Introduction
Pronouns are used as a substitute for a noun like he, her, his, her, their, them, I, etc.
There are basically two types of pronouns:
- Attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ which come attached to a noun, verb, or particle.
- Detached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ which comes separatly without attaching itself 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 – الْمُؤَنَّفُ
Number – الْعَدَدُ
- Singular – الْمُفْرَدُ
- Dual – المُثَنَّى
- Plural – الْجَمْعُ
Note: unlike English, Arabic uses a separate word for “two,” which is the dual – المُثَنَّى.
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Third Person Pronouns – الضَّمَائِرُ لِلْغَائِبِ
As these are used most often in the Qur’an, we will deal with them first.
Table for masculine third-person pronouns – مُذَكَر غَائِب
Detached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
هُوَ | هُمَا | هُمْ |
He | They two | They all |
Attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
هُ | هُمَا | هُمْ |
His | Theirs (two) | Theirs (all) |
لَهُ | لَهُمَا | لَهُمْ |
For him | For them (two) | For them (all) |
إِيَّاهُ | إِيَّاهُما | إِيَّاهُمَا |
Only him | Only them (two) | Only them (all) |
Table for feminine third-person pronouns – مُؤَنَّثُ غَائِب
Detached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
هِيَ | هُمَا | هُنَّ |
She | They two | They all |
Attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
هَا | هُمَا | هُنَّ |
Her | Theirs (two) | Theirs (all) |
لَها | لَهُمَا | لَهُنَّ |
For her | For them (two) | For them (all) |
إِيَّاهَا | إَيَّاهُمَا | إِيَّاهُنَّ |
Only her | Only them (two) | Only them (all) |
Examples of detached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ
Detached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
هُوَ مُسْلِمٌ | هُمَا مُسْلِمَانِ | هُم مُسْلِمُوْنَ |
He is a Muslim | They both are Muslims | They are Muslims |
Attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
هِيَ مُسْلِمَةٌ | هُمَا مُسْلِمَتَانِ | هُنَّ مُسْلِمَاتٌ |
She is a Muslim | They both are Muslims | They are Muslims |
Examples of attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ with a noun:
Detached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
رَبُّهُ | رَبُّهُمَا | رَبُهُمْ |
His Lord | Their Lord | Their Lord |
Attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
رَبُّهَا | رَبُّهُمَا | رَبُّهُنَّ |
Her Lord | Their Lord | Their Lord |
Examples of attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ with a verb:
Detached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
خَلَقَهُ | خَلَقَهُمَا | خَلَقَهُمْ |
He created him | He created them | He created them |
Attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
خَلَقَهَا | خَلَقَهُمَا | خَلَقَهُنَّ |
He created her | He created them | He created them |
Examples from the noble Quran
Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One (112:1) |
فَوَسْوَسَ لَهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ |
But Satan whispered to them (7:20) |
وَقَاسَمَهُمَا إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ |
And he swore [by Allah] to them, “Indeed, I am to you from among the sincere advisors.” (7:21) |
أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ |
that you do not worship except Him(17:23) |
إِذْ هُمْ عَلَيْهَا قُعُودٌ |
And they, to what they were doing against the believers, were witnesses. (85:6) |
وَبِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ |
you, and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith]. (2:4) |
Second Person Pronouns
الضَّمَائِرُ لِلْمُخَاطَبِ
Table for masculine second-person pronouns – الضَّمَائِرُ لِلْمُذَكَرِ لِلْمُخَاطَبِ
Detached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
أَنْتَ | أَنْتُما | أَنْتُمْ |
You | You both | You all |
Attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
كَ | كُمَا | كُمْ |
Yours | Yours (two) | Yours (all) |
لَكَ | لَكُمَا | لَكُمْ |
For you | For you both | For you all |
إِيَّأكَ | إِيَّاكُما | إِيَّاكُمْ |
Only from you | Only from you (two) | Only from you (all) |
Table for feminine second-person pronouns – الضَّمَائِرُ لِلْمُؤَنَّثِ لِلْمُخَاطَبِ
Detached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
أَنْتِ | أَنْتُمَا | أَنْتُنَّ |
You | You both | You all |
Attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
كَ | كُمَا | كُمْ |
Yours | Yours (two) | Yours (all) |
كِ | كُمَا | كُنَّ |
Yours | Yours (two) | Yours (all) |
لَكِ | لَكُمَا | لَكُنَّ |
For you | For you both | For you all |
إِيَّاكِ | إِيَّاكُمَا | إِيَّاكُنَّ |
Only from you | Only from you (two) | Ony from you (all) |
Examples of detached pronouns – الضَّمَائِرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ
Masculine
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
أَنْتَ مُسْلِمٌ | أَنْتُمَا مُسْلِمَانِ | أَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُوْنَ |
You are a Muslim | You both are Muslims | You all are Muslims |
Feminine
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
