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Thread: Need translation help

  1. #1
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    Need translation help

    Can someone tell me how to properly translate this sentence?

    هل كانوا سيكتفون بقتلي إذن؟

    I would especially like to know why the "s-" prefix is used on the verb & what the real root of this verb is. Thank you

  2. #2
    Подающий надежды оратор
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    The second word in the sentence is the verb, it's the third person masculine plural of the verb to be in the past so the verb actually means they were. I know the s prefix is used for the future but are you sure the third word is a verb it could be a noun with the masculine sound plural.

  3. #3
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    هل كانوا سيكتفون بقتلي إذن؟
    Hal Kanoo Sa'yalta'foona bi'Qatlee ith'an?


    هل is an article use for asking yes or no questions.
    كانوا they were
    سيكتفون:
    س implies future tense
    يكتفون they suffice
    بقتلي :
    ب is prepositional article
    قتلي my killing :
    قتل means killing
    ي implies property
    إذن means so
    the meaning can be translated as:
    did they will suffice by killing me then?
    I become jealous
    of my words when
    i say them to you
    and you like them
    but not me.

  4. #4
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    Please clarify "Kanoo Sa'yaktafoona"

    As I understand it, if you use a form of the verb "Kana" (like Kanoo) with the future tense, it becomes the future perfect or something like that. Is that what is going on here? does it mean something like: "Would that be enough for them to kill me?".

  5. #5
    Увлечённый спикер
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    Hi
    dbw44,
    You are right...
    your translation is also correct and to the point but I was trying to translate letterally and to analyze the sentence grammarwise to give a larger image.
    I become jealous
    of my words when
    i say them to you
    and you like them
    but not me.

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