Personal Pronouns in Arabic - Mastering Arabic Personal Pronouns ...

Ramdani
18 Aug, 2024

 Arabic is a language full of history, complexity, and beauty. Over 300 million people in the Middle East and North Africa speak it, and it is the language of Islam. Personal pronouns are one of the most important aspects of learning Arabic. These words are important for making sentences because they replace nouns and help avoid repetition. Arabic personal pronouns are different based on gender, number, and formality, so they are important for learning the language.

In this article, we will look at Arabic personal pronouns, how they are used, and give many examples with vowel markings (حركات) to help with pronunciation. This guide will help you get started or improve your understanding.



The Arabic Personal Pronouns

 

 In Arabic, there are three types of pronouns called singular, dual, and plural. Also, they differ based on gender, and unlike English, Arabic makes a clear difference between addressing men and women. This is different for both the second person ("you") and the third person ("he/she/they")

Singular Pronouns

أَنا (anā) - "I"

  • This is the first-person singular pronoun and is used regardless of gender.
  • Example: أَنا أَدرُسُ اللُّغَةَ العَرَبِيَّةَ.
    (anā adrusu al-lughata al-‘arabiyyata.)
    "I study the Arabic language."

أَنتَ (anta) - "You" (masculine)

  • Used when addressing a singular male.
  • Example: أَنتَ تَفهَمُ المَوضُوعَ.
    (anta tafhamu al-mawḍū‘a.)
    "You understand the topic."

أَنتِ (anti) - "You" (feminine)

  • Used when addressing a singular female.
  • Example: أَنتِ تَكتُبِينَ رِسالَةً.
    (anti taktubīna risālataً.)
    "You are writing a letter."

هُوَ (huwa) - "He"

  • Used when referring to a singular male.
  • Example: هُوَ يَعمَلُ في المَكتَبِ.
    (huwa ya‘malu fī al-maktabi.)
    "He works in the office."

هِيَ (hiya) - "She"

  • Used when referring to a singular female.
  • Example: هِيَ تَقرَأُ الكِتابَ.
    (hiya taqra’u al-kitāba.)
    "She is reading the book."
Dual Pronouns
The dual form of Arabic is used specifically when talking about two people or things.

أَنتُما (antumā) - "You two" (used for both masculine and feminine)

  • This pronoun is used when addressing exactly two people, regardless of their gender.
  • Example: أَنتُما تَلعَبَانِ كُرَةَ القَدَمِ.
    (antumā tal‘abāni kurata al-qadami.)
    "You two are playing soccer."

هُما (humā) - "They two" (male or female)

  • Used when referring to exactly two people or objects, either masculine or feminine.
  • Example: هُما يَدرُسَانِ في الجَامِعَةِ.
    (humā yadrusāni fī al-jāmi‘ati.)
    "They two study at the university."
Plural Pronouns
When referring to multiple individuals or things, plural pronouns are used. The gender of plural pronouns in Arabic is distinguished.

نَحنُ (naḥnu) - "We"

  • This is the first-person plural pronoun and is used regardless of gender.
  • Example: نَحنُ نَعيشُ في بَلَدٍ كَبِيرٍ.
    (naḥnu na‘īshu fī baladin kabīrin.)
    "We live in a big country."

أَنتُم (antum) - "You all" (masculine)

  • This is used when talking to men or people of different genders.
  • Example: أَنتُم تُسافِرُونَ إِلى المَغرِبِ.
  • (antum tusāfirūna ilā al-maghribi.)
    "You all are traveling to Morocco."

أَنتُنَّ (antunna) - "You all" (feminine)

  • Used when addressing a group of females.
  • Example: أَنتُنَّ تَدرُسنَ الطِّبَّ.
    (antunna tadrusna al-ṭibba.)
    "You all study medicine."

هُم (hum) - "They" (masculine)

  • This is used when talking to men or people of different genders.
  • Example: هُم يَكتُبُونَ الرِّسائِلَ.
  • (hum yaktubūna al-risā’ila.)
    "They are writing the letters."

هُنَّ (hunna) - "They" (feminine)

  • Used when referring to a group of females.
  • Example: هُنَّ يُحِبنَ الموسِيقَى.
    (hunna yuḥibbna al-mūsīqā.)
    "They love music."

Using Personal Pronouns in Sentences

Personal pronouns hold significant importance in the construction of fundamental sentences in Arabic. Let's explore further examples and delve into how these pronouns fit within different types of sentences.

