Expressing 'must' with عَلَى

01

Structure with Pronoun Suffixes

To indicate who must perform the action, a pronoun suffix is attached to ⁧⁧عَلَى⁩⁩ (ʿalāʿalāʿalāʿala). When suffixes are added, the final letter of ⁧⁧عَلَى⁩⁩ (ʿalāʿalāʿalāʿala) changes from an alif maqsurah ⁧⁧ى⁩⁩ (āāāa) to a yā' ⁧⁧ي⁩⁩ (y), creating a diphthong sound.

Common conjugations include:

• ⁧⁧عَلَيَّ⁩⁩ (ʿalayyaʿalayyaʿalayyaʿalaya) - Upon me (I must)
• ⁧⁧عَلَيْكَ⁩⁩ (ʿalayka) - Upon you (masculine singular)
• ⁧⁧عَلَيْكِ⁩⁩ (ʿalayki) - Upon you (feminine singular)
• ⁧⁧عَلَيْنَا⁩⁩ (ʿalaynāʿalaynāʿalaynāʿalayna) - Upon us (We must)
• ⁧⁧عَلَيْهِ⁩⁩ (ʿalayhi) - Upon him (He must)

• ⁧عَلَيَّ النَّوْمُ الآنَ.⁩

  ʿalayya an-nawmu al-āna.ʿalayya an-nawmu al-āna.ʿalayya ʾan-nawmu ʾal-āna.ʿalaya an-nawmu al-ana.

  I must sleep now.

• ⁧عَلَيْكِ فِعْلُ هَذَا.⁩

  ʿalayki fiʿlu hādhā.ʿalayki fiʿlu hādhā.ʿalayki fiʿlu hādhā.ʿalayki fiʿlu hadha.

  You (f) must do this.

• ⁧عَلَيْنَا الرُّجُوعُ إِلَى الْبَيْتِ.⁩

  ʿalaynā ar-rujūʿu ilā al-bayti.ʿalaynā ar-rud͟jūʿu ilā al-bayti.ʿalaynā ʾar-ruǧuwʿu ilā ʾal-bayti.ʿalayna ar-rujwʿu ila al-bayti.

  We must return to the house.

02

Using the Verbal Noun (Masdar)

In English, modal verbs like "must" are followed by the base form of a verb (e.g., "I must go"). In this Arabic structure, because ⁧⁧عَلَى⁩⁩ (ʿalāʿalāʿalāʿala) is a preposition, it cannot be followed directly by a conjugated verb.

Instead, you must use the verbal noun ⁧⁧مصدر⁩⁩ (maṣdar). This turns the action into a concept (e.g., "the going," "the studying," "the writing"). This noun is usually definite, marked with ⁧⁧ال⁩⁩ (al-al-ʾal-al-).

• ⁧عَلَيْهِ الْعَمَلُ الْيَوْمَ.⁩

  ʿalayhi al-ʿamalu al-yawma.ʿalayhi al-ʿamalu al-yawma.ʿalayhi ʾal-ʿamalu ʾal-yawma.ʿalayhi al-ʿamalu al-yawma.

  He must work today. (Literally: Upon him is the work today.)

• ⁧عَلَيْكُمُ الدِّرَاسَةُ لِلِامْتِحَانِ.⁩

  ʿalaykumu ad-dirāsatu lil-imtiḥāni.ʿalaykumu ad-dirāsatu lil-imtiḥāni.ʿalaykumu ʾad-dirāsatu lil-imtiḥāni.ʿalaykumu ad-dirasatu lil-imtiḥani.

  You (pl) must study for the exam.

03

Expressing Obligation for Specific People

If the subject is a specific noun rather than a pronoun (like "The student" or "Ahmad"), the preposition ⁧⁧عَلَى⁩⁩ (ʿalāʿalāʿalāʿala) remains separate and is placed before the noun.

• ⁧عَلَى الطَّالِبِ كِتَابَةُ الْوَاجِبِ.⁩

  ʿalā aṭ-ṭālibi kitābatu al-wājibi.ʿalā aṭ-ṭālibi kitābatu al-wād͟jibi.ʿalā ʾaṭ-ṭālibi kitābatu ʾal-wāǧibi.ʿala aṭ-ṭalibi kitabatu al-wajibi.

  The student must write the homework.

• ⁧عَلَى الْمُدِيرِ الذَّهَابُ.⁩

  ʿalā al-mudīri adh-dhahābu.ʿalā al-mudīri adh-dhahābu.ʿalā ʾal-mudiyri ʾadh-dhahābu.ʿala al-mudyri adh-dhahabu.

  The manager must go.

04

Negation and Past Tense

To say someone "does not have to" do something, place the negation verb ⁧⁧لَيْسَ⁩⁩ (laysa) before the preposition.

• ⁧لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ الْأَكْلُ.⁩

  laysa ʿalayka al-aklu.laysa ʿalayka al-aklu.laysa ʿalayka ʾal-aklu.laysa ʿalayka al-aklu.

  You do not have to eat.

To express "had to" (past tense), use the verb ⁧⁧كَانَ⁩⁩ (kānakānakānakana) before the preposition.

• ⁧كَانَ عَلَيَّ السَّفَرُ.⁩

  kāna ʿalayya as-safaru.kāna ʿalayya as-safaru.kāna ʿalayya ʾas-safaru.kana ʿalaya as-safaru.

  I had to travel.