The proposed textbook allows you to learn the basic grammatical, syntactic and lexical rules of the Arabic language in a simple and accessible form. It is intended for those who have just started learning Arabic, but can also be used by those who are at a more advanced level to review the material they have covered.
The manual consists of 43 lessons, each lesson is devoted to a separate topic. The grammatical part is presented in the form of tables with comments in Russian and examples. There are exercises at the end of the lesson, and at the end of the book there is a summary test to test your understanding of the material.
Masculine words in Arabic do not have a separate indicator.
The feminine gender indicator in Arabic is the ending ta marbut
Some words belong to the feminine gender in their meaning, without having a formal indicator.
There are words that are traditionally considered feminine.
FROM THE AUTHOR
Lesson 1. GENUS CATEGORY
Lesson 2. ARTICLE. DEFINITE
AND UNCERTAIN STATE
Lesson 3. Declension of names
Lesson 4. PRONOUNS
Lesson 5. CONSISTENT DEFINITION
Lesson 6. STATUS CONSTRUCTUS
Lesson 7. THE WORDS “FATHER” AND “BROTHER”
Lesson 8. DOUBLE CASE NAMES
Lesson 9. COLORS
Lesson 10. RULES FOR WRITING HAMZA
Lesson 11. NOMINAL SENTENCE
Lesson 12. Demonstrative pronouns
Lesson 13. NAMED NEGATION
Lesson 14. USING THE WORD
IN THE MEANINGS OF “ALL”, “EACH”
Lesson 15. Particles of Circulation
EXERCISES ON THE TOPICS LEARNED
Lesson 16. BREED I (REGULAR VERB)
Lesson 17. BREED II
Lesson 18. BREED III
Lesson 19. BREED IV
Lesson 20. BREED V
Lesson 21. BREED VI
Lesson 22. BREED VII
Lesson 23. BREED VIII
Lesson 24. BREED IX
Lesson 25. BREED X
Lesson 26. VERB SENTENCE
Lesson 27. FUTURE TENSE
Lesson 28. VERB NEGATION
EXERCISES ON THE TOPICS LEARNED
Lesson 29. INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES
Lesson 30. IMPERATIVE SENTENCES (IMPERATIVE, INCENTIVE)
Lesson 31. DEGREES OF COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES
Lesson 32. VERB “SEE”
Lesson 33. CARDINAL NUMERALS
Lesson 34. MODAL VERBS
Lesson 35. VERBS “WANT”, “CAN”
Lesson 36. USING THE WORD
Lesson 37. VERB “LIKE”
Lesson 38. Subordinate clauses (Clause clauses)
Lesson 39. DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH
Lesson 40. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
Lesson 41. PARTICLES OF EXCEPTION
Lesson 42. COMBINATIONS WITH PARTICLES
Lesson 43. PARTICLE
EXERCISES ON THE TOPICS LEARNED
TEST
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Encyclopedic YouTube
In the 10th century, as a result of the merging of the ideas of the Basri and Kufic schools, the Baghdad school of Arabic grammar was formed, although some authors deny the existence of the Baghdad school and continue to divide Arab linguists into Basri and Kufi. The Baghdadians were not as categorical as the Basrians and occupied a middle position between schools, taking their due from foreign influences and not completely rejecting them. In their writings, the Baghdadians turned to both the hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad and the works of modern poets like Bashshar and Abu Nuwas.
Sciences studying Arabic
In the Arabic tradition, there are 4 sciences that study literary Arabic:
- al-Lugha(Arab. اللغة ) - lexicology, description of vocabulary and meanings of words.
- at-Tasrif(Arab. التصريف or Arabic. الصرف ) - morphology, description of word forms and their formation. Sometimes the science of الإشتقاق al-iştiqāq is isolated from sarf - etymology, word formation.
- al-Nahw(Arab. النحو ) - syntax, the science of the order of words in a sentence and their influence on each other. An important component of this science is al-i'rab(Arab. الإعراب ) - section nahv, studying the change in case endings of words.
- al-Balyaga(Arab. البلاغة ) - rhetoric, the science of correct, convincing and beautiful presentation of thoughts.
Root of the word
Almost all names and verbs in Arabic can have a root consisting of only consonants.
The Arabic root is most often three-letter, less often two- or four-letter, and even less often five-letter; but already for a four-letter root there is a requirement that it contain at least one of the smooth consonants (vox memoriae (memory): مُرْ بِنَفْلٍ).
According to the famous domestic Arabist S. S. Maisel, the number of triconsonant roots in the modern Arabic literary language is 82% of the total number of Arabic roots.
Not just any consonants can participate in the composition of a root: some of them are compatible in the same root (more precisely, in the same cell; see below: b), others are incompatible.
Incompatible:
- Laryngeal: غ ع خ ح (if ع and ء are compatible)
- Non-laryngeal:
ب and فم
ت and ث
ث and س ص ض ط ظ
ج and ف ق ك
خ and ظقك
د and ذ
ذ and ص ض ط ظ
ر and ل
ز and ض ص ظ
س and ص ض
ش and ض ل
ص and ض ط ظ
ض and ط ظ
ط and ظك
ظ and غ ق
غ and ق ك
ق and كغ
ل and ن
This feature of the composition of the Arabic root makes the task somewhat easier for those reading the manuscript without dots; for example, the spelling of حعڡر should be جَعْفَر
The formation of words occurs mainly due to the internal structural change of the word - internal inflection. An Arabic root, as a rule, consists of three (rarely two or four, extremely rarely five) root consonants (radicals), which, with the help of transfixes, form the entire paradigm of a given root. For example, from the verb كَتَبَ (write), using the consonants “K-T-B” the following words and forms are formed:
Pronouns
Personal
Separate
Separate pronouns are used independently, not in idafa and not as a direct object.
| Face | Units | Dv.h. | Pl. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | anāأنا | naḥnuنحن | ||
| 2nd | husband. | antaأنت | antumāأنتما | antumأنتم |
| wives | antiأنت | antunnaأنتنّ | ||
| 3rd | husband. | huwaهو | humāهما | humهم |
| wives | hiyaهي | hunnaهنّ | ||
Fused
Confluent pronouns are used after names, indicating ownership (that is, replacing idafu, كِتَابُهُ kitābuhu “his book”), as well as after verbs, replacing the direct object (كَتَبْتُهُ katabtuhu “I wrote it”). They can also join prepositions (عَلَيْهِ ʕalayhi “on him”, بِهِ bihi “to them, with his help”, etc.), particles of the group إِنَّ (for example إنَّهُ رَجُلٌ صادِقٌ innahu rajulun sˤādiqun "indeed he is a truthful man" ). Confluent 3rd person pronouns (except ها) have variants with the vowel i after words ending in i or y. The 1st person pronoun is used in the form ني nī after vowels, in the form ـيَّ after y (merging with this sound).
