Learn ArabicA1 › حان

حان

to come (of a time), to fall due /ˈħaːna/

verbA1#427 most common

Also: to be time (for), to arrive (of an appointed moment), to draw near (of a time)

Example sentences

حانَ الوقتُ.
The time has come.
حانَ وقتُ الغداءِ.
It is time for lunch.
حانَ موعدُ الرحيلِ، فودّعنا أصدقاءنا.
The time to leave came, and we said goodbye to our friends.
عندما حانَ وقتُ الامتحانِ، شعرتُ بالتوترِ.
When the exam time came, I felt anxious.
حينَ يحينُ أجلُ الإنسانِ، لا يستطيع أحدٌ أن يؤخّرَه.
When a person's appointed time comes, no one can delay it.
ما إن حانت ساعةُ الحقيقةِ حتى تبدّدت الأوهامُ التي بنيناها.
No sooner had the hour of truth arrived than the illusions we had built vanished.

Conjugation

Present ActiveSimple Past ActiveSimple Future Active
1sgأَحِينُحِنْتُسَأَحِينُ
2sgتَحِينُحِنْتَسَتَحِينُ
3sgيَحِينُحَانَسَيَحِينُ
1plنَحِينُحِنَّاسَنَحِينُ
2plتَحِينُونَحِنْتُمْسَتَحِينُونَ
3plيَحِينُونَحَانُواسَيَحِينُونَ

Word family

حِينa while, period of time
أَحْيَانًاsometimes
حِينَمَاwhen, while
حِينَئِذٍthen, at that moment

Etymology

حان is a hollow verb from the triconsonantal root ح-ي-ن, which carries the idea of a fixed moment or span of time. The same root gives the noun حِين, a while or period, and the adverb أَحْيَانًا, sometimes. The weak middle letter ي surfaces as a long alif in the past tense and as a long ī in the present يَحِينُ.

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More Arabic words

بَيْنَماwhileمُدَّةperiod of timeأَكَلto eatأَحْمَقfoolأَمْسyesterdayفَتَحto openحَضَرto attendقادto lead