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### The Privative Prefix اللا-

In theoretical physics (**الفيزياء النظرية**), you often encounter concepts that are defined by what they are not. In Arabic, you can form negative adjectives (like "invisible") and abstract nouns (like "uncertainty") by attaching the privative prefix **اللا-** directly to a word.

This prefix is a combination of the definite article **الـ** and the negating particle **لا**. Because it inherently includes the definite article, any noun or adjective taking this prefix is grammatically definite.

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### Relativity and the Infinite

The prefix **اللا-** is incredibly useful for describing concepts that go beyond normal bounds, such as "unlimited" time or space.

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### Weightlessness and Asymmetry

By attaching **اللا-** to common nouns, you effortlessly create new abstract nouns. For instance, attaching it to the word for weight (**وزن**) gives you "weightlessness" (**اللاوزن**), and attaching it to symmetry (**تماثل**) gives you "asymmetry" (**اللاتماثل**).

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### Scale and the Unexpected

You can also attach **اللا-** to participles and adjectives to describe the unexpected (**اللامتوقع**) or infinity (**اللانهاية**).

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The "non-" and "un-" prefix (اللا-)

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 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)

Question	Answer
physics	فيزياءfizyâ'
theoretical	نظريnazhari
non- / un- (prefix)	اللاal-lâ
Theoretical physics studies the invisible universe.	تدرس الفيزياء النظرية الكون اللامرئي.tadrusu al-fîzyâ'u an-nazariyyatu al-kawna al-lâmar'iyya
mechanics	ميكانيكاmikânikâ
quantum	كميkammi
Quantum mechanics is built on the principle of uncertainty.	الميكانيكا الكمية مبنية على مبدأ اللايقين.al-mîkânîkâ al-kammiyyah mabniyyah 'alâ mabda'i l-lâyaqîn
particle	جسيمjusaym
The researcher began observing the quantum particle.	أخذ الباحث يراقب الجسيم الكمي.akhadha al-bâhithu yurâqibu al-jusayma al-kammiyya
relativity	نسبيةnisbiyya
curvature	انحناءinhinâ'
The theory of relativity explains the curvature of space and gravity.	تشرح نظرية النسبية انحناء الفضاء والجاذبية.tashrahu nazariyyatu an-nisbiyyati inhinâ'a al-fadâ'i wal-jâdhibiyyah
equation	معادلةmu'âdala
The equations of relativity describe the unlimited time.	تصف معادلات النسبية الزمن اللامحدود.tasifu mu'âdalâtu an-nisbiyyati az-zamana al-lâmahdûda.
expansion	تمددtamaddud
The expansion of the universe began to increase.	أخذ تمدد الكون يزيد.akhadha tamaddudu alkawni yazeedu
The equation explains the expansion of the universe and the curvature of space.	تشرح المعادلة تمدد الكون وانحناء الفضاء.tashrahu al-mu'âdalatu tamaddoda al-kawni wa-inhinâ'a al-fadâ'i
The theoretical particles move in weightlessness.	تتحرك الجسيمات النظرية في اللاوزن.tataharraku al-jusaymâtu an-nazariyyatu fî al-lâwazni
Physics equations prove the asymmetry in matter.	تثبت معادلات الفيزياء اللاتماثل في المادة.tuthbitu mu'âdalâtu alfîzyâ'i allâtamâthula fî almâddati
scale (measurement, proportion)	مقياسmiqyâs
Mechanics studies energy at the infinite scale.	تدرس الميكانيكا الطاقة على المقياس اللانهائي.tadrusu al-mîkânîkâ at-tâqata 'alâ al-miqyâsi al-lânihâ'iyyi
The female researcher observes the particle moving on a small scale.	تراقب الباحثة الجسيم يتحرك على مقياس صغير.turâqibu al-bâhithatu al-jusayma yataharraku 'alâ miqyâsin saghîr
The female professor discovered the unexpected in physics.	اكتشفت الأستاذة اللامتوقع في الفيزياء.iktashafat al-ustâdhatu l-lâmutawaqqa'a fî l-fîzyâ'
The student understood the principle of weightlessness.	فهم الطالب مبدأ اللاوزن.fahima at-tâlib mabda'a al-lâwazani.
The scientist discovered the infinite space.	اكتشف العالم الفضاء اللامحدود.iktashafa al-'âlimu al-fadâ'a al-lâmahdûda.
The researcher explained asymmetry in theoretical physics.	فسرت الباحثة اللاتماثل في الفيزياء النظرية.fassarati al-bâhithatu allâtamâthula fi al-fîziyâ'i an-nazariyyah
The professor proved infinity in the quantum equation.	أثبت الأستاذ اللانهاية في المعادلة الكمية.athbata al-ustâdhu al-lânihâyata fî al-mu'âdalati al-kammiyyati.
The student studied weightlessness in the vehicle.	درست الطالبة اللاوزن في المركبة.darasati t-tâlibatu l-lâwazna fi l-markabah