| Face | Units | Dv.h. | Pl. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | -nī/-ī/-yaـي | -nāـنا | ||
| 2nd | husband. | -kaـك | -kumāـكما | -kumـكم |
| wives | -kiـك | -kunnaـكن | ||
| 3rd | husband. | -hu/-hiـه | -humā/-himāـهما | -hum/-himـهم |
| wives | -hāـها | -hunna/-hinnaـهن | ||
Index fingers
Demonstrative pronouns are combinations with the Semitic demonstrative ðā (compare Hebrew זה ze "this, this"). Arabic demonstrative pronouns agree with the word they refer to according to general rules. According to cases, they change only in the dual number.
| Genus | Units | Dv.h. | Pl. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Husband. | straight p. | hāðā هذا | hāðāni هذان | hā'ulā'iهؤلاء |
| indirect clauses | hāðayni هذين | |||
| Women | straight p. | hāðihiهذه | hātāni هتان | |
| indirect clauses | hātayni هتين | |||
| Genus | Units | Dv.h. | Pl. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Husband. | straight p. | İālikaذلك | ðānika ذانك | ulā'ikaأولئك |
| indirect clauses | ðaynika ذينك | |||
| Women | straight p. | tillkaتلك | tanika تانك | |
| indirect clauses | taynika تينك | |||
Interrogative
The following words are interrogatives in Arabic: مَنْ man “who?”, مَا، مَاذا mā, māðā “what?”, إينَ ayna “where?”, كَيْفَ kayfa “how?”, مَتَى matā “when?”, كَم ْkam “how much?”, أَيٌّ ayyun (feminine - أَيَّةٌ ayyatun, but the word أي can be used for both genders) “which, which, which?” Of these, only أيٌّ and أَيَّةٌ change by case; they are also used with words in the form of idafa (for example, أَيَّ كِتَابٍ تُرِيدُ ayya kitābin turīdu “what book do you want?”, the pronoun أي has lost tan wine, as the first member of idafa, and received the ending nasba a , since it is the direct object of the verb أرَادَ arāda “to want”).
The word كَمْ is used in several contexts: in the context of a question about quantity, it puts the subsequent word in nasb (كَمْ سَاعَةً تَنْتَظِرُ؟ kam sāʕatan tantazˤiru “how many hours have you been waiting?”), in the context of surprise - in jarr (!كَ مْ أَخٍ لَكَ kam axin laka " how many (how many) brothers do you have!
Relative
Interrogative pronouns ما، من can also be used as relative pronouns.
| Genus | Units | Dv.h. | Pl. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Husband. | straight p. | allaðī الّذي | allaðāni اللّذان | allaðīna الّذين |
| indirect clauses | allaðayni الّذين | |||
| Women | straight p. | allatī الّتي | allatāni اللّتان | allātī, allā"ī الّاتي، الائي |
| indirect clauses | allatayni الّتين | |||
Name
Genus
Arabic has two genders: masculine and feminine. The masculine gender has no special indicators, but the feminine gender includes:
1. Words with endings ـة، ـاءُ، ـٙى for example: سَاعَةٌ “hours”، صَخْرَاءُ “desert”، كُبْرَى “greatest”
2. Words denoting female people and animals (females), even without external indicators of the feminine gender, for example: أُمٌّ “mother”, حَامِلٌ “pregnant”
3. Words denoting cities, countries and peoples, for example: مُوسْكُو “Moscow”, قُرَيْشٌ “(tribe) Quraysh”
4. Words denoting paired organs of the body, for example: عَيْنٌ “eye”, أُذُنٌ “ear”
5. The following words:
It is worth noting that words denoting male people and animals can also have the endings ـة، ـاءُ، ـٙى for example: عَلَّامَةٌ “great scientist”, أُسَامَةُ “Osama (male name)”.
Number
In Arabic there are three numbers of names: singular, dual and plural. Adjectives and verbs agree with nouns in number. The dual number has clear rules of formation, but the plural number is formed in different ways; it must always be clarified in the dictionary.
Dual
The dual number is formed by adding the ending ـَانِ āni to a singular name (and ة becomes ت). Names in the dual number are bicase, in the oblique case (nasb and hafda) their ending is ـَيْنِ ayni. In the conjugate state, these names lose the last nun.
Regular plural masculine
The correct plural is formed by adding the ending ـُونَ ūna to the singular word. In the indirect case, this ending looks like ـِينَ īna. In the conjugated state, these names lose the last nun, and have the endings ـُو ū, ـِي -ī.
Regular plural feminine
Feminine names ending in ة in the plural most often replace it with the ending ـَاتٌ ātun. Some masculine verbal names can take the same ending. In hafda and nasb they change to ـَاتٍ ātin or ـَاتِ āti.
Broken plural
Most names in Arabic are made plural by changing their stem. This is how many masculine names are changed (كِتَابٌ kitābun book - كُتُبٌ kutubun book), less often - feminine with ة (for example, مَدْرَسَةٌ madrasatun school - مَدَارِسُ madarisu school), and practically all feminine names without ة.
"Cases"
In Arabic there are three so-called states of names: raf, hafd (or jarr), nasb. They are often translated as nominative, genitive and accusative cases, respectively. These terms do not fully reflect the Arabic category of state, therefore this article uses the Russian transliteration of Arabic terms.
Some names in hafda and nasb have the same form and also do not take tanwin, so they are called “two-case”, and their forms are divided into direct and indirect cases.
Raf" (nominative case)
The raf state is the main, “dictionary” state of names.
Jarr/hafd (genitive case)
Names are used in the hafd state after conjugated names and prepositions. It is formed in three ways:
1. Three-case names, names in the broken plural and whole feminine number change the ending u, un to i, in.
2. Two-case names end in a.
3. Names in the dual and regular masculine plural change the letters و and ا to ي. It also appears in the “five names”.
Nasb (accusative case)
The nasb state has names used as direct objects of verbs, after modal particles, and also as some circumstances without a preposition. Nasb is formed like this:
1. Three-case names and names in the broken plural change u, un to a, an.
2. “Five names” take ا
3. Names in the whole plural of both genders and bicase names in nasb coincide with their forms in hafda.
Nasb is used in the following contexts:
1. The direct object of the verb (كَتَبْتُ رِسَالَةً “I wrote a letter”)
2. In the circumstances of the manner of action, expressed by the same or different root name of the action (ضَرَبَهُ ضَرْبًا شَدِيدًا “he hit him with a strong blow”)
3. In circumstances of time without a preposition (نَهَارًا “in the afternoon”)
4. In the circumstances of direction (يَمِينًا “to the right”)
5. In the circumstances of the course of action in the meaning of purpose or reason (قُمْتُ إِكْرَامًا لَهُ “I stood up out of respect for him”)
6. After “vav jointness” (سَافَرْتُ وأَخَاكَ “I went (together) with your brother”)
7. In the circumstances of the manner of action, expressed by the same root or different root participle (ذَهَبَ مَاشِيًا “he set off on foot”)
8. In the context of emphasis (حَسَنٌ وَجْهًا “good face”)
9. After the numerals كَمْ “how many?” and كَذَا “so much”
10. After modal particles (“إنَّ and its sisters”, see below)
11. After the particle لا, when a general, generic negation is implied (لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الله “there is no deity except the One God”)
12. After the particles ما and لا, when they are used in the meaning of the verb لَيْسَ “not to appear.” Characteristic of the Hijja dialect (مَا هَذَا بَشَرًا = لَيْسَ هَذَا بَشَرًا “this is not a person”)
13. After the construction مَا أَفْعَلَ, expressing surprise (مَا أَطْيَبَ زَيْدًا “how good Zaid is!”)
14. When addressing, if the one being addressed is the first member of the idafa (يَا أَبَا عُمَرَ “oh, Abu “Umar!”, “hey, father of “Umar!”)
