Learn ArabicB1 › بالَى

بالَى

to care (about), to mind /ˈbaː.laː/

verbB1#2653 most common

Also: to be concerned with, to pay attention to, to heed

Example sentences

لا أُبالي.
I don't care.
هو لا يُبالي بالطقس.
He doesn't care about the weather.
لم تُبالِ المعلّمةُ بشكوى الطالب.
The teacher didn't care about the student's complaint.
ما باليتُ يوماً بآراء الآخرين فيّ.
I never once cared about other people's opinions of me.
لا يُبالي كثيرٌ من الشباب اليوم بالعواقب المترتبة على قراراتهم.
Many young people today don't care about the consequences of their decisions.
مهما حاولتَ إقناعي بخطورة الأمر، فلن أُبالي بتحذيراتك ما دمتُ واثقاً من قراري.
No matter how hard you try to convince me of the seriousness of the matter, I won't care about your warnings as long as I am confident in my decision.

Conjugation

Present ActiveSimple Past ActiveSimple Future Active
1sgأُباليباليتُسأُبالي
2sgتُباليباليتَستُبالي
3sgيُباليبالىسيُبالي
1plنُباليباليناسنُبالي
2plتُبالونباليتمستُبالون
3plيُبالونبالواسيُبالون

Word family

بالmind, heart, state
مُبالاةcare, concern
لا مُبالٍindifferent, careless
اللامُبالاةindifference, apathy
ما بالُكidiom: what's the matter with you

Etymology

بالَى is a Form III (فَاعَلَ) verb built on a defective root traditionally written ب-ل-و, and classical lexicographers link it to the noun بال, meaning mind or state of heart. The idea is that something 'crosses the mind' or 'weighs on the heart' when a person takes notice of it. The verb appears already in Classical Arabic and has survived into Modern Standard Arabic almost unchanged in form and use.

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