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### The Genitive Case (المجرور)

In the previous lesson, we saw how the Nominative case (marked with a Damma) indicates the subject of a sentence. Now, we will look at the second major grammatical case: the Genitive case.

The Genitive case is marked by the short vowel ـِ (Kasra). Just like with the Nominative case, if a noun is indefinite, the ending is doubled, written as ـٍ (Tanwin Kasra).

A noun is placed in the Genitive case primarily in two situations: when it follows a preposition, and when it is the second part of a possession chain.

### Nouns After Prepositions

Whenever a noun comes directly after a preposition—such as في (in), إلى (to), or على (on)—it takes the Genitive case. 

If the noun has an attached adjective, that adjective must match its grammatical case. In the second example below, notice how both the indefinite noun and its adjective take the ـٍ ending:

{{item:1120428}}

{{item:1120416}}

### Possession Chains (Idafa)

Arabic expresses possession or creates compound concepts (like "city center" or "police station") by placing two nouns side by side. This grammatical structure is called an Idafa (إضافة).

In an Idafa, the first noun's case depends on its role in the larger sentence. However, the second noun (which specifies or "possesses" the first) is **always** in the Genitive case. 

Notice how the first word in the following sentence is the subject, while the second noun takes the Genitive case:

{{item:1120413}}

### Combining Prepositions and Idafa

Often, an Idafa structure will follow a preposition. When this happens, both nouns take the Kasra vowel, but for two different reasons:

- The first noun is Genitive because it immediately follows a preposition.
- The second noun is Genitive because it is the second part of the Idafa.

Notice how the preposition forces the entire possession chain into the Genitive case, creating a rhythmic sequence of Kasra endings:

{{item:1120412}}

{{item:1120436}}

{{item:1120439}}

### Seeing the endings

The drills are written without vowel marks, as everyday Arabic is, so the kasra is something you hear rather than see. Written out in full:

| as written | fully vocalized | why |
|---|---|---|
| نحن في مركز المدينة. | نَحْنُ فِي مَرْكَزِ المَدِينَةِ. | مَرْكَزِ after في; المَدِينَةِ second in the idafa |
| هم يسكنون في منطقة واسعة. | هُمْ يَسْكُنُونَ فِي مِنْطَقَةٍ وَاسِعَةٍ. | indefinite noun and its adjective: ـٍ |
| أين مركز الشرطة؟ | أَيْنَ مَرْكَزُ الشُّرْطَةِ؟ | مَرْكَزُ is nominative, only الشُّرْطَةِ is genitive |

The genitive case (ـِ)

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)

Indefinite nouns and nominal sentences (ـٌ)

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 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
center	مركزmarkaz
We are in the center of the city.	نحن في مركز المدينة.naḥnu fî markazi al-madîna
Where is the police center?	أين مركز الشرطة؟ayna markazu ash-shurtati
area	منطقةmintaqah
This is a very beautiful area.	هذه منطقة جميلة جدا.hâdhihi minṭaqatun jamîlatun jiddan
They live in a spacious area.	هم يسكنون في منطقة واسعة.hum yaskunoona fee mintaqatin wâsi'ah
station	محطةmahatta
Are you at the train station?	هل أنت في محطة القطار؟hal anta fi mahattati l-qitâr?
We wait in front of the bus station.	ننتظر أمام محطة الحافلة.nantazhiru amâma mahattati l-hâfilati
side	جانبjânib
The car is on the side of the street.	السيارة في جانب الشارع.as-sayyâratu fî jânibi ash-shâri'i.
He walks to the side of the river.	هو يمشي إلى جانب النهر.huwa yamshî ilâ jânibi n-nahr.
middle	وسطwasat
He sits in the middle of the room.	هو يجلس في وسط الغرفة.huwa yajlisu fi wasati l-ghurfah
What are you doing in the middle of the garden?	ماذا تفعل في وسط الحديقة؟mâdhâ taf'alu fî wasati l-hadîqati?
capital	عاصمةâsima
The hotel is in the capital of the country.	الفندق في عاصمة البلد.al-funduqu fi 'âsimati al-baladi
He traveled to the capital.	سافر إلى العاصمة.sâfara ilâ al-'âsimah
administration	إدارةidâra
This is the company's administration office.	هذا مكتب إدارة الشركة.hâdhâ maktabu idârati ash-sharikah.
He works in the hospital's administration.	يعمل في إدارة المستشفى.ya'malu fi idârati l-mustashfâ
pocket	جيبjayb
The pen is in the pocket of the bag.	القلم في جيب الحقيبة.al-qalamu fî jaybi l-haqîbah
Is the key in your pocket?	هل المفتاح في جيبك؟hal al-miftâhu fî jaybika
ceiling / roof	سقفsaqf
The cat is on the roof of the house.	القط على سقف البيت.al-qittu 'alâ saqfi l-bayti.
He is looking at the ceiling of the room.	هو ينظر إلى سقف الغرفة.huwa yanzuru ilâ saqfi l-ghurfati
corner	زاويةzâwiya
The chair is in the corner of the office.	الكرسي في زاوية المكتب.al-kursiyyu fî zâwiyati al-maktabi.
He puts the bag in the corner of the room.	يضع الحقيبة في زاوية الغرفة.yada'u al-haqîbata fî zâwiyati al-ghurfati.
opposite (+ noun)	مقابلmuqâbila
The bank is opposite the station.	البنك مقابل المحطة.al-banku muqâbilu al-maḥaṭṭa
The restaurant is opposite the hospital.	المطعم مقابل المستشفى.al-mat'amu muqâbila al-mustashfâ

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