Two-case names
Two-case names (الأسماء الممنوعة من الصرف) differ from three-case names in that they do not have a tanvin, in Raf they have the ending -u, and in Hafda and Nasb -a. Bicase, in fact, are the forms of the dual and integer plurals, but they are considered in their own sections.
In a definite and conjugated state, two-case names change as three-case names, that is, with the ending -i.
The following categories of words belong to two-case names:
1. Most female proper names, except those built according to the فَـِـُعْلٌ model. Male names ending in ة.
2. Proper names that match the form of the verb.
3. Proper names and names of non-Arabic origin (except those built according to the فَـِـُعْلٌ model)
4. Proper names with the ending ـَانُ and any names built according to the model فَعْلَانُ.
5. Proper names of the model فُعَلٌ, as well as the word أُخَرُ
6. Proper names formed from two words by addition, but not idafa.
7. Feminine names ending in ـَاءُ or ـَى
8. Model names أَفْعَلُ
9. Names (numerals) of models مَفْعَلُ or فُعَالُ
10. Broken plural names in which there are two or three letters after ا.
Hidden declension names
1. Names ending in alif (regular ا and broken ى, or tanvin ً -an) do not change according to cases.
2. Names to which the fused pronoun ي is attached do not change by case.
3. Names ending in taniwin ٍ -in do not change in raf'e and hafd. In nasb and a certain state of all cases they have the letter ي
Five names
The next five names (in the table) are not changed according to the rules. In the conjugated state and with fused pronouns, their short vowel lengthens. The words ذو and فو do not have forms with short vowels, since they are used only in idafa and with pronouns. Along with them, the correct names صَاحِبٌ and فَمٌ are used.
Forms of the word ذو
| Genus | Units | Dv.h. | Pl. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Husband. | raf" | ðū ذو | ðawā ذوا | ðawū, ulū ذوو، أولو |
| nasb | ðā ذا | ðaway ذويْ | ðawī, ulī ذوي، أولي | |
| hafd | ðī ذِي | |||
| Women | raf" | İātu ذاتُ | ðawātā ذواتا | ðawātu, ulātu ذوات، أولاتُ |
| nasb | ðāta ذاتَ | ðawātī ذواتي | ðawāti, ulāti ذوات، أولات | |
| hafd | ðāti ذاتِ | |||
A certain state
A certain state of names is a form without tanwin. It is used in several cases: after the article ال, after vocative particles, etc. Adjectives agree with nouns in definiteness and indefiniteness.
Conjugate state, idafa
“Idafa” is a special construction in Semitic languages (corresponds to Hebrew smichut). In it, the first word is in the so-called conjugate state. In Arabic (and other Semitic languages that retain cases), the second word is in the genitive case. The words in idafa are in the relation “the subject of the owner.” A word in the conjugated state does not take the article ال, but is considered definite with the help of the subsequent one; the definiteness of the entire construction is calculated using the last word.
Degrees of comparison of “adjectives”
Comparative and superlative forms of the name are formed from a three-letter root according to the formula:
أَفْعَلُ (plural: أَفْعَلُونَ or أَفَاعِلُ) for the masculine gender, فُعْلَى (plural: فُعْلَيَاتُ) for the feminine gender. For example: the root ك،ب،ر, associated with large sizes (for example, كَبُرَ to be large) - أَكْبَرُ the largest - كُبْرَى the largest.
These forms are used in four contexts:
- In the predicate position, in an indefinite state, followed by the preposition مِنْ “from, from”, in the masculine singular form. This form is used in comparison: أَخِى أَصْغَرُ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ “My brother is younger than Muhammad.”
- With the definite article “اَلْ” in the position of definition, fully consistent with the main word: البَيْتُ الأَكْبَرُ “The biggest house.”
- As the first member of the idafa (in singular form, masculine), where the second member is the name of an indefinite state (consistent in gender and number with the determinant or subject): الْكِتَابُ أَفْضَلُ صَدِيقٍ “The book is the best friend” زَيْنَب ُ أَفْضَلُ صَدِيقَةٍ "Zainab is my best friend."
- As the first member of the idafa (either in the singular form of the male form, or agrees in gender and number with the defined or subject), the second member of which is the name of a certain state (does not agree with the defined or subject, usually has a plural form. h.): أَنْتَ أَفْضَلُ اَلنَّاسِ “You are the best of people”, أَنْتُنَّ أَفْضَلُ النَّاسِ or أَنْت ُنَّ فُضْلَيَاتُ النَّاسِ “You (female) are the best of people.”
Numerals
Quantitative
Ordinal
Coordination
In Arabic, the definition is consistent with the defined in definiteness, gender, number, case. At the same time, for “reasonable” names (naming people) in the plural, the definitions have the plural form of the required gender, and for “unreasonable” names (naming animals, inanimate objects) - in the form of the feminine singular.
Derivative models of names
Verbs
The Arabic language has an extensive verbal system, which is based on two forms that go back to the Semitic perfect and imperfect. A three-letter verb has 15 types, of which only 10 are actively used, a four-letter verb has 4 types, of which 2 are widely used. There are several types of “irregular” verbs that have some peculiarity in the root: the coincidence of the 2nd and 3rd th root letters, the presence of weak letters (و or ي) or hamza.
In the 10th century, as a result of the merging of the ideas of the Basri and Kufic schools, the Baghdad school of Arabic grammar was formed, although some authors deny the existence of the Baghdad school and continue to divide Arab linguists into Basri and Kufi. The Baghdadians were not as categorical as the Basrians and occupied a middle position between schools, taking their due from foreign influences and not completely rejecting them. In their writings, the Baghdadians turned to both the hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad and the works of modern poets like Bashshar and Abu Nuwas.
Sciences studying Arabic
In the Arabic tradition, there are 4 sciences that study literary Arabic:
- al-Lugha(Arab. اللغة ) - lexicology, description of vocabulary and meanings of words.
- at-Tasrif(Arab. التصريف or Arabic. الصرف ) - morphology, description of word forms and their formation. Sometimes the science of الإشتقاق al-iştiqāq is isolated from sarf - etymology, word formation.
