Breakdown of ليس لأحد صلاحية دخول هذا القسم الحساس سوى المديرة.
هذاhâdhâ
this (m)
مديرmudîr
manager
لli
for, to (attached)
ليسlaysa
to not be
أحدaḥad
someone / anyone
قسمqism
department
دخولdukhûl
entry
سوىsiwâ
except
صلاحيةsalâhiyya
clearance
حساسhassâs
sensitive
Questions & Answers about ليس لأحد صلاحية دخول هذا القسم الحساس سوى المديرة.
How does the word سوى affect the word that comes after it?
In Arabic, سوى is technically a noun meaning "other than," but it is used to mean "except." Because it is a noun, it forms an Idafa (possession/construct) structure with the word that follows it. That is why المديرة (the female manager) must be in the genitive case, taking a Kasra at the end: سوى المديرةِ.
Why do we use ليس لأحد to mean "No one has"?
To say someone "does not have" something in formal Arabic, we often use ليس (is not) followed by the preposition لِـ (to/for). Literally, ليس لأحد صلاحية means "There is not to anyone a clearance." This structure often delays the subject (صلاحية) so it comes later, while the prepositional phrase (لأحد) jumps right next to ليس.
Why don't the words صلاحية (clearance) and دخول (entering) have الـ (the) attached to them?
They form a chain called a complex Idafa (possession structure) that translates literally to "the clearance of the entering of this department." In an Idafa chain, only the final element can be made naturally definite with الـ (the) or a word like هذا (this). The preceding words in the chain (صلاحية and دخول) must drop the الـ but are still understood as definite.
What case is القسم الحساس (the sensitive department) in, and why?
Both words are in the genitive case. The word هذا (this) is the final piece of the Idafa chain after دخول, which puts it in a genitive position. When a noun starting with الـ (like القسم) directly follows a demonstrative pronoun like هذا, it grammatically substitutes for it and copies its case. Therefore, القسم takes a genitive Kasra, and its adjective الحساس matches it.
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