And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."
Sahih International
Grammar, phrase by phrase
وَعَلَّمَ ءَادَمَ ٱلْأَسْمَآءَ كُلَّهَا
(And He taught Adam the names - all of them.)
Root علم — to know, knowledge · 854 times in the Quran
Root سمو — to be high, elevated; name; sky, heaven · 381 times in the Quran
Root كلل — entirely, totally, all, everyone, each one, whole · 377 times in the Quran
وَعَلَّمَword 1
Resumptive Particle · حرف استئنافA resumptive particle is a وَ or فَ that begins a fresh statement after a pause or shift. The prefix وَ here opens the next scene: what Allah gave to Adam. L14 · R1
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. عَلَّمَ names an action — teaching — from the root علم, to know, knowledge. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb in its base shape is the bare 'he' form with no added ending, naming a completed action. عَلَّمَ is exactly that bare form: 'He taught'. L8 · R1
Form II Verb · فَعَّلَA Form II verb doubles its middle root letter, shown by the shaddah ـّ — a small w-shaped mark meaning the letter is said twice — and often makes the action land on others: عَلِمَ 'he knew' becomes عَلَّمَ 'he taught', caused others to know. In عَلَّمَ that shaddah sits on the ل, the middle letter of the root علم. L12 · R2
ءَادَمَword 2
Noun · اسمA noun is a naming word — it covers proper names as well as things and ideas. ءَادَمَ is the proper name of Adam. L1 · R6
Accusative · منصوبThe accusative is the ending a naming word takes when the action lands on it, shown by a fathah ـَ — a small slanted stroke above the last letter. ءَادَمَ ends in exactly that fathah ـَ. L2 · R11
Direct Object · مفعول بهThe direct object is the one the action lands on, in the accusative — the fathah ـَ, the small stroke above the last letter. The teaching of عَلَّمَ lands on ءَادَمَ: it was Adam who was taught. L9 · R3
ٱلْأَسْمَآءَword 3
Definite Article · أل التعريفThe definite article is the prefix ٱلْ ('the') fixed to the front of a naming word to mark specific, known things. Here it marks أَسْمَآءَ as 'the names'. L2 · R9
Noun · اسمA word that accepts the prefix ٱلْ ('the') is a noun — a naming word. This word carries that prefix and names things: 'the names', from the root سمو, to be high, elevated; name. L1 · R1
Masculine Noun · اسم مذكرArabic treats every naming word as grammatically 'he' or 'she'. This word carries no feminine marker such as a ة at its end, so it falls to the default and is treated as 'he': a masculine noun. L2 · R3
Plural Noun · جمعA plural noun refers to three or more — made either by adding an ending or by reshaping the word from the inside, which is called a broken plural. أَسْمَآء is such a broken plural: the singular اِسْم (name) is reshaped from within. L2 · R6
Accusative · منصوبThe accusative is the ending a naming word takes when the action lands on it, shown by a fathah ـَ — a small slanted stroke above the last letter. ٱلْأَسْمَآءَ ends in exactly that fathah ـَ. L2 · R11
Direct Object · مفعول بهThe direct object is the thing the action lands on, in the accusative — the fathah ـَ, the small stroke above the last letter. ٱلْأَسْمَآءَ carries that fathah as the second thing the teaching lands on: He taught Adam THE NAMES. L9 · R3
كُلَّهَاword 4
Noun · اسمA noun is a naming word for a person, thing, or idea. كُلَّ names a totality — 'all' — from the root كلل: entirely, all, each one. L1 · R6
Masculine Noun · اسم مذكرArabic treats every naming word as grammatically 'he' or 'she'. This word carries no feminine marker such as a ة at its end, so it falls to the default and is treated as 'he': a masculine noun. L2 · R3
Accusative · منصوبThe accusative is the ending shown by a fathah ـَ — a small slanted stroke above the last letter. كُلَّ ends in exactly that fathah ـَ, matching the ending of ٱلْأَسْمَآءَ, the word it stresses. L2 · R11
Emphasis · توكيدEmphasis follows a word to stress that it really, fully applies, using an emphatic word such as كُلّ 'all' and matching the emphasized word's case. كُلَّهَا follows 'the names' and wears the same fathah ـَ ending: the names — ALL of them, every one. L7 · R5
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word for 'them/its' glued onto the end of another word. The ending هَا on كُلَّهَا stands for 'them' — the names: 'all of them'. L3 · R7
