قُلْتَyou said

Example sentences

• قُلْتَ لِي يَا أَحْمَقُ وَلَوْ قُلْتَ لِي يَا أَرْعَنُ كَانَ أَسْهَلُ عَلَيَّ

  You said to me, "You fool." If you had said to me, "You oaf," it would have been easier for me.

  قُلْتَ — you said. A past-tense verb with its 'you' subject built in by its ending, addressing the listener directly about a past act. It opens the speaker's complaint. Person and tense ride inside the verb.

  From: On Foolishness and Wisdom →

• قُلْتَ لِي يَا أَحْمَقُ وَلَوْ قُلْتَ لِي يَا أَرْعَنُ كَانَ أَسْهَلُ عَلَيَّ

  You said to me, "You fool." If you had said to me, "You oaf," it would have been easier for me.

  قُلْتَ — you had said. A past-tense verb with its 'you' subject built in, sitting in the unreal-condition clause opened by the counterfactual 'if'. Its past shape carries the 'had you said' sense. Person and tense ride inside.

  From: On Foolishness and Wisdom →