In this lesson, we cover the مَـفْـعـول مـطْـلَـق (maf‘ūl muṭlaq) ‘absolute object,’ used to emphasize or explain the verb, and the مَـفْـعـول لِأَجْـلِـه (maf‘ūl li-’ajlih) ‘causal object,’ used to explain the reason behind the action of the verb in Arabic.
Table of Contents
- مَـفْـعـول مـطْـلَـق (maf‘ūl muṭlaq) ‘Absolute Object’
- مَـفْـعـول لِأَجْـلِـه (maf‘ūl li-’ajlih) ‘Causal Object’
- Level VI – Advanced II (C2)
مَـفْـعـول مـطْـلَـق (maf‘ūl muṭlaq) ‘Absolute Object’
The مَـفْـعـول مـطْـلَـق (maf‘ūl muṭlaq) ‘absolute object’ is an accusative noun derived from the verb, and is used to emphasize or explain the verb. Note that the absolute object and the verb it emphasizes share the same root. The مَـصْـدَر (maṣdar) ‘verbal noun’ is typically used for this purpose.
We covered how the verbal noun is derived from the verb in Arabic in Level V, Lesson 3.
Let us examine some examples that use an absolute object in Arabic:
| أَكَـلَ الـطَّـعـامَ أَكْـلًا٠ ’akala -ṭ-ṭa‘āma ’aklā(-an). He ate the food (lit. ‘eating’). |
| نـامَ نَـوْمَ الْـخـائِـفِ٠ nāma nawma -l-khā’if(i). He slept the sleep of the fearful. |
| زُرْتُ صَـديـقـي زِيـارَتَـيْـنِ٠ zurtu ṣadīqī ziyāratayn. I visited my friend twice (lit. ‘two visits’). |
| خَـسِـرَ خَـسـارَةً مُـدَوِّيَـةً٠ khasira khasāratan mudawwiyah(-tan). He lost a devastating loss. |
Notice that in the sentences above, the absolute object is:
- a verbal noun, derived from the same root as the verb.
- always in the accusative case.
- used to emphasize or explain the verb.
- never preceded by a definite article or a preposition.
مَـفْـعـول لِأَجْـلِـه (maf‘ūl li-’ajlih) ‘Causal Object’
The مَـفْـعـول لِأَجْـلِـه (maf‘ūl li-’ajlih) ‘causal object’ is an accusative noun that explains the reason behind the action of the verb. In other words, it answers the question “why?”
Here are some examples that use a causal object in Arabic:
| دَرَسَ رَغْـبَـةً فـي الـتَّـعَـلُّـمِ٠ darasa raghbatan fī -t-ta‘allum. He studied out of desire to learn. |
| نــامَ طَـلَـبًـا لِـلـرّاحَــةِ٠ nāma ṭalaban li-r-rāḥah. He slept seeking to relax. |
| زُرْتُ صَـديـقـي أَمَـلًا فـي رُؤْيَـتِـهِ٠ zurtu ṣadīqī ’amalan fī ru’yatih. I visited my friend hoping to see him. |
| قُـمْـنـا اِحْـتِـرامًـا لِـلْـمُـعَـلِّـمِ٠ qumnā –ḥtirāman li-l-mu‘allim. We stood up respecting the teacher. |
Notice that in the sentences above, the causal object is:
- a noun that is not derived from the same root as the verb.
- always in the accusative case.
- an answer to “why” the action of the verb happens.
- never preceded by a definite article or a preposition.
Back to: Circumstantial Adverb
Other lessons in Level VI: