Log inSign up

السيارة في جانب الشارع.

السيارة في جانب الشارع.as-sayyâratu fî jânibi ash-shâri'i.
The car is on the side of the street.
From Lesson 74:The genitive case (ـِ)·Arabic (Modern Standard)

Questions & Answers about السيارة في جانب الشارع.

Why doesn't جانب (side) have الـ (the) at the beginning?
Even though we say "the side" in English, جانب is the first word in an "Idafa" (possession or relationship) structure (جانب الشارع - the side of the street). The main rule for Idafa is that the first word never takes الـ.
What case ending does جانب have in this sentence?
It takes the genitive case (المجرور), meaning it ends with a short "i" vowel sound called a kasra (making it jaanibi). This happens simply because it comes directly after the preposition في.
What about الشارع (the street)? What case is it in?
It is also in the genitive case and ends with a kasra (ash-shaari'i). However, the reason is different: in any Idafa, the second word (the "owner" or "possessor") is always in the genitive case.
The English translation says "on the side", but doesn't في mean "in"?
Yes, في normally means "in", but Arabic naturally uses it to describe being located at a side or border. English prefers "on" or "at" for streets, but prepositions often don't translate word-for-word between languages!

Learn السيارة في جانب الشارع 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
Start learning Arabic →