أَنْتِ مُسْلِمَةٌ | أَنْتُمَا مُسْلِمَتَانِ | أَنْتُنَّ مُسْلِمَاتٌ |
You are a Muslim | You both are Muslims | You all are Muslims |

Examples of attached pronouns with a noun:
Masculine
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
رَبُّكَ | رَبُّكُمَا | رَبُّكُمْ |
Your Lord | Lord of you both | Lord of you all |
Feminine
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
رَبُّكِ | رَبُّكُمَا | رَبُّكُنَّ |
Your Lord | Lord of you both | Lord of you all |
Examples of attached pronouns with a verb:
Masculine
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
خَلَقَكَ | خَلَقَكُمَا | خَلَقَكُمْ |
He created you | He created you both | He created you all |
Feminine
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
خَلَقَكِ | خَلَقَكُمَا | خَلَقَكُنَّ |
He created you | He created you both | He created you all |
Examples from the Noble Quran:
قَالُوا سُبْحَانَكَ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَا إِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ |
They said, “Exalted are You; we do not know what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise.” (2:32) |
وَقُلْنَا يَا آدَمُ اسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّةَ |
And We said, “O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise (2:35) |
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ |
It is You we worship and You we ask for help. (1:5) |
أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ |
Did We not expand for you, [O Muhammad], your breast? (94:1) |
يَا مَرْيَمُ اقْنُتِي لِرَبِّكِ وَاسْجُدِي وَارْكَعِي مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ |
O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your Lord and prostrate and bow with those who bow [in prayer].” (3:43) |
First Person Pronoun – الضَّمَائِرُ لِلْمُتَكَلَّمِ
In the third and second person, we have categorized a singular, dual, and plural accord to the number. However, dual does not exist for the first-person pronoun.
نَحْنُ
it is used for both dual and plural.
As in English, the first person pronouns are common for both masculine and feminine genders.
Examples of First-person (masculine/feminine)
Detached pronouns
Singular | Plural |
أَنَا | نَحْنُ |
I | We |
Attached pronouns (to a noun)
Singular | Plural |
ىْ | نَا |
My | Our |
Attached pronouns (To verb)
Singular | Plural |
نِىْ | نَا |
Me | Us |
لِىْ | لَنَا |
For me | For us |
إِيَّاىَ | إِيَّانَا |
Only me | Only us |
Note: When attached pronouns are used with a noun, we suffix to the noun:
ى
When they are used with a verb :
نِىْ
is used.
رَبِّيْ | خَلَقَنِيْ |
My Lord | He created me |
Sometimes in the first person, possessive singular pronouns ى is not attached to the noun or verb, but the possession is indicated by accenting the last letter with a kasrah.
أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ |
I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me (2:186) |
لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ |
For you is your religion, and for me, is my religion.” (109:6) |
إنَّ | comes in the meaning of surely/certainly. It can be attached to pronouns and used. |
نَا + إِنَّ | = إِنَّا | Surely we |
كَ + إِنَّ | = إِنَّكَ | Surely you |
هُ + إِنَّ | = إِنَّهُ | Surely he |
Examples from the Noble Quran:
إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا |
Indeed, I have turned my face toward He who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, (6:79) |
إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ |
Indeed, We have granted you, [O Muhammad], al-Kawthar. (108:1) |
فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا |
Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance. (110:3) |
Examples of detached pronouns
Masculine
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
أَنَا مُسْلِمٌ | نَحْنُ مُسْلِمَانِ | نَحْنُ مُسْلِمُوْنَ |
I am a Muslim | We two are Muslims | We all are Muslims |
Feminine
Singular مفرد |
Dual متنى |
Plural جمع |
أَنَا مُسْلِمَةٌ | نَحْنُ مُسْلِمَتَانِ | نَحْنُ مُسْلِمَاتٌ |
I am Muslim | We two are Muslims | We all are Muslims |
Examples of detached pronouns with a noun:
Masculine/Feminine
Singular | Plural |
رَبِّيْ | رَبُّنا |
My Lord | Our Lord |
Examples of detached pronouns with a verb:
Masculine/Feminine
Singular | Plural |
خَلَقَنِيْ | خَلَقَنَا |
He created me | He created us |
Examples from the Noble Quran:
قَالُوا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ |
And when it is said to them, “Do not cause corruption on the earth,” they say, “We are but reformers.” (2:11) |
مِّمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَىٰ عَبْدِنَا |
about what We have sent down upon Our Servant [Muhammad] (2:23) |
وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ |
we declare Your praise and sanctify You? (2:30) |
وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ |
But among them is he who says, “Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” (2:201) |
This Arabic lesson is now finished. The next one will be insha’Allah about the prepositions in Arabic.
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