A Hundred and One Rules in Arabic Grammar!

105. The Haal Construction الحال ================================

As indicated earlier the active participle can be used in the Haal Construction. It has to be indefinite and in the accusative case. It has to agree with the modified noun in number and gender. Also, you need to remember that theHaal could be a clause. Notice how the following sentence can be expressed.

**    The student (f) came to class carrying her book.**

1. حضَرَتِ الطالِبَة ُ إلی الصَّفِّ وهي تـَحمِلُ کـُتـُبَها.

2. حضَرَتِ الطالِبَة ُ إلی الصَّفِّ تـَحمِلُ  کـُتـُبَها.

You might have noticed that the verb of the Haal Clause has to be in the present indicative mood. Because the verb** حَمَلَ** is transitive, the active participle derived from it would take an object. That is why the nounکـُتـُبَها in the sentence above is in the accusative case.

Obviously, if a verb is intransitive, such as** ** ** ضَحِكَ** , the active participlewill not require an object. Check the following sentence:

The student (f) came to class smiling.

You need to remember that whether the Haal Construction  الحال is expressed by a verbal sentence or an equational sentence, the independent pronoun agrees with the noun modified by the .الحال

He studied Arabic while he was little/young.