Nouns: Construct Form

01

Rules for the First Noun (The Possessed)

The first noun in the pair undergoes specific changes. It never takes the definite article ⁧⁧ال⁩⁩ (al-al-ʾal-al-), even if the meaning is definite. Additionally, it loses the "n" sound of the tanwin (double vowel) at the end.

• If the word ends in ⁧ـٌ⁩ (-un), it changes to ⁧ـُ⁩ (-u).
• If the word ends in ⁧ـً⁩ (-an), it changes to ⁧ـَ⁩ (-a).
• If the word ends in ⁧ـٍ⁩ (-in), it changes to ⁧ـِ⁩ (-i).

For example, the word ⁧⁧قَلَمٌ⁩⁩ (qalamun) - a pen becomes simply ⁧⁧قَلَمُ⁩⁩ (qalamu) when it starts a construct phrase.

• ⁧قَلَمُ الْمُعَلِّمِ.⁩

  qalamu al-mu‘allimi.qalamu al-mu‘allimi.qalamu ʾal-mu‘allimi.qalamu al-mu‘alimi.

  The teacher's pen.

• ⁧بَابُ الْبَيْتِ.⁩

  bābu al-bayti.bābu al-bayti.bābu ʾal-bayti.babu al-bayti.

  The door of the house.

02

Rules for the Second Noun (The Possessor)

The second noun determines the definiteness of the entire phrase and dictates the grammatical case. The second noun is always in the genitive case. This means it typically takes a kasrah vowel (⁧ـِ⁩ (-i) or ⁧ـٍ⁩ (-in)) on the last letter.

If the second noun has the definite article ⁧⁧ال⁩⁩ (al-al-ʾal-al-), the phrase translates as "The X of the Y".

• ⁧مِفْتَاحُ السَّيَّارَةِ.⁩

  miftāḥu al-sayyārati.miftāḥu al-sayyārati.miftāḥu ʾal-sayyārati.miftaḥu al-sayarati.

  The key of the car.

If the second noun is indefinite (no ⁧⁧ال⁩⁩ (alalʾalal)), the phrase translates as "A X of a Y" or describes a type of object.

• ⁧فِنْجَانُ قَهْوَةٍ.⁩

  finjānu qahwatin.find͟jānu qahwatin.finǧānu qahwatin.finjanu qahwatin.

  A cup of coffee.

03

Pronunciation of Taa Marbuta

When the first noun ends in the letter ⁧ة⁩ (tāʼ marbūṭahtāʾ marbūṭahtāˈ marbuwṭahtaʼ marbwṭah), the pronunciation changes in the construct form. Usually silent or pronounced as a soft "h" in isolation, it must be pronounced clearly as a "t" when it is the first part of a construct phrase.

• ⁧غُرْفَةُ الْجُلُوسِ.⁩

  ghurfatu al-julūsi.ghurfatu al-d͟julūsi.ghurfatu ʾal-ǧuluwsi.ghurfatu al-julwsi.

  The living room (literally: room of sitting).

• ⁧سَاعَةُ الرَّجُلِ.⁩

  sā‘atu al-rajuli.sā‘atu al-rad͟juli.sā‘atu ʾal-raǧuli.sa‘atu al-rajuli.

  The man's watch.

04

Possessive Suffixes

Attaching a pronoun suffix to a noun is also a form of the construct structure. The noun acts as the first part (dropping tanwin and ⁧⁧ال⁩⁩ (alalʾalal)), and the suffix acts as the second part (the possessor).

• ⁧⁧كِتَابٌ⁩⁩ (kitābunkitābunkitābunkitabun) + ⁧⁧ـِي⁩⁩ (-ī-ī-iy-y) - my becomes ⁧⁧كِتَابِي⁩⁩ (kitābīkitābīkitābiykitaby).
• ⁧⁧بَيْتٌ⁩⁩ (baytun) + ⁧⁧ـُهُ⁩⁩ (-uhu) - his becomes ⁧⁧بَيْتُهُ⁩⁩ (baytuhu).

• ⁧أَيْنَ كِتَابُكَ؟⁩

  ayna kitābuka?ayna kitābuka?ʾayna kitābuka?ayna kitabuka?

  Where is your book?

• ⁧هَذِهِ مَدِينَتُنَا.⁩

  hādhihi madīnatunā.hādhihi madīnatunā.hādhihi madiynatunā.hadhihi madynatuna.

  This is our city.