Arabic word sheet
عَلِمَ
to know
- Type
- verb
- Root
- ع ل م
Meaning and usage
to know
To have knowledge of a thing or a fact. Said of anything one has learned or understood, and sometimes of what one holds as sure, with no doubt at all.
عَلِمَ الطَّالِبُ الْجَوَابَ.
The student knew the answer.
to learn of, to be aware of
Followed by a preposition, it means to be told a piece of news or to become aware of something.
عَلِمَ سَامِي بِوُصُولِ الضَّيْفِ.
Sami learned of the guest's arrival.
Word family
What the root means ع ل م
The root carries the idea of knowing a thing, of having knowledge of it. The family grows from that: knowledge, the one who knows, the one who knows a great deal, and learning.
knowledge
scholar, one who knows
عَالِمٌ
very knowledgeable
عَلِيمٌ
to learn
تَعَلَّمَ
Synonyms
to know, to recognise
عَرَفَ
It is used rather of what one knows by having met or recognised it, whereas the headword is broader and also covers sure knowledge of a fact.
to be certain of
تَيَقَّنَ
It stresses the complete absence of doubt, where the headword simply says that one knows.
to notice, to sense
It denotes knowledge that comes through the senses or an impression, less firm than that of the headword.
Opposites
to not know, to be ignorant of
جَهِلَ