When certain prepositions are followed by the relative pronouns (ما) (what / that which) or (مَن) (who / the one who), they fuse into a single, fluid word.
Fusing Prepositions with (ما)
1. (عن) + (ما) = (عما) When the preposition (عن) (about) meets (ما), the (ن) assimilates into the (م), creating (عما) (about what).
| The agency's correspondent asked about what happened yesterday. | سأل مراسل الوكالة عما حدث أمس.sa'ala murâsilu l-wikâlati 'ammâ hadatha amsi. |
| The female journalist did not disclose what she wrote in the coverage. | لم تفصح الصحفية عما كتبته في التغطية.lam tufsihi s-sahafiyyatu 'ammâ katabat-hu fi t-taghtiyah |
2. (بِ) + (ما) = (بما) The preposition (بِ) (with / in) attaches directly to the front, creating (بما) (with what / in what). This is especially useful for verbs that require (بِ), such as (أشاد ب) (to praise).
| The manager praised what she wrote in the coverage. | أشاد المدير بما كتبته في التغطية.ashâda al-mudîru bimâ katabat-hu fi ttaghtiyah |
| We trust what this agency says because of its credibility. | نحن نثق بما تقوله هذه الوكالة بسبب مصداقيتها.naḥnu nathiqu bimâ taqûluhu hâdhihi l-wakâlatu bisababi miṣdâqiyyatihâ |
Fusing Prepositions with (مَن)
When referring to people, combine prepositions with the relative pronoun (مَن).
1. (عن) + (مَن) = (عمن) Just like with (ما), the (ن) in (عن) merges with the (م) in (مَن), giving you (عمن) (about whom).
| O project manager, we do not know about whom you are talking. | يا مديرة المشروع، نحن لا نعرف عمن تتحدثين.yâ mudîrata al-mashrû'i, nahnu lâ na'rifu 'amman tatahaddathîn |
2. (بِ) + (مَن) = (بمن) The preposition (بِ) attaches directly to the front of (مَن), resulting in (بمن) (with whom / in whom / the one whom).
| Those correspondents praised the one who helped them in the street. | أولئك المراسلون أشادوا بمن ساعدهم في الشارع.ulâ'ika al-murâsilûna ashâdû biman sâ'adahum fî ash-shâri'i |
Putting It All Together
These compound pronouns are compact and essential for professional, fluid Arabic, easily allowing you to connect ideas in complex sentences:
| We do not care about who published the news, rather we search for someone who has credibility. | لا نهتم بمن نشر الخبر، بل نبحث عمن لديه مصداقية.lâ nahtammu biman nashara al-khabara, bal nabhathu amman ladayhi misdâqiyyah. |