chapter 2
This excerpt provides a foundational guide to basic Arabic grammar, focusing on nouns, adjectives, and articles. It explains the gender and number agreement required for nouns and adjectives, noting that adjectives follow nouns in Arabic. The text details the definite article al- and its exceptions, specifically the interaction with "sun" and "moon" letters, while highlighting the lack of an explicit indefinite article. The chapter also covers the formation of both definite and indefinite phrases and explores constructing simple sentences without a verb, including the use of personal pronouns and the irregular verb laysa for negative "to be" sentences, as well as the past tense "to be" verb kaana. Finally, the text introduces Arabic verb conjugations in the past, present, and future tenses, illustrating how prefixes, suffixes, and dominant vowels are crucial for accurate usage.
Notes
Grammar Basics
Grammar is described as the glue that binds language elements together, allowing communication via defined rules. Arabic has singular and plural forms for every noun. Every noun in Arabic also has a masculine or feminine form. Adjectives must be in agreement with the noun they modify in both gender and plurality.
Nouns and Adjectives
Nouns name a person, place, thing, quality, or action. Adjectives modify nouns. In Arabic, nouns generally come before adjectives, which is a significant difference compared to English where adjectives precede nouns. To form the feminine form of a regular adjective, you typically add the suffix -a [ـة] to the masculine form.
Common nouns listed include:
walad [ولد] (wah-lad) - boy
‘awlaad [أولاد] (aw-lad) - boys
bint [بنت] (bee-net) - girl
banaat [بنات] (bah-nat) - girls
tilmiidh [تلميذ] (teel-meez) - student (M)
tilmiidha [تلميذة] (teel-mee-zah) - student (F)
mudarris [مدرّس] (moo-dah-rees) - teacher (M)
mudarrisa [مدرّسة] (moo-dah-ree-sah) - teacher (F)
kitaab [كتاب] (kee-tab) - book
Taawila [طاولة] (tah-wee-lah) - table
sayyaara [سيارة] (sah-yah-rah) - car
Common adjectives listed include:
kabiir [كبير] (kah-beer) - big (M)
kabiira [كبيرة] (kah-bee-rah) - big (F)
Saghiir [صغير] (sah-gheer) - small (M)
Saghiira [صغيرة] (sah-ghee-rah) - small (F)
Tawiil [طويل] (tah-weel) - tall (M)
Tawiila [طويلة] (tah-wee-lah) - tall (F)
qaSiir [قصير] (qah-seer) - short (M)
qaSiira [قصيرة] (qah-see-rah) - short (F)
jamiil [جميل] (jah-meel) - beautiful/handsome (M)
jamiila [جميلة] (jah-mee-lah) - beautiful/pretty (F)
Articles
An article is a part of speech indicating nouns or adjectives and specifying their applications. English has indefinite articles ("a," "an") and a definite article ("the"). Arabic has no outright indefinite article; it is always implied. For example, kitaab [كتاب] means both "book" and "a book". Arabic does use a definite article, which is the prefix al- [الـ]. To make a noun or adjective definite ("the..."), you attach the prefix al- [الـ] to the word. For example, al-kitaab [الكتاب] means "the book". There are exceptions to the al- [الـ] rule; sometimes the "l" in al- drops off and is replaced by a letter identical to the first letter of the word being defined. For example, an-nuur [النور] (the light) instead of al-nuur [النور]. Arabic letters are categorized as sun letters or moon letters, which determines how the definite article prefix is pronounced and sometimes written. Words starting with moon letters get the prefix al- [الـ]. Words starting with sun letters get the prefix a- followed by the sun letter. The sun letters are listed in Table 2-3.
Noun and Adjective Phrases
Combining an undefined noun with an undefined adjective creates an indefinite phrase. The adjective follows the noun.
Example: kitaab kabiir [كتاب كبير] (a big book).
Example: walad Tawiil [ولد طويل] (a tall boy).
Example: bint jamiila [بنت جميلة] (a pretty girl).
When adding multiple adjectives to an indefinite noun, the adjectives follow the noun, and you use the conjunction wa [و] (wah; and) between the adjectives.
Example: walad Tawiil wa kabiir [ولد طويل وكبير] (a tall and big boy).
