Learn Arabic › B2 › أَمْلَى
أَمْلَى
to dictate (a text, for someone else to write down) /ʔamˈlaː/
verbB2#3906 most common
Also: to dictate terms, to grant respite, to prolong
Example sentences
المعلم أملى الدرس على الطلاب.
The teacher dictated the lesson to the students.
أملت أمي عليّ قائمة التسوق.
My mother dictated the shopping list to me.
أملى المدير الرسالة على السكرتيرة.
The manager dictated the letter to the secretary.
سيُملي القاضي الحكم على الكاتب غدا.
The judge will dictate the ruling to the clerk tomorrow.
أملت الشركة الكبرى شروطها على مورّدها الصغير.
The large company dictated its terms to its small supplier.
إِنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ لِيَزْدَادُوا إِثْمًا.
We only grant them respite so that they may increase in sin.
Conjugation
| Present Active | Simple Past Active | Simple Future Active | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1sg | أُمْلي (umlī) | أَمْلَيْتُ (amlaytu) | سَأُمْلي (sa'umlī) |
| 2sg | تُمْلي (tumlī) | أَمْلَيْتَ (amlayta) | سَتُمْلي (satumlī) |
| 3sg | يُمْلي (yumlī) | أَمْلَى (amlā) | سَيُمْلي (sayumlī) |
| 1pl | نُمْلي (numlī) | أَمْلَيْنا (amlaynā) | سَنُمْلي (sanumlī) |
| 2pl | تُمْلونَ (tumlūna) | أَمْلَيْتُمْ (amlaytum) | سَتُمْلونَ (satumlūna) |
| 3pl | يُمْلونَ (yumlūna) | أَمْلَوْا (amlaw) | سَيُمْلونَ (sayumlūna) |
Word family
إملاءdictation; also spelling/orthography
مُمْلٍone who dictates
مُمْلًىdictated (thing that has been dictated)
الملوانday and night, the passage of time
Etymology
أَمْلَى is the causative Form IV of a weak Arabic root tied to the idea of extending or prolonging time. Classical usage kept that sense in phrases like 'granting someone respite,' extending their days. The meaning narrowed over time to dictation: extending speech slowly enough for another person to write it down. Both senses appear side by side in the Quran and in modern usage.
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