Welcome to the advanced level! Your deep understanding of Arabic grammatical cases (known as I’rāb – الإعراب) is what makes you a precise speaker and writer. This guide is your ultimate resource for mastering the nominative case in arabic (Ḥālat al-Rafʻ), the cornerstone of the Arabic sentence, before we provide essential summaries of the Accusative and Genitive cases.
The Nominative Case in Arabic (Nominative Case Arabic)
The Nominative Case is the state of prominence and predication. It is assigned to the essential nouns that form the pillars of the sentence’s meaning. Mastering this case is fundamental to constructing correct Arabic sentences.
Detailed Nominative Signs: How to Know a Word is Marfūʻ (Morfūʻ – المرفوع)
The signs of the Nominative Case are split into two groups: the Original Sign (the vowel Dammah) and the Substituted Signs (Letters) that replace the Dammah.
| Noun Type | Grammatical Sign | Reason for Using This Sign | Example (The Marfūʻ word) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singular Noun | Dammah (ُ) / Dammah Nunation | This is the Original Sign for the nominative case in Arabic. | The teacher is present. (المعلّمُ حاضرٌ). |
| Broken Plural | Dammah (ُ) / Dammah Nunation | It is treated like a singular noun in all case markings. | The houses are old. (البيوتُ قديمةٌ). |
| Sound Feminine Plural | Dammah (ُ) / Dammah Nunation | It is raised with the original vowel (Dammah), only differing in the Accusative Case. | The girls are hardworking. (الفتياتُ مجتهداتٌ). |
| Dual | Alif (ا) | Substituted Sign: Because it indicates two, the Alif takes the place of the Dammah. | The two engineers traveled. (سافر المهندسانِ). |
| Sound Masculine Plural | Wāw (و) | Substituted Sign: The Wāw replaces the Dammah to denote the masculine plural. | The travelers arrived. (وصل المسافرون). |
| The Five Nouns | Wāw (و) | Substituted Sign: Raised with the Wāw instead of the Dammah (under specific conditions). | Your brother is sick. (أخوك مريضٌ). |
The Eight Nominative Positions (Marfūʻāt): The Roles that Grant Rafʻ
A word is in the Nominative Case (Rafʻ) if it occupies any of these crucial grammatical roles in the sentence:
- The Subject (Fā’il – الفاعل): The noun that performs the verb or is described by it.
- Example: The Muslim fasted Ramadan. (صام المسلمُ رمضان).
- The Passive Subject (Nā’ib al-Fā’il – نائب الفاعل): The noun that takes the place of the subject when the verb is passive.
- Example: The glass was broken. (كُسِرَ الزجاجُ).
- The Nominal Subject (Mubtada’ – المبتدأ): The noun that begins a nominal sentence and is the topic of discussion.
- Example: The university is beautiful. (الجامعةُ جميلة).
- The Predicate (Khabar – الخبر): The part that completes the meaning of the nominal subject (Mubtada’).
- Example: The university is beautiful. (الجامعةُ جميلةٌ).
- The Noun of Kāna and its Sisters (Ism Kāna):Kāna (was/became) and its sisters raise the noun and place the predicate in the Accusative Case.
- Example: The weather became warm. (أصبحت الأجواءُ دافئةً).
- The Predicate of Inna and its Sisters (Khabar Inna):Inna (indeed) and its sisters place the noun in the Accusative Case and raise the predicate.
- Example: Indeed, the studying is difficult. (إنَّ الدراسةَ شاقةٌ).
- The Dependent to a Marfūʻ (Al-Tābiʻ – التابع): Words that follow a Nominative word and take its case: Adjective (Na’t), Conjunction (‘Atf), Apposition (Badal), or Emphasis (Tawkīd).
- Example: The expert engineer arrived. (وصل المهندسُ الخبيرُ).
- The Vocative Built on Dammah (Al-Munādā): Certain types of vocatives (like proper nouns) are built on the Dammah, placing them in the Nominative position.
- Example: Oh Muhammad, pay attention! (يا محمدُ، انتبه!).
Quick Look: Accusative Case Arabic and Genitive Case Arabic
To complete the grammatical map, here is a focused summary of the other two cases:
The Accusative Case in Arabic (Ḥālat an-Naṣb)
The Accusative Case is the state of specification or the object, and its original sign is the Fatḥah (َ).
| Accusative Details | Signs: Yā’ for Dual/Sound Masculine Plural; Alif for the Five Nouns; Kasrah for Sound Feminine Plural (a crucial exception!). |
| Key Positions | Direct Object (Mafʻūl bihi), Adverbials (Mafʻūl Fīhi), Ḥāl (Circumstantial Accusative), Tamyīz (Specification), Noun of Inna, Predicate of Kāna. |
| Example: | I saw the boy laughing. (رأيتُ الولَدَ ضاحكاً). |
The Genitive Case in Arabic (Ḥālat al-Jarr)
The Genitive Case is the state of dependence or possession, used exclusively for nouns, and its original sign is the Kasrah (ِ).
| Genitive Details | Signs: Yā’ for Dual/Sound Masculine Plural/The Five Nouns. Fatḥah for the Diptote/Indeclinable Noun (Al-Mamnuʻ min al-Ṣarf – an advanced exception). |
| Key Positions | Noun Governed by a Preposition (following prepositions like ilā, fī, min), The Second Term of an Iḍāfa (Mudhāf Ilayhi). |
| Example: | I went to the house of a friend. (ذهبتُ إلى بيتِ صديقٍ). |
Summary of Arabic Cases
| Noun Type | Nominative (Rafʻ) | Accusative (Naṣb) | Genitive (Jarr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | Dammah | Fatḥah | Kasrah |
| Dual | Alif | Yā’ | Yā’ |
| Sound Feminine Plural | Dammah | Kasrah | Kasrah |
Conclusion
You have successfully completed your in-depth journey through the fundamentals of Arabic grammar! Now, after mastering the fine details of the Nominative Case in Arabic (Ḥālat al-Rafʻ) and understanding the essential positions of the Accusative Case and Genitive Case, you have a clear roadmap for constructing correct and expressive sentences.
Remember that theoretical knowledge is only complete through continuous practical application. To transform these grammatical rules from mere tables into a natural linguistic skill, we invite you to use tools specifically designed for that purpose.
What is the Next Step for Mastering I’rāb?
Start applying what you’ve learned immediately through interactive exercises and real-life scenarios. Download the Kaleela app today and benefit from lessons specifically designed for non-native Arabic speakers, ensuring you practice all three grammatical cases (Nominative, Accusative, and Genitive) within natural and engaging contexts. With Kaleela, I’rāb becomes a skill, not just a rule!
