Vocative Forms

01

Addressing People by Name

When addressing a specific person by their single proper name, the noun takes the nominative case but without the "n" sound (⁧⁧تَنْوِين⁩⁩ (tạnwīntanwīntanwiyntnwyn)) at the end. It ends with a single short vowel -u (⁧⁧ضَمَّة⁩⁩ (ḑạmmạẗḍammahḍammaẗḍmẗ)).

Even if the name usually ends in "-un" (like ⁧⁧زَيْدٌ⁩⁩ (zạydụṇzaydunzaydúzyd) or ⁧⁧مُحَمَّدٌ⁩⁩ (mụḥạmmạdụṇmuḥammadunmuḥammadúmḥmd)), in the vocative form, it becomes "-u".

• ⁧يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أَيْنَ أَنْتَ؟⁩

  yā mụḥạmmạdụ, ʼạynạ ʼạntạ?yā muḥammadu, ʾayna ʾanta?yā muḥammadu, ˈayna ˈanta?ya mḥmd, ˈayn ˈant?

  O Muhammad, where are you?

• ⁧يَا فَاطِمَةُ، اِسْمَعِي!⁩

  yā fāṭịmạẗụ, ismạʕī!yā fāṭimatu, ismaʿī!yā fāṭimaẗu, ismaʿiy!ya faṭmẗ, ismʕy!

  O Fatima, listen!

02

Addressing Titles and Roles

If you are addressing someone by their job, title, or relationship status—and you are speaking to a specific individual right in front of you—the rule is the same as for names. The word ends with a single -u.

• ⁧يَا أُسْتَاذُ، عِنْدِي سُؤَالٌ.⁩

  yā ʼụstāḏụ, ʕịndī sụʼālụṇ.yā ʾustād͟hu, ʿindī suʾālun.yā ˈustāḏu, ʿindiy suˈālú.ya ˈastaḏ, ʕndy sʾal.

  O professor, I have a question.

• ⁧يَا سَائِقُ، تَوَقَّفْ هُنَا.⁩

  yā sāʼịqụ, tạwạqqạf hụnā.yā sāʾiqu, tawaqqaf hunā.yā sāˌiqu, tawaqqaf hunā.ya saˌiq, twqf hna.

  O driver, stop here.

03

Addressing Definite Nouns (The "Al-" Rule)

A special rule applies when the noun you want to address starts with the definite article ⁧⁧ال⁩⁩ (al-al-ʾal-al-). You cannot place ⁧⁧يَا⁩⁩ (yāyāyāya) directly before ⁧⁧ال⁩⁩ (al-al-ʾal-al-).

To bridge this gap, you must insert a helper word:

• ⁧⁧أَيُّهَا⁩⁩ (ʼạyyụhāʾayyuhāˈayyuhāˈayha) for masculine nouns.
• ⁧⁧أَيَّتُهَا⁩⁩ (ʼạyyạtụhāʾayyatuhāˈayyatuhāˈaytha) for feminine nouns.

The noun following these words remains definite (keeps the ⁧⁧ال⁩⁩ (al-al-ʾal-al-)) and ends in -u.

• ⁧يَا أَيُّهَا ٱلرَّجُلُ.⁩

  yā ʼạyyụhā ᵃrrạjụlụ.yā ʾayyuhā ᵃrrad͟julu.yā ˈayyuhā ᵃrraǧulu.ya ˈayha ᵃrjl.

  O man / Hey you (man).

• ⁧يَا أَيَّتُهَا ٱلْبِنْتُ.⁩

  yā ʼạyyạtụhā ᵃlbịntụ.yā ʾayyatuhā ᵃlbintu.yā ˈayyatuhā ᵃlbintu.ya ˈaytha ᵃlbnt.

  O girl / Hey you (girl).

• ⁧يَا أَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ!⁩

  yā ʼạyyụhā ᵃnnāsụ!yā ʾayyuhā ᵃnnāsu!yā ˈayyuhā ᵃnnāsu!ya ˈayha ᵃnas!

  O people!

Exception: The only word with ⁧⁧ال⁩⁩ (al-al-ʾal-al-) that can follow ⁧⁧يَا⁩⁩ (yāyāyāya) directly without a bridge is the name of God.

• ⁧يَا أَللَّهُ!⁩

  yā allāhu!yā allāhu!yā ʾallāhu!ya alahu!

  O God!

04

Possessive and Compound Names

If the person you are addressing is described by a two-part name (like "Abdullah") or has a possessive suffix attached (like "my friend"), the case ending changes to the accusative -a (⁧⁧فَتْحَة⁩⁩ (fạtḥạẗfatḥahfatḥaẗftḥẗ)).

For compound names (Construct State):

• ⁧يَا عَبْدَ ٱللَّهِ.⁩

  yā ʕạbdạ ᵃllạhị.yā ʿabda ᵃllahi.yā ʿabda ᵃllahi.ya ʕbd ᵃlh.

  O Abdullah (literally: O servant of God).

• ⁧يَا نُورَ ٱلْعَيْنِ.⁩

  yā nūrạ ᵃlʕạynị.yā nūra ᵃlʿayni.yā nuwra ᵃlʿayni.ya nwr ᵃlʕyn.

  O light of the eye (a term of endearment).

For nouns with the "my" suffix ⁧⁧ـِي⁩⁩ (-ī-ī-iy-y), the ending matches the "ee" sound:

• ⁧يَا صَدِيقِي.⁩

  yā ṣạdīqī.yā ṣadīqī.yā ṣadiyqiy.ya ṣdyqy.

  O my friend.

• ⁧يَا حَبِيبِي.⁩

  yā ḥạbībī.yā ḥabībī.yā ḥabiybiy.ya ḥbyby.

  O my love / my dear.