The circumstantial adverb (حال) is that component of a verbal sentence that describes the state under which the verb is enacted. The canonical example is “Zaid came to me riding,” in which the word “riding” is حال because it describes the state under which the “coming” occurred.

The governing agent for the حال is a verb (or verb-like entity) and حال is actually considered one of the details of the verb. However, there is a difference between this and other types of verb details. Cognate adverbs describe the how-aspect of the verb, objects describe the what-aspect, causative adverbs describe the why-aspect, locative adverbs describe the when- and where-aspects, and so forth. Now حال describes the circumstantial-aspect, but not of the verb itself. In the sentence “Zaid came to me riding,” for instance, the حال describes the state of the subject Zaid, not of the verb. It was Zaid who was riding, not the act of coming that was riding. Similarly, in the sentence “I hit Bakr while he was tied up,” the حال describes the state of the object Bakr. It was Bakr that was tied up, not the act of hitting. This is why حال is not a type of مفعول (adverb) in Arabic despite the translation “Circumstantial Adverb” we use in this tutorial.

Because حال is one of the details of the verb but it is not a type of مفعول, it falls under a category of verb details referred to as the مشبهات بالمفاعيل. There are two other details in this category which will have dedicated tutorials.

Moreover, unlike the مفاعيل, حال does not have the potential to constitute a top-level component in a sentence. When we parse a verbal sentence like “Zaid came to me riding,” “Zaid” and “riding” will connect to form a compound subject. Hence this compound structure is a type of phrase in Arabic.

Some general rules of حال include the following.

1.       The حالwill be in the accusative state and its governor will be a verb or verb-like entity (visible or assumed)

2.       The حال will usually be a participle

3.       The ذو الحال will usually be definite and the حال indefinite

4.       The حال usually closely follows the ذو الحال

5.       The حال can describe the state of the subject, the object, or even both and together the حال and ذو الحال will form a phrasal structure

Notice that there may be some ambiguity between whether the حال is describing the state of the subject or the object. When we say “I hit Bakr tied up,” we may intend “I hit Bakr while he was tied up” as well as “I hit Bakr while I was tied up.” The same ambiguity exists in English and the correct interpretation is determined through context. The rule of thumb, however, is that the حال describes the state of the object if there is an object. Thus it is less likely that “I hit Bakr tied up” means “I hit Bakr while I was tied up.”

Difference Between the Circumstantial Adverb and Adjectives

Adjectives and circumstantial adverbs share a lot in common. Both are attributes expressed as participles that describe an entity. But there are extremely significant differences between the two. A حال describes the state of the subject/object only while the sentential verb is under enactment. When we say “Zaid came to me riding,” for instance, we are claiming that Zaid is riding but only as long as he is coming. We are not attributing ‘riding’ to Zaid beyond his coming; he may very well stop riding once he has arrived. Thus the attribute expressed through a حال is limited to the scope of the verb. And this is why حال, although not a مفعول, is considered one of the details of the verb.

n light of this, حال should almost always be an attribute that can be separated from the entity it describes. For instance, the act of riding an animal is separable from Zaid; he may be riding one moment and not riding the next. Hence the word ‘riding’ is appropriate as حال. But a word like ‘barber’ would not be suitable as حال in the example “Zaid came to me as a barber.” This is because Zaid’s being a barber is not confined to the scope of the verb; it is unlikely that he is a barber only while he is coming.

Having said that, there are numerous instances in which a non-separable attribute is used as حال anyways. In other words, there are cases where the like of “Zaid came to me as a barber” is completely valid and sensible. Although Zaid was a barber before he came and will likely remain a barber even after he has arrived, we can limit the attribute ‘barber’ to the scope of the verb ‘came’ in order to highlight the fact that Zaid came in his capacity as a barber.