خلف

See also: خلق‎, حلق‎, جلق‎, and خ ل ق‎

Arabic

Root
خ ل ف‎ (ḵ-l-f)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Semitic *ḫalap-. Cognate with Biblical Hebrew חָלַף‎ (ḥɔlap̄, “to move past”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xa.la.fa/

• Audio

  (file)

Verb

خَلَفَ • (ḵalafa) I, non-past يَخْلُفُ‎‎ (yaḵlufu)

1. to succeed, to follow, to come after
2. to substitute for
3. to replace
4. to lag behind
5. to stay behind
6. to be detained, to stay away

Conjugation

Conjugation of

خَلَفَ

(form-I sound, verbal noun خَلْف)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						خَلْف ḵalf
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						خَالِف‎ ḵālif
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مَخْلُوف‎ maḵlūf
active voice الْفِعْل الْمَعْلُوم
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	خَلَفْتُ‎ ḵalaftu	خَلَفْتَ‎ ḵalafta	خَلَفَ ḵalafa		خَلَفْتُمَا‎ ḵalaftumā	خَلَفَا‎ ḵalafā		خَلَفْنَا‎ ḵalafnā	خَلَفْتُمْ‎ ḵalaftum	خَلَفُوا‎ ḵalafū
	f		خَلَفْتِ‎ ḵalafti	خَلَفَتْ‎ ḵalafat			خَلَفَتَا‎ ḵalafatā			خَلَفْتُنَّ‎ ḵalaftunna	خَلَفْنَ‎ ḵalafna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَخْلُفُ‎ ʾaḵlufu	تَخْلُفُ‎ taḵlufu	يَخْلُفُ‎ yaḵlufu		تَخْلُفَانِ‎ taḵlufāni	يَخْلُفَانِ‎ yaḵlufāni		نَخْلُفُ‎ naḵlufu	تَخْلُفُونَ‎ taḵlufūna	يَخْلُفُونَ‎ yaḵlufūna
	f		تَخْلُفِينَ‎ taḵlufīna	تَخْلُفُ‎ taḵlufu			تَخْلُفَانِ‎ taḵlufāni			تَخْلُفْنَ‎ taḵlufna	يَخْلُفْنَ‎ yaḵlufna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَخْلُفَ‎ ʾaḵlufa	تَخْلُفَ‎ taḵlufa	يَخْلُفَ‎ yaḵlufa		تَخْلُفَا‎ taḵlufā	يَخْلُفَا‎ yaḵlufā		نَخْلُفَ‎ naḵlufa	تَخْلُفُوا‎ taḵlufū	يَخْلُفُوا‎ yaḵlufū
	f		تَخْلُفِي‎ taḵlufī	تَخْلُفَ‎ taḵlufa			تَخْلُفَا‎ taḵlufā			تَخْلُفْنَ‎ taḵlufna	يَخْلُفْنَ‎ yaḵlufna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَخْلُفْ‎ ʾaḵluf	تَخْلُفْ‎ taḵluf	يَخْلُفْ‎ yaḵluf		تَخْلُفَا‎ taḵlufā	يَخْلُفَا‎ yaḵlufā		نَخْلُفْ‎ naḵluf	تَخْلُفُوا‎ taḵlufū	يَخْلُفُوا‎ yaḵlufū
	f		تَخْلُفِي‎ taḵlufī	تَخْلُفْ‎ taḵluf			تَخْلُفَا‎ taḵlufā			تَخْلُفْنَ‎ taḵlufna	يَخْلُفْنَ‎ yaḵlufna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		اُخْلُفْ‎ uḵluf			اُخْلُفَا‎ uḵlufā				اُخْلُفُوا‎ uḵlufū
	f		اُخْلُفِي‎ uḵlufī							اُخْلُفْنَ‎ uḵlufna
passive voice الْفِعْل الْمَجْهُول
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	خُلِفْتُ‎ ḵuliftu	خُلِفْتَ‎ ḵulifta	خُلِفَ ḵulifa		خُلِفْتُمَا‎ ḵuliftumā	خُلِفَا‎ ḵulifā		خُلِفْنَا‎ ḵulifnā	خُلِفْتُمْ‎ ḵuliftum	خُلِفُوا‎ ḵulifū
	f		خُلِفْتِ‎ ḵulifti	خُلِفَتْ‎ ḵulifat			خُلِفَتَا‎ ḵulifatā			خُلِفْتُنَّ‎ ḵuliftunna	خُلِفْنَ‎ ḵulifna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُخْلَفُ‎ ʾuḵlafu	تُخْلَفُ‎ tuḵlafu	يُخْلَفُ‎ yuḵlafu		تُخْلَفَانِ‎ tuḵlafāni	يُخْلَفَانِ‎ yuḵlafāni		نُخْلَفُ‎ nuḵlafu	تُخْلَفُونَ‎ tuḵlafūna	يُخْلَفُونَ‎ yuḵlafūna
	f		تُخْلَفِينَ‎ tuḵlafīna	تُخْلَفُ‎ tuḵlafu			تُخْلَفَانِ‎ tuḵlafāni			تُخْلَفْنَ‎ tuḵlafna	يُخْلَفْنَ‎ yuḵlafna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُخْلَفَ‎ ʾuḵlafa	تُخْلَفَ‎ tuḵlafa	يُخْلَفَ‎ yuḵlafa		تُخْلَفَا‎ tuḵlafā	يُخْلَفَا‎ yuḵlafā		نُخْلَفَ‎ nuḵlafa	تُخْلَفُوا‎ tuḵlafū	يُخْلَفُوا‎ yuḵlafū
	f		تُخْلَفِي‎ tuḵlafī	تُخْلَفَ‎ tuḵlafa			تُخْلَفَا‎ tuḵlafā			تُخْلَفْنَ‎ tuḵlafna	يُخْلَفْنَ‎ yuḵlafna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُخْلَفْ‎ ʾuḵlaf	تُخْلَفْ‎ tuḵlaf	يُخْلَفْ‎ yuḵlaf		تُخْلَفَا‎ tuḵlafā	يُخْلَفَا‎ yuḵlafā		نُخْلَفْ‎ nuḵlaf	تُخْلَفُوا‎ tuḵlafū	يُخْلَفُوا‎ yuḵlafū
	f		تُخْلَفِي‎ tuḵlafī	تُخْلَفْ‎ tuḵlaf			تُخْلَفَا‎ tuḵlafā			تُخْلَفْنَ‎ tuḵlafna	يُخْلَفْنَ‎ yuḵlafna

