Welcome, Arabic Explorer! If you’ve reached this point, you’re ready for a fundamental dive into Arabic grammar. Our topic today is the Genitive Case (Al-Jarr), a vital rule for understanding how nouns relate to each other in Arabic.
We’ll take you through a simple yet thorough journey to master the Genitive Case in Arabic, moving beyond the basics to ensure your proficiency. Our goal is to make this your ultimate, comprehensive reference.
What is the Genitive Case in Arabic and Its Primary Sign?
The Genitive Case (Al-Jarr) is one of the three case endings for nouns in Arabic (Nominative, Accusative, Genitive).
When we say a noun is “Majrūr” (in the Genitive Case), it means its position in the sentence requires a specific vowel mark on its final letter.
| Arabic Term | English Meaning | Primary Sign |
|---|---|---|
| الجرّ (Al-Jarr) | Genitive Case | Kasra (ِ) |
The Kasra is the original and most common sign that appears on the end of a singular noun, broken plural, and sound feminine plural when it is in the Genitive Case.
Example: I rode in the car. ركبتُ فِي السَّيَّارَةِ. (al-sayyārati is Genitive with a Kasra).
When Does a Noun Take the Genitive Case? (The Three Causes)
There are three main contexts that put a noun into the Genitive Case (Al-Jarr). When you see any of these three, the following noun must be in the Genitive state.
After a Preposition (Ḥurūf Al-Jarr)
The most common reason for the Genitive in Arabic is that the noun follows one of the prepositions (Ḥurūf Al-Jarr). This noun is called the “Majrūr Bi-l-Ḥarf” (Noun made Genitive by the preposition).
The Rule: Every noun that immediately follows a preposition must be in the Genitive Case.
Common Prepositions and Examples:
| Preposition | Common Meaning | Arabic Example |
|---|---|---|
| مِنْ (min) | From | I returned from the library. عدتُ مِنَ المَكْتَبَةِ. |
| إلى (ilā) | To | I travelled to the village. سافرتُ إلى القَرْيَةِ. |
| عَلَى (‘alā) | On/Upon | The cat is on the roof. القطةُ عَلَى السَّطْحِ. |
| فِي (fī) | In/Inside | We meet in the morning. نلتقي في الصَّبَاحِ. |
| الباء (bi-) | By/With | I write with the pen. أكتبُ بالقَلَمِ. |
| اللام (li-) | For/Belonging to | The prize is for the student. الجائزةُ لِلطَالِبِ. |
| الكَاف (ka-) | Like/As | Her face is like the moon. وجهها كَالبَدْرِ. |
The Second Term of a Possessive Structure (Idafa)
The second crucial reason for the Genitive Case Arabic is the structure known as Idafa (Al-Iḍāfah), or the Possessive/Construct Phrase.
This structure consists of two consecutive nouns indicating possession or a descriptive relationship.
| Component | Position | Case Ending |
|---|---|---|
| Al-Mudaf (Muḍāf) | The first noun (The possessed item) | Varies (Nom./Acc./Gen.) |
| Al-Mudaf ʼilayh (Muḍāf ʼilayh) | The second noun (The possessor/clarifier) | Always Genitive |
Examples:
- The teacher’s book is new. كِتَابُ الـمُعَلِّمِ جَديد. (al-mu’allimi is Genitive).
- I saw the house’s door. رأيتُ بَابَ الـبَيْتِ. (al-bayti is Genitive).
(Advanced) Nouns Following Certain Adverbs (Ẓurūf)
A noun is also put into the Genitive Case if it follows certain adverbs (ẓurūf), especially those of time and place that are not indefinitely marked with tanwīn. In this context, the adverb itself acts as the Mudaf, and the following noun is the Mudaf ʼilayh.
| Adverb | Meaning | Example | Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
| تَحْتَ (taḥta) | Under | We sat under the tree. جلسنا تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ. | al-shajarati is Genitive because it’s the Mudaf ʼilayh. |
| قَبْلَ (qabla) | Before | He arrived before the call to prayer. وصل قَبْلَ الأَذَانِ. | al-aḏāni is Genitive because it’s the Mudaf ʼilayh. |
Detailed Genitive Signs: When to Use ‘Yaa’ or ‘Fathah’
While the Kasra is the default sign for the Genitive Case in Arabic, the sign changes for specific types of nouns. You need to memorize these substitutions!
