Kāna and Its Sisters 2026 | Complete Explanation and Parsing (Iʿrāb)
💡 Quick Answer: Kāna and its sisters are incomplete abrogating verbs (afʿāl nāsikha nāqiṣa) that enter a nominal sentence: they put the subject (mubtadaʾ), now called their noun (ism), in the nominative case and the predicate, now called their predicate (khabar), in the accusative case. Example: kāna al-ṭālibu mujtahidan ("the student was hardworking"). Al-ṭālibu: the noun of kāna, nominative. Mujtahidan: the predicate of kāna, accusative.
What Are Kāna and Its Sisters?
Kāna and its sisters are incomplete abrogating verbs that enter a nominal sentence: they put the subject in the nominative case, and it is then called their noun (ism), and they put the predicate in the accusative case, and it is then called their predicate (khabar).
The Sisters of Kāna and Their Meanings
| Verb | Meaning / Indication | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Kāna | Past time | Kāna al-maṭaru ghazīran ("the rain was heavy") |
| Aṣbaḥa | Morning | Aṣbaḥa al-jawwu bāridan ("the weather turned cold in the morning") |
| Aḍḥā | Forenoon | Aḍḥā al-ʿāmilu nashīṭan ("the worker became energetic in the forenoon") |
| Ẓalla | Daytime and continuity | Ẓalla al-maṭaru ghazīran ("the rain stayed heavy") |
| Amsā | Evening | Amsā al-ṭaqsu jamīlan ("the weather turned pleasant in the evening") |
| Bāta | Night | Bāta al-ḥārisu yaqiẓan ("the guard stayed alert through the night") |
| Ṣāra | Transformation | Ṣāra al-quṭnu nasījan ("the cotton became fabric") |
| Laysa | Negation | Laysa al-ghishshu maqbūlan ("cheating is not acceptable") |
| Mā zāla / mā bariḥa / mā infakka | Continuity (with negation) | Mā zāla al-ʿaduwwu nāqiman ("the enemy is still resentful") |
| Mā dāma | Expressing duration (with mā) | Lā akhruju mā dāma al-maṭaru nāzilan ("I will not go out as long as the rain is falling") |
Conditions for Kāna and Its Sisters to Take Effect
- The verbs (kāna, ṣāra, laysa, aṣbaḥa, amsā, aḍḥā, ẓalla, bāta): take effect without any condition
- The verbs (zāla, bariḥa, infakka, fatiʾa): take effect only when preceded by a negation or a prohibition — example: mā zāla al-ṭālibu mujtahidan
- The verb (dāma): must be preceded by the infinitival mā (mā al-maṣdariyya) — example: lā akhruju mā dāma al-maṭaru nāzilan
Nominative Markers of the Noun of Kāna
| Type of Noun | Nominative Marker | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular / broken plural / sound feminine plural | Ḍamma | Aṣbaḥa al-ṭālibu |
| Dual | Alif | Aṣbaḥa al-ṭālibāni |
| Sound masculine plural | Wāw | Ẓalla al-ʿāmilūna |
Accusative Markers of the Predicate of Kāna
| Type of Predicate | Accusative Marker | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular / broken plural | Fatḥa | Mujtahidan |
| Dual / sound masculine plural | Yāʾ | Mujtahidīna |
Parsing Examples for Kāna and Its Sisters
Example 1: Ẓalla al-maṭaru ghazīran ("the rain stayed heavy")
- Ẓalla: an incomplete past-tense verb, fixed on the fatḥa
- Al-maṭaru: the noun of ẓalla, nominative, marked by the visible ḍamma
- Ghazīran: the predicate of ẓalla, accusative, marked by the visible fatḥa
Example 2: Laysati al-ṭarīqu shāqqatan ("the road is not difficult")
- Laysati: an incomplete past-tense verb, fixed on the fatḥa, with the tāʾ marking the feminine
- Al-ṭarīqu: the noun of laysa, nominative, marked by the ḍamma
- Shāqqatan: the predicate of laysa, accusative, marked by the fatḥa
Example 3: Ṣāra al-darsāni sahlayni ("the two lessons became easy")
- Ṣāra: an incomplete past-tense verb, fixed on the fatḥa
- Al-darsāni: the noun of ṣāra, nominative, marked by the alif because it is dual
- Sahlayni: the predicate of ṣāra, accusative, marked by the yāʾ because it is dual
Frequently Asked Questions About Kāna and Its Sisters
How many sisters does kāna have?
Kāna and its sisters are 13 verbs: kāna, aṣbaḥa, aḍḥā, ẓalla, amsā, bāta, ṣāra, laysa, mā zāla, mā bariḥa, mā infakka, mā fatiʾa, mā dāma.
What is the difference between the noun of kāna and the predicate of kāna?
The noun of kāna is the original subject (mubtadaʾ) and is in the nominative case. The predicate of kāna is the original predicate (khabar) and is in the accusative case.
Can the predicate of kāna be omitted?
Yes — the predicate of laysa and kāna may be omitted in certain specific constructions.
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