Learn Arabic › B2 › تَحَكَّم
تَحَكَّم
to control /ta.ħakˈka.ma/
verbB2#3120 most common
Also: to dominate, to take charge of, to master (something)
Example sentences
هو يتحكم في السيارة.
He controls the car.
لا أستطيع أن أتحكم في غضبي.
I can't control my anger.
الحكومة تتحكم في الأسعار.
The government controls prices.
تحكّم اللاعب في الكرة بمهارة.
The player controlled the ball skillfully.
يسعى الدكتاتور إلى أن يتحكم في وسائل الإعلام لتوجيه الرأي العام.
The dictator seeks to control the media in order to steer public opinion.
رغم محاولاته المتكررة، لم يستطع أن يتحكم في مشاعره أمام الجمهور.
Despite his repeated attempts, he could not control his emotions in front of the audience.
Conjugation
| Present Active | Simple Past Active | Simple Future Active | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1sg | أَتَحَكَّم | تَحَكَّمْتُ | سَأَتَحَكَّم |
| 2sg | تَتَحَكَّم | تَحَكَّمْتَ | سَتَتَحَكَّم |
| 3sg | يَتَحَكَّم | تَحَكَّمَ | سَيَتَحَكَّم |
| 1pl | نَتَحَكَّم | تَحَكَّمْنَا | سَنَتَحَكَّم |
| 2pl | تَتَحَكَّمون | تَحَكَّمْتُمْ | سَتَتَحَكَّمون |
| 3pl | يَتَحَكَّمون | تَحَكَّمُوا | سَيَتَحَكَّمون |
Word family
Etymology
The word comes from the Semitic root ḥ-k-m, which carries the core sense of judging, ruling, and being wise. Classical Arabic built a whole family of words on it: a judge's ruling, a wise man, an arbiter, and a government. تَحَكَّم is Form V of this root, formed by adding a reflexive ت prefix to the intensive Form II حَكَّم (to appoint someone as judge or give them authority). The Form V shift turns 'granting authority' into 'taking control oneself.'
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