Pronouns in Arabic - الضَّمَائِرُ | Arabic Free Course

Introduction

In English, pronouns are used as substitutes for nouns. For example, in English, we use pronouns such as he, she, his, their, them, me, etc. In Arabic, there are essentially two types of pronouns:

• Attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ: these are directly attached to the end of a noun, verb, or particle.
• Detached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ: these occur separately and are not attached to a verb, noun, or particle.

Classification of Pronouns

Pronouns can be classified according to:

Conversation – الْكَلامُ

• Third person – الْغَائِبُ
• Second person – الْمُخَاطَبُ
• First person – الْمُتَكَلِّمُ

Gender – الْجِنْسُ

• Masculine – المُذَكَّرُ
• Feminine – الْمُؤَنَّثُ

Number – الْعَدَدُ

• Singular – الْمُفْرَدُ
• Dual – المُثَنَّى
• Plural – الْجَمْعُ

Third Person Pronouns – الضَّمَائِرُ لِلْغَائِبِ

We will start with these pronouns, as they appear most frequently in the Qur’an.

Table of Masculine Third Person Pronouns – مُذَكَّر غَائِب

Detached Pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ

Singular مفرد	Dual مثنى	Plural جمع
هُوَ	هُمَا	هُمْ
He	They (two)	They

Attached Pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ

Singular	Dual	Plural
هُ	هُمَا	هُمْ
His	Their (dual)	Their (plural)
لَهُ	لَهُمَا	لَهُمْ
To him	To both of them	To them
إِيَّاهُ	إِيَّاهُمَا	إِيَّاهُمْ
Only him	Only both of them	Only them

Table of Feminine Second Person Pronouns – الضَّمَائِرُ لِلْمُؤَنَّثِ لِلْمُخَاطَبِ

Detached Pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ

Singular	Dual	Plural
أَنْتِ	أَنْتُمَا	أَنْتُنَّ
You (fem. singular)	You (dual)	You (plural)

Attached Pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ

Singular	Dual	Plural
كِ	كُمَا	كُنَّ
Your	Your (dual)	Your (plural)
لَكِ	لَكُمَا	لَكُنَّ
For you	For both of you	For you (plural)
إِيَّاكِ	إِيَّاكُمَا	إِيَّاكُنَّ
Only you	Only both of you	Only you (plural)

Examples of Pronouns Attached to a Noun

Masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
رَبُّكَ	رَبُّكُمَا	رَبُّكُمْ
Your Lord	Your Lord (dual)	Your Lord (plural)

Feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
رَبُّكِ	رَبُّكُمَا	رَبُّكُنَّ
Your Lord	Your Lord (dual)	Your Lord (plural)

Examples of Pronouns Attached to a Verb

Masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
خَلَقَكَ	خَلَقَكُمَا	خَلَقَكُمْ
He created you	He created both of you	He created you (plural)

Feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
خَلَقَكِ	خَلَقَكُمَا	خَلَقَكُنَّ
He created you (fem.)	He created both of you (fem.)	He created you (fem. plural)

Sometimes in the first person, the singular possessive pronoun ى is not attached to the noun or verb. However, possession is indicated by the stress on the last letter carrying a kasrah.

أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ

I answer the call of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. (2:186)

لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ

To you your religion, and to me mine. (109:6)

إنَّ	means “surely” or “certainly.” It can also be attached to pronouns.

نَا + إِنَّ	= إِنَّا	Surely we
كَ + إِنَّ	= إِنَّكَ	Surely you
هُ + إِنَّ	= إِنَّهُ	Surely he

Examples from the Holy Qur’an:

إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا

I have turned my face exclusively toward Him who created the heavens and the earth. (6:79)

إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ

Indeed, We have granted you al-Kawthar (abundance). (108:1)

فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا

So glorify the praise of your Lord and seek His forgiveness. Surely, He is the Accepter of repentance. (110:3)

Examples of Detached Pronouns

Masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
أَنَا مُسْلِمٌ	نَحْنُ مُسْلِمَانِ	نَحْنُ مُسْلِمُونَ
I am a Muslim	We are both Muslims	We are Muslims

Feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
أَنَا مُسْلِمَةٌ	نَحْنُ مُسْلِمَتَانِ	نَحْنُ مُسْلِمَاتٌ
I am a Muslim woman	We are both Muslim women	We are Muslim women

Examples of Detached Pronouns with a Noun

Masculine / Feminine

Singular	Plural
رَبِّي	رَبُّنَا
My Lord	Our Lord

Examples of Detached Pronouns with a Verb

Masculine / Feminine

Singular	Plural
خَلَقَنِي	خَلَقَنَا
He created me	He created us

Examples from the Holy Qur’an

قَالُوا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ

And when it is said to them: “Do not spread corruption on earth,” they say: “We are only reformers.” (2:11)

مِمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَىٰ عَبْدِنَا

What We have revealed to Our servant. (2:23)

وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ

While we glorify You with praise and sanctify You? (2:30)

وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

And among them are those who say: “Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” (2:201)

This free Arabic lesson is now complete. The next lesson, insha’Allah, will cover Arabic prepositions.

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