أنا أَدرُسُ العَرَبِيَّةَ كُلَّ يَومٍ.
(anā adrusu al-‘arabiyyata kulla yawmin.)
"I study Arabic every day."

  • Explanation: In this sentence, "أنا" (anā) is the subject pronoun, and "أَدرُسُ" (adrusu) is the verb meaning "study." The pronoun is directly followed by the verb to indicate who is performing the action.

أَنتَ تُحِبُّ القَهوَةَ.
(anta tuḥibbu al-qahwata.)
"You like coffee." (speaking to a male)

  • Explanation: Here, "أَنتَ" (anta) is the pronoun for "you" (male), and "تُحِبُّ" (tuḥibbu) is the verb meaning "like." This sentence structure is straightforward and mirrors English in terms of word order: Subject-Verb-Object.

هِيَ تَعمَلُ كَمُهَندِسَةٍ.
(hiya ta‘malu ka-muhandisatin.)
"She works as an engineer."

  • Explanation: The pronoun "هِيَ" (hiya) indicates the subject is female, and "تَعمَلُ" (ta‘malu) is the verb meaning "works." The sentence also introduces the preposition "كـ" (ka), meaning "as" or "like," which is used before a profession or role.

نَحنُ نَذَهَبُ إِلى المَدرَسَةِ مَعًا.
(naḥnu nadhhabu ilā al-madrasati ma‘an.)
"We go to school together."

  • Explanation: "نَحنُ" (naḥnu) is the pronoun for "we," and "نَذَهَبُ" (nadhhabu) is the verb meaning "go." The word "مَعًا" (ma‘an) means "together," and it is used to indicate collective action.

أَنتُنَّ تُدَرِّسنَ الطُّلّابَ.
(antunna tudarrisna al-ṭullāba.)
"You all teach the students." (speaking to a group of females)

  • Explanation: The feminine plural pronoun "أَنتُنَّ" (antunna) is used here, followed by the verb "تُدَرِّسنَ" (tudarrisna), which means "teach." The object of the sentence, "الطُّلّابَ" (al-ṭullāba), meaning "students," follows the verb.

Understanding Pronoun Agreement with Verbs

In Arabic, the verb conjugation is modified to align with the subject pronoun in terms of both quantity and gender. This aspect of the language presents a challenge for learners as each pronoun possesses a distinct verb form. As an illustration,

  • أنا أَكتُبُ (anā aktubu) - "I write."
  • أَنتَ تَكتُبُ (anta taktubu) - "You (male) write."
  • أَنتِ تَكتُبِينَ (anti taktubīna) - "You (female) write."
  • هُوَ يَكتُبُ (huwa yaktubu) - "He writes."
  • هِيَ تَكتُبُ (hiya taktubu) - "She writes."
  • نَحنُ نَكتُبُ (naḥnu naktubu) - "We write."
  • أَنتُما تَكتُبانِ (antumā taktubāni) - "You two write."
  • هُما يَكتُبانِ (humā yaktubāni) - "They two write."
  • أَنتُم تَكتُبُونَ (antum taktubūna) - "You all (males or mixed) write."
  • أَنتُنَّ تَكتُبنَ (antunna taktubna) - "You all (females) write."
  • هُم يَكتُبُونَ (hum yaktubūna) - "They (males or mixed) write."
  • هُنَّ يَكتُبنَ (hunna yaktubna) - "They (females) write."

    • As evident from these examples, the endings of verbs are modified in accordance with the identity of the subject, a crucial characteristic of Arabic grammar.

    Possessive Pronouns in Arabic

    In Arabic, possessive pronouns are used to say who own something. These also differ depending on the gender and number of the possessor.

