Breakdown of طبعا، أنا أعرفه.
أناana
I
هhu
his / him (object) / it (dummy pronoun after لأن)
عرفarafa
to know
طبعاtab'an
of course
Questions & Answers about طبعا، أنا أعرفه.
Why does طبعا end with an extra Alif and two little lines, but sounds like 'an'?
The two lines are a pronunciation mark called tanween. It adds an 'an' sound to the end of a word. In Arabic, this ending is often used to make a word function like an adverb (a descriptive word). The Alif is just a silent placeholder for these lines. So طبع (nature) becomes طبعا (naturally or of course).
Why do we use the separate word أنا (I) if the verb أعرفه already tells us who is doing the action?
You do not strictly need it! The verb prefix أ at the start of أعرفه already means 'I'. Adding the separate pronoun أنا before it is optional. It is often used for emphasis, contrast, or just to make the sentence sound smoother. Saying just طبعا، أعرفه is perfectly correct too.
Where is the word for 'him' in أعرفه?
It is attached directly to the end of the verb! The final letter ـه is an attached pronoun meaning 'him' or 'it'. Unlike in English, Arabic object pronouns stick to the end of the verb to form a single word.
How do I know أعرفه is in the present tense?
You can tell by the prefix أ at the beginning of the core verb. Present tense verbs in Arabic always start with specific letters (like أ for 'I', ي for 'he', or ت for 'she' and 'you'). Past tense verbs work differently and change at the end instead of the beginning.
Learn طبعا، أنا أعرفه and more in Arabic
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free