I'rab of Surah Al-Infitar Ayah 12: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah Al-Infitar (الانفطار) · Meccan · Ayah 12
يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ TransliterationYaʿlamūna mā tafʿalūn(a)
MeaningThey know whatever you do.
"They know whatever you do." يَعْلَمُونَ is a present-tense verb describing the guardians, with the plural "they" as subject. مَا is an infinitival particle introducing the object, and تَفْعَلُونَ is a present-tense verb "you do." The clause forms the object: "what you do."
Word by word i'rab
present-tense verb + subject (adjective clause)
A present-tense verb in the nominative "they know," with the attached plural waw as subject, referring to the recording guardians.
nominativeinfinitival particle (object)
Here ma is an infinitival (masdari) particle; with the following verb it forms the verbal-noun meaning, occupying the accusative object position of "they know."
indeclinablepresent-tense verb + subject
A present-tense verb in the nominative "you do," with the attached plural waw as subject, addressing the people whose deeds are recorded.
nominativeDetailed i'rab
يَعْلَمُونَ is a present-tense verb in the nominative because no nullifying agent precedes it; the attached plural و is its subject, referring back to the noble recording guardians, and the whole clause functions as a further description of them. مَا here is an infinitival (masdari) particle; taken with the following verb it yields the meaning "that which you do," and this construction occupies the accusative position as the direct object of يَعْلَمُونَ. تَفْعَلُونَ is likewise a present-tense verb in the nominative, with its attached plural و as subject, addressing humankind. The sentence affirms that the angels comprehensively know and record every deed people perform.
Frequently asked
What is the subject of يَعْلَمُونَ?
Its subject is the attached plural و ("they"), which refers to the noble recording guardian angels mentioned earlier.
What grammatical position does مَا تَفْعَلُونَ occupy?
Together it stands in the accusative position as the direct object of the verb يَعْلَمُونَ, meaning "what you do."
Why are both يَعْلَمُونَ and تَفْعَلُونَ in the nominative?
Both are present-tense verbs with nothing preceding them to cause accusative or jussive endings, so they remain in the default nominative, marked by the retained ن.