Expressing 'must' with عَلَى

01

Structure with Pronoun Suffixes

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

Common conjugations include:

• ⁧⁧عَلَيَّ⁩⁩ (ʕạlạyyạʿalayyaʿalayyaʕly) - Upon me (I must)
• ⁧⁧عَلَيْكَ⁩⁩ (ʕạlạykạʿalaykaʿalaykaʕlyk) - Upon you (masculine singular)
• ⁧⁧عَلَيْكِ⁩⁩ (ʕạlạykịʿalaykiʿalaykiʕlyk) - Upon you (feminine singular)
• ⁧⁧عَلَيْنَا⁩⁩ (ʕạlạynāʿalaynāʿalaynāʕlyna) - Upon us (We must)
• ⁧⁧عَلَيْهِ⁩⁩ (ʕạlạyhịʿalayhiʿalayhiʕlyh) - Upon him (He must)

• ⁧عَلَيَّ النَّوْمُ الآنَ.⁩

  ʕạlạyyạ ᵃnnạwmụ ᵃlʼānạ.ʿalayya ᵃnnawmu ᵃlʾāna.ʿalayya ᵃnnawmu ᵃlˈāna.ʕly ᵃnwm ᵃlʾan.

  I must sleep now.

• ⁧عَلَيْكِ فِعْلُ هَذَا.⁩

  ʕạlạykị fịʕlụ hặḏā.ʿalayki fiʿlu hād͟hā.ʿalayki fiʿlu hāḏā.ʕlyk fʕl hḏa.

  You (f) must do this.

• ⁧عَلَيْنَا الرُّجُوعُ إِلَى الْبَيْتِ.⁩

  ʕạlạynā ᵃrrụjūʕụ ʼịlā ᵃlbạytị.ʿalaynā ᵃrrud͟jūʿu ʾilā ᵃlbayti.ʿalaynā ᵃrruǧuwʿu ˌilā ᵃlbayti.ʕlyna ᵃrjwʕ ˌila ᵃlbyt.

  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 (ʕạlāʿalāʿalāʕla) is a preposition, it cannot be followed directly by a conjugated verb.

Instead, you must use the verbal noun ⁧⁧مصدر⁩⁩ (mạṣdạrmaṣdarmaṣdarmṣdr). 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.⁩

  ʕạlạyhị ᵃlʕạmạlụ ᵃlyạwmạ.ʿalayhi ᵃlʿamalu ᵃlyawma.ʿalayhi ᵃlʿamalu ᵃlyawma.ʕlyh ᵃlʕml ᵃlywm.

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

• ⁧عَلَيْكُمُ الدِّرَاسَةُ لِلِامْتِحَانِ.⁩

  ʕạlạykụmụ ᵃddịrāsạẗụ lịlimtịḥānị.ʿalaykumu ᵃddirāsatu lilimtiḥāni.ʿalaykumu ᵃddirāsaẗu lilimtiḥāni.ʕlykm ᵃdrasẗ llimtḥan.

  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 (ʕạlāʿalāʿalāʕla) remains separate and is placed before the noun.

• ⁧عَلَى الطَّالِبِ كِتَابَةُ الْوَاجِبِ.⁩

  ʕạlā ᵃṭṭālịbị kịtābạẗụ ᵃlwājịbị.ʿalā ᵃṭṭālibi kitābatu ᵃlwād͟jibi.ʿalā ᵃṭṭālibi kitābaẗu ᵃlwāǧibi.ʕla ᵃṭalb ktabẗ ᵃlwajb.

  The student must write the homework.

• ⁧عَلَى الْمُدِيرِ الذَّهَابُ.⁩

  ʕạlā ᵃlmụdīrị ᵃḏḏạhābụ.ʿalā ᵃlmudīri ᵃd͟hd͟hahābu.ʿalā ᵃlmudiyri ᵃḏḏahābu.ʕla ᵃlmdyr ᵃḏhab.

  The manager must go.

04

Negation and Past Tense

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

• ⁧لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ الْأَكْلُ.⁩

  lạysạ ʕạlạykạ ᵃlʼạklụ.laysa ʿalayka ᵃlʾaklu.laysa ʿalayka ᵃlˈaklu.lys ʕlyk ᵃlˈakl.

  You do not have to eat.

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

• ⁧كَانَ عَلَيَّ السَّفَرُ.⁩

  kānạ ʕạlạyyạ ᵃssạfạrụ.kāna ʿalayya ᵃssafaru.kāna ʿalayya ᵃssafaru.kan ʕly ᵃsfr.

  I had to travel.