To create a definite phrase ("the..."), both the noun and the adjective must be defined using the definite article prefix al- [الـ].
Example: al-kitaab al-kabiir [الكتاب الكبير] (the big book).
Example: al-walad aT-Tawiil [الولد الطويل] (the tall boy).
Example: al-bint al-jamiila [البنت الجميلة] (the pretty girl).
For definite phrases with multiple adjectives, both the noun and all adjectives are definite, and the conjunction wa [و] is used between the adjectives.
Example: al-walad aT-Tawiil wa al-kabiir [الولد الطويل والكبير] (the tall and big boy).
Verb-Free Sentences ("To Be" Sentences)
Arabic has no "to be" verb in the present tense for simple equative sentences. An "is/are" sentence is formed by combining a definite noun with an indefinite adjective.
Example: al-kitaab kabiir [الكتاب كبير] (The book is big.).
Example: as-sayyaara khadraa’ [السيارة خضراء] (The car is green.).
Example: al-‘ustaadh Tawiil [الأستاذ طويل] (The professor is tall.) (M).
Adding multiple indefinite adjectives to a definite noun in these sentences uses the conjunction wa [و].
Example: as-sayyaara khadraa’ wa sarii’a [السيارة خضراء وسريعة] (The car is green and fast.).
A sentence structure combining a definite noun/definite adjective combination with an indefinite adjective also produces an "is/are" sentence.
Example: al-bint aS-SaHiiHa qawiiya [البنت الصحيحة قوية] (The healthy girl is strong.).
Example: as-sayyaara al-khadraa’ sarii’a [السيارة الخضراء سريعة] (The green car is fast.).
Prepositions
Prepositions indicate a relationship between words. Common prepositions listed include:
min [من] (meen) - from
fii [في] (fee) - in
‘ilaa [إلى] (ee-lah) - to
ma’a [مع] (mah-ah) - with
‘alaa [على] (ah-lah) - on
qariib min [قريب من] (qah-reeb meen) - close to
ba’iid min [بعيد من] (bah-eed meen) - far from
‘amaama [أمام] (ah-mah-mah) - in front of
waraa’a [وراء] (wah-rah-ah) - behind
taHta [تحت] (tah-tah) - underneath
fawqa [فوق] (faw-qah) - above
bijaanibi [بجانب] (bee-jah-nee-bee) - next to
Sentences using prepositions:
al-‘ustaadha fii al-jaami’a [الأستاذة في الجامعة] (The professor is in the university.) (F).
al-maT’am bijaanibi al-funduq [المطعم بجانب الفندق] (The restaurant is next to the hotel.).
al-walad al-laTiif ma’a al-mudarris [الولد اللطيف مع المدرّس] (The nice boy is with the teacher.).
Demonstratives
Demonstratives indicate the noun being referred to ("this," "that," "these," "those"). Singular demonstratives agree in gender with the noun. Plural demonstratives are gender-neutral.
Singular demonstratives:
haadhaa [هذا] (hah-zah) - this (M)
haadhihi [هذه] (hah-zee-hee) - this (F)
dhaalika [ذلك] (zah-lee-kah) - that (M)
tilka [تلك] (teel-kah) - that (F)
Plural demonstratives:
haa’ulaa’i [هؤلاء] (hah-oo-lah-ee) - these
‘ulaa’ika [أولئك] (oo-lah-ee-kah) - those
Demonstratives always come before the noun they identify. Combining a demonstrative with a definite noun creates a definite clause (a phrase, not a sentence).
Example: haadhaa al-walad [هذا الولد] (this boy).
Example: tilka al-‘ustaadha [تلك الأستاذة] (that professor) (F).
Combining a demonstrative with an indefinite noun creates an "is/are" sentence.
Example: haadhaa walad [هذا ولد] (This is a boy.).
Example: haadhihi bint [هذه بنت] (This is a girl.).
Combining a demonstrative clause with a definite noun and an indefinite adjective creates a more descriptive "is/are" sentence.
Example: haadhihi al-bint jamiila [هذه البنت جميلة] (This girl is pretty.).
Example: tilka al-madrasa kabiira [تلك المدرسة كبيرة] (That school is big.).
Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns stand in for people, places, things, or ideas. Arabic has a dual number form for describing two items, which does not exist in English. Personal pronouns listed include:
‘anaa [أنا] (ah-nah) - I/me
‘anta [أنتَ] (an-tah) - you (MS)
‘anti [أنتِ] (an-tee) - you (FS)
huwa [هو] (hoo-wah) - he/it
hiya [هي] (hee-yah) - she/it
naHnu [نحن] (nah-noo) - we
‘antum [أنتم] (an-toom) - you (MP)
‘antunna [أنتنَّ] (an-too-nah) - you (FP)
hum [هم] (hoom) - they (MP)
hunna [هنَّ] (hoo-nah) - they (FP)
‘antumaa [أنتما] (an-too-mah) - you (dual)
humaa [هما] (hoo-mah) - they (M/dual, F/dual)
The personal pronoun always comes before the noun or adjective it refers to. Combining a personal pronoun with an indefinite noun or adjective creates an "is/are" sentence.
Example: hiya bint [هي بنت] (She is a girl.).
Example: huwa walad [هو ولد] (He is a boy.).
Example: ‘anta kabiir [أنتَ كبير] (You are big.) (MS).
Combining a personal pronoun with a definite noun means "She is the..." or "He is the..." etc.
Example: hiya al-bint [هي البنت] (She is the girl.).
Example: huwa al-walad [هو الولد] (He is the boy.).
Sentences combining personal pronouns with nouns/adjectives:
‘anaa rajul [أنا رجل] (I am a man.).
‘anta al-walad al-kabiir [أنتَ الولد الكبير] (You are the big boy.).
huwa rajul qawiiy [هو رجل قوي] (He is a strong man.).
Negative "To Be" Sentences
Arabic uses the special irregular verb laysa [ليس] (lay-sah) to create negative "to be" sentences ("I am not," "you are not," etc.). laysa [ليس] is conjugated according to the personal pronoun.
‘anaa lastu [أنا لستُ] (I am not)
huwa laysa [هو ليس] (He is not)
hiya laysat [هي ليست] (She is not)
Examples of negative sentences using laysa [ليس]:
‘anaa lastu Taalib [أنا لستُ طالب] (I am not a student.).
‘anta lasta mariiD [أنتَ لستَ مريض] (You are not sick.) (M).
naHnu lasnaa fii al-madrasa [نحن لسنا في المدرسة] (We are not in the school.).
al-bint aT-Tawiila laysat Da’iifa [البنت الطويلة ليست ضعيفة] (The tall girl is not weak.).
"To Be" in the Past Tense
Arabic uses the irregular verb kaana [كان] (kah-nah) for "was/were" ("to be" in the past tense). kaana [كان] is conjugated according to the personal pronoun.
‘anaa kuntu [أنا كنتُ] (I was)
huwa kaana [هو كان] (He was)
hiya kaanat [هي كانت] (She was)
Examples of past tense "to be" sentences using kaana [كان]:
‘anaa kuntu mariiD [أنا كنتُ مريض] (I was sick.).
‘anta kunta fii al-maktaba [أنتَ كنتَ في المكتبة] (You were in the library.).
hiya kaanat qariiba min al-manzil [هي كانت قريبة من المنزل] (She was close to the house.).
naHnu kunnaa fii al-masbaH [نحن كنَّا في المسبح] (We were in the swimming pool.).
Verbs
Arabic verb tenses primarily focus on the past and present. The future tense is derived from the present tense by adding a prefix. Many regular verbs in the past tense, in the huwa [هو] (he) form, have three consonants and the fatHa [فتحة] ("ah" sound) vowel.
Example: kataba [كتب] (kah-tah-bah; wrote).
Other examples: ‘akala [أكل] (ah-kah-lah; ate), fa’ala [فعل] (fah-ah-lah; did), ra’a [رأى] (rah-ah; saw).
In the past tense, the first part of the verb remains constant, and the suffix changes depending on the personal pronoun. Table 2-9 lists the suffixes.
Examples of past tense sentences:
‘al-walad dhahaba ‘ilaa al-madrasa [الولد ذهب إلى المدرسة] (The boy went to the school.).
‘akalnaa Ta’aam ladhiidh [أكلنا طعام لذيذ] (We ate delicious food.).
