Questions & Answers about هو يعتقد أن الموعد اليوم.
Why is there no word for is in أن الموعد اليوم?
In Arabic, the verb to be is usually omitted in the present tense.
So:
- الموعد اليوم literally looks like the appointment today
- but it means the appointment is today
This is called a nominal sentence. Arabic often says the equivalent of X today / X important / X here without adding a present-tense is or are.
If you wanted the past or future, Arabic would usually show that more explicitly, for example with كان for was.
What exactly is أن doing here?
Here أن means that and introduces a subordinate clause:
- هو يعتقد = he thinks / believes
- أن الموعد اليوم = that the appointment is today
So the whole structure is:
- هو يعتقد + أن + clause
A very important note: in fully vocalized Arabic, this is أَنَّ (with a doubled n sound), not the other أَنْ used before verbs.
What is the difference between أَنَّ and أَنْ?
This is one of the most common learner questions, because both are usually written as أن without vowels.
They are different words: