Common Prefixes

01

The Conjunction ⁧وَ⁩ (wa-)

This prefix is the equivalent of "and". It is the most common way to connect two nouns, adjectives, or complete sentences. Unlike in English, where "and" is a separate word, ⁧⁧وَ⁩⁩ (wa-) is always attached to the word that follows it.

• ⁧أَنَا وَأَنْتَ⁩

  anā wa-antaanā wa-antaʾanā wa-antaana wa-anta

  I and you.

• ⁧أَكَلَ وَشَرِبَ⁩

  akala wa-sharibaakala wa-sharibaʾakala wa-sharibaakala wa-shariba

  He ate and drank.

• ⁧هَذَا بَيْتٌ كَبِيرٌ وَجَمِيلٌ⁩

  hādhā baytun kabīrun wa-jamīlunhādhā baytun kabīrun wa-d͟jamīlunhādhā baytun kabiyrun wa-ǧamiylunhadha baytun kabyrun wa-jamylun

  This is a big and beautiful house.

02

The Future Marker ⁧سَـ⁩ (sa-)

To turn a verb from the present tense into the future tense ("will"), you attach the prefix ⁧⁧سَـ⁩⁩ (sa-) to the beginning of the present tense verb. This prefix is never used with past tense verbs.

• ⁧سَأَدْرُسُ الْيَوْمَ⁩

  sa-adrusu al-yawmasa-adrusu al-yawmasa-adrusu ʾal-yawmasa-adrusu al-yawma

  I will study today.

• ⁧سَنَذْهَبُ إِلَى الْمَطْعَمِ⁩

  sa-nadhhabu ilā al-maṭʿamisa-nadhhabu ilā al-maṭʿamisa-nadhhabu ilā ʾal-maṭʿamisa-nadhabu ila al-maṭʿami

  We will go to the restaurant.

03

The Preposition ⁧بِـ⁩ (bi-)

This prefix typically translates to "with" (in the sense of using a tool or instrument) or "by" (means of transport). It can also indicate location ("in" or "at"), though this is less common than the separate preposition ⁧⁧فِي⁩⁩ (fīfīfiyfy).

When ⁧⁧بِـ⁩⁩ (bi-) attaches to a word starting with ⁧⁧ال⁩⁩ (al-al-ʾal-al-), the vowel 'a' in 'al-' is not pronounced, but the spelling remains the same.

• ⁧أُسَافِرُ بِالْقِطَارِ⁩

  usāfiru bi-l-qiṭāriusāfiru bi-l-qiṭāriusāfiru bi-l-qiṭāriusafiru bi-l-qiṭari

  I travel by train.

• ⁧كَتَبَتْ بِالْقَلَمِ⁩

  katabat bi-l-qalami

  She wrote with the pen.

04

The Preposition ⁧لِـ⁩ (li-)

This prefix expresses possession ("for" or "belonging to") or purpose ("in order to").

There is a specific spelling rule for ⁧⁧لِـ⁩⁩ (li-): when it attaches to a defined word starting with ⁧⁧ال⁩⁩ (al-al-ʾal-al-), the ⁧⁧ا⁩⁩ (alifalifʾalifalif) of the definition article is dropped completely. For example, ⁧⁧الْوَلَد⁩⁩ (al-waladal-waladʾal-waladal-walad) - the boy becomes ⁧⁧لِلْوَلَدِ⁩⁩ (li-l-waladi) - for the boy.

• ⁧هَذِهِ الْهَدِيَّةُ لِمُحَمَّدٍ⁩

  hādhihi al-hadiyyatu li-Muḥammadinhādhihi al-hadiyyatu li-Muḥammadinhādhihi ʾal-hadiyyatu li-Muḥammadinhadhihi al-hadiyatu li-Muḥamadin

  This gift is for Muhammad.

• ⁧الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ⁩

  al-ḥamdu li-llāhial-ḥamdu li-llāhiʾal-ḥamdu li-llāhial-ḥamdu li-lahi

  Praise be to God.

• ⁧ذَهَبْتُ لِلْعَمَلِ⁩

  dhahabtu li-l-ʿamali

  I went to work.

05

The Conjunction ⁧فَـ⁩ (fa-)

This prefix means "so", "then", or "thus". It indicates a sequence of events happening quickly one after another, or a cause-and-effect relationship. It implies a faster transition than the separate word ⁧⁧ثُمَّ⁩⁩ (thummathummathummathuma), which means "then" with a delay.

• ⁧دَخَلَ الْمُدَرِّسُ فَوَقَفَ الطُّلَّابُ⁩

  dakhala al-mudarrisu fa-waqafa aṭ-ṭullābudakhala al-mudarrisu fa-waqafa aṭ-ṭullābudakhala ʾal-mudarrisu fa-waqafa ʾaṭ-ṭullābudakhala al-mudarisu fa-waqafa aṭ-ṭulabu

  The teacher entered, so the students stood up.

• ⁧سَقَطَ فَبَكَى⁩

  saqaṭa fa-bakāsaqaṭa fa-bakāsaqaṭa fa-bakāsaqaṭa fa-baka

  He fell, then he cried.

06

The Simile ⁧كَـ⁩ (ka-)

This prefix is used to make comparisons and translates to "like" or "as". It attaches to nouns to describe resemblance.

• ⁧هُوَ سَرِيعٌ كَالْفَهْدِ⁩

  huwa sarīʿun ka-l-fahdihuwa sarīʿun ka-l-fahdihuwa sariyʿun ka-l-fahdihuwa saryʿun ka-l-fahdi

  He is fast like the leopard.

• ⁧هِيَ جَمِيلَةٌ كَالْقَمَرِ⁩

  hiya jamīlatun ka-l-qamarihiya d͟jamīlatun ka-l-qamarihiya ǧamiylatun ka-l-qamarihiya jamylatun ka-l-qamari

  She is beautiful like the moon.