Can a sentence start with an adjective?

Technically, no. If a sentence starts with an adjective, that adjective is acting as a noun (the subject). For example, if you say "The brave [one] is here," the adjective "brave" becomes the head of a nominal sentence.

Is the VSO order the only way to write a verbal sentence?

While VSO is the standard and most common structure for verbal sentences, Arabic is quite flexible. You can sometimes use SVO in certain contexts, but it often shifts the tone from a standard description of an action to a more specific emphasis on the subject.

How do I know if a word is the subject or the object?

In Arabic, you look at the "case endings" (the vowels at the end of the word). Generally, the subject will end in a damma (an "u" sound), while the object will end in a fatha (an "a" sound). This is why vocalization is so important!

Does the verb change if the subject is a woman?

Yes, absolutely. In a verbal sentence, the verb must agree with the gender of the subject. If the subject is a female, you will add specific suffixes to the verb to reflect that.

Is the "is" ever used in the past tense?

Yes! While the "to be" verb is invisible in the present tense, it does reappear in the past tense. If you want to say "The man was tall," you would use a past-tense form of the verb "to be."

Arabic Sentence Structure Explained

How Arabic sentences fit together: nominal vs verbal sentences, word order, agreement and where the verb really goes — with clear examples.

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