سلسلة الكلب جنب القفص.

The dog leash is next to the cage.

Breakdown of سلسلة الكلب جنب القفص.

• جنب: next to
• قفص: the cage
• سلسلة كلب: the dog leash

Questions & Answers about سلسلة الكلب جنب القفص.

Why is there no word for is in this sentence?

In Arabic, the present-tense verb to be is usually not said. So سلسلة الكلب جنب القفص literally looks like the dog's chain next to the cage, but it naturally means The dog's chain is next to the cage.

You only add a verb like كان when you want past tense, and forms like رح يكون for future.

How does سلسلة الكلب mean the dog's chain?

This is an idafa construction, which is how Arabic commonly shows possession.

Structure:

• سلسلة = chain
• الكلب = the dog

Put together:

• سلسلة الكلب = the dog's chain / the chain of the dog

So instead of using 's or of, Arabic often just places two nouns next to each other.

Why doesn’t سلسلة have الـ even though the whole phrase is definite?

Because in an idafa, the first noun usually does not take الـ. The definiteness comes from the second noun.

So:

• سلسلة كلب = a dog's chain / a dog chain
• سلسلة الكلب = the dog's chain

Even without الـ on سلسلة, the whole phrase becomes definite because is definite.