- al-Nahw(Arab. النحو ) - syntax, the science of the order of words in a sentence and their influence on each other. An important component of this science is al-i'rab(Arab. الإعراب ) - section nahv, studying the change in case endings of words.
- al-Balyaga(Arab. البلاغة ) - rhetoric, the science of correct, convincing and beautiful presentation of thoughts.
Root of the word
Almost all names and verbs in Arabic can have a root consisting of only consonants.
The Arabic root is most often three-letter, less often two- or four-letter, and even less often five-letter; but already for a four-letter root there is a requirement that it contain at least one of the smooth consonants (vox memoriae (memory): مُرْ بِنَفْلٍ).
According to the famous domestic Arabist S. S. Maisel, the number of triconsonant roots in the modern Arabic literary language is 82% of the total number of Arabic roots.
Not just any consonants can participate in the composition of a root: some of them are compatible in the same root (more precisely, in the same cell; see below: b), others are incompatible.
Incompatible:
- Laryngeal: غ ع خ ح (if ع and ء are compatible)
- Non-laryngeal:
ب and فم
ت and ث
ث and س ص ض ط ظ
ج and ف ق ك
خ and ظقك
د and ذ
ذ and ص ض ط ظ
ر and ل
ز and ض ص ظ
س and ص ض
ش and ض ل
ص and ض ط ظ
ض and ط ظ
ط and ظك
ظ and غ ق
غ and ق ك
ق and كغ
ل and ن
This feature of the composition of the Arabic root makes the task somewhat easier for those reading the manuscript without dots; for example, the spelling of حعڡر should be جَعْفَر
The formation of words occurs mainly due to the internal structural change of the word - internal inflection. An Arabic root, as a rule, consists of three (rarely two or four, extremely rarely five) root consonants (radicals), which, with the help of transfixes, form the entire paradigm of a given root. For example, from the verb كَتَبَ (write), using the consonants “K-T-B” the following words and forms are formed:
Pronouns
Personal
Separate
Separate pronouns are used independently, not in idafa and not as a direct object.
| Face | Units | Dv.h. | Pl. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | anāأنا | naḥnuنحن | ||
| 2nd | husband. | antaأنت | antumāأنتما | antumأنتم |
| wives | antiأنت | antunnaأنتنّ | ||
| 3rd | husband. | huwaهو | humāهما | humهم |
| wives | hiyaهي | hunnaهنّ | ||
Fused
Confluent pronouns are used after names, indicating ownership (that is, replacing idafu, كِتَابُهُ kitābuhu “his book”), as well as after verbs, replacing the direct object (كَتَبْتُهُ katabtuhu “I wrote it”). They can also join prepositions (عَلَيْهِ ʕalayhi “on him”, بِهِ bihi “to them, with his help”, etc.), particles of the group إِنَّ (for example إنَّهُ رَجُلٌ صادِقٌ innahu rajulun sˤādiqun "indeed he is a truthful man" ). Confluent 3rd person pronouns (except ها) have variants with the vowel i after words ending in i or y. The 1st person pronoun is used in the form ني nī after vowels, in the form ـيَّ after y (merging with this sound).
| Face | Units | Dv.h. | Pl. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | -nī/-ī/-yaـي | -nāـنا | ||
| 2nd | husband. | -kaـك | -kumāـكما | -kumـكم |
| wives | -kiـك | -kunnaـكن | ||
| 3rd | husband. | -hu/-hiـه | -humā/-himāـهما | -hum/-himـهم |
| wives | -hāـها | -hunna/-hinnaـهن | ||
Index fingers
Demonstrative pronouns are combinations with the Semitic demonstrative ðā (compare Hebrew זה ze "this, this"). Arabic demonstrative pronouns agree with the word they refer to according to general rules. According to cases, they change only in the dual number.
| Genus | Units | Dv.h. | Pl. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Husband. | straight p. | hāðā هذا | hāðāni هذان | hā'ulā'iهؤلاء |
| indirect clauses | hāðayni هذين | |||
| Women | straight p. | hāðihiهذه | hātāni هتان | |
| indirect clauses | hātayni هتين | |||
| Genus | Units | Dv.h. | Pl. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Husband. | straight p. | İālikaذلك | ðānika ذانك | ulā'ikaأولئك |
| indirect clauses | ðaynika ذينك | |||
| Women | straight p. | tillkaتلك | tanika تانك | |
| indirect clauses | taynika تينك | |||
Interrogative
The following words are interrogatives in Arabic: مَنْ man “who?”, مَا، مَاذا mā, māðā “what?”, إينَ ayna “where?”, كَيْفَ kayfa “how?”, مَتَى matā “when?”, كَم ْkam “how much?”, أَيٌّ ayyun (feminine - أَيَّةٌ ayyatun, but the word أي can be used for both genders) “which, which, which?” Of these, only أيٌّ and أَيَّةٌ change by case; they are also used with words in the form of idafa (for example, أَيَّ كِتَابٍ تُرِيدُ ayya kitābin turīdu “what book do you want?”, the pronoun أي has lost tan wine, as the first member of idafa, and received the ending nasba a , since it is the direct object of the verb أرَادَ arāda “to want”).
The word كَمْ is used in several contexts: in the context of a question about quantity, it puts the subsequent word in nasb (كَمْ سَاعَةً تَنْتَظِرُ؟ kam sāʕatan tantazˤiru “how many hours have you been waiting?”), in the context of surprise - in jarr (!كَ مْ أَخٍ لَكَ kam axin laka " how many (how many) brothers do you have!
Relative
Interrogative pronouns ما، من can also be used as relative pronouns.
| Genus | Units | Dv.h. | Pl. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Husband. | straight p. | allaðī الّذي | allaðāni اللّذان | allaðīna الّذين |
| indirect clauses | allaðayni الّذين | |||
| Women | straight p. | allatī الّتي | allatāni اللّتان | allātī, allā"ī الّاتي، الائي |
| indirect clauses | allatayni الّتين | |||
Name
Genus
Arabic has two genders: masculine and feminine. The masculine gender has no special indicators, but the feminine gender includes:
1. Words with endings ـة، ـاءُ، ـٙى for example: سَاعَةٌ “hours”، صَخْرَاءُ “desert”، كُبْرَى “greatest”
2. Words denoting female people and animals (females), even without external indicators of the feminine gender, for example: أُمٌّ “mother”, حَامِلٌ “pregnant”
3. Words denoting cities, countries and peoples, for example: مُوسْكُو “Moscow”, قُرَيْشٌ “(tribe) Quraysh”
4. Words denoting paired organs of the body, for example: عَيْنٌ “eye”, أُذُنٌ “ear”
5. The following words:
It is worth noting that words denoting male people and animals can also have the endings ـة، ـاءُ، ـٙى for example: عَلَّامَةٌ “great scientist”, أُسَامَةُ “Osama (male name)”.
Number
In Arabic there are three numbers of names: singular, dual and plural. Adjectives and verbs agree with nouns in number. The dual number has clear rules of formation, but the plural number is formed in different ways; it must always be clarified in the dictionary.
