Common Prefixes

01

The Conjunction ⁧وَ⁩ (wạ-)

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 (wạ-wa-wa-w-) is always attached to the word that follows it.

• ⁧أَنَا وَأَنْتَ⁩

  ʼạnā wạʼạntạʾanā waʾantaˈanā waˈantaˈana wˈant

  I and you.

• ⁧أَكَلَ وَشَرِبَ⁩

  ʼạkạlạ wạšạrịbạʾakala was͟haribaˈakala wašaribaˈakl wšrb

  He ate and drank.

• ⁧هَذَا بَيْتٌ كَبِيرٌ وَجَمِيلٌ⁩

  hặḏā bạytụṇ kạbīrụṇ wạjạmīlụṇhād͟hā baytun kabīrun wad͟jamīlunhāḏā baytú kabiyrú waǧamiylúhḏa byt kbyr wjmyl

  This is a big and beautiful house.

02

The Future Marker ⁧سَـ⁩ (sạ-)

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

• ⁧سَأَدْرُسُ الْيَوْمَ⁩

  sạʼạdrụsụ ᵃlyạwmạsaʾadrusu ᵃlyawmasaˈadrusu ᵃlyawmasˈadrs ᵃlywm

  I will study today.

• ⁧سَنَذْهَبُ إِلَى الْمَطْعَمِ⁩

  sạnạḏhạbụ ʼịlā ᵃlmạṭʕạmịsanad͟hhabu ʾilā ᵃlmaṭʿamisanaḏhabu ˌilā ᵃlmaṭʿamisnḏhb ˌila ᵃlmṭʕm

  We will go to the restaurant.

03

The Preposition ⁧بِـ⁩ (bị-)

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 (bị-bi-bi-b-) 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

  ʼụsāfịrụ bịalqịṭārịʾusāfiru bialqiṭāriˈusāfiru bialqiṭāriˈasafr balqṭar

  I travel by train.

• ⁧كَتَبَتْ بِالْقَلَمِ⁩

  kạtạbạt bịalqạlạmịkatabat bialqalamikatabat bialqalamiktbt balqlm

  She wrote with the pen.

04

The Preposition ⁧لِـ⁩ (lị-)

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

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

• ⁧هَذِهِ الْهَدِيَّةُ لِمُحَمَّدٍ⁩

  hặḏịhị ᵃlhạdịyyạẗụ lịmụḥạmmạdịṇhād͟hihi ᵃlhadiyyatu limuḥammadinhāḏihi ᵃlhadiyyaẗu limuḥammadíhḏh ᵃlhdyẗ lmḥmd

  This gift is for Muhammad.

• ⁧الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ⁩

  alḥạmdụ lịllặhịalḥamdu lillāhiʾalḥamdu lillāhialḥmd llh

  Praise be to God.

• ⁧ذَهَبْتُ لِلْعَمَلِ⁩

  ḏạhạbtụ lịlʕạmạlịd͟hahabtu lilʿamaliḏahabtu lilʿamaliḏhbt llʕml

  I went to work.

05

The Conjunction ⁧فَـ⁩ (fạ-)

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 (ṯụmmạt͟hummaṯummaṯm), which means "then" with a delay.

• ⁧دَخَلَ الْمُدَرِّسُ فَوَقَفَ الطُّلَّابُ⁩

  dạḵạlạ ᵃlmụdạrrịsụ fạwạqạfạ ᵃṭṭụllābụdak͟hala ᵃlmudarrisu fawaqafa ᵃṭṭullābudaẖala ᵃlmudarrisu fawaqafa ᵃṭṭullābudḵl ᵃlmdrs fwqf ᵃṭlab

  The teacher entered, so the students stood up.

• ⁧سَقَطَ فَبَكَى⁩

  sạqạṭạ fạbạkāsaqaṭa fabakāsaqaṭa fabakāsqṭ fbka

  He fell, then he cried.

06

The Simile ⁧كَـ⁩ (kạ-)

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

• ⁧هُوَ سَرِيعٌ كَالْفَهْدِ⁩

  hụwạ sạrīʕụṇ kạalfạhdịhuwa sarīʿun kaalfahdihuwa sariyʿú kaalfahdihw sryʕ kalfhd

  He is fast like the leopard.

• ⁧هِيَ جَمِيلَةٌ كَالْقَمَرِ⁩

  hịyạ jạmīlạẗụṇ kạalqạmạrịhiya d͟jamīlatun kaalqamarihiya ǧamiylaẗú kaalqamarihy jmylẗ kalqmr

  She is beautiful like the moon.