Possessive (Idafa) · مضاف إليهA possessive (iḍāfah) chains an owner onto the thing owned, and the owner carries the genitive — the owner's ending, usually shown by a kasrah ـِ, a small slanted stroke below the last letter. The ending هَا 'them' is that owner glued onto كُلَّ: 'the whole OF them'. A pronoun like هَا keeps its fixed written shape, so no kasrah appears on it — the genitive is the role its owner slot carries. L5 · R5
Allah stated Adam's virtue above the angels by teaching him, rather than them, the names of everything — Ibn Abbas said: the names that people use, such as human, animal, sky, earth, land, sea, and the names of every species.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:31
So far: “And He taught Adam the names - all of them.”
ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ
(Then He showed them to the angels)
Root عرض — to turn away, to present, breadth; exposure · 79 times in the Quran
Root ملك — to possess, to rule; sovereignty, kingship, angels · 206 times in the Quran
ثُمَّword 5
Particle · حرفA particle is a small helper word with no meaning standing alone; it takes no ending and does not name or act. ثُمَّ is such a helper word here. L1 · R8
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word; ثُمَّ means 'then', joining events in order with a step between them. Here it moves from the teaching to the showing. L4 · R4
عَرَضَهُمْword 6
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. عَرَضَ names an action — displaying, presenting — from the root عرض, to present, breadth, exposure. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb in its base shape is the bare 'he' form with no added ending, naming a completed action. عَرَضَ is exactly that bare form: 'He displayed'. L8 · R1
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb; attached to a verb it names the one the action lands on. The ending هُمْ on عَرَضَهُمْ stands for 'them' — the named things. L3 · R6
Direct Object · مفعول بهThe direct object is the one the action lands on, standing in the accusative — the landed-on form, usually a fathah ـَ, a small slanted stroke above the last letter. The ending هُمْ 'them' is that object: the displaying lands on the named things. A pronoun keeps its fixed written shape, so no fathah appears — the accusative is the role it fills. L9 · R5
عَلَىword 7
Particle · حرفA particle is a small helper word with no meaning standing alone; it takes no ending and does not name or act. عَلَى is such a helper word here. L1 · R8
Preposition · حرف جرA preposition is a little word that relates one thing to another and pulls the naming word after it into the genitive — the after-preposition ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. عَلَى 'on/before' is one of the common prepositions: displayed 'before the angels'. L4 · R2
ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِword 8
Definite Article · أل التعريفThe definite article is the prefix ٱلْ ('the') fixed to the front of a naming word to mark a specific, known group. Here it marks مَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ as 'the angels'. L2 · R9
Noun · اسمA word ending with the letter ة (tā marbūṭah) is a noun — a naming word. مَلَٰٓئِكَةِ ends in that ة and names beings: the angels, from the root ملك, to possess, rule; angels. L1 · R3
Masculine Noun · اسم مذكرArabic treats every naming word as grammatically 'he' or 'she', with 'he' — masculine — as the default. مَلَٰٓئِكَةِ is counted masculine: the ة at its end here belongs to this word's plural shape rather than serving as a 'she' marker. L2 · R3
Plural Noun · جمعA plural noun refers to three or more — made either by adding an ending or by reshaping the word from the inside, which is called a broken plural. مَلَٰٓئِكَة is such a broken plural: the singular مَلَك (angel) is reshaped from within. L2 · R6
Genitive · مجرورThe genitive is the ending a naming word takes after a preposition, shown by a kasrah ـِ — a small slanted stroke below the last letter. مَلَٰٓئِكَةِ carries that kasrah ـِ because عَلَى stands before it. L2 · R12
He showed them — the objects, the creations — to the angels; Qatadah said: Allah paraded the objects before the angels.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:31
فَقَالَ أَنۢبِـُٔونِى
(…and said, "Inform Me)
Root قول — to say, speak, tell · 1,722 times in the Quran
Root نبا — to inform, give news; prophet, prophecy · 160 times in the Quran
فَقَالَword 9
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word; فَ means 'and then', joining what follows in close sequence. The prefix فَ joins His saying straight onto the showing. L4 · R4