Dual
The dual number is formed by adding the ending ـَانِ āni to a singular name (and ة becomes ت). Names in the dual number are bicase, in the oblique case (nasb and hafda) their ending is ـَيْنِ ayni. In the conjugate state, these names lose the last nun.
Regular plural masculine
The correct plural is formed by adding the ending ـُونَ ūna to the singular word. In the indirect case, this ending looks like ـِينَ īna. In the conjugated state, these names lose the last nun, and have the endings ـُو ū, ـِي -ī.
Regular plural feminine
Feminine names ending in ة in the plural most often replace it with the ending ـَاتٌ ātun. Some masculine verbal names can take the same ending. In hafda and nasb they change to ـَاتٍ ātin or ـَاتِ āti.
Broken plural
Most names in Arabic are made plural by changing their stem. This is how many masculine names are changed (كِتَابٌ kitābun book - كُتُبٌ kutubun book), less often - feminine with ة (for example, مَدْرَسَةٌ madrasatun school - مَدَارِسُ madarisu school), and practically all feminine names without ة.
"Cases"
In Arabic there are three so-called states of names: raf, hafd (or jarr), nasb. They are often translated as nominative, genitive and accusative cases, respectively. These terms do not fully reflect the Arabic category of state, therefore this article uses the Russian transliteration of Arabic terms.
Some names in hafda and nasb have the same form and also do not take tanwin, so they are called “two-case”, and their forms are divided into direct and indirect cases.
Raf" (nominative case)
The raf state is the main, “dictionary” state of names.
Jarr/hafd (genitive case)
Names are used in the hafd state after conjugated names and prepositions. It is formed in three ways:
1. Three-case names, names in the broken plural and whole feminine number change the ending u, un to i, in.
2. Two-case names end in a.
3. Names in the dual and regular masculine plural change the letters و and ا to ي. It also appears in the “five names”.
Nasb (accusative case)
The nasb state has names used as direct objects of verbs, after modal particles, and also as some circumstances without a preposition. Nasb is formed like this:
1. Three-case names and names in the broken plural change u, un to a, an.
2. “Five names” take ا
3. Names in the whole plural of both genders and bicase names in nasb coincide with their forms in hafda.
Nasb is used in the following contexts:
1. The direct object of the verb (كَتَبْتُ رِسَالَةً “I wrote a letter”)
2. In the circumstances of the manner of action, expressed by the same or different root name of the action (ضَرَبَهُ ضَرْبًا شَدِيدًا “he hit him with a strong blow”)
3. In circumstances of time without a preposition (نَهَارًا “in the afternoon”)
4. In the circumstances of direction (يَمِينًا “to the right”)
5. In the circumstances of the course of action in the meaning of purpose or reason (قُمْتُ إِكْرَامًا لَهُ “I stood up out of respect for him”)
6. After “vav jointness” (سَافَرْتُ وأَخَاكَ “I went (together) with your brother”)
7. In the circumstances of the manner of action, expressed by the same root or different root participle (ذَهَبَ مَاشِيًا “he set off on foot”)
8. In the context of emphasis (حَسَنٌ وَجْهًا “good face”)
9. After the numerals كَمْ “how many?” and كَذَا “so much”
10. After modal particles (“إنَّ and its sisters”, see below)
11. After the particle لا, when a general, generic negation is implied (لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الله “there is no deity except the One God”)
12. After the particles ما and لا, when they are used in the meaning of the verb لَيْسَ “not to appear.” Characteristic of the Hijja dialect (مَا هَذَا بَشَرًا = لَيْسَ هَذَا بَشَرًا “this is not a person”)
13. After the construction مَا أَفْعَلَ, expressing surprise (مَا أَطْيَبَ زَيْدًا “how good Zaid is!”)
14. When addressing, if the one being addressed is the first member of the idafa (يَا أَبَا عُمَرَ “oh, Abu “Umar!”, “hey, father of “Umar!”)
Two-case names
Two-case names (الأسماء الممنوعة من الصرف) differ from three-case names in that they do not have a tanvin, in Raf they have the ending -u, and in Hafda and Nasb -a. Bicase, in fact, are the forms of the dual and integer plurals, but they are considered in their own sections.
In a definite and conjugated state, two-case names change as three-case names, that is, with the ending -i.
The following categories of words belong to two-case names:
1. Most female proper names, except those built according to the فَـِـُعْلٌ model. Male names ending in ة.
2. Proper names that match the form of the verb.
3. Proper names and names of non-Arabic origin (except those built according to the فَـِـُعْلٌ model)
4. Proper names with the ending ـَانُ and any names built according to the model فَعْلَانُ.
5. Proper names of the model فُعَلٌ, as well as the word أُخَرُ
6. Proper names formed from two words by addition, but not idafa.
7. Feminine names ending in ـَاءُ or ـَى
8. Model names أَفْعَلُ
9. Names (numerals) of models مَفْعَلُ or فُعَالُ
10. Broken plural names in which there are two or three letters after ا.
Hidden declension names
1. Names ending in alif (regular ا and broken ى, or tanvin ً -an) do not change according to cases.
2. Names to which the fused pronoun ي is attached do not change by case.
3. Names ending in taniwin ٍ -in do not change in raf'e and hafd. In nasb and a certain state of all cases they have the letter ي
Five names
The next five names (in the table) are not changed according to the rules. In the conjugated state and with fused pronouns, their short vowel lengthens. The words ذو and فو do not have forms with short vowels, since they are used only in idafa and with pronouns. Along with them, the correct names صَاحِبٌ and فَمٌ are used.
Forms of the word ذو
| Genus | Units | Dv.h. | Pl. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Husband. | raf" | ðū ذو | ðawā ذوا | ðawū, ulū ذوو، أولو |
| nasb | ðā ذا | ðaway ذويْ | ðawī, ulī ذوي، أولي | |
| hafd | ðī ذِي | |||
| Women | raf" | İātu ذاتُ | ðawātā ذواتا | ðawātu, ulātu ذوات، أولاتُ |
| nasb | ðāta ذاتَ | ðawātī ذواتي | ðawāti, ulāti ذوات، أولات | |
| hafd | ðāti ذاتِ | |||
A certain state
A certain state of names is a form without tanwin. It is used in several cases: after the article ال, after vocative particles, etc. Adjectives agree with nouns in definiteness and indefiniteness.
Conjugate state, idafa
“Idafa” is a special construction in Semitic languages (corresponds to Hebrew smichut). In it, the first word is in the so-called conjugate state. In Arabic (and other Semitic languages that retain cases), the second word is in the genitive case. The words in idafa are in the relation “the subject of the owner.” A word in the conjugated state does not take the article ال, but is considered definite with the help of the subsequent one; the definiteness of the entire construction is calculated using the last word.
