Prepositions with Personal Suffix

01

Standard Attachment

For most prepositions ending in a consonant or a short vowel, you simply attach the suffix directly to the end of the word. Common suffixes include ⁧⁧ـِي⁩⁩ (-ī-ī-iy-y) for "me," ⁧⁧ـكَ⁩⁩ (-ka) for "you (masc.)," and ⁧⁧ـهُ⁩⁩ (-hu) for "him/it."

• ⁧هَلْ الْقَلَمُ مَعَكَ؟⁩

  hal al-qalamu maʿaka?hal al-qalamu maʿaka?hal ʾal-qalamu maʿaka?hal al-qalamu maʿaka?

  Is the pen with you?

• ⁧هَذِهِ الْهَدِيَّةُ لَكِ.⁩

  hādhihi al-hadiyyatu laki.hādhihi al-hadiyyatu laki.hādhihi ʾal-hadiyyatu laki.hadhihi al-hadiyatu laki.

  This gift is for you (fem.).

• ⁧أَنَا أَعْمَلُ مَعَهُمْ.⁩

  anā aʿmalu maʿahum.anā aʿmalu maʿahum.ʾanā ʾaʿmalu maʿahum.ana aʿmalu maʿahum.

  I work with them.

02

Prepositions Ending in Nun (n)

When the prepositions ⁧⁧مِنْ⁩⁩ (min) - from and ⁧⁧عَنْ⁩⁩ (ʿan) - about are combined with the "me" suffix (⁧⁧ـِي⁩⁩ (-ī-ī-iy-y)), the "n" sound doubles. This is marked with a ⁧⁧شَدَّة⁩⁩ (shaddahshaddahshaddahshadah)⁦ ( ⁩⁧ّ⁩⁦ ) symbol.⁩

• ⁧⁧مِنْ⁩⁩ (min) + ⁧⁧ـِي⁩⁩ (-ī-ī-iy-y) becomes ⁧⁧مِنِّي⁩⁩ (minnīminnīminniyminy) - from me.
• ⁧⁧عَنْ⁩⁩ (ʿan) + ⁧⁧ـِي⁩⁩ (-ī-ī-iy-y) becomes ⁧⁧عَنِّي⁩⁩ (ʿannīʿannīʿanniyʿany) - about me.

• ⁧هَلْ تُرِيدُ شَيْئًا مِنِّي؟⁩

  hal turīdu shayʾan minnī?hal turīdu shayʾan minnī?hal turiydu shayʾan minniy?hal turydu shayʾan miny?

  Do you want anything from me?

• ⁧سَمِعْتُ خَبَرًا عَنْهُ.⁩

  samiʿtu khabaran ʿanhu.

  I heard news about him.

03

Prepositions Ending in Alif

Some prepositions end in an "⁧⁧أَلِف مَقْصُورَة⁩⁩ (alif maqṣūrahalif maqṣūrahʾalif maqṣuwrahalif maqṣwrah)" (the letter ⁧⁧ى⁩⁩ (āāāa) that sounds like 'ā'), such as ⁧⁧عَلَى⁩⁩ (ʿalāʿalāʿalāʿala) - on and ⁧⁧إِلَى⁩⁩ (ilāilāilāila) - to.

When you add a suffix to these, the ⁧⁧ى⁩⁩ (āāāa) changes to a ⁧⁧ي⁩⁩ (y) sound (a diphthong).

• ⁧⁧إِلَى⁩⁩ (ilāilāilāila) + ⁧⁧ـكَ⁩⁩ (-ka) becomes ⁧⁧إِلَيْكَ⁩⁩ (ilayka) - to you.
• ⁧⁧عَلَى⁩⁩ (ʿalāʿalāʿalāʿala) + ⁧⁧ـهُمْ⁩⁩ (-hum) becomes ⁧⁧عَلَيْهِمْ⁩⁩ (ʿalayhim) - on them.

Special note for "me": When combining these with the "me" suffix, the result is ⁧⁧ـَيَّ⁩⁩ (-ayya-ayya-ayya-aya).

• ⁧⁧عَلَى⁩⁩ (ʿalāʿalāʿalāʿala) + ⁧⁧ـِي⁩⁩ (-ī-ī-iy-y) becomes ⁧⁧عَلَيَّ⁩⁩ (ʿalayyaʿalayyaʿalayyaʿalaya) - on me.

• ⁧تَعَالَ إِلَيَّ!⁩

  taʿāla ilayya!taʿāla ilayya!taʿāla ilayya!taʿala ilaya!

  Come to me!

• ⁧سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ.⁩

  sallamtu ʿalayhim.sallamtu ʿalayhim.sallamtu ʿalayhim.salamtu ʿalayhim.

  I said hello to them. (Lit: I greeted upon them)

04

Vowel Harmony with "Him/It"

The suffix for "him" or "it" is usually ⁧⁧ـهُ⁩⁩ (-hu). However, if the preposition ends in an ī vowel or a y sound, the suffix changes to ⁧⁧ـهِ⁩⁩ (-hi) to make pronunciation smoother.

• ⁧⁧فِي⁩⁩ (fīfīfiyfy) - in + ⁧⁧ـهُ⁩⁩ (-hu) becomes ⁧⁧فِيهِ⁩⁩ (fīhifīhifiyhifyhi) - in it/him.
• ⁧⁧إِلَى⁩⁩ (ilāilāilāila) - to + ⁧⁧ـهُ⁩⁩ (-hu) becomes ⁧⁧إِلَيْهِ⁩⁩ (ilayhi) - to him.

• ⁧الْمِفْتَاحُ فِيهِ.⁩

  al-miftāḥu fīhi.al-miftāḥu fīhi.ʾal-miftāḥu fiyhi.al-miftaḥu fyhi.

  The key is in it.

• ⁧ذَهَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ.⁩

  dhahabtu ilayhi.

  I went to him.

05

Expressing "To Have" and Obligation

Arabic does not have a verb for "to have." Instead, it uses prepositions with suffixes.

• ⁧⁧عِنْدَ⁩⁩ (ʿinda) - at + suffix: ⁧⁧عِنْدِي⁩⁩ (ʿindīʿindīʿindiyʿindy) - I have / "at me".
• ⁧⁧لِـ⁩⁩ (li-) - for/to + suffix: ⁧⁧لِي⁩⁩ (līlīliyly) - I have / "to me".

Additionally, the preposition ⁧⁧عَلَى⁩⁩ (ʿalāʿalāʿalāʿala) - on with a suffix is often used to express obligation ("have to" or "must").

• ⁧⁧عَلَيْكَ⁩⁩ (ʿalayka) - "upon you" implies "you must."

• ⁧عِنْدِي سُؤَالٌ.⁩

  ʿindī suʾālun.ʿindī suʾālun.ʿindiy suʾālun.ʿindy suʾalun.

  I have a question.

• ⁧عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَذْهَبَ.⁩

  ʿalayka an tadhhaba.ʿalayka an tadhhaba.ʿalayka ʾan tadhhaba.ʿalayka an tadhaba.

  You have to go.