حمارdonkey

Example sentences

• أنه كان له حمار فمرض،

  He had a donkey that got sick,

  حمار — donkey. The thing possessed, 'a donkey', the delayed subject of 'there was'. It is left indefinite, no 'the', because the story is introducing it for the first time.

  From: Reflections on Literal Obedience →

• فأخذ جحا الدواء وذهب به إلى الحمار ووضعه في عينه،

  Joha took the medicine and went to the donkey and put it in its eye,

  الحمار — the donkey. The destination, 'the donkey', in the genitive after the preposition, made definite by its 'the'.

  From: Reflections on Literal Obedience →

• فمات الحمار من ساعته

  so the donkey died instantly.

  الحمار — the donkey. The one that died, 'the donkey', named after the verb and so taking the subject ending. Its 'the' marks the definite animal of the story.

  From: Reflections on Literal Obedience →

• أَن رجلا كَانَ يُسمى حمارا

  A man was called "Himar" (Donkey).

  حِمَارًا — Himar. This noun is indefinite and its ending is accusative because it is the name given by the passive 'was called' verb. Even with a passive naming verb, the assigned name takes this object-style ending, marking it as what he was called.

  From: Sincerity and Hypocrisy →