Verb Negation

01

Negating the Present Tense

To say that something is not happening right now, or does not happen generally, use the particle ⁧⁧لَا⁩⁩ (lālālāla) followed by the verb in the present tense.

The verb remains in its standard form (Indicative mood), usually ending with the vowel -u.

• ⁧لَا أَشْرَبُ الْقَهْوَةَ.⁩

  lā ʼạšrạbụ ᵃlqạhwạẗạ.lā ʾas͟hrabu ᵃlqahwata.lā ˈašrabu ᵃlqahwaẗa.la ˈašrb ᵃlqhwẗ.

  I do not drink coffee.

• ⁧لَا يَعْرِفُ الْإِجَابَةَ.⁩

  lā yạʕrịfụ ᵃlʼịjābạẗạ.lā yaʿrifu ᵃlʾid͟jābata.lā yaʿrifu ᵃlˌiǧābaẗa.la yʕrf ᵃlˌijabẗ.

  He does not know the answer.

• ⁧هُمْ لَا يَسْكُنُونَ هُنَا.⁩

  hụm lā yạskụnūnạ hụnā.hum lā yaskunūna hunā.hum lā yaskunuwna hunā.hm la ysknwn hna.

  They do not live here.

02

Negating the Future

To express that something will not happen, use the particle ⁧⁧لَنْ⁩⁩ (lạnlanlanln).

When using ⁧⁧لَنْ⁩⁩ (lạnlanlanln), two changes occur:

• You do not use the future prefix ⁧⁧سَـ⁩⁩ (sạ-sa-sa-s-).
• The verb changes to the Subjunctive mood. For singular verbs, the final vowel changes from -u to -a.

• ⁧لَنْ نُسَافِرَ غَدًا.⁩

  lạn nụsāfịrạ ḡạdạṇ.lan nusāfira g͟hadan.lan nusāfira ġadá.ln nsafr ḡda.

  We will not travel tomorrow.

• ⁧لَنْ يَنْجَحَ الْكَسُولُ.⁩

  lạn yạnjạḥạ ᵃlkạsūlụ.lan yand͟jaḥa ᵃlkasūlu.lan yanǧaḥa ᵃlkasuwlu.ln ynjḥ ᵃlkswl.

  The lazy person will not succeed.

03

Negating the Past

There are two primary ways to negate past actions in Arabic.

1. Using ⁧⁧لَمْ⁩⁩ (lạm)

This is the most common method in Modern Standard Arabic. You place ⁧⁧لَمْ⁩⁩ (lạmlamlamlm) before a present tense verb to create a past tense meaning.

Grammatically, the verb enters the Jussive mood. This means the final short vowel is usually dropped and replaced with a ⁧⁧سُكُون⁩⁩ (sụkūnsukūnsukuwnskwn) (no vowel), or the final -n is dropped in plural forms.

• ⁧لَمْ أَكْتُبْ الْوَاجِبَ.⁩

  lạm ʼạktụb ᵃlwājịbạ.lam ʾaktub ᵃlwād͟jiba.lam ˈaktub ᵃlwāǧiba.lm ˈaktb ᵃlwajb.

  I did not write the homework.

• ⁧لَمْ يَحْضُرْ الْمُدِيرُ.⁩

  lạm yạḥḑụr ᵃlmụdīrụ.lam yaḥḍur ᵃlmudīru.lam yaḥḍur ᵃlmudiyru.lm yḥḍr ᵃlmdyr.

  The manager did not attend.

2. Using ⁧⁧مَا⁩⁩ (mā)

You can also use ⁧⁧مَا⁩⁩ (māmāmāma) followed by a verb in the past tense. This construction is grammatically simpler because the verb form does not change. It is frequently used in spoken dialects and narratives, often adding a sense of emphasis.

• ⁧مَا قُلْتُ ذَلِكَ.⁩

  mā qụltụ ḏặlịkạ.mā qultu d͟hālika.mā qultu ḏālika.ma qlt ḏlk.

  I did not say that.

• ⁧مَا رَأَيْتُهُ الْيَوْمَ.⁩

  mā rạʼạytụhụ ᵃlyạwmạ.mā raʾaytuhu ᵃlyawma.mā raˈaytuhu ᵃlyawma.ma rˈayth ᵃlywm.

  I did not see him today.

04

Prohibition (Negative Imperative)

To tell someone not to do something, use ⁧⁧لَا⁩⁩ (lālālāla) followed by the verb in the Jussive mood (similar to the form used with ⁧⁧لَمْ⁩⁩ (lạmlamlamlm)).

This is different from simple present negation.

• Negation: ⁧⁧لَا تَكْذِبُ⁩⁩ (lā tạkḏịbụlā takd͟hibulā takḏibula tkḏb) - You do not lie. (Fact)
• Prohibition: ⁧⁧لَا تَكْذِبْ⁩⁩ (lā tạkḏịblā takd͟hiblā takḏibla tkḏb) - Do not lie! (Order)

• ⁧لَا تَفْتَحْ الْبَابَ.⁩

  lā tạftạḥ ᵃlbābạ.lā taftaḥ ᵃlbāba.lā taftaḥ ᵃlbāba.la tftḥ ᵃlbab.

  Do not open the door.

• ⁧لَا تَحْزَنِي يَا أُخْتِي.⁩

  lā tạḥzạnī yā ʼụḵtī.lā taḥzanī yā ʾuk͟htī.lā taḥzaniy yā ˈuẖtiy.la tḥzny ya ˈaḵty.

  Do not be sad, my sister.

05

Negating "To Be"

Arabic nominal sentences (sentences starting with a noun) often imply the verb "to be" without writing it (e.g., "The house is big"). To negate these sentences, use the verb ⁧⁧لَيْسَ⁩⁩ (lạysạlaysalaysalys).

Although ⁧⁧لَيْسَ⁩⁩ (lạysạlaysalaysalys) conjugates like a past tense verb, it carries a present tense meaning ("is not", "are not", "am not").

• ⁧لَيْسَ الْبَيْتُ كَبِيرًا.⁩

  lạysạ ᵃlbạytụ kạbīrạṇ.laysa ᵃlbaytu kabīran.laysa ᵃlbaytu kabiyrá.lys ᵃlbyt kbyra.

  The house is not big.

• ⁧لَسْتُ طَالِبًا هُنَا.⁩

  lạstụ ṭālịbạṇ hụnā.lastu ṭāliban hunā.lastu ṭālibá hunā.lst ṭalba hna.

  I am not a student here.

• ⁧لَيْسُوا جَاهِزِينَ بَعْدُ.⁩

  lạysū jāhịzīnạ bạʕdụ.laysū d͟jāhizīna baʿdu.laysuw ǧāhiziyna baʿdu.lysw jahzyn bʕd.

  They are not ready yet.