The Accusative Case (المنصوب)
In previous lessons, we covered the Nominative (subject) and Genitive (after prepositions or in possession chains) cases. Now, we complete the core formal case endings with the Accusative case.
The Accusative case primarily marks the direct object of a sentence—the noun that directly receives the action of a verb.
When an indefinite noun is a direct object, it takes the doubled vowel ending ـً (Tanwin Fatha). Unlike the other case endings, Tanwin Fatha typically requires adding an extra Alif (ـا) to the end of the word to support it.
| signature | توقيعtawqî' |
| The employee requested a signature. | طلب الموظف توقيعا.talaba al-muwazzafu tawqeean. |
In the sentence above, the subject (الموظف) is Nominative, while the indefinite direct object takes the Accusative Tanwin Fatha and its supporting Alif (توقيعا).
Exceptions to the Extra Alif
While most indefinite words in the Accusative case add an Alif, words ending in a Ta Marbuta (ة) do not. The Tanwin Fatha is written directly over the Ta Marbuta.
| The manager filled out a form. | ملأ المدير استمارة.mala'a al-mudîru istimâratan |
| I received a copy of the visa. | استلمت نسخة من التأشيرة.istalamtu nuskhatan mina al-ta'shîrah |
Notice how words like "form" and "copy" just take the ـً ending without an additional letter.
Definite Nouns in the Accusative
If the direct object is definite (for example, if it starts with "ال"), it does not take Tanwin. Instead, it is marked by a single short vowel ـَ (Fatha) on the final letter.
| They paid the fees and received the visa. | هم دفعوا الرسوم واستلموا التأشيرة.hum dafa'û ar-rusûma wastalamû at-ta'shîrata |
If a direct object is the first word of a possession chain (Idafa), it also takes a single Fatha, while the second word takes the Genitive case as usual.
| The employee reads the identity card. | يقرأ الموظف بطاقة الهوية.yaqra'u al-muwazhzhafu bitâqata al-huwiyyati. |
By combining these rules, you can express complex administrative requests with precise grammatical cases:
| He requested a signature and a copy of the card. | طلب توقيعا ونسخة من البطاقة.talaba tawqî'an wa nuskhatan mina al-bitâqati |
Seeing the endings
Of the three accusative endings, only one is visible without vowel marks: the alif of ـًا (توقيعا). The others are heard, not seen:
| as written | fully vocalized |
|---|---|
| طلب الموظف توقيعا. | طَلَبَ المُوَظَّفُ تَوْقِيعًا. |
| ملأ المدير استمارة. | مَلَأَ المُدِيرُ اسْتِمَارَةً. |
| هم دفعوا الرسوم واستلموا التأشيرة. | هُمْ دَفَعُوا الرُّسُومَ وَاسْتَلَمُوا التَّأْشِيرَةَ. |
توقيعًا shows its ending as a letter. On اسْتِمَارَةً the ending sits on the ة, and on the definite الرُّسُومَ it is a single fatha. You hear both, but neither is written in the drills.
