Learn · grammar
The Verb Spine
קאל · כאן · the prefix conjugation
Two verbs hold the Tafsir together: קאל "he said" (every speech is introduced by it) and כאן "he was" (the workhorse of "there was / it became"). Learn how they flex and the narrative stops looking opaque. Arabic marks the subject two ways — by an ending on the past tense, and by a prefix on the present.
Past tense: the ending carries the subject
The bare 3rd-person-masculine form is the dictionary form. Add an ending for she / they.
- קאלقَالَqāla
he said
The default form — what you'll meet most.
- קאלתقالتqālat
she said
+ ־ת for feminine, exactly like Hebrew.
- קאלואقالواqālū
they said
+ ־וא for masculine plural.
Present / future: the prefix carries the subject
The imperfect adds a prefix: י־ (he), ת־ (she / you m.), נ־ (we), א־ (I). Same letters as the Hebrew prefix conjugation.
- יקולيقولyaqūlu
he says / will say
Prefix י־ = he.
- תקולتقولtaqūlu
she says / you say
Prefix ת־ = she or you (m.).
- נקולنقولnaqūlu
we say
Prefix נ־ = we.
כאן — "was" and "became"
כאן sets the scene: "there was," "it was," "it became." Its present יכון means "is / will be." You'll meet it in the second verse of the Tafsir.
- כאןكانkāna
he / it was
- כאנתكانتkānat
she / it (f.) was
וכאנת אלארץ׳ = "and the earth was…" (Gen 1:2).
- יכוןيكونyakūnu
he / it will be
Check yourself
A few quick questions on what you just read.
What does כאן mean?