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### Indefinite Nouns and Tanween

Arabic does not have words for "a" or "an". A noun is naturally indefinite on its own. In formal grammar, an indefinite noun takes a doubled vowel marker called Tanween. For basic nouns, this is written as two small loops (ـٌ) above the final letter.

In everyday reading and writing, this ending is often omitted, and you simply see the bare word.

### Simple Nominal Sentences

An Arabic nominal sentence consists of a subject (مبتدأ) and a predicate (خبر). Because Arabic does not use words for "is" or "are" in the present tense, you form a complete sentence simply by placing two words side by side.

Pair a **definite** subject with an **indefinite** predicate to create simple equations:

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### Describing Indefinite Nouns

Adjectives must follow the noun they modify. If a noun is indefinite, its adjective must also be indefinite.

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### Questions and Connectors

Turn descriptive sentences into yes/no questions using هل, or connect them with the prefix و (and).

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### Gender Agreement

Adjectives must match the gender of the noun they describe. If the subject is feminine (typically ending in ة), the adjective must also take the feminine marker ة.

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Indefinite nouns and nominal sentences (ـٌ)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

interrogative

noun

numeral

particle

prefix

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

The definite article and locatives (الـ)

Basic noun gender (ة)

Sun and moon letters

Singular subject pronouns (أنا، أنت، هو، هي)

Demonstrative pronouns for 'this' (هذا / هذه)

Separate prepositions (في، من، إلى، على)

Attributive adjectives

Predicative adjectives

Yes/No questions (هل، أ)

Basic questions (من، ما، أين)

Singular possessive pronouns (ـي، ـك، ـه، ـها)

Plural subject pronouns (نحن، أنتم، هم)

Plural possessive pronouns (ـنا، ـكم، ـهم)

Noun possession

Attached prepositions (بـ، لـ، كـ)

Pronouns with prepositions

Having and possessing (عند، لـ، مع)

Regular plural nouns (ـون، ـين، ـات)

Broken plurals

Dual nouns (ـان / ـين)

Plural and distant demonstratives (هؤلاء، ذلك، تلك)

Non-human plural agreement

Present tense singular verbs

Verbal sentences (VSO)

Present tense plural verbs

Topicalized sentences (SVO)

The indefinite accusative case (ـاً)

Verb object pronouns (-ني، -ك، -ه)

Present tense negation (لا)

Question words with verbs (متى، كيف...)

Adverbs of time and place

The future tense (سـ / سوف)

Intentions and desires (أن)

Negating states and possession (ليس)

Past tense singular suffixes

Past tense plural suffixes

Negating past events (ما)

Singular commands

Numbers 1 to 10

Number agreement for 1 and 2 (واحد، اثنان)

Asking how many (كم)

Numbers 3 to 10 (ثلاثة إلى عشرة)

Ordinal numbers 1 to 10 (الأول، الثاني)

Basic conjunctions (فـ، أو، لكن)

Ordering at a café (واحد، اثنان)

Food and drink with conjunctions (و، ف، أو، لكن)

There is and there are (هناك / ليس هناك)

Direct address (يا)

Giving reasons (لأنّ)

Relative pronouns (الذي / التي)

Quantifiers (كل / بعض)

The past tense of 'to be' (كان)

Past possession

Numbers 11 to 19 and tens to 80

Telling time (الساعة)

This book vs this is a book (هذا الكتاب، هذا كتاب)

Greetings (مرحبا، السلام عليكم)

How are you? and goodbye (كيف حالك، مع السلامة)

Nationalities (مصري، مصرية)

Roots and patterns (كتب، كتاب، مكتب)

Politeness (من فضلك، آسف)

Complex possession chains

Colors and traits (أفعل / فعلاء)

Plural colors and traits (فُعْل)

Comparative adjectives (أفعل من)

Superlative adjectives (أفعل)

Adverbs of manner (ـاً)

The nominative case (ـُ)

The genitive case (ـِ)

The accusative case (ـَ)

Dual noun cases (ـان / ـين)

Masculine plurals and 'the best of' (أفضل النجارين)

Emphasizing sentences (إنّ)

Connecting clauses (أنّ)

Reporting speech (قال إنّ)

Expressing contrast (لكنّ)

Comparison and probability (كأنّ, لعلّ)

Distant plural pointing (أولئك)

Plural relative pronouns (الذين, اللواتي)

Past habits (كان + present)

Ongoing actions (ما زال)

Masculine plurals online (مبرمجون، مؤثرون)

Perfective past (قد)

Probability (قد)

The subjunctive mood (أن)

Expressing purpose (لـ)

Question	Answer
book	كتابkitâb
new	جديدjadeed
The book is new.	الكتاب جديد.al-kitâbu jadîdun.
pen	قلمqalam
old	قديمqadîm
The pen is old.	القلم قديم.al-qalamu qadîmun
student	طالبtâlib
tall / long	طويلtawîl
He is a tall student.	هو طالب طويل.huwa tâlibun tawîl
I am a new student.	أنا طالب جديد.ana tâlibun jadîdun
spacious / wide	واسعwâsi'
Is the house spacious?	هل البيت واسع؟hal al-baytu wâsi'?
Yes, the house is spacious.	نعم، البيت واسع.na'am, al-baytu wâsi'
The mountain is big and the sea is wide.	الجبل كبير والبحر واسع.al-jabalu kabîrun wa-l-bahru wâsiun
small	صغيرsagheer
The tree is tall and the flower is small.	الشجرة طويلة والزهرة صغيرة.ash-shajaratu tawîlatun wazzahratu saghîratun
The dog is small.	الكلب صغير.al-kalbu saghîrun.
short	قصيرqasîr
The pen is short.	القلم قصير.al-qalamu qasîrun
city	مدينةmadîna
Is the city old?	هل المدينة قديمة؟hali al-madînatu qadîma?
No, it is a new city.	لا، هي مدينة جديدة.lâ, hiya madînatun jadîdah
He is a short student.	هو طالب قصير.huwa tâlibun qasîrun.
Where is the book?	أين الكتاب؟ayna al-kitâbu?
The book is there.	الكتاب هناك.al-kitâbu hunâka

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