State words
What state is someone or something in now?
المعنى
We can describe the condition someone or something is in at a particular moment. This may be a temporary condition or one left by an earlier event. Languages use adjectives, verbs, or phrases, and some have no special word forms for states. Unlike Qualities, State words draws attention to the condition at that moment rather than a general feature.
طريقة التعرّف عليه
Look for words or phrases that describe someone's or something's condition at that moment, rather than what they are generally like.
في اللغة الأم
Arabic commonly uses adjectives to describe a current state, with no linking verb in a present statement. Some state words come from verbs, such as mughlaq 'closed,' and can describe the condition left by an event. They match the participant in gender and follow Arabic number-agreement rules.
أَنَا مُتْعَبَةٌ. (Anā mutʿabatun.)
The feminine form identifies the speaker as female.
الْبَابُ مُغْلَقٌ. (Al-bābu mughlaqun.)
The word describes the door's resulting state, not the act of closing it.
في اللغة قيد التعلم
English often uses adjectives after be, feel, or seem to describe a state. Forms such as closed and broken can describe a condition left by an earlier action. In full statements using be, its present-tense form cannot be left out.
I'm tired.
Tired describes how the speaker feels; 'm is the shortened form of am.
The window is closed.
This describes the window's state, not who closed it.
Are you ready?
Ready describes the listener's current state.
Learners whose language describes states without a verb may leave out am, is, or are. Learners whose language uses an action-like form for a state may use an -ing form where English needs an adjective, such as tired.