    Singular Possessive Pronouns

    ـي (ī) - "My"

    • Example: كِتابِي (kitābī) - "My book"

    ـكَ (ka) - "Your" (masculine)

    • Example: كِتابُكَ (kitābuka) - "Your book" (speaking to a male)

    ـكِ (ki) - "Your" (feminine)

    • Example: كِتابُكِ (kitābuki) - "Your book" (speaking to a female)

    ـهُ (hu) - "His"

    • Example: كِتابُهُ (kitābuhu) - "His book"

    ـهَا (hā) - "Her"

    • Example: كِتابُهَا (kitābuhā) - "Her book"
    Dual Possessive Pronouns

    ـكُما (kumā) - "Your" (for two people)

    • Example: كِتابُكُما (kitābukumā) - "Your (two people) book"

    ـهُما (humā) - "Their" (for two people)

    • Example: كِتابُهُما (kitābuhumā) - "Their (two people) book"
    Plural Possessive Pronouns

    ـنا (nā) - "Our"

    • Example: كِتابُنا (kitābunā) - "Our book"

    ـكُم (kum) - "Your" (masculine plural)

    • Example: كِتابُكُم (kitābukum) - "Your book" (speaking to a group of males or mixed gender)

    ـكُنَّ (kunna) - "Your" (feminine plural)

    • Example: كِتابُكُنَّ (kitābukunna) - "Your book" (speaking to a group of females)

    ـهُم (hum) - "Their" (masculine plural)

    • Example: كِتابُهُم (kitābuhum) - "Their book" (speaking about a group of males or mixed gender)

    ـهُنَّ (hunna) - "Their" (feminine plural)

    • Example: كِتابُهُنَّ (kitābuhunna) - "Their book" (speaking about a group of females)

    The possessive pronoun is attached directly to the noun it modifies, creating a single word in Arabic. This is different from the English language, where the possessive pronoun stands alone.

    Examples in Sentences:

    كِتابِي على الطاوِلَةِ.
    (kitābī ‘alā al-ṭāwilati.)
    "My book is on the table."

    أَينَ كِتابُكِ؟
    (ayna kitābuki?)
    "Where is your (female) book?"

    هُوَ يَقرَأُ كِتابَهُ كُلَّ يَومٍ.
    (huwa yaqra’u kitābahu kulla yawmin.)
    "He reads his book every day."

    هِيَ تُعطِي كِتابَهَا لِصَدِيقَتِهَا.
    (hiya tu‘ṭī kitābahā li-ṣadīqatihā.)
    "She gives her book to her friend."

    كِتابُكُم جَمِيلٌ.
    (kitābukum jamīlun.)
    "Your (plural, masculine or mixed) book is beautiful."

    هُم يُراجِعُونَ كِتابَهُم قَبلَ الاِختِبارِ.
    (hum yurāji‘ūna kitābahum qabla al-ikhtibāri.)
    "They review their book before the exam."

    نَحنُ نُحِبُّ كِتابَنا الجَدِيدَ.
    (naḥnu nuḥibbu kitābanā al-jadīda.)
    "We love our new book."

    Practice Exercises

      Try translating these sentences into Arabic, paying close attention to how pronouns are used and how verbs are conjugated.

    1. "She is reading her book."
    2. "We are traveling to the market."
    3. "They (feminine) write letters every day."
    4. "You (masculine plural) are learning Arabic."
    5. "Is this your (feminine) pen?"

    Answers:

    1. هِيَ تَقرَأُ كِتابَهَا.
      (hiya taqra’u kitābahā.)

    2. نَحنُ نُسافِرُ إِلى السُّوقِ.
      (naḥnu nusāfiru ilā al-sūqi.)

    3. هُنَّ يَكتُبنَ الرَّسائِلَ كُلَّ يَومٍ.
      (hunna yaktubna al-rasā’ila kulla yawmin.)

    4. أَنتُم تَتَعلَّمُونَ العَرَبِيَّةَ.
      (antum tata‘allamūna al-‘arabiyyata.)

    5. هَل هَذا قَلَمُكِ؟
      (hal hādhā qalamuki?)


    Personal pronouns in Arabic are an important step toward fluency. These small but powerful words are the backbone of daily communication, letting you say who is doing what, to whom, and in what context. By learning and practicing these pronouns, you will improve your ability to make accurate and meaningful sentences in Arabic.

    Remember that practice is key. Regularly writing sentences, engaging in conversations, and listening to native speakers will reinforce your understanding of pronouns and their usage. As you continue your journey in learning Arabic, keep revisiting these concepts to ensure they become second nature. With dedication and practice, you'll find yourself confidently using Arabic personal pronouns in no time.

    Ramdani Arabic Academy offers a wealth of resources for anyone interested in learning Arabic. With a vast collection of lessons, articles, and study materials, we cater to all levels, from beginners to advanced learners. Whether you're focusing on grammar, vocabulary, or conversational skills,

    Ramdani Arabic Academy is your go-to platform for mastering the Arabic language.

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