Arabic: An Essential Grammar

Note: The suffix pronoun for the first person singular ِني ... /..nı ̄/ ‘me’, is attached

only to a verb, indicating the direct object (verbal object).

15.5 When suffix pronouns are attached to nouns, they function as

possessive pronouns, i.e. as the genitive case of the separate personal

pronouns. The noun and the suffixed pronoun form together a type of


id
̇

a ̄fah construction, e.g.

15.6 The final syllable nu ̄n (^) ن... /...n/ + fath
̇
ah/kasrah of the dual
and sound masculine plural endings is dropped before a suffix pronoun,
e.g.
15.7 The first person singular suffix ي ِ ... /...ı ̄/ ‘my’ becomes َي ... /
...ya/ when it is preceded by a long vowel or a diphthong, e.g.
َقَل ِمي qalam-ı

• , my pen َب ْي ُت ُه baytu-hu, his house

dual

Nom. ِك َتا َبا ِن ِك َتا َبا َك (not:ِك َتا َبا ِن َك

kita ̄ba ̄ni kita ̄ba ̄-ka kita ̄ba ̄ni-ka)

two books your (m.) (two) books

Acc. and ِك َتا َب ْي ِن ِك َتا َب ْي َك (not:ِك َتا َب ْي ِن َك

gen. kita ̄bayni kita ̄bay-ka kita ̄bayni-ka)

two books your (m.) (two) books

plural

Nom. ل ُمو َنّل ُمو َك ُم َعَُّم َعَ (not:ل ُمو َن َكُّم َعَ

mu



allimu ̄na mu



allimu ̄-ka mu



allimu ̄na-ka)

teachers (m.) your (m.) teachers

Acc. and ل ِمي َنُّم َعَ ل ِمي َكُّم َعَ (not:ل ِمي َن َكُّم َعَ

gen. mu



allimı

• na mu



allimı

• 
  
  
  
  • ka mu
  
  
  
  



allimı

• na-ka)

teachers (m.) your (m.) teachers

Separate

personal

pronouns

and suffix

pronouns

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