shajja'a
to encourage
شجع (shajja'a) is a regular Arabic verb meaning 'to encourage' or 'to embolden.' It conveys the action of giving someone courage, confidence, or motivation to do something they might hesitate about. This verb is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to express support and motivation toward others.
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المعلم شجع الطالب على الدراسة بجد.
Al-mu'allim shajja'a at-talib 'alaa ad-dirasah bi-jid.
The teacher encouraged the student to study hard.
والدتي شجعتني لمتابعة حلمي في الرسم.
Waaliidati shajja'atni li-mutaba'at hulmi fi ar-rasm.
My mother encouraged me to pursue my dream of painting.
يجب أن نشجع بعضنا البعض على تحقيق أهدافنا.
Yajib an nushajji'a ba'danaa al-ba'd 'alaa tahqiq ahdafina.
We must encourage each other to achieve our goals.
الفريق شجع لاعبه قبل المباراة المهمة.
Al-firiq shajja'a laa'ibahu qabla al-mubaarah al-muhimmah.
The team encouraged its player before the important match.
أصدقاؤه شجعوه على تقديم الطلب للجامعة.
Asdiqa'uh shajja'uhu 'alaa taqdim at-talab li-al-jami'ah.
His friends encouraged him to submit an application to the university.
In Arab culture, encouragement and support from family and community are deeply valued social practices. Teachers, parents, and leaders frequently use شجع to motivate students and young people toward educational and personal goals. The concept of encouragement is particularly important during challenging times or when someone is taking risks, reflecting the collective nature of Arab society where community support plays a crucial role in individual success.
When using شجع, remember it's typically followed by the preposition على (alaa, 'on' or 'to') when indicating what you're encouraging someone to do. The verb conjugates regularly in the past tense (شجع, شجعت, شجعوا), and in the present tense it becomes يشجع (yushajji'a). Pay attention to context: you can encourage a person directly or encourage someone toward a specific action or goal.
The Arabic verb شجع (shajja'a) is a fundamental word that means 'to encourage,' 'to embolden,' or 'to give courage.' It represents the action of motivating someone, providing support, or inspiring confidence in another person. This verb is widely used across all levels of Arabic communication, from everyday conversations to formal writing, making it an essential vocabulary item for learners.
شجع is a regular Form I (triconsonantal) verb with the root ش-ج-ع. It follows standard conjugation patterns in Arabic:
Past Tense:
Present Tense:
Imperative:
When using شجع, it typically requires the preposition على (alaa) to indicate what action or goal you're encouraging someone toward. For example: "شجعت أختي على الدراسة" (I encouraged my sister to study). This construction is consistent across most contexts where the verb is used with a specific action as its object.
The verb can be used with direct objects as well, such as when encouraging a person generally without specifying an action: "شجع صديقه" (He encouraged his friend). The context determines whether the action being encouraged needs to be specified.
The root ش-ج-ع generates several important related terms:
In Arab society, the concept of encouragement and support carries significant cultural weight. Education, personal achievement, and community success are highly valued, and providing encouragement is seen as a moral responsibility. Teachers, parents, and community leaders frequently employ شجع as part of their role in developing young people. The phrase "كلمات تشجيع" (words of encouragement) is commonly recognized as an important form of support.
During times of challenge or when someone is pursuing ambitious goals, receiving encouragement (تشجيع) from family and community is considered essential. This reflects the collective nature of Arab culture, where individual success is viewed as a family and community achievement.
In Educational Settings: "المعلم يشجع الطلاب على الاشتراك في المسابقات." (The teacher encourages students to participate in competitions.)
In Family Contexts: "والداها شجعاها على متابعة دراستها الجامعية." (Her parents encouraged her to continue her university studies.)
In Professional Environments: "المدير شجع موظفيه على تقديم أفكار جديدة." (The manager encouraged his employees to present new ideas.)
In Personal Motivation: "أصدقاؤه شجعوه على عدم الاستسلام." (His friends encouraged him not to give up.)
While several verbs share similar meanings with شجع, they carry subtle differences:
شجع specifically emphasizes giving someone the courage or confidence to face challenges or pursue goals.
The opposite of encouragement in Arabic includes:
By mastering شجع and its related vocabulary, learners gain access to important expressions of support and motivation that are central to Arabic communication and culture.