Arabic vocabulary
خَالَفَ is how you say “to oppose” in Arabic. Hear it pronounced and see it used in real example sentences from classical texts below.
The infinitive of خَالَفَ (خِلَاف) is also used as an adverb meaning "behind, after (someone)," showing its tie to the root's core sense of coming after; as a full verb, though, خَالَفَ is used for going against or opposing someone rather than simply following them.
Definitions synthesised from Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon (E. W. Lane, 1863–1893).
وَخُولِفَ الْمَحْبُوبُ فِيمَا يَدْعُو إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الْمَحْبُوبِ
And the beloved is opposed in what it calls to of beloved things,
وَخُولِفَ — and is opposed. wa- = 'and'; passive past-tense verb 'was opposed, went against', 'he/it' form — 'and the beloved is opposed'.
From: Resisting Temptation →وَأَظْهَرَ فِي الْأَرْضِ الْفَسَادَ وَالْجَوْرَ وَالْكَذِبَ وَخَالَفَ الْخَلْقَ،
And who spread corruption, injustice, and falsehood on earth and opposed creation.
وَخَالَفَ — and opposed. This joins 'and' to a completed-action verb 'he opposed', a further deed in the list, its subject carried inside. The 'and' links it to the spreading verbs, adding opposition to creation as the next wrong.
From: Proof of the True Messenger →وأظهر في الأرض الفساد والجور
OpenArabic teaches words like خَالَفَ through real bilingual reading with native audio and spaced-repetition practice.
Get the appAnd spread corruption, oppression, and falsehood on earth, and contradicted creation.
وَخَالَفَ — and contradicted. The conjunction adds a fresh past verb, he opposed, the doer carried inside. This starts a new action paralleled to the spreading, and its object follows in the accusative.