Learn ArabicA2 › تَوَلَّى

تَوَلَّى

to take charge of /taˈwal.laː/

verbA2#907 most common

Also: to assume (a post or responsibility), to take over, to turn away

Example sentences

تَوَلَّى أَحْمَدُ العَمَلَ.
Ahmed took charge of the work.
تَوَلَّتِ المُدِيرَةُ إِدارَةَ المَدْرَسَةِ.
The director took charge of running the school.
تَوَلَّى الوَزِيرُ مَنْصِبَهُ بَعْدَ الانْتِخاباتِ.
The minister assumed his post after the elections.
سَأَتَوَلَّى مَسْؤُولِيَّةَ الفَرِيقِ حَتّى يَعُودَ المُدِيرُ.
I will take on responsibility for the team until the manager returns.
عِنْدَما سَمِعَ النَّقْدَ القاسِيَ، تَوَلَّى عَنِ الجَمِيعِ وَخَرَجَ صامِتًا.
When he heard the harsh criticism, he turned away from everyone and left in silence.
كُلَّما لاحَ لَهُ الحَقُّ تَوَلَّى عَنْهُ مُعْرِضًا، كَأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَسْمَعْ شَيْئًا قَطُّ.
Whenever the truth appeared to him, he turned away from it in rejection, as if he had never heard anything at all.

Conjugation

Present ActiveSimple Past ActiveSimple Future Active
1sgأَتَوَلَّىتَوَلَّيْتُسَأَتَوَلَّى
2sgتَتَوَلَّىتَوَلَّيْتَسَتَتَوَلَّى
3sgيَتَوَلَّىتَوَلَّىسَيَتَوَلَّى
1plنَتَوَلَّىتَوَلَّيْناسَنَتَوَلَّى
2plتَتَوَلَّوْنَتَوَلَّيْتُمْسَتَتَوَلَّوْنَ
3plيَتَوَلَّوْنَتَوَلَّوْاسَيَتَوَلَّوْنَ

Word family

وَلِيّguardian, ally, saintوِلايَةgovernorship, province
وَلَّىto appoint; to turn away
مَوْلَىmaster, client, ally

Etymology

تَوَلَّى comes from the triliteral root و-ل-ي, whose core sense is nearness and following closely. From this root Arabic builds words for a guardian or ally (وَلِيّ) and for governing or taking charge (وِلايَة). تَوَلَّى is the Form V verb, the reflexive of Form II وَلَّى: it means to take a matter upon oneself, and by extension to turn oneself away. Both senses rest on the same image of turning toward or away from something near.

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