Breakdown of صحيح أن الحافلات بطيئة، لكنها رخيصة.
الal
the
بطيءbatee'
slow
هاhâ
her / her (object) / it (feminine)
حافلةhâfila
bus
Questions & Answers about صحيح أن الحافلات بطيئة، لكنها رخيصة.
Why is the suffix ـها used in لكنها when referring to buses, which is a plural word?
In Arabic, non-human plurals like الحافلات (buses) are grammatically treated as singular feminine. Therefore, the pronoun attached to لكن (but) must be the singular feminine ـها (-haa), and the adjectives describing the buses, بطيئة (slow) and رخيصة (cheap), are also in their singular feminine forms.
Since أن makes the following noun accusative, shouldn't الحافلات end with a fatha?
Usually, yes! However, الحافلات is a sound feminine plural (a plural ending in ـات). A special rule for these words is that they take a kasra (an "i" sound) in the accusative case instead of a fatha. If you read it aloud with full endings, it is pronounced anna al-haafilaati, not anna al-haafilaata.
Why do we use أن (anna) here instead of إن (inna)?
We use أن (anna) because it acts as a conjunction meaning "that" joining a clause. إن (inna) is generally used at the very beginning of a sentence or immediately after the verb meaning "to say" (قال). Since this clause is introduced by the adjective صحيح (true), أن is the correct grammatical choice.
What is the difference between لكن (laakin) and لكنّ (laakinna), and which one is used here in لكنها?