Degrees of comparison of “adjectives”
Comparative and superlative forms of the name are formed from a three-letter root according to the formula:
أَفْعَلُ (plural: أَفْعَلُونَ or أَفَاعِلُ) for the masculine gender, فُعْلَى (plural: فُعْلَيَاتُ) for the feminine gender. For example: the root ك،ب،ر, associated with large sizes (for example, كَبُرَ to be large) - أَكْبَرُ the largest - كُبْرَى the largest.
These forms are used in four contexts:
- In the predicate position, in an indefinite state, followed by the preposition مِنْ “from, from”, in the masculine singular form. This form is used in comparison: أَخِى أَصْغَرُ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ “My brother is younger than Muhammad.”
- With the definite article “اَلْ” in the position of definition, fully consistent with the main word: البَيْتُ الأَكْبَرُ “The biggest house.”
- As the first member of the idafa (in singular form, masculine), where the second member is the name of an indefinite state (consistent in gender and number with the determinant or subject): الْكِتَابُ أَفْضَلُ صَدِيقٍ “The book is the best friend” زَيْنَب ُ أَفْضَلُ صَدِيقَةٍ "Zainab is my best friend."
- As the first member of the idafa (either in the singular form of the male form, or agrees in gender and number with the defined or subject), the second member of which is the name of a certain state (does not agree with the defined or subject, usually has a plural form. h.): أَنْتَ أَفْضَلُ اَلنَّاسِ “You are the best of people”, أَنْتُنَّ أَفْضَلُ النَّاسِ or أَنْت ُنَّ فُضْلَيَاتُ النَّاسِ “You (female) are the best of people.”
Numerals
Quantitative
Ordinal
Coordination
In Arabic, the definition is consistent with the defined in definiteness, gender, number, case. At the same time, for “reasonable” names (naming people) in the plural, the definitions have the plural form of the required gender, and for “unreasonable” names (naming animals, inanimate objects) - in the form of the feminine singular.
Derivative models of names
Verbs
The Arabic language has an extensive verbal system, which is based on two forms that go back to the Semitic perfect and imperfect. A three-letter verb has 15 types, of which only 10 are actively used, a four-letter verb has 4 types, of which 2 are widely used. There are several types of “irregular” verbs that have some peculiarity in the root: the coincidence of the 2nd and 3rd th root letters, the presence of weak letters (و or ي) or hamza.
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Notes
Literature
- V. A. Zvegintsev. History of Arabic linguistics. Brief essay. - 3rd, stereotypical. - Moscow: ComKniga, 2007. - 80 p. - ISBN 978-5-484-00897-1.
- Ahmad Shawki Abdussalam Daif.= المدارس النحوية. - Dar al-Maarif.
additional literature
- Yushmanov N.V. Grammar of literary Arabic. - M., 1964; 1999.
- Chernov P.V. A reference book on the grammar of the Arabic literary language. - M., 1995.
- Grande B. M. Course of Arabic grammar in comparative historical coverage. - M., 2001.
- Yakovenko E. V. Irregular verbs of the Arabic language. - M., 2000.
- Dubinina N.V. Verbs of the Arabic language. Correct and irregular roots. - M., 2005.
- Khaibullin I. N. Grammar of the Arabic language. Summary. - M., 2009.
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An excerpt characterizing Arabic Grammar
I knew Venice, naturally, only from photographs and paintings, but now this wonderful city seemed a little different - completely real and much more colorful... Truly alive.– I was born there. And I considered it a great honor. – Isidora’s voice began to gurgle in a quiet stream. – We lived in a huge palazzo (that’s what we called the most expensive houses), in the very heart of the city, since my family was very rich.
The windows of my room faced east, and below they looked directly at the canal. And I really loved meeting the dawn, watching how the first rays of the sun lit up golden reflections on the water covered with morning fog...
The sleepy gondoliers lazily began their daily “circular” journey, waiting for early customers. The city was usually still asleep, and only inquisitive and successful merchants were always the first to open their stalls. I really loved coming to them when there was no one on the streets yet, and the main square was not filled with people. I especially often ran to the “scribes” who knew me very well and always saved something “special” for me. I was only ten years old at that time, about the same as you are now... Right?
I just nodded, enchanted by the beauty of her voice, not wanting to interrupt the story, which was like a quiet, dreamy melody...
– Already at the age of ten I could do a lot... I could fly, walk through the air, treat people suffering from the most serious illnesses, see what was coming. My mother taught me everything she knew...
- How to fly?!. Fly in a physical body?!. Like a bird? – Stella blurted out, unable to bear it.
I was very sorry that she interrupted this magically flowing narrative!.. But kind, emotional Stella apparently was not able to calmly withstand such stunning news...
Isidora only smiled brightly at her... and we saw another, but even more stunning, picture...
In a marvelous marble hall, a fragile black-haired girl was spinning... With the ease of a fairy fairy, she danced some kind of bizarre dance that only she understood, at times suddenly jumping up a little and... hovering in the air. And then, having made an intricate feast and smoothly flown several steps, she came back again, and everything began from the beginning... It was so amazing and so beautiful that Stella and I took our breath away!..
And Isidora just smiled sweetly and calmly continued her interrupted story.
– My mother was a hereditary Sage. She was born in Florence - a proud, free city... in which there was only as much of its famous “freedom” as the Medici, although fabulously rich, but (unfortunately!) not omnipotent, hated by the church, could protect it. And my poor mother, like her predecessors, had to hide her Gift, since she came from a very rich and very influential family, in which it was more than undesirable to “shine” with such knowledge. Therefore, she, just like her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, had to hide her amazing “talents” from prying eyes and ears (and more often than not, even from friends!), otherwise, if the fathers of her future suitors found out about it, she would remain unmarried forever, which in her family would be considered the greatest disgrace. Mom was very strong, a truly gifted healer. And while still very young, she secretly treated almost the entire city for ailments, including the great Medici, who preferred her to their famous Greek doctors. However, very soon the “glory” about my mother’s “stormy successes” reached the ears of her father, my grandfather, who, of course, did not have a very positive attitude towards this kind of “underground” activity. And they tried to get my poor mother married as soon as possible, in order to wash away the “brewing shame” of her entire frightened family...
Whether it was an accident, or someone somehow helped, but my mother was very lucky - she was married to a wonderful man, a Venetian magnate, who... himself was a very strong sorcerer... and whom you see with us now.. .
With shining, moist eyes, Isidora looked at her amazing father, and it was clear how much and selflessly she loved him. She was a proud daughter, with dignity carrying her pure, bright feeling through the centuries, and even there, far away, in her new worlds, she did not hide or be ashamed of it. And only then did I realize how much I wanted to become like her!.. And in her power of love, and in her power as a Sage, and in everything else that this extraordinary bright woman carried within herself...
And she calmly continued to talk, as if not noticing either our “overflowing” emotions or the “puppy” delight of our souls that accompanied her wonderful story.
