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### Yes/No Questions with هل

To turn a standard statement into a question that requires a "yes" or "no" answer, place the question particle هل at the very beginning of the sentence. It acts like "is," "are," "do," or "does" in English questions, and the rest of the Arabic sentence structure does not change.

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You can answer affirmative questions with نعم (yes), followed by your statement.

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This simple rule applies to both nominal (noun-based) sentences and verbal sentences.

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### The Question Particle أ and Alternatives (أم)

Arabic has a second question particle: أ. Unlike هل, it is a single prefix letter (a hamza) that attaches directly to the front of the first word in the sentence.

While هل and أ are often interchangeable for simple yes/no questions, أ is specifically required when offering an alternative choice. When asking someone to choose between two options (A or B), you pair the prefix أ with a special word for "or": أم.

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Notice how أ attaches to the beginning of the question, and أم sits between the two specific choices being offered.

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Yes/No questions (هل، أ)

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

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
manager	مديرmudîr
busy	مشغولmashghûl
Is the manager busy now?	هل المدير مشغول الآن؟hali al-mudîru mashghûlun al-âna?
tired	متعبmuta'ab
Are you tired now?	هل أنت متعب الآن؟hal anta mut'abun al-âna?
also	أيضاaydan
Yes, I am also tired.	نعم، أنا متعب أيضا.na'am, anâ mut'abun aydan
doctor	طبيبtabîb
Is the doctor in the hospital?	هل الطبيب في المستشفى؟hal at-tabîbu fi al-mustashfâ?
engineer	مهندسmuhandis
Is the engineer also busy?	هل المهندس مشغول أيضا؟hal al-muhandisu mashghûlun aydan?
is / are / do / does (question particle)	أa
or (in questions)	أمam
Are you a doctor or an engineer?	أأنت طبيب أم مهندس؟a'anta tabîbun am muhandisun
Is this man a manager or a doctor?	أهذا الرجل مدير أم طبيب؟a hâdhâ r-rajulu mudîrun am tabîbun
Is this car new or old?	أهذه السيارة جديدة أم قديمة؟a hâdhihi s-sayyâratu jadîdatun am qadîmatun?
Did the man go to the market?	هل ذهب الرجل إلى السوق؟hal dhahaba r-rajulu ilâ s-sûq?
yes (indeed)	أجلajal
Are you busy? Yes, I am busy.	هل أنت مشغول؟ أجل، أنا مشغول.hal anta mashghûlun? ajal, ana mashghûlun.
Is he a doctor? Yes indeed, he is a doctor.	أهو طبيب؟ أجل، هو طبيب.ahuwa tabîbun? ajal, huwa tabîbun.
no (not at all)	كلاkallâ
Is the manager tired? No, he is happy.	هل المدير متعب؟ كلا، هو سعيد.hal al-mudîru mut'abun? kallâ, huwa sa'îdun.
Is this an engineer? No, this is a doctor.	أهذا مهندس؟ كلا، هذا طبيب.a'hâdhâ muhandisun? kallâ, hâdhâ tabîbun.

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