Learn ArabicB1 › أَنْصَت

أَنْصَت

to listen attentively /ʔanˈsˤa.ta/

verbB1#1561 most common

Also: to pay close attention, to keep silent in order to listen

Example sentences

أَنْصِتْ جَيِّداً.
Listen carefully.
أَنْصَتَ الطُّلّابُ إِلى المُعَلِّمِ.
The students listened attentively to the teacher.
أَنْصِتْ إِلى ما أَقُولُهُ لَكَ.
Listen to what I am telling you.
أَنْصَتَ الجُمْهُورُ بِاهْتِمامٍ إِلى خِطابِ الرَّئيسِ.
The audience listened attentively to the president's speech.
عِنْدَما أَنْصَتُّ إِلى قِصَّتِها، أَدْرَكْتُ حَجْمَ مُعاناتِها.
When I listened closely to her story, I understood the scale of her suffering.
أَمَرَنا النَّصُّ بِأَنْ نُنْصِتَ عِنْدَ تِلاوَةِ القُرآنِ حَتّى نَنالَ الرَّحْمَةَ.
The text orders us to listen in silence when the Quran is recited so that we may receive mercy.

Conjugation

Present ActiveSimple Past ActiveSimple Future Active
1sgأُنْصِتُأَنْصَتُّسَأُنْصِتُ
2sgتُنْصِتُأَنْصَتَّسَتُنْصِتُ
3sgيُنْصِتُأَنْصَتَسَيُنْصِتُ
1plنُنْصِتُأَنْصَتْناسَنُنْصِتُ
2plتُنْصِتُونَأَنْصَتُّمْسَتُنْصِتُونَ
3plيُنْصِتُونَأَنْصَتُواسَيُنْصِتُونَ

Word family

إِنْصاتattentive listening
مُنْصِتone who listens attentively, listener
اِسْتَنْصَتَto ask for silence and attention
نَصَتَto be silent

Etymology

The verb is the Form IV (causative) of the triliteral root n-ṣ-t, which carries the sense of falling silent. The added prefix turns that base meaning into deliberate, attentive listening: to make oneself quiet for another. The word is well known from the Quran, where believers are told to listen and stay silent during recitation.

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