Etymology 2

From the root خ ل ف‎ (ḵ-l-f).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xal.fa/

Preposition

خَلْفَ • (ḵalfa)

1. behind
   • Louisa Alcott, Little Women, Chapter 1, Arabic translation "Dar wa Maktabat al-Hilal, Lebanon":

     ‏بَدَأَت جُو تَمْشِي ذَهَابًا وَإِيَابًا وَيَدَاهَا خَلْفَ ظَهْرِهَا، كَالرَّجُل.‎‎

     badaʾat jū tamšī ḏahāban waʾiyāban wayadāhā ḵalfa ẓahrihā, kar-rajul.

     Joe started walking back and forth with her hands behind (her) back, like a man.

Inflection

Inflected forms
Base form					خَلْفَ (ḵalfa)
Personal-pronoun- including forms	Singular		Dual	Plural
	Masculine	Feminine	Common	Masculine	Feminine
First person	خَلْفِي‎ (ḵalfī)			خَلْفَنَا‎ (ḵalfanā)
Second person	خَلْفَكَ‎ (ḵalfaka)	خَلْفَكِ‎ (ḵalfaki)	خَلْفَكُمَا‎ (ḵalfakumā)	خَلْفَكُمْ‎ (ḵalfakum)	خَلْفَكُنَّ‎ (ḵalfakunna)
Third person	خَلْفَهُ‎ (ḵalfahu)	خَلْفَهَا‎ (ḵalfahā)	خَلْفَهُمَا‎ (ḵalfahumā)	خَلْفَهُمْ‎ (ḵalfahum)	خَلْفَهُنَّ‎ (ḵalfahunna)

Derived terms

• مِنْ خَلْفِ‎ (min ḵalfi)

Etymology 3

From the root خ ل ف‎ (ḵ-l-f).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xalf/

Noun

خَلْف • (ḵalf) m (plural خُلُوف‎ (ḵulūf))

1. verbal noun of خَلَفَ (ḵalafa) (form I)
2. location that is behind
3. time past
4. back
5. successor, descendant
6. descendants
7. remnant of people
8. succeeding generation, progeny
9. short rib
10. someone absent from the tribe or just returned

