Khabar Al-Mubtada’ خَبَرُ المُبْتَدَأِ (The Predicate) in Arabic Grammar

Understanding Khabar Al-Mubtada’ (The Predicate) in Arabic Grammar

In Arabic grammar, forming a complete and meaningful nominal sentence (الجملة الاسمية) requires two essential components:
1️⃣ Al-Mubtada’ (المبتدأ) – The subject, which tells us what the sentence is about.
2️⃣ Al-Khabar (الخبر) – The predicate, which provides information about the subject.

Without the Khabar, a sentence would be incomplete. In this blog post, we’ll explore what Khabar Al-Mubtada’ is, its different types, and important rules for using it correctly in Arabic.

Let’s dive in!

What is Khabar Al-Mubtada’?

The Khabar is the second part of a nominal sentence. It completes the meaning of the Mubtada’ by giving more details about it.

For example:

• الكتابُ مفيدٌ (Al-kitābu mufīdun) – 'The book is useful.'
  • Mubtada’ (Subject): الكتابُ (The book)
  • Khabar (Predicate): مفيدٌ (Useful)

The Khabar tells us something about the Mubtada’, making the sentence meaningful.

Types of Khabar

The Khabar can appear in different forms, depending on the structure of the sentence.

1️⃣ The Simple Khabar (الخبر المفرد)

This is when the Khabar is a single word—often an adjective or noun—describing the Mubtada’.

✅ الجوُّ جميلٌ (Al-jawwu jamīlun) – 'The weather is beautiful.'
✅ الطالبُ مجتهدٌ (At-tālibu mujtahidun) – 'The student is hardworking.'

Here, the Khabar (جميلٌ, مجتهدٌ) gives direct information about the Mubtada’ (الجوُّ, الطالبُ).

2️⃣ The Prepositional Phrase Khabar (الخبر الجار والمجرور)

Sometimes, the Khabar can be a prepositional phrase, providing information about the subject’s location or state.

✅ الكتابُ على الطاولة (Al-kitābu ‘ala at-tāwilah) – 'The book is on the table.'
✅ الطلابُ في المدرسة (At-tullābu fī al-madrasah) – 'The students are in the school.'

Here, the Khabar starts with a preposition (حرف الجر), such as على (on) or في (in).

3️⃣ The Sentential Khabar (الجملة كخبر)

In some cases, the Khabar itself is a complete sentence—either a nominal sentence or a verbal sentence.

✅ الحديقةُ أشجارُها كثيرةٌ (Al-ḥadīqatu ashjāruhā kathīratun) – 'The garden has many trees.'
✅ الطالبُ يدرسُ بجدٍّ (At-tālibu yadrusu bijiddin) – 'The student studies hard.'

In the second example, the Khabar is a verbal sentence (يَدْرُسُ بِجِدٍّ - "studies hard").

Agreement Between Mubtada’ and Khabar

In Arabic, the Mubtada’ and Khabar must match in gender and number.

Examples of Gender Agreement:

✅ الرجلُ كريمٌ (Ar-rajulu karīmun) – 'The man is generous.'
✅ المرأةُ كريمةٌ (Al-mar’atu karīmatun) – 'The woman is generous.'

Examples of Number Agreement:

✅ الطلابُ مجتهدون (At-tullābu mujtahidūn) – 'The students are hardworking.'
✅ الطالبتانِ مجتهدتانِ (At-tālibatāni mujtahidatāni) – 'The two female students are hardworking.'

If the Mubtada’ is plural, the Khabar must also be plural. If the Mubtada’ is feminine, the Khabar must also be feminine.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When using Khabar, many beginners make mistakes in agreement or sentence structure.

❌ الطلابُ مجتهدٌ (At-tullābu mujtahidun) ❌
✅ الطلابُ مجتهدون (At-tullābu mujtahidūn) ✅
👉 Mistake: The Khabar should match the plural form of the Mubtada’.

❌ الكتابُ على الطاولةٌ (Al-kitābu ‘ala at-tāwilatun) ❌
✅ الكتابُ على الطاولةِ (Al-kitābu ‘ala at-tāwilati) ✅
👉 Mistake: The prepositional phrase should have the correct grammatical ending (مجرور).

Conclusion

And that’s everything you need to know about Khabar Al-Mubtada’!

✅ The Khabar completes the meaning of the Mubtada’.
✅ It can be a single word, a phrase, or a complete sentence.
✅ The Mubtada’ and Khabar must agree in gender and number.

To master this topic, try forming sentences with different types of Khabar and see how they function in Arabic!

If you found this lesson helpful, feel free to leave a comment below. Stay tuned for more Arabic grammar lessons to enhance your learning journey! 🚀📖