يُحَدِّثُnarrating

Example sentences

• سَمِعْتُ الْبَرَاءَ بْنَ عَازِبٍ ـ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا ـ يُحَدِّثُ

  I heard al-Bara' ibn Azib, may Allah be pleased with them, narrating.

  يُحَدِّثُ — narrating. A present-shape verb used as a vivid storytelling present, describing him 'in the act of narrating' even though the framing is past. Arabic reaches for this unfinished form to make a past scene feel live and ongoing, where English might use '-ing'.

  From: A Companion at Battle →

• وَقَدْ كَانَ شُعْبَةُ يُحَدِّثُ، فَإِذَا رَأَى الْمَزِيدُ النَّحْوِيُّ قَالَ إِنَّهُ أَبُو زَيْدٍ الْبَسِيطُ

  And indeed Shu'ba used to narrate, and whenever al-Mazid the grammarian saw him, he would say: Indeed he is Abu Zayd al-Basit:

  يُحَدِّثُ — he narrates. A present-tense verb whose subject 'he' is built into its shape. Paired with the earlier past 'to be' verb, it completes the habitual-past frame, so together they mean 'he used to narrate' rather than a single present action.

  From: Permissible Laughter and Conduct →