Object Pronouns: Suffix Form

01

Forms of the Object Pronouns

These suffixes change based on person, gender, and number. Note that these forms are identical to possessive suffixes (e.g., "his book"), with the major exception of the first-person singular ("me").

First Person (Speaker)

• ⁧⁧ـنِي⁩⁩ (nīnīniyny) - me (used with verbs)
• ⁧⁧ـنَا⁩⁩ (nānānāna) - us

Second Person (Addressee)

• ⁧⁧ـكَ⁩⁩ (ka) - you (masculine singular)
• ⁧⁧ـكِ⁩⁩ (ki) - you (feminine singular)
• ⁧⁧ـكُمَا⁩⁩ (kumākumākumākuma) - you two (dual)
• ⁧⁧ـكُمْ⁩⁩ (kum) - you (masculine/mixed plural)
• ⁧⁧ـكُنَّ⁩⁩ (kunnakunnakunnakuna) - you (feminine plural)

Third Person (Absent)

• ⁧⁧ـهُ⁩⁩ (hu) - him / it
• ⁧⁧ـهَا⁩⁩ (hāhāhāha) - her / it
• ⁧⁧ـهُمَا⁩⁩ (humāhumāhumāhuma) - them two (dual)
• ⁧⁧ـهُمْ⁩⁩ (hum) - them (masculine/mixed plural)
• ⁧⁧ـهُنَّ⁩⁩ (hunnahunnahunnahuna) - them (feminine plural)

02

Attaching to Verbs (Direct Objects)

When you attach these suffixes to a verb, they function as the direct object. The verb is the action, and the suffix is who the action is happening to.

• ⁧سَأَلَهُ.⁩

  sa’alahu.

  He asked him.

• ⁧يُسَاعِدُنَا.⁩

  yusā‘idunā.yusā‘idunā.yusā‘idunā.yusa‘iduna.

  He helps us.

• ⁧أُحِبُّكِ.⁩

  uḥibbuki.uḥibbuki.uḥibbuki.uḥibuki.

  I love you (to a female).

03

The Special Case of "Me" (ـنِي nī)

This is the most important distinction between object pronouns and possessive pronouns.

• Possessive (with nouns): To say "my book," you use the suffix ⁧⁧ـي⁩⁩ (īīiyy). Example: ⁧⁧كِتَابِي⁩⁩ (kitābīkitābīkitābiykitaby).
• Object (with verbs): To say "he helped me," you must use ⁧⁧ـنِي⁩⁩ (nīnīniyny). The extra "n" is called the "protective nun" (⁧نون الوقاية⁩ nūn al-wiqāyah). It protects the verb's final vowel from being swallowed by the "ī" sound.

• ⁧عَلَّمَنِي.⁩

  ‘allamanī.‘allamanī.‘allamaniy.‘alamany.

  He taught me.

• ⁧يَسْمَعُنِي.⁩

  yasma‘unī.yasma‘unī.yasma‘uniy.yasma‘uny.

  He hears me.

04

Attaching to Prepositions

These pronouns also attach to prepositions to express concepts like "with him," "for her," or "from us."

• ⁧هَذِهِ الهَدِيَّةُ لَكَ.⁩

  hadhihi al-hadiyyah laka.hadhihi al-hadiyyah laka.hadhihi ʾal-hadiyyah laka.hadhihi al-hadiyah laka.

  This gift is for you (masc).

• ⁧تَكَلَّمْتُ مَعَهَا.⁩

  takallamtu ma‘ahā.takallamtu ma‘ahā.takallamtu ma‘ahā.takalamtu ma‘aha.

  I spoke with her.

05

Vowel Harmony in Third Person

The third-person pronouns that normally start with a u sound ⁧⁧ـهُ⁩⁩ (hu), ⁧⁧ـهُمْ⁩⁩ (hum), ⁧⁧ـهُمَا⁩⁩ (humāhumāhumāhuma), ⁧⁧ـهُنَّ⁩⁩ (hunnahunnahunnahuna) undergo a sound change for easier pronunciation. If the letter immediately before the pronoun has a ⁧⁧كَسْرَة⁩⁩ (kasrah) (i vowel) or is the letter ⁧⁧يَاء⁩⁩ (yā’yā’yā’ya’) (⁧⁧ي⁩⁩ (y)), the vowel in the pronoun changes from u to i.

• ⁧⁧ـهُ⁩⁩ (hu) becomes ⁧⁧ـهِ⁩⁩ (hi)
• ⁧⁧ـهُمْ⁩⁩ (hum) becomes ⁧⁧ـهِمْ⁩⁩ (him)

This does not change the meaning, only the pronunciation.

• ⁧فِي بَيْتِهِ.⁩

  fī baytihi.fī baytihi.fiy baytihi.fy baytihi.

  In his house. (Not baytihu)

• ⁧إِلَيْهِمْ.⁩

  ilayhim.

  To them. (Not ilayhum)