Declension

Declension of noun خَلْف (ḵalf)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	خَلْف ḵalf	الْخَلْف‎ al-ḵalf	خَلْف ḵalf
Nominative	خَلْفٌ ḵalfun	الْخَلْفُ‎ al-ḵalfu	خَلْفُ ḵalfu
Accusative	خَلْفًا‎ ḵalfan	الْخَلْفَ‎ al-ḵalfa	خَلْفَ ḵalfa
Genitive	خَلْفٍ ḵalfin	الْخَلْفِ‎ al-ḵalfi	خَلْفِ ḵalfi
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	خَلْفَيْن‎ ḵalfayn	الْخَلْفَيْن‎ al-ḵalfayn	خَلْفَيْ‎ ḵalfay
Nominative	خَلْفَانِ‎ ḵalfāni	الْخَلْفَانِ‎ al-ḵalfāni	خَلْفَا‎ ḵalfā
Accusative	خَلْفَيْنِ‎ ḵalfayni	الْخَلْفَيْنِ‎ al-ḵalfayni	خَلْفَيْ‎ ḵalfay
Genitive	خَلْفَيْنِ‎ ḵalfayni	الْخَلْفَيْنِ‎ al-ḵalfayni	خَلْفَيْ‎ ḵalfay
Plural	basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	خُلُوف‎ ḵulūf	الْخُلُوف‎ al-ḵulūf	خُلُوف‎ ḵulūf
Nominative	خُلُوفٌ‎ ḵulūfun	الْخُلُوفُ‎ al-ḵulūfu	خُلُوفُ‎ ḵulūfu
Accusative	خُلُوفًا‎ ḵulūfan	الْخُلُوفَ‎ al-ḵulūfa	خُلُوفَ‎ ḵulūfa
Genitive	خُلُوفٍ‎ ḵulūfin	الْخُلُوفِ‎ al-ḵulūfi	خُلُوفِ‎ ḵulūfi

References

• Freytag, Georg (1830), “خلف”, in Lexicon arabico-latinum praesertim ex Djeuharii Firuzabadiique et aliorum Arabum operibus adhibitis Golii quoque et aliorum libris confectum (in Latin), volume 1, Halle: C. A. Schwetschke, pages 516–518
• Lane, Edward William (1863), “خلف”, in Arabic-English Lexicon, London: Williams & Norgate, page 792
• Steingass, Francis Joseph (1884), “خلف”, in The Student's Arabic–English Dictionary‎^[1], London: W.H. Allen, page 337
• Wehr, Hans (1979), “خلف”, in J. Milton Cowan, editor, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, 4th edition, Ithaca, NY: Spoken Language Services, →ISBN, page 297

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South Levantine Arabic

Root
خ ل ف‎

Etymology 1

From Arabic خَلَفَ‎ (ḵalafa).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xa.laf/, [ˈxa.laf]

• Audio (al-Lidd)

  (file)

Verb

خلف • (ḵalaf) (form I, present بخلف‎ (biḵlif))

1. to replace, to reward

Conjugation

Conjugation of خلف (ḵalaf)
		singular				plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
past	m	خلفت (ḵalaft)	خلفت (ḵalaft)	خلف (ḵalaf)		خلفنا (ḵalafna)	خلفتو (ḵalaftu)	خلفو (ḵalafu)
	f		خلفتي (ḵalafti)	خلفت (ḵalfat)
present	m	بخلف (baḵlif)	بتخلف (btiḵlif)	بخلف (biḵlif)		منخلف (mniḵlif)	بتخلفو (btiḵlifu)	بخلفو (biḵlifu)
	f		بتخلفي (btiḵlifi)	بتخلف (btiḵlif)
subjunctive	m	أخلف (ʔaḵlif)	تخلف (tiḵlif)	يخلف (yiḵlif)		نخلف (niḵlif)	تخلفو (tiḵlifu)	يخلفو (yiḵlifu)
	f		تخلفي (tiḵlifi)	تخلف (tiḵlif)
imperative	m		اخلف (iḵlif)				اخلفو (iḵlifu)
	f		اخلفي (iḵlifi)

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xal.laf/, [ˈxal.laf]

• Audio (al-Lidd)

  (file)

Verb

خلّف • (ḵallaf) (form II, present بخلّف‎ (biḵallef))

1. to give birth

   Synonym: جاب‎ (jāb)

Conjugation

Conjugation of خلّف (ḵallaf)
		singular				plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
past	m	خلّفت (ḵallaft)	خلّفت (ḵallaft)	خلّف (ḵallaf)		خلّفنا (ḵallafna)	خلّفتو (ḵallaftu)	خلّفو (ḵallafu)
	f		خلّفتي (ḵallafti)	خلّفت (ḵallafat)
present	m	بخلّف (baḵallef)	بتخلّف (bitḵallef)	بخلّف (biḵallef)		منخلّف (minḵallef)	بتخلّفو (bitḵallfu)	بخلّفو (biḵallfu)
	f		بتخلّفي (bitḵallfi)	بتخلّف (bitḵallef)
subjunctive	m	اخلّف (aḵallef)	تخلّف (tḵallef)	يخلّف (yḵallef)		نخلّف (nḵallef)	تخلّفو (tḵallfu)	يخلّفو (yḵallfu)
	f		تخلّفي (tḵallfi)	تخلّف (tḵallef)
imperative	m		خلّف (ḵallef)				خلّفو (ḵallfu)
	f		خلّفي (ḵallfi)