This is the reason why its usage has wider significance in standard Arabic than in many other languages. However, in this introductory lesson, we limit our discussion to possessive phrases in its widely understood simplest form.
Possessive phrase is one of the important types of phrases that exists in Standard Arabic. It reflects how the ownership or the belongingness of something or someone is expressed.
Possessive phrase is one of the important types of phrases that exists in Standard Arabic. It reflects how the ownership or the belongingness of something or someone is expressed.
For example:
Book of a student
كِتَابُ طَالِبٍ
Khalid’s sister
أُخْتُ خَالِدٍ
These are possessive phrases.
Notice carefully how these possessive phrases are formed in standard Arabic.
ُExample: 01
قَلَمُ طَالِبٍ
A student’s pen
Phrase element 01 : قَلَمٌ - Pen
Phrase element 02 : طَالِبٌ - Student
ُExample : 02
أُخْتُ خَالِدٍ
Khalid’s sister
Phrase element 01 : أُخْتٌ - sister
Phrase element 02 : خَالِدٌ - Khalid (a person’s name)
You would have noticed from the above examples, two nouns being added with each other, in order to form possessive phrases. Certain rules have to be followed when these nouns are added, to make the possessive phrases grammatically accurate. Let's briefly discuss these rules.
Nouns
Now come back to the examples again:
قَلَمُ طَالِبٍ : A student’s pen
This phrase consists of two elements (two nouns).
In standard Arabic grammar, the first element is known as مُضَاف and the second elements is known as مُضَافُ إِلَيْهِ.
In this sentence,
We will have a closer look at both of these elements.
مُضَافُ إِلَيْهِ refers to someone or something who / that owns or possesses the thing, that we are talking about. مُضَاف إِلَيْهِ should always appear in مَجْرُوْر case. It accepts Thanween and Alif-Laam.
Before finishing the lesson, let me give you a set of examples.
كِتَابُ طَالِبٍ
Khalid’s sister
أُخْتُ خَالِدٍ
These are possessive phrases.
Notice carefully how these possessive phrases are formed in standard Arabic.
ُExample: 01
قَلَمُ طَالِبٍ
A student’s pen
Phrase element 01 : قَلَمٌ - Pen
Phrase element 02 : طَالِبٌ - Student
ُExample : 02
أُخْتُ خَالِدٍ
Khalid’s sister
Phrase element 01 : أُخْتٌ - sister
Phrase element 02 : خَالِدٌ - Khalid (a person’s name)
You would have noticed from the above examples, two nouns being added with each other, in order to form possessive phrases. Certain rules have to be followed when these nouns are added, to make the possessive phrases grammatically accurate. Let's briefly discuss these rules.
Nouns
Do you remember that Alif-laam and Thanween are two major symbols of standard Arabic common nouns?
Do you remember that Thanween and Alif-laam could never co-occur in a single noun?
If you are unable to remember or if what I am talking about doesn’t make any sense, please go through my presentation on standard Arabic nouns.
قَلَمُ طَالِبٍ : A student’s pen
This phrase consists of two elements (two nouns).
In standard Arabic grammar, the first element is known as مُضَاف and the second elements is known as مُضَافُ إِلَيْهِ.
In this sentence,
مُضَافٌ (the thing which is possessed) is قَلَمٌ (pen), and مُضَافُ إِلَيْهِ (the pen is owned by) طَالِبٌ (a student).
We will have a closer look at both of these elements.
First Phrase element: مُضَاف
This refers to the thing which is owned or possessed. This is the first part of a possessive phrase. It could NEVER accept Thanween nor Alif-laam.This is the reason why, the words قَلَم and كِتَاب have come with Dhamma, in the phrases, without Thanween or Alif Laam.
Default case of this element is رَفْعٌ / مَرْفُوْعٌ .
It could change into other cases, depending on its grammatical position.
Second Phrase element: مُضَاف إِلَيهِ
This indicates the person or the thing that possesses the first element.It always comes in جَر / مَجْرُور case. It could never change into other cases. However, this element would accept either Thanween or Alif-laam.
Book of a student : كِتَابُ طَالِبٍ
Book of the student : كِتَابُ الطَّالِبِ
In the first example, the word طالِب (student) comes with Thanween. So it indicates indefinite meaning.
Book of the student : كِتَابُ الطَّالِبِ
In the first example, the word طالِب (student) comes with Thanween. So it indicates indefinite meaning.
In the second example, the word has come up with Alil-laam. So, it indicates definite meaning.