Present tense conjugation involves changing both the beginning (prefix) and the ending (suffix) of the verb. Table 2-11 lists the prefixes and suffixes for the present tense. Every verb in the present tense has a dominant vowel (damma [ضمة], fatHa [فتحة], or kasra [كسرة]) that is unique to that verb and is the middle vowel. There is no hard rule to determine the dominant vowel; it often needs to be looked up in a dictionary (qaamuus [قاموس]).
The future tense is formed by adding the prefix sa- [سـ] to the present tense form of the verb.
Example: yaktubu [يكتب] (to write) becomes sayaktubu [سيكتب] (he will write).
### **English** | **Arabic** | **Transliteration**
1. **Book** | **كِتَاب** | *Kitāb*
2. **Sun** | **شَمْس** | *Shams*
3. **Water** | **مَاء** | *Mā’*
4. **House** | **بَيْت** | *Bayt*
5. **Dog** | **كَلْب** | *Kalb*
6. **Tree** | **شَجَرَة** | *Shajara*
7. **Love** | **حُبّ** | *Hubb*
8. **Friend** | **صَدِيق** | *Sadīq*
9. **Food** | **طَعَام** | *Ta‘ām*
10. **Night** | **لَيْل** | *Layl*
11. **City** | **مَدِينَة** | *Madīna*
12. **Car** | **سَيَّارَة** | *Sayyāra*
13. **Moon** | **قَمَر** | *Qamar*
14. **Hand** | **يَد** | *Yad*
15. **Eye** | **عَيْن** | *‘Ayn*
16. **School** | **مَدْرَسَة** | *Madrasa*
17. **Road** | **طَرِيق** | *Tarīq*
18. **Time** | **وَقْت** | *Waqt*
19. **Peace** | **سَلَام** | *Salām*
20. **Fire** | **نَار** | *Nār*
21. **Mirror** | **مِرْآة** | *Mirʾāh*
22 **Window** | **نَافِذَة** | *Nāfidha*
23. **Door** | **بَاب** | *Bāb*
24. **Cloud** | **سَحَابَة** | *Saḥāba*
25. **Teacher** | **مُعَلِّم** | *Muʿallim*
26. **Student** | **طَالِب** | *Ṭālib*
27. **Key** | **مِفْتَاح** | *Miftāḥ*
28. **Phone** | **هَاتِف** | *Hātif*
29. **Garden** | **حَدِيقَة** | *Ḥadīqa*
30. **Summer** | **صَيْف** | *Ṣayf*
* English: Hello, how are you?
Arabic: مرحباً، كيف حالك؟
Transliteration: Marhaban, kayfa haluk?
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Marhaban [Hello], kayfa [how] haluk [your state/you]?
* English: Good morning.
Arabic: صباح الخير.
Transliteration: Sabah al-khair.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Sabah [morning] al-khair [the good/goodness].
* English: Thank you very much.
Arabic: شكراً جزيلاً.
Transliteration: Shukran jazilan.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Shukran [thank you] jazilan [very/much].
* English: What is your name?
Arabic: ما اسمك؟
Transliteration: Ma ismuk?
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Ma [what] ismuk [your name]?
* English: I am fine, thank you.
Arabic: أنا بخير، شكراً لك.
Transliteration: Ana bi-khair, shukran lak.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Ana [I] bi-khair [in goodness/fine], shukran [thank you] lak [to you].
* English: Where are you from?
Arabic: من أين أنت؟
Transliteration: Min ayna anta?
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Min [from] ayna [where] anta [you (masculine)]?
* English: I live in Cape Town.
Arabic: أسكن في كيب تاون.
Transliteration: Askun fi kib taun.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Askun [I live] fi [in] kib [Cape] taun [Town].
* English: Do you speak English?
Arabic: هل تتحدث الإنجليزية؟
Transliteration: Hal tatakallamu al-ingliziyya?
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Hal [do/question particle] tatakallamu [you (masculine) speak] al-ingliziyya [the English]?
* English: Yes, a little.
Arabic: نعم، قليلاً.
Transliteration: Na'am, qalilan.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Na'am [yes], qalilan [a little].
* English: What time is it?
Arabic: كم الساعة؟
Transliteration: Kam as-sa'a?
