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
هُوَ
He
Dual
هُمَا
They two
Plural
هُمْ
They all
Attached pronouns in arabic – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ
Singular
هُ
His
Dual
هُمَا
Theirs (two)
Plural
هُمْ
their (all)
Singular
لَهُ
For him
Dual
لَهُمَا
For them (two)
Plural
لَهُمْ
For them (all)
Singular
إِيَّاهُ
Only him
Dual
إِيَّاهُما
Only them (two)
Plural
إِيَّاهُمَا
Only them (all)
Table for feminine third-person pronouns – مُؤَنَّثُ غَائِب
Detached pronouns in arabic – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ
Singular
هِيَ
She
Dual
هُمَا
They (two)
Plural
هُنَّ
They (all)
Attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ
Singular
هَا
Her
Dual
هُمَا
Their (two)
Plural
هُنَّ
Their (all)
Singular
لَها
For her
Dual
لَهُمَا
For them (two)
Plural
لَهُنَّ
For them (all)
Singular
إِيَّاهَا
Only her
Dual
إَيَّاهُمَا
Only them (two)
Plural
إِيَّاهُنَّ
Only them (all)
Examples of detached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ
Detached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ
Singular
هُوَ مُسْلِمٌ
He is muslim
Dual
هُمَا مُسْلِمَانِ
They are both muslims
Plural
هُم مُسْلِمُوْنَ
They are muslims
Attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ
Singular
هِيَ مُسْلِمَةٌ
She is muslim
Dual
هُمَا مُسْلِمَتَانِ
They are both muslims
Plural
هُنَّ مُسْلِمَاتٌ
They are muslims
Examples of attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ with a noun:
Detached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ
Singular
رَبُّهُ
His Lord
Dual
رَبُّهُمَا
Their Lord
Plural
رَبُهُمْ
Their Lord
Attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ
Singular
رَبُّهَا
Her Lord
Dual
رَبُّهُمَا
Their Lord
Plural
رَبُّهُنَّ
Their Lord
Examples of attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ with a verb:
Detached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ
Singular
خَلَقَهُ
He created him
Dual
خَلَقَهُمَا
He created them
Plural
خَلَقَهُم
He created them
Attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ
Singular
خَلَقَهَا
He created her
Dual
خَلَقَهُمَا
He created them
Plural
خَلَقَهُنَّ
He created them
Examples from the noble Quran
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
أَنْتَ
You
Dual
أَنْتُما
You both
Plural
أَنْتُمْ
You all
Attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ
Singular
كَ
Yours
Dual
كُمَا
Yours both
Plural
كُمْ
Yours all
Singular
لَكَ
For you
Dual
لَكُمَا
For you both
Plural
لَكُمْ
For you all
Singular
إِيَّأكَ
Only from you
Dual
إِيَّاكُما
Only from you both
Plural
إِيَّاكُمْ
Only from you all
Table for feminine second-person pronouns – الضَّمَائِرُ لِلْمُؤَنَّثِ لِلْمُخَاطَبِ
Detached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ
Singular
أَنْتِ
You
Dual
أَنْتُمَا
You both
Plural
أَنْتُنَّ
You all
Attached pronouns – الضَّمِيْرُ الْمُتَّصِلُ
Singular
كَ
Yours
Dual
كُمَا
Yours two
Plural
كُمْ
Yours all
Singular
كِ
Yours
Dual
كُمَا
Yours two
Plural
كُنَّ
Yours all
Singular
لَكِ
For you
Dual
لَكُمَا
For both of two
Plural
لَكُنَّ
For you all
Singular
إِيَّاكِ
Only from you
Dual
إِيَّاكُمَا
Only from you two
Plural
إِيَّاكُنَّ
Only from you all
Examples of detached pronouns – الضَّمَائِرُ الْمُنْفَصِلُ
Masculine
Singular
أَنْتَ مُسْلِمٌ
You are Muslim
Dual
أَنْتُمَا مُسْلِمَانِ
You are both Muslims
Plural
أَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُوْنَ
You are all Muslims
Feminine
Singular
أَنْتِ مُسْلِمَةٌ
You are Muslim
Dual
أَنْتُمَا مُسْلِمَتَانِ
You are both Muslims
Plural
أَنْتُنَّ مُسْلِمَاتٌ
You are all Muslims
Examples of attached pronouns with a noun:
Masculine
Singular
رَبُّكَ
Your Lord
Dual
رَبُّكُمَا
Lord of you both
Plural
رَبُّكُمْ
Lord of you all
Feminine
Singular
رَبُّكِ
Your Lord
Dual
رَبُّكُمَا
Lord of you both
Plural
رَبُّكُنَّ
Lord of you all
Examples of attached pronouns with a verb:
Masculine
Singular
خَلَقَكَ
He created you
Dual
خَلَقَكُمَا
He created you both
Plural
خَلَقَكُمْ
He created you all
Feminine
Singular
خَلَقَكِ
He created you
Dual
خَلَقَكُمَا
He created you both
Plural
خَلَقَكُنَّ
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
أَنَا
I
Plural
نَحْنُ
We
Attached pronouns (To verb)
Singular
نِىْ
Me
Plural
نَا
Us
Singular
لِىْ
For me
Plural
لَنَا
For us
Singular
إِيَّاىَ
Only me
Plural
إِيَّانَا
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
My Lord
خَلَقَنِيْ
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
أَنَا مُسْلِمٌ
I am a Muslim
Dual
نَحْنُ مُسْلِمَانِ
We two are Muslims
Plural
نَحْنُ مُسْلِمُوْنَ
We all are Muslims
Feminine
Singular
أَنَا مُسْلِمَةٌ
I am a Muslim
Dual
نَحْنُ مُسْلِمَتَانِ
We two are Muslims
Plural
نَحْنُ مُسْلِمَاتٌ
We all are Muslims
Examples of detached pronouns with a noun:
Masculine/Feminine
Singular
رَبِّيْ
My Lord
Plural
رَبُّنا
Our Lord
Examples of detached pronouns with a verb:
Masculine/Feminine
Singular
خَلَقَنِيْ
He created me
Plural
خَلَقَنِيْ
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
This Arabic lesson is now finished. The next one will be insha’Allah about the prepositions in Arabic.
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