sababta

Sababta is a Somali noun meaning "the reason" or "the cause." It is the definite form of sabab, the general term for motive or justification. Sababta is used to indicate the explanation behind an action, event, statement, or decision, and it appears in both everyday speech and formal writing.

Grammatically, sabab is the base form. The definite singular is sababta ("the reason"). The indefinite plural is sababo ("reasons"), and the definite plural is sababaha ("the reasons"). In sentences, sababta commonly introduces an explanation or conclusion, as in: Sababta uu u tagay magaalada waa inuu booqdo qof saaxiib ah. The phrase can stand as the subject or as part of a larger clause that states the cause.

Usage notes: Sababta can introduce a clause that clarifies motive, justification, or rationale. It is versatile in reporting, argument, and storytelling, and it can appear with verbs of thinking, deciding, or acting to link to the underlying cause.

Etymology and related terms: Sababta comes from sabab, a term meaning reason or cause, with a definite suffix. The word is borrowed into Somali through historical contact with Arabic sabāb for cause or motive, and it shares cognates with related terms in other languages that describe justification or justification-based phrases.

See also: sabab (cause), sababo (reasons), sababaha (the reasons).