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Kam [how much/what] as-sa'a [the hour/time]?
* English: The book is on the table.
Arabic: الكتاب على الطاولة.
Transliteration: Al-kitabu 'ala at-tawila.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Al-kitabu [the book] 'ala [on] at-tawila [the table].
* English: I want water, please.
Arabic: أريد ماءً من فضلك.
Transliteration: Urid ma'an min fadlik.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Urid [I want] ma'an [water (accusative)] min [from] fadlik [your favor/please].
* English: This is a beautiful day.
Arabic: هذا يوم جميل.
Transliteration: Hatha yawmun jamil.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Hatha [this (masculine)] yawmun [day (nominative)] jamil [beautiful (masculine)].
* English: Where is the bathroom?
Arabic: أين الحمام؟
Transliteration: Ayna al-hammam?
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Ayna [where] al-hammam [the bathroom]?
* English: Can you help me?
Arabic: هل يمكنك مساعدتي؟
Transliteration: Hal yumkinuka musa'adati?
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Hal [can/question particle] yumkinuka [it is possible for you (masculine)] musa'adati [my helping/to help me]?
* English: I don't understand.
Arabic: لا أفهم.
Transliteration: La afham.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): La [no/not] afham [I understand].
* English: How much does this cost?
Arabic: كم ثمن هذا؟
Transliteration: Kam thamanu hatha?
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Kam [how much] thamanu [price of] hatha [this (masculine)]?
* English: I like to read books.
Arabic: أحب أن أقرأ الكتب.
Transliteration: Uhibbu an aqra'a al-kutub.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Uhibbu [I like/love] an [that/to] aqra'a [I read] al-kutub [the books].
* English: The weather is hot today.
Arabic: الجو حار اليوم.
Transliteration: Al-jawwu harun al-yawm.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Al-jawwu [the weather] harun [hot (masculine)] al-yawm [the day/today].
* English: My friend is from Egypt.
Arabic: صديقي من مصر.
Transliteration: Sadiqi min misr.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Sadiqi [my friend (masculine)] min [from] misr [Egypt].
* English: They are playing football.
Arabic: هم يلعبون كرة القدم.
Transliteration: Hum yal'abuna kurata al-qadam.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Hum [they (masculine plural)] yal'abuna [they (masculine plural) play] kurata [ball (accusative)] al-qadam [the foot/football].
* English: She is learning Arabic.
Arabic: هي تتعلم اللغة العربية.
Transliteration: Hiya tata'allamu al-lugha al-'arabiyya.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Hiya [she] tata'allamu [she learns] al-lugha [the language] al-'arabiyya [the Arabic].
* English: We went to the market yesterday.
Arabic: ذهبنا إلى السوق أمس.
Transliteration: Dhahabna ila as-suq amsi.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Dhahabna [we went] ila [to] as-suq [the market] amsi [yesterday].
* English: The car is red.
Arabic: السيارة حمراء.
Transliteration: As-sayyara'u hamra'.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): As-sayyara'u [the car (nominative)] hamra' [red (feminine)].
* English: I need to go now.
Arabic: يجب أن أذهب الآن.
Transliteration: Yajibu an athhaba al-aan.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Yajibu [it is necessary] an [that/to] athhaba [I go] al-aan [now].
* English: Happy birthday!
Arabic: عيد ميلاد سعيد!
Transliteration: 'Eid milad sa'eed!
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): 'Eid [festival/celebration] milad [birth/birthday] sa'eed [happy]!
* English: Congratulations!
Arabic: مبروك!
Transliteration: Mabruk!
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Mabruk [blessed/congratulations]!
* English: Have a nice day.
Arabic: أتمنى لك يوماً سعيداً.
Transliteration: Atamanna laka yawman sa'eedan.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Atamanna [I wish] laka [to you (masculine)] yawman [day (accusative)] sa'eedan [happy (accusative)].
* English: See you later.
Arabic: أراك لاحقاً.
Transliteration: Araka lahiqan.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): Araka [I see you (masculine)] lahiqan [later].
* English: Peace be upon you.
Arabic: السلام عليكم.
Transliteration: As-salamu alaykum.
Arabic Transliteration (with English word meaning): As-salamu [the peace] alaykum [upon you (plural/formal)].
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