Prepositions are the small but mighty words that give a language its structure. In English, we use words like “in,” “on,” and “at” to connect ideas. In Arabic, a similar set of words and single letters, called ḥurūf al-jarr (حروف الجر), do the same job. Understanding them is a critical step in building fluency and speaking like a native.
This guide will demystify Arabic prepositions for you, explaining what are Arabic prepositions?, how they work, and providing a comprehensive Arabic Prepositions List to help you master them.
Arabic Prepositions – Harf al Jarr in Arabic
In Arabic grammar, prepositions fall into a special category called “particles” that never change their form. This is great news for learners, because once you know the word, it will always stay the same! Arab grammarians refer to them as Harf al Jarr in Arabic, which literally means “the particle of pulling.” This name points to the most important rule of all: prepositions “pull” the noun that follows them into the genitive case (majrour), changing the ending to a kasra (i) sound.
- How Many Prepositions Are There in Arabic? The traditional count lists 17 prepositions, but in daily life and modern usage, only a handful are truly common.
The Attached Arabic Prepositions
These single-letter prepositions are a unique feature of the Arabic language. They are always written and pronounced as part of the word that follows them, making the noun a conjugated word in the genitive case.
| Preposition | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| بِـ – bi- | with, by, in | أَكْتُبُ بِالقَلَمِ – Aktubu bil-qalami – I write with the pen. |
| لِـ – li- | for, to | هَذَا لَكَ – Hadhā laka – This is for you. |
| كَـ – ka- | like, as | أَنْتَ كَالْقَمَرِ – Anta kal-qamar – You are like the moon. |
The Detached Arabic Prepositions
These prepositions are standalone words, similar to their English counterparts. They are written separately from the words they govern.
| Preposition | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| في – fī | in, inside, at, on | الْكِتَابُ فِي الْحَقِيبَةِ – Al-kitābu fī al-haqībati – The book is in the bag. |
| إِلَى – ilā | to, towards | ذَهَبْتُ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ – Dhahabtu ilā al-madrasati – I went to the school. |
| مِنْ – min | from, of, than | أَنَا مِنْ مِصْرَ – Anā min Miṣra – I am from Egypt. |
| عَلَى – ‘alā | on, upon, over | الْكُوبُ عَلَى الطَّاوِلَةِ – Al-kūbu ‘alā al-ṭāwilati – The cup is on the table. |
| عَنْ – ‘an | about, away from | تَحَدَّثْتُ عَنْهُ – Taḥaddathtu ‘anhu – I talked about him. |
| مَعَ – ma’a | with | أَنَا مَعَ أُمِّي – Anā ma’a ummī – I am with my mother. |
| بَعْدَ – ba’da | after | بَعْدَ الدَّرْسِ – Ba’da ad-darsi – After the lesson. |
| قَبْلَ – qabla | before | قَبْلَ الْعِيدِ – Qabla al-‘īdi – Before the Eid. |
| فَوْقَ – fawqa | above, over | الطَّائِرُ فَوْقَ الشَّجَرَةِ – Al-ṭā’iru fawqa ash-shajarati – The bird is above the tree. |
| تَحْتَ – taḥta | under, below | القِطُّ تَحْتَ الكُرْسِيِّ – Al-qiṭṭu taḥta al-kursīyi – The cat is under the chair. |
Other Arabic Prepositions
These are less common prepositions, some of which are used in specific contexts such as oaths or in literary Arabic.
| Preposition | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| حَتَّى – ḥattā | until, even | سَأَنَامُ حَتَّى الصَّبَاحِ – Sa’anāmu ḥattā aṣ-ṣabāḥi – I will sleep until morning. |
| مُذْ – mudh | since | لَمْ أَرَهُ مُذْ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ – Lam arahū mudh yawm al-jumu’ati – I have not seen him since Friday. |
| مُنْذُ – mundhu | since | مُنْذُ سَنَةٍ – Mundhu sanatin – Since a year ago. |
| رُبَّ – rubba | perhaps | رُبَّ ضَارَةٍ نَافِعَةٌ – Rubba ḍārrin nāfi’atun – Perhaps harm is beneficial. |
| عَدَا – ‘adā | except for | جَاءَ الْأَصْدِقَاءُ عَدَا سَامِرٍ – Jā’a al-‘aṣdiqā’u ‘adā Sāmirin – The friends came except for Samer. |
| خَلَا – khalā | except for | قَرَأْتُ الْكُتُبَ خَلَا كِتَابٍ – Qara’tu al-kutuba khalā kitābin – I read the books except for one book. |
How Are Prepositions Used in Arabic?
The prepositions function in Arabic sentences by connecting a noun to a verb or to another noun. The noun that follows a preposition is known as the majrour, and its final vowel will change to a kasra (i). This is a crucial grammatical point that makes Arabic different from English.
- How to construct prepositional phrases in Arabic? It’s as simple as placing the preposition before the noun.
- The book is on the table.
- الكتاب على الطاولة – Al-kitāb `alā al-ṭāwilati
- I went to the school.
- ذهبت إلى المدرسة – Dhahabtu `ilā al-madrasati
- The book is on the table.
Contrastive Analysis between English and Arabic Prepositions
One of the most common challenges for English speakers is that the prepositions in Arabic and their English translation don’t have a one-to-one relationship. This is where Contrastive Analysis between English and Arabic Prepositions becomes a useful tool.
- The Arabic preposition في (fī) can mean “in,” “on,” or “at” in English, depending on the context.
- In the room (في الغرفة)
- On Monday (في يوم الاثنين)
- At the cafe (في المقهى)
- The English preposition “on” can be على (on a surface, على الطاولة), في (on a specific day, في يوم الاثنين), or عن (on a topic, عن موضوع).
Common Mistakes and Learning Tips
Common Mistakes in Using Arabic Prepositions
A common mistake is forgetting to put the noun after the preposition in the genitive case. For example, saying في بيتٌ instead of the correct في بيتٍ (in a house). Another mistake is trying to translate literally from English, which can lead to miscommunications.
Tips for Learning Prepositions
- Focus on Usage: Don’t just memorize the list of prepositions; learn them in full sentences and phrases.
- Practice, Practice, Practice: Use the new prepositions in your speaking and writing every day.
- Listen to Native Speakers: Pay close attention to how native speakers use prepositions in conversation and with which verbs.
Conclusion
Understanding Arabic prepositions is a major step forward in your language journey. It’s a core skill for building more complex and accurate sentences. For a structured approach to mastering these and other essential concepts, consider using a dedicated language app like Kaleela.