– That’s when my mother heard about Venice... My father spent hours telling her about the freedom and beauty of this city, about its palaces and canals, about secret gardens and huge libraries, about bridges and gondolas, and much, much more. And my impressionable mother, without even seeing this wonderful city, fell in love with it with all her heart... She couldn’t wait to see this city with her own eyes! And very soon her dream came true... Her father brought her to a magnificent palace, full of faithful and silent servants, from whom there was no need to hide. And, starting from that day, mom could spend hours doing her favorite thing, without fear of being misunderstood or, even worse, insulted. Her life became pleasant and secure. They were a truly happy married couple, who gave birth to a girl exactly one year later. They called her Isidora... It was me.
I was a very happy child. And, as far as I can remember, the world has always seemed beautiful to me... I grew up surrounded by warmth and affection, among kind and attentive people who loved me very much. Mom soon noticed that I had a powerful Gift, much stronger than her own. She began to teach me everything that she knew and that her grandmother taught her. And later my father also became involved in my “witch” upbringing.
I am telling you all this, dear ones, not because I want to tell you the story of my happy life, but so that you can better understand what will follow a little later... Otherwise, you will not feel all the horror and pain of what me and my family had to endure .
When I turned seventeen, rumors about me spread far beyond the borders of my hometown, and there was no end to those who wanted to hear their fate. I was very tired. No matter how gifted I was, the daily stress was exhausting, and in the evenings I literally collapsed... My father always objected to such “violence,” but my mother (she herself was once unable to fully use her gift) believed that I am in perfect order, and that I must honestly practice my talent.
Many years passed like this. I have long had my own personal life and my own wonderful, beloved family. My husband was a learned man, his name was Girolamo. I think we were destined for each other, since from the very first meeting that took place in our house, we almost never parted again... He came to us for some book recommended by my father. That morning I was sitting in the library and, as was my custom, studying someone else’s work. Girolamo entered suddenly, and when he saw me there, he was completely taken aback... His embarrassment was so sincere and sweet that it made me laugh. He was a tall and strong brown-eyed brunette, who at that moment blushed like a girl who met her fiancé for the first time... And I immediately realized that this was my destiny. We soon got married and were never apart again. He was a wonderful husband, affectionate and gentle, and very kind. And when our little daughter was born, he became the same loving and caring father. So ten very happy and cloudless years passed. Our sweet daughter Anna grew up cheerful, lively, and very smart. And already in her early ten years, she, too, like me, began to slowly manifest her Gift...
Life was bright and beautiful. And it seemed that there was nothing that could overshadow our peaceful existence with misfortune. But I was afraid... For almost a whole year, every night I had nightmares - terrible images of tortured people and burning fires. It kept repeating, repeating, repeating... driving me crazy. But most of all I was frightened by the image of a strange man who constantly came into my dreams, and, without saying a word, only devoured me with the burning gaze of his deep black eyes... He was frightening and very dangerous.
And then one day it came... Black clouds began to gather in the clear sky of my beloved Venice... Alarming rumors, growing, wandered around the city. People whispered about the horrors of the Inquisition and, chilling, living human bonfires... Spain had been blazing for a long time, burning out pure human souls with “fire and sword,” in the name of Christ... And behind Spain, all of Europe was already on fire... I wasn’t a believer, and never considered Christ to be God. But he was a wonderful Sage, the strongest of all living. And he had an amazingly pure and high soul. And what the church did, killing “for the glory of Christ,” was a terrible and unforgivable crime.
Isidora's eyes became dark and deep, like a golden night. Apparently, everything pleasant that earthly life gave her ended there and something else began, terrible and dark, which we were soon to find out about... I suddenly felt a sudden “sick feeling in the pit of my stomach” and began to have difficulty breathing. Stella also stood quiet - she did not ask her usual questions, but simply listened very carefully to what Isidora was telling us.
– My beloved Venice has risen. People grumbled indignantly in the streets, gathered in squares, no one wanted to humble themselves. Always free and proud, the city did not want to accept priests under its wing. And then Rome, seeing that Venice was not going to bow to him, decided to take a serious step - it sent its best inquisitor, a crazy cardinal, to Venice, who was the most ardent fanatic, the real “father of the Inquisition,” and who could not be ignored. .. He was the “right hand” of the Pope, and his name was Giovanni Pietro Caraffa... I was thirty-six years old then...
(When I began to look through the story of Isidora in my own way, which seemed interesting enough to me to write about, I was very pleased with one detail - the name Pietro Caraffa seemed familiar, and I decided to look for him among the “historically important” personalities. And what is was my joy when I found him right there!.. Caraffa turned out to be a genuine historical figure, he was the real “father of the Inquisition”, who later, having already become Pope (Paul IV), set the better half of Europe on fire. About the life of Isidora I, unfortunately, I found only one line... In Caraffa’s biography there is a one-line mention of the case of the “Venetian Witch”, who was considered the most beautiful woman in Europe at that time... But, unfortunately, this was all that could correspond to today’s history).
Isidora was silent for a long time... Her wonderful golden eyes shone with such deep sadness that a black melancholy literally “howled” inside me... This wonderful woman still kept within herself the terrible, inhuman pain that someone very evil had once made her suffer. And I suddenly became afraid that right now, in the most interesting place, she would stop, and we would never know what happened to her next! But the amazing storyteller did not even think about stopping. Apparently there were just some moments that still cost her too much strength to get over them... And then, in defense, her tormented soul closed tightly, not wanting to let anyone in and not allowing her to remember anything “out loud”... afraid to awaken the burning, extreme pain sleeping inside. But apparently, being strong enough to overcome any sadness, Isidora collected herself again and quietly continued:
“I first saw him when I was calmly walking on the embankment, talking about new books with merchants I knew well, many of whom had long been my good friends. The day was very pleasant, bright and sunny, and no trouble, it seemed, should have appeared in the middle of such a wonderful day... But that’s what I thought. But my evil fate has prepared something completely different...
Calmly talking with Francesco Valgrisi, the books that he published were adored by all of Europe at that time, I suddenly felt a strong blow to my heart, and for a moment I stopped breathing... It was very unexpected, but, bearing in mind my long experience, I in no way I could have, I had no right to miss this!.. I turned around in surprise - right point blank, deep burning eyes were looking at me. And I recognized them immediately!.. Those eyes tormented me for so many nights, making me jump up in my sleep, drenched in cold sweat!.. It was a guest from my nightmares. Unpredictable and scary.
The man was thin and tall, but looked very fit and strong. His thin, ascetic face was framed, heavily touched with gray, by thick black hair and a neat, short-cropped beard. The scarlet cardinal's cassock made him alien and very dangerous... A strange golden-red cloud hovered around his flexible body, which only I saw. And if he were not a faithful vassal of the church, I would have thought that a Sorcerer was standing in front of me...
His whole figure and his gaze burning with hatred expressed rage. And for some reason I immediately realized that this was the famous Caraffa...
I didn’t even have time to figure out how I managed to cause such a storm (after all, not a single word had been spoken yet!), when I immediately heard his strange, hoarse voice:
– Are you interested in books, Madonna Isidora?..