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. قَالَ names an action — saying — from the root قول, to say, speak, tell. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb in its base shape is the bare 'he' form with no added ending, naming a completed action. قَالَ is exactly that bare form: 'He said'. L8 · R1
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb is one whose root contains the weak letter و or ي — letters that love to soften into long vowels or vanish. The root of قَالَ is قول: its middle و hides here behind the long ا. L24 · R2
أَنۢبِـُٔونِىword 10
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. أَنۢبِـُٔ names an action — informing — from the root نبا, to inform, give news; prophet. L1 · R7
Imperative Verb · فعل أمرAn imperative verb is a direct command addressed to 'you'. أَنۢبِـُٔونِى commands a group — 'inform Me!' — the ending و pointing the order at 'you all'. L10 · R1
Hamzated Verb · فعل مهموزA hamzated verb has the hamza ء as one of its root letters. The root of أَنۢبِـُٔونِى is نبا, whose final letter is that hamza — seated here mid-word as ـُٔ, since the hamza's written seat changes with the vowels around it. L24 · R11
Form IV Verb · أَفْعَلَA Form IV verb is identified by a hamza added to the front of the root letters. This command comes from the Form IV verb أَنۢبَأَ 'he informed', whose added hamza أَ stands before the root نبا — the same أَ that opens this command shape. L12 · R5
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. أَنۢبِـُٔونِى carries two: the ending و standing for 'you all', and the ending نِى standing for 'me' — 'you all, inform Me'. L3 · R7
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, so it stands in the nominative — the doer's form, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The ending و on أَنۢبِـُٔونِى is that doer, 'you all' — those commanded to inform; on this attached pronoun the shape is fixed, so no ḍammah appears, but the role it fills is the nominative one. L9 · R4
Direct Object · مفعول بهThe direct object is the one the action lands on, standing in the accusative — the landed-on form, usually a fathah ـَ, a small slanted stroke above the last letter. The ending نِى 'me' is that object: the informing is to reach Me. A pronoun keeps its fixed written shape, so no fathah appears — the accusative is the role it fills. L9 · R5
بِأَسْمَآءِ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ
(…of the names of these,)
Root سمو — to be high, elevated; name; sky, heaven · 381 times in the Quran
بِأَسْمَآءِword 11
Preposition · حرف جرA preposition is a little word that relates one thing to another and pulls the naming word after it into the genitive — the after-preposition ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The prefix بِ means 'of/about': inform Me 'of the names'. L4 · R1
Noun · اسمA noun is a naming word for a person, thing, or idea. أَسْمَآءِ names things: 'names', from the root سمو, to be high, elevated; name. L1 · R6
Masculine Noun · اسم مذكرArabic treats every naming word as grammatically 'he' or 'she'. This word carries no feminine marker such as a ة at its end, so it falls to the default and is treated as 'he': a masculine noun. L2 · R3
Plural Noun · جمعA plural noun refers to three or more — made either by adding an ending or by reshaping the word from the inside, which is called a broken plural. أَسْمَآء is such a broken plural: the singular اِسْم (name) is reshaped from within. L2 · R6
Genitive · مجرورThe genitive is the ending a naming word takes after a preposition, shown by a kasrah ـِ — a small slanted stroke below the last letter. أَسْمَآءِ carries that kasrah ـِ because بِ stands before it. L2 · R12
هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِword 12
Demonstrative Pronoun · اسم إشارةA demonstrative pronoun is a pointing word that singles out specific ones, near or far. هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ is the plural near form — 'these': the things paraded before the angels. L3 · R8
Possessive (Idafa) · مضاف إليهA possessive (iḍāfah) chains an owner onto the thing owned, and the owner carries the genitive — the owner's ending, usually shown by a kasrah ـِ, a small slanted stroke below the last letter. هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ is that owner chained to 'names': 'the names OF these'. A pointing word keeps one fixed written shape, so the genitive is the role its owner slot carries. L5 · R5
إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
(…if you are truthful.")
