
مَرْفُوع	marfu'	Nominative state (raf')	core

المَحَلّ الإعْرَابِيّLocal position (mahall)

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
فِي مَحَلّ جَرّ	fi mahall jarr	In place of jarr	core
فِي مَحَلّ جَزْم	fi mahall jazm	In place of jazm	core
فِي مَحَلّ نَصْب	fi mahall nasb	In place of nasb	core
فِي مَحَلّ رَفْع	fi mahall raf'	In place of raf'	core
لَا مَحَلّ لَهُ مِنَ الْإِعْرَاب	la mahall lahu min al-i'rab	Without grammatical position	advanced

عَلَامَات الإعْرَابI'rab marker (alama)

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
عَلَامَة ظَاهِرَة	'alama zahira	Apparent (zahira) marker	core
الضَّمَّة	al-damma	Damma marker	core
الْفَتْحَة	al-fatha	Fatha marker	core
الْكَسْرَة	al-kasra	Kasra marker	core
السُّكُون	al-sukun	Sukun marker	core
مَمْنُوع مِنَ الصَّرْف	mamnu' min al-sarf	Diptote (banned from tanwin)	core
عَلَامَة فَرْعِيَّة	'alama far'iyya	Secondary marker (waw/alif/ya/nun)	advanced
عَلَامَة مُقَدَّرَة	'alama muqaddara	Estimated (muqaddar) marker	advanced
الْأَفْعَال الْخَمْسَة	al-af'al al-khamsa	The five verbs	advanced
حَذْف النُّون	hadhf al-nun	Elision of nun	advanced
حَذْف حَرْف الْعِلَّة	hadhf harf al-'illa	Elision of weak letter	advanced
تَاء التَّأْنِيث	ta' al-ta'nith	Feminine ta	advanced
تَنْوِين	tanwin	Nunation (tanwin)	advanced
ثُبُوت النُّون	thubut al-nun	Retention of nun (5 verbs/dual/m-pl)	advanced

البِنَاءDeclinability (bina)

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
عَلَامَة الْبِنَاء (الْحَرَكَة)	'alamat al-bina' (al-haraka)	Build-vowel (mabni 'ala fath/damm/kasr)	core
مَبْنِيّ	mabni	Indeclinable (mabni)	core

التَّعْرِيف والتَّنْكِيرDefiniteness

Term	Translit.	Meaning	Tier
أَلْ التَّعْرِيف	al al-ta'rif	Definite article (al-)	core
مَعْرِفَة	ma'rifa	Definite noun (ma'rifa)	core
نَكِرَة	nakira	Indefinite noun (nakira)	core