| Noun Type | Sign | Reason | Example in Genitive Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singular / Broken Plural / Sound Feminine Plural | Kasra (ِ) | The default sign. | from the mosque (مِنْ المَسْجِدِ), to the students (إلى الطَّالِبَاتِ) |
| Dual (Muthannā) | Yaa (ي) | The Yaa substitutes for the Kasra. | I greeted two teachers. سلمتُ على مُعَلِّمَــيْـنِ. |
| Sound Masculine Plural | Yaa (ي) | The Yaa substitutes for the Kasra. | I passed by the engineers. مررتُ بـِ المُهَنْدِسِـينَ. |
| The Five Nouns (Al-Asmā’ Al-Khamsah) | Yaa (ي) | It is marked by Yaa in the Genitive Case. | Talk to your brother. تحدّث مع أَخِيكَ. |
| Diptotes (Al-Mamnu’ min Aṣ-Ṣarf) | Fathah (َ) | Exception! The Fathah substitutes for the Kasra. | I prayed in many mosques. صليتُ في مَسَاجِدَ كَثِيرَةٍ. |
The Idafa (Construct Phrase) in Detail: Rules You Can’t Forget!
The Idafa construction is the foundation for mastering the Genitive in Arabic and has strict rules that must be followed:
Strict Rules for the Mudaf (The First Noun):
The first noun (Mudaf) must adhere to the rule: “No Al-, No Tanwīn, and Drop the Noon.”
| Rule | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| No الـ Definite Article | The Mudaf can never take the definite article الـ. | (الْكِتَابُ الطَّالِبِ) is Wrong. |
| No Tanwıˉn | The Mudaf can never have tanwīn (−un, −in, −an). | (كِتَابٌ الطَّالِبِ) is Wrong. |
| Noon Drop | The final Nūn of the Dual and Sound Masculine Plural forms must be dropped from the Mudaf. | (كِتَابَا الطَّالِبِ) is Correct instead of (كِتَابَانِ الطَّالِبِ). |
Complex Idafa (Chain of Possession)
The Idafa structure can consist of more than two nouns. In this case, every noun after the very first Mudaf becomes a Mudaf ʼilayh (Genitive).
- Example: The Director of the Oil Company. مُدِيرُ شَرِكَةِ النِّفْطِ.
- مديرُ: The first Mudaf (case depends on the sentence).
- شركةِ: Mudaf ʼilayh (Genitive) and also acts as the Mudaf to the next word.
- النِّفْطِ: Mudaf ʼilayh (Genitive) and the final word in the chain.
Idafa with Pronouns
When a noun is joined to a pronoun (e.g., my house, your book), the noun is the Mudaf and the attached pronoun is in the place of a Mudaf ʼilayh (Genitive).
- Examples:
- Your (masc. sing.) house. بَيْتُكَ (The −ka is in the place of a Genitive Mudaf ʼilayh).
- Her book. كِتَابُهَا (The −haa is in the place of a Genitive Mudaf ʼilayh).
Exceptions and Common Mistakes to Avoid!
Now that you’ve mastered the fundamentals of the Genitive Case in Arabic, let’s explore the critical advanced scenarios and pitfalls that often trip up intermediate learners.
The Big Exception: Diptotes (Al-Mamnu’ min Aṣ-Ṣarf)
As we learned, the Genitive sign is the Kasra. However, nouns known as Diptotes (which don’t accept tanwīn) take the Fathah instead of the Kasra to indicate the Genitive Case, provided they are not definite with الـ and are not the first term of an Idafa.
- Common Mistake: صليتُ في مَسَاجِدِ كثيرة. (Using Kasra)
- Correct (Genitive with Fathah): صليتُ في مَسَاجِدَ كثيرة.
Adjective Agreement (At-Taba’iyyah)
If an adjective (or descriptive noun) follows a Genitive noun, the adjective must agree with the described noun in its case, and thus, it will also be in the Genitive Case.
- Example: I went to the large school. ذهبتُ إلى المَدْرَسَةِ الكَبِيرَةِ.
- al-Madrasati is Genitive due to the preposition إلى.
- al-Kabīrati is an adjective, so it is also Genitive with a Kasra, following its noun.
Conclusion
You’ve mastered the complex rules of the Genitive Case in Arabic (Al-Jarr), understanding that a noun is made Majr
oor by either prepositions or the Idafa (possessive) construction.
However, true mastery—especially of the Idafa rules and case-ending substitutions—requires regular practice.
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