# static verb / kaana + adjective



## Serafín33

I've always wondered why I haven't been able to find an answer for this  in western books...

Arabic, apart from being able to use kaana (or laysa for  present negation, or nothing/هو/هي for present non-negation) + adjective to express qualities:

الخاتمُ (هو) كانَ كبيرًا.‏
"The ring was big."

...is also able to use a number of static verbs (although few in number) that already mean "to be (something)":

الخاتمُ كبرَ
"The ring was big." (?)

What is the difference between both approaches? 

I've also noticed that كبر at least is sometimes translated as "_become_ big". Is it that كان كبرًا means "to be big" but كبُرَ means both "to be big" and "to become big"?

(Other static verbs of this kind are حسُن "to be good", ثقُل "to be heavy".)


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## Imad Net

Hi,
simply,
*الخاتم كان كبيرا* (it means _the ring was big_ )
*الخاتم كبُر*(it means, _the ring became big_, and not _to be big_)


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## elroy

To me, كَبُرَ means "to get/become big," not "to be big."  Same goes for حَسُنَ and ثَقُلَ.


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## elroy

Imad Net said:


> الخاتم كبُر (in the present, it means, the ring becomes big)


 It's actually in the _past _tense, so it means "became big."  It would be يكبر in the present tense.


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## Imad Net

elroy said:


> It's actually in the _past _tense, so it means "became big."  It would be يكبر in the present tense.


that's right.. sorry
j'ai trompé.. pardon


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## Imad Net

In addition of that
When we say, الخاتم كان كبيرا , there is no act
But, when we say,  الخاتم كبُر, there is an act


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## Serafín33

Thank you very much.

I must say it's nonetheless very annoying how many western books translate this kind of verbs as "to be (sth.)".

For example the entry for ثقل in the Hans-Wehr reads "to be heavy" without mentioning the use of "become older/bigger" which I've really seen there and there.


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## Daybreaker

Salaams @all..

In Classical Arabic, you can say for instance:

لقد رغب في الرحلة إلى اليمن إلاّ أنْ بعدت عليه المسافة (بعداً).ـ

He wished to travel to Yemen, but/if-not the distance was too remote for him.

Best wishes...


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## Serafín33

Oh, therefore, the use of these static verbs with the meaning of "to be (sth)" is something rather belonging to Classical Arabic works?


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## Daybreaker

Not necessarily. Even in MSA you can say:

المستشفى لا يبعد كثيراً عن بيتنا.ـ

"The hospital is not very far from our house."


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## Serafín33

Then why did Imad Net and Elroy say that kabura doesn't mean "to be big", but just "to become big"? Or is it something particular to ba3uda?


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## rayloom

Neqitan said:


> Then why did Imad Net and Elroy say that kabura doesn't mean "to be big", but just "to become big"? Or is it something particular to ba3uda?



I think it's an evolution in the meaning which has become inclusive.
It can still mean "to become far", both in MSA and dialectal Arabic. In Hijazi Arabic, the form fa3ula has become fi3il. (kabura>>kibir...ba3uda>>bi3id).

Also, the new (relatively) meaning is also evident in كم يبعد "how far".


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## Serafín33

With inclusive, then you mean that it means _both_ "to be big/far" and "to become big/far" (in MSA)? What do others say?


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## rayloom

That's my opinion, but only for ba3uda and not kabura.
Kabura, I think, hasn't undergone the change in meaning.


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## Xence

> kabura doesn't mean "to be big", but just "to become big"?



As I understand it, كبُر may also be a stative verb. This is used in both MSA and Classical Arabic.

I can say, for example: فلان يكبُر أخاه بثلاث سنوات , X *is* 3 years *older *than his brother.

Also, in the Quran, we have this verse (61:3)  كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَنْ تَقُولُوا مَا لاَ تَفْعَلُونَ  of which one translation is: [ _*Grievously *hateful *is *it in the sight of Allah that ye say that which ye do not._]


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## rayloom

Xence said:


> As I understand it, كبُر may also be a stative verb. This is used in both MSA and Classical Arabic.
> 
> I can say, for example: فلان يكبُر أخاه بثلاث سنوات , X *is* 3 years *older *than his brother.
> 
> Also, in the Quran, we have this verse (61:3)  كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَنْ تَقُولُوا مَا لاَ تَفْعَلُونَ  of which one translation is: [ _*Grievously *hateful *is *it in the sight of Allah that ye say that which ye do not._]



I stand corrected. But I think the ayah, if literally translated, would differ where it comes to kabura.


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