Negation with غَيْر

01

The Word Following ⁧غَيْر⁩ (ḡạyr)

The most important rule is that the word immediately following ⁧⁧غَيْر⁩⁩ (ḡạyrg͟hayrġayrḡyr) must always be in the genitive case (⁧⁧مَجْرُور⁩⁩ (mạjrūrmad͟jrūrmaǧruwrmjrwr)).

• If the word is indefinite, it ends with double ⁧⁧كَسْرَة⁩⁩ (kạsrạẗkasrahkasraẗksrẗ) (-in).
• If the word is definite (has ⁧⁧ال⁩⁩ (alalʾalal)), it ends with a single ⁧⁧كَسْرَة⁩⁩ (kạsrạẗkasrahkasraẗksrẗ) (-i).

• ⁧هَذَا كَلَامٌ غَيْرُ مَفْهُومٍ.⁩

  hặḏā kạlāmụṇ ḡạyrụ mạfhūmịṇ.hād͟hā kalāmun g͟hayru mafhūmin.hāḏā kalāmú ġayru mafhuwmí.hḏa klam ḡyr mfhwm.

  This is incomprehensible speech.

• ⁧أَنَا غَيْرُ مُوَافِقٍ عَلَى هَذَا.⁩

  ʼạnā ḡạyrụ mụwāfịqịṇ ʕạlā hặḏā.ʾanā g͟hayru muwāfiqin ʿalā hād͟hā.ˈanā ġayru muwāfiqí ʿalā hāḏā.ˈana ḡyr mwafq ʕla hḏa.

  I am not in agreement with this.

02

Case Endings of ⁧غَيْر⁩ (ḡạyr)

While the word after ⁧⁧غَيْر⁩⁩ (ḡạyrg͟hayrġayrḡyr) is fixed in the genitive case, the word ⁧⁧غَيْر⁩⁩ (ḡạyrg͟hayrġayrḡyr) itself changes its case ending (vowel) depending on its role in the sentence. It usually acts as an adjective, mimicking the case of the noun it modifies.

1. Nominative (⁧⁧غَيْرُ⁩⁩ (ḡạyrụ))

Used when modifying a subject or a predicate.

• ⁧هُوَ رَجُلٌ غَيْرُ مَعْرُوفٍ.⁩

  hụwạ rạjụlụṇ ḡạyrụ mạʕrūfịṇ.huwa rad͟julun g͟hayru maʿrūfin.huwa raǧulú ġayru maʿruwfí.hw rjl ḡyr mʕrwf.

  He is an unknown man.

2. Accusative (⁧⁧غَيْرَ⁩⁩ (ḡạyrạ))

Used when modifying the object of a verb.

• ⁧اِشْتَرَيْتُ هَاتِفًا غَيْرَ غَالٍ.⁩

  ištạrạytụ hātịfạṇ ḡạyrạ ḡālịṇ.is͟htaraytu hātifan g͟hayra g͟hālin.ištaraytu hātifá ġayra ġālí.ištryt hatfa ḡyr ḡal.

  I bought an inexpensive phone.

3. Genitive (⁧⁧غَيْرِ⁩⁩ (ḡạyrị))

Used when modifying a noun that follows a preposition.

• ⁧ذَهَبْتُ إِلَى مَكَانٍ غَيْرِ بَعِيدٍ.⁩

  ḏạhạbtụ ʼịlā mạkānịṇ ḡạyrị bạʕīdịṇ.d͟hahabtu ʾilā makānin g͟hayri baʿīdin.ḏahabtu ˌilā makāní ġayri baʿiydí.ḏhbt ˌila mkan ḡyr bʕyd.

  I went to a not-distant (nearby) place.

03

Negating Adjectives (Un-/In-)

This is the most common use for learners. You use ⁧⁧غَيْر⁩⁩ (ḡạyrg͟hayrġayrḡyr) to turn a positive adjective into its negative opposite without using a verb.

• ⁧هَذَا طَعَامٌ غَيْرُ صِحِّيٍّ.⁩

  hặḏā ṭạʕāmụṇ ḡạyrụ ṣịḥḥịyyịṇ.hād͟hā ṭaʿāmun g͟hayru ṣiḥḥiyyin.hāḏā ṭaʿāmú ġayru ṣiḥḥiyyí.hḏa ṭʕam ḡyr ṣḥy.

  This is unhealthy food.

• ⁧الْجَوَابُ غَيْرُ صَحِيحٍ.⁩

  aljạwābụ ḡạyrụ ṣạḥīḥịṇ.ald͟jawābu g͟hayru ṣaḥīḥin.ʾalǧawābu ġayru ṣaḥiyḥí.aljwab ḡyr ṣḥyḥ.

  The answer is incorrect.

04

Negating Nouns (Non-)

⁧⁧غَيْر⁩⁩ (ḡạyrg͟hayrġayrḡyr) can also be used with nouns to classify people or things as "non-X".

• ⁧الدُّخُولُ لِغَيْرِ الْمُوَظَّفِينَ مَمْنُوعٌ.⁩

  addụḵūlụ lịḡạyrị ᵃlmụwạẓẓạfīnạ mạmnūʕụṇ.adduk͟hūlu lig͟hayri ᵃlmuwaẓẓafīna mamnūʿun.ʾadduẖuwlu liġayri ᵃlmuwaẓẓafiyna mamnuwʿú.aldḵwl lḡyr ᵃlmwẓfyn mmnwʕ.

  Entry for non-employees is forbidden.

• ⁧هِيَ غَيْرُ مُسْلِمَةٍ.⁩

  hịyạ ḡạyrụ mụslịmạẗịṇ.hiya g͟hayru muslimatin.hiya ġayru muslimaẗí.hy ḡyr mslmẗ.

  She is a non-Muslim.

05

Difference from ⁧لَيْسَ⁩ (lạysạ)

While both express negation, ⁧⁧لَيْسَ⁩⁩ (lạysạlaysalaysalys) is a verb used to negate a whole sentence ("He is not happy"), whereas ⁧⁧غَيْر⁩⁩ (ḡạyrg͟hayrġayrḡyr) is a noun used to negate a specific attribute ("He is an unhappy person").

• ⁧⁧لَيْسَ⁩⁩ (lạysạlaysalaysalys): ⁧⁧الْكِتَابُ لَيْسَ مُفِيدًا⁩⁩ (alkịtābụ lạysạ mụfīdạṇalkitābu laysa mufīdanʾalkitābu laysa mufiydáalktab lys mfyda) (The book is not useful).
• ⁧⁧غَيْر⁩⁩ (ḡạyrg͟hayrġayrḡyr): ⁧⁧هُوَ كِتَابٌ غَيْرُ مُفِيدٍ⁩⁩ (hụwạ kịtābụṇ ḡạyrụ mụfīdịṇhuwa kitābun g͟hayru mufīdinhuwa kitābú ġayru mufiydíhw ktab ḡyr mfyd) (It is a useless book).