In Italy, women and girls were called “Madonna” when they were addressed with respect.
My soul went cold - he knew my name... But why? Why was I interested in this creepy man?!. I felt dizzy from intense tension. It seemed as if someone was squeezing my brain with an iron vice... And then suddenly I realized - Caraffa!!! It was he who tried to mentally break me!.. But why?
I looked straight into his eyes again - thousands of fires were blazing in them, carrying innocent souls into the sky...
– What books are you interested in, Madonna Isidora? – his low voice sounded again.
“Oh, I’m sure, not the kind you’re looking for, Your Eminence,” I answered calmly.
My soul ached and fluttered in fear, like a caught bird, but I knew for sure that there was no way to show him this. It was necessary, no matter what the cost, to stay as calm as possible and try, if possible, to get rid of him as quickly as possible. There were rumors in the city that the “crazy cardinal” persistently tracked down his intended victims, who later disappeared without a trace, and no one in the world knew where and how to find them, or whether they were even alive.
– I’ve heard so much about your refined taste, Madonna Isidora! Venice only talks about you! Will you honor me with this honor and share your new acquisition with me?
Karaffa smiled... And this smile made my blood run cold and I wanted to run wherever my eyes were looking, just so as not to see this insidious, sophisticated face ever again! He was a real predator by nature, and right now he was on the hunt... I felt it with every cell of my body, every fiber of my soul, frozen in horror. I have never been cowardly... But I had heard too much about this terrible man, and I knew that nothing would stop him if he decided that he wanted to get me into his tenacious clutches. He swept away any barriers when it came to “heretics.” And even kings were afraid of him... To some extent, I even respected him...
Isidora smiled when she saw our frightened faces.
- Yes, I respected it. But it was a different respect than what you thought. I respected his tenacity, his ineradicable faith in his “good deed.” He was obsessed with what he was doing, not like most of his followers, who simply robbed, raped and enjoyed life. Caraffa never took anything and never raped anyone. Women, as such, did not exist for him at all. He was a “soldier of Christ” from beginning to end, and until his last breath... True, he never understood that in everything he did on Earth, he was absolutely and completely wrong, that it was terrible and an unforgivable crime. He died like that, sincerely believing in his “good deed”...
And now, this man, fanatical in his delusion, was clearly determined to get my “sinful” soul for some reason...
While I was frantically trying to come up with something, they unexpectedly came to my aid... My old acquaintance, almost a friend, Francesco, from whom I had just bought books, suddenly turned to me in an irritated tone, as if losing patience with my indecision:
– Madonna Isidora, have you finally decided what suits you? My clients are waiting for me, and I can’t spend my whole day just on you! No matter how nice it would be to me.
I stared at him in surprise, but fortunately, I immediately caught his risky thought - he suggested that I get rid of the dangerous books that I was holding in my hands at that moment! Books were Caraffa’s favorite hobby, and it was for them that, more often than not, the smartest people found themselves in the networks that this crazy inquisitor set up for them...
I immediately left most of it on the counter, to which Francesco immediately expressed “wild displeasure.” Caraffa watched. I immediately felt how much this simple, naive game amused him. He understood everything perfectly, and if he wanted, he could easily arrest both me and my poor risky friend. But for some reason he didn’t want to... He seemed to sincerely enjoy my helplessness, like a contented cat holding a caught mouse in a corner...
- May I leave you, Your Eminence? – Without even hoping for a positive answer, I asked cautiously.
– To my great regret, Madonna Isidora! – the cardinal exclaimed with feigned disappointment. -Will you allow me to come see you sometime? They say you have a very gifted daughter? I would really like to meet and talk with her. I hope she is as beautiful as her mother...
“My daughter, Anna, is only ten years old, my lord,” I answered as calmly as possible.
And my soul was screaming in animal horror!.. He knew everything about me!.. Why, well, why did crazy Karaffa need me?.. Why was he interested in my little Anna?!
Is it because I was known as the famous Vidunya, and he considered me his worst enemy?.. After all, for him it didn’t matter what they called me, for the “Grand Inquisitor” I was simply a witch, and he burned witches at the stake.. .
I loved Life deeply and selflessly! And I, like every normal person, really wanted it to last as long as possible. After all, even the most notorious scoundrel, who may have taken the lives of others, cherishes every minute he lives, every day he lives, his life, precious to him!.. But it was at that moment that I suddenly understood very clearly that it was he, Caraffa, who will take her, my short and so valuable to me, unlived life...
– A great spirit is born in a small body, Madonna Isidora. Even Saint Jesus was once a child. I will be very glad to visit you! – and bowing gracefully, Caraffa left.
The world was collapsing... It crumbled into small pieces, each of which reflected a predatory, subtle, intelligent face...
I tried to somehow calm down and not panic, but for some reason it didn’t work. This time my usual confidence in myself and my abilities failed me, and this made it even worse. The day was as sunny and bright as just a few minutes ago, but darkness settled in my soul. As it turned out, I had been waiting for this man to appear for a long time. And all my nightmare visions about bonfires were only a harbinger... for today's meeting with him.
Returning home, I immediately persuaded my husband to pick up little Anna and take her somewhere far away, where Caraffa’s evil tentacles could not reach her. And she herself began to prepare for the worst, since she knew for sure that his arrival would not be long in coming. And I was not mistaken...
A few days later, my favorite black maid Kay (at that time it was very fashionable to have black servants in rich houses) reported that “His Eminence, the Cardinal, is waiting for me in the pink drawing room.” And I felt that something would happen right now...
I was wearing a light yellow silk dress and knew that this color suited me very well. But if there was one person in the world in front of whom I did not want to look attractive, it was certainly Caraffa. But there was no time left to change clothes, and I had to go out that way.
He waited, calmly leaning on the back of his chair, studying some old manuscript, of which there were a countless number in our house. I put on a pleasant smile and went down to the living room. Seeing me, for some reason Karaffa froze, without uttering a word. The silence dragged on, and it seemed to me that the cardinal was about to hear my frightened heart beating loudly and treacherously... But finally, his enthusiastic, hoarse voice was heard:
– You are amazing, Madonna Isidora! Even this sunny morning is playing next to you!
– I never thought that cardinals were allowed to compliment ladies! – with the greatest effort, continuing to smile, I squeezed out.
- Cardinals are people too, Madonna, and they know how to distinguish beauty from simplicity... And where is your wonderful daughter? Will I be able to enjoy double beauty today?
– She is not in Venice, Your Eminence. She and her father went to Florence to visit her sick cousin.
– As far as I know, there are no patients in your family at the moment. Who fell ill so suddenly, Madonna Isidora? – there was an undisguised threat in his voice...
Caraffa began to play openly. And I had no choice but to face the danger face to face...
– What do you want from me, Your Eminence? Wouldn't it be easier to say it directly, saving us both from this unnecessary, cheap game? We are smart enough people that, even with differences in views, we can respect each other.