كَأَنَّas if

Example sentences

• كان والله إذا أقبل كأنه رجع من دفن حميمه،

  By Allah, when he approached, it was as if he were returning from burying a loved one.

  كَأَنَّهُ — as if he. This is the comparison particle 'as if' with an attached 'he', and like its sister-particles it grips that pronoun into the object form. It opens a vivid simile, presenting the next image as how he seemed.

  From: Grief of the Prophet's Grandson →

• وإذا جلس كأنه أسير قدم لتضرب عنقه،

  And when he sat, it was as if he were a prisoner brought forth to be executed.

  كَأَنَّهُ — as if he. This is the 'as if' simile particle with an attached 'he', gripping that pronoun into the object form as its family of particles does. It opens the comparison for how he looked when seated.

  From: Grief of the Prophet's Grandson →

• وإذا أصبح كأنه جاء من الآخرة،

  And when he awoke in the morning, it was as if he came from the afterlife.

  كَأَنَّهُ — as if he. This is the 'as if' simile particle with 'he' attached, and it grips that pronoun into the object form as its kin do. It opens the comparison for how he seemed in the morning.

  From: Grief of the Prophet's Grandson →

• وإذا أمسى كأنه مريض أضناه السقم

  And when it was evening, it was as if he were a sick person worn out by illness.

  كَأَنَّهُ — as if he. This is the 'as if' simile particle with an attached 'he', forcing the object form on that pronoun as its family does. It opens the closing comparison for how he seemed by evening.

  From: Grief of the Prophet's Grandson →

• فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ مَا هَذِهِ لَكَأَنَّهَا نِيرَانُ عَرَفَةَ

  Abu Sufyan said, "What are these? They look like the fires of Arafat."

  لَكَأَنَّهَا — it is as if it. Several pieces stacked: an emphasis l-, the comparison word 'as if', and the suffix -ha ('they/it'). The leading l- adds a note of certainty, 'they really do look as if...', so the bundle strengthens the comparison rather than just stating it.

  From: Conquest of Mecca Account →

• الَّذِي يَكْسِبُهَا نَشَاطًا لِلْجِدِّ فَكَأَنَّهَا مِنَ الْجِدِّ لَمْ تَزَلْ،

  which gives it a zeal for seriousness, so that it seems to have always been serious.

  فَكَأَنَّهَا — so as if it. A stack of three pieces in one word: a front fa- 'so', a 'as if / as though' particle, and -ha 'it'. The 'as if' particle sets up a likeness/comparison frame, and like the emphasis particles it takes its noun-slot (here the attached 'it') in the accusative.

  From: Permissible Laughter and Conduct →