Root كون — to be, exist, happen · 1,390 times in the Quran
Root صدق — to be truthful, sincerity; to give charity; to confirm, verify · 155 times in the Quran
إِنword 13
Conditional Particle · أداة شرطA conditional particle sets up a two-part sentence: a condition and its result. إِن means 'if', laying the condition here: 'IF you are truthful' — then name these things. L16 · R2
كُنتُمْword 14
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action or state tied to a time. كُنتُمْ names a state — being — from the root كون, to be, exist, happen. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb describes a completed state, marking who by an ending glued to the base. The ending تُمْ on كُنتُمْ marks 'you all': 'you are/were'. L8 · R2
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb is one whose root contains the weak letter و or ي — letters that love to soften or vanish. The root of كُنتُمْ is كون; its weak middle و has dropped away in this shape, leaving the short كُن. L24 · R2
Kāna Verb · كان وأخواتهاكَانَ 'was/are' is an incomplete verb: it needs both a topic and a comment, keeping its topic nominative — the ḍammah ـُ form — while pushing its comment into the accusative, usually a fathah ـَ. Here its topic is the attached تُمْ 'you all', and its comment is صَـٰدِقِينَ 'truthful', which wears the accusative dress of its plural shape. L18 · R3
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending تُمْ on كُنتُمْ is such a suffix, standing for 'you all' — the topic كَانَ speaks about, a slot that stays in the nominative, the ḍammah ـُ form; the pronoun's fixed written shape carries that role. L3 · R6
صَـٰدِقِينَword 15
Noun · اسمA noun is a naming word for a person, thing, or quality-holder — without saying when an action happens. صَـٰدِقِينَ names 'truthful ones', from the root صدق, to be truthful, sincerity. L1 · R6
Masculine Noun · اسم مذكرArabic treats every naming word as grammatically 'he' or 'she'. This word carries no feminine marker such as a ة at its end, so it falls to the default and is treated as 'he': a masculine noun. L2 · R3
Plural Noun · جمعA plural noun refers to three or more. The sound masculine plural carries its role in its ending — ـُونَ for the nominative (the 'subject form', with the ḍammah ـُ sound), ـِينَ for the accusative and genitive (the 'object' and 'of' forms); صَـٰدِقِينَ ends in exactly that ـِينَ: truthful ones, many. L2 · R6
Accusative · منصوبThe accusative is usually shown by a fathah ـَ, a small slanted stroke above the last letter — but the dual and the sound masculine plural share one ending, ـِينَ, for both the accusative and the genitive. صَـٰدِقِينَ wears that ـِينَ as the comment of كُنتُمْ, for كَانَ pushes its comment into the accusative. L2 · R7
Active Participle · اسم فاعلAn active participle is a naming word built from a verb's root on the pattern فَاعِل to name the doer or holder of the action. صَٰدِق is built on that pattern from the root صدق (to be truthful): ones who speak truth. L11 · R1
Meaning: if you say truly that you would be better as Khalifahs — since you do not know the names of the objects I paraded before you, you have even less knowledge of what will occur on the earth that does not yet exist.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:31
So far: “And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."”