Arabic for Nerds

@arabicfornerds
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333 Posts
I am Gerald Drißner and grew up in the Austrian Alps and happened to become addicted to Arabic grammar. I run https://arabic-for-nerds.com
A CLASSIC | How to Pronounce the Number 10 in Arabic: 'Ashara or 'Ashra?
Arabic numbers can be tricky, especially "ten" (عشر). This article clarifies its pronunciation based on the noun's gender: use a fatḥa on the letter ش of عَشَرة when referring to a masculine word (e.g., ten pens) and a sukūn on the ش of عَشْر for feminine words (e.g., ten pages). #Grammar  https://yalla.li/us7kr
The Language of "Epic Fury" and Houthi Restraint | Media Arabic Booster 03/26
As US-Israeli strikes hit Iran, Arab front pages capture a region on the brink. Yet, for the war's first 4 weeks, the Houthis kept quiet. We translate reports exposing their exhausted arsenals and break down the key Media Arabic vocab.
https://yalla.li/yawbq
A CLASSIC | The Meaning of Hussein: How Diminutives Work in Arabic Names
Arabic diminutives (تَصْغِيرٌ) add a nuance of smallness or endearment, often making translation tricky. This article explains how names like Hussein (حُسَيْنٌ) are diminutives of Hasan (حَسَنٌ), meaning "little beauty." It explores common patterns like فُعَيْلٌ and فُعَيْلِلٌ, showing their application to nouns, adverbs, and feminine forms. #Grammar #Translation  https://yalla.li/tdhnb
A CLASSIC | Scan & Correct
A sign for a halal restaurant in Poland. Some of the Arabic text is a bit harder to digest. #Errabic https://yalla.li/hd34u
Remembering the Architect of Words: The Legacy of Dr. Abdul Ghani Abu Al-Azm
Behind the Arabic words you search for on almaany.com or your favorite dictionary app often lies the lifelong devotion of a single scholar. In March 2026, we bid farewell to Dr. Abdul Ghani Abu Al-Azm (الدكتور عبد الغني أبو العزم), the creator of Al-Ghani Al-Zaher — the unseen bridge connecting the depth of classical Arabic with the pulse of the modern world.
https://yalla.li/g3mq0
"View Arabic as an identity you're adopting" | Sherif Elmetwally | 9273 Roots #38
New Jersey-based Egyptian-American developer Sherif Elmetwally built Parallel Arabic, an AI-powered platform for acquiring dialects. He argues that embracing the language as a lifelong identity eliminates friction in the journey.
https://yalla.li/dg6qv
A CLASSIC | No Word for "Mine"? How to Express Possessive Pronouns in Arabic
Unlike English, Arabic has no direct equivalents for possessive pronouns like "mine" or "yours." This article demonstrates a straightforward way to express possession by repeating the possessed noun and attaching the appropriate pronoun suffix, as in "هٰذِهِ السَّيّارةُ سَيَّارَتِي" (This car is mine). #Grammar #Translation  https://yalla.li/ccvw9
A CLASSIC | How to Use the Nun of Emphasis - نون التوكيد - in Arabic
Arabic uses نُون التَّوْكِيد (Nun of Emphasis) to add strong emphasis to present tense and imperative verbs. This article explains how to form both the "light" Nun (ن with sukūn) and the more common "heavy" Nun (نَّ with shadda), providing step-by-step instructions and examples to help you master this emphatic mood.
 #Grammar #Translation  https://yalla.li/r1fkq
The Mechanics of the Arabic Intensive Form: Cracking صِيغَةُ المُبَالَغَةِ
How do you turn someone who simply lies into a relentless, habitual liar (كَذَّاب)? You trigger the Arabic intensive form. The rules of صِيغَةُ المُبَالَغَةِ baffle many students, but beneath the apparent chaos lies a brilliant, centuries-old system.
https://yalla.li/27gr0
A CLASSIC | Why is the Word for "War" (حَرْب) Feminine? Arabic Gender Exceptions Explained
Identifying grammatical gender in Arabic can be tricky due to exceptions. This article clarifies feminine indicators (تاء تأنيث, ألف تأنيث ممدودة/مقصورة), then highlights common masculine-looking nouns that are actually feminine (like حَرْب "war" and شَمْس "sun"). It also covers gender for body parts, proper nouns, and nouns that can be both masculine or feminine. #Grammar  https://yalla.li/8m0tl