Few words about the standard Arabic case system (الإعْرَابُ) and how it is related to possessive phrases
In our lesson about standard arabic particles, we briefly discussed the Arabic case system.So we know that the default case of nouns is always رفع / مَرْفُوْعٌ.
This case is often indicated by its basic symbol ضَمَّة.
It is necessary for us to have a basic understanding of the case system in relation to possessive phrases.
The first element of the possessive phrase, مُضَاف appears in its default form of رَفْعٌ, like in any other noun.
The first element of the possessive phrase, مُضَاف appears in its default form of رَفْعٌ, like in any other noun.
You know that the basic symbol of رَفْع is ضمة and it has other subordinate and hypothetical symbols, as well.
In accordance with the grammatical position, the case of مُضَاف could change into نَصْب and جَرّ cases.
Go through the following examples :
فِي يَوْمِ الجُمُعَةِ
“On Friday” (literally, on the day of Friday)
What is the مُضَاف, the first element, of this phrase? يَوْم : Day
فِي يَوْمِ الجُمُعَةِ
“On Friday” (literally, on the day of Friday)
What is the مُضَاف, the first element, of this phrase? يَوْم : Day
What is the default case of مُضَاف, the first element, in this phrase? رَفْع. However, in this example, its case has changed into جَر case, as a result of the preceding particle فِيْ) . فِيْ is a particle that changes the case of the succeeding noun into جَرٌّ case). However, there is no change in the case of the second element, مُضَاف إِلَيْهِ.
The way how nouns in a possessive phrase are utilised is summarised below.
مُضَاف is the thing which is possessed. It never accept Alif-Laam or Thanween. Its default case is رَفْعٌ / مَرْفُوْع . For the grammatical necessity, it could change into نَصْب and جَرُّ cases.
مُضَافُ إِلَيْهِ refers to someone or something who / that owns or possesses the thing, that we are talking about. مُضَاف إِلَيْهِ should always appear in مَجْرُوْر case. It accepts Thanween and Alif-Laam.
Before finishing the lesson, let me give you a set of examples.
Book of Allah
كِتِابُ اللهِ
Messenger of Allah
Messenger of Allah
رَسُولُ اللهِ
The door of the house
The door of the house
بَابُ البَيْتِ
The book of the student
The book of the student
كِتَابُ الطَّالِبِ
The pen of student
The pen of student
قَلَمُ طَالِبٍ
The leaf of the tree
The leaf of the tree
وَرَقَةُ الشَّجَرَةِ
The key of the door
The key of the door
مِفْتَاحُ البَابِ
The name of the man
اِسْمُ الرَّجُلِ
Adhan of Fajr prayer
أذانُ الفَجْرِ
Minister of Education
وَزِيرُ التَّعْلِيمِ
Today’s question
سُؤَالُ اليَوْمِ
Student of the university
طَالِبُ الجَامِعَةِ
Story of the King
قِصَّةُ المَلِكِ
Message of the manager
رِسَالَةُ المُدِيرِ
Finance Manager
(Literally, manager of the finance)
مُدِيْرُ المالِ
Law of the country
قَانُونُ البَلَدِ
Manager of the company
مُدِيْرُ الشَّرِكَةِ
Possessive phrases have two elements.
The name of the man
اِسْمُ الرَّجُلِ
Adhan of Fajr prayer
أذانُ الفَجْرِ
Minister of Education
وَزِيرُ التَّعْلِيمِ
Today’s question
سُؤَالُ اليَوْمِ
Student of the university
طَالِبُ الجَامِعَةِ
Story of the King
قِصَّةُ المَلِكِ
Message of the manager
رِسَالَةُ المُدِيرِ
Finance Manager
(Literally, manager of the finance)
مُدِيْرُ المالِ
Law of the country
قَانُونُ البَلَدِ
Manager of the company
مُدِيْرُ الشَّرِكَةِ
Lesson Summary
Possessive phrases have a wider significance in standard Arabic.Possessive phrases have two elements.
First element is known as مُضَاف (The thing which is possessed).
Second element is known as مُضَاف إِلَيْهِ (Possessed by).
The first element, مُضَاف NEVER accepts Alif-laam or Thanween.
The second element, مُضَاف إلَيْهِ could either come up with Alif-laam or Thanween.
Default case of the first element, مُضَاف, is رَفْعٌ . It could change into نَصب or جَرٌّ, where it is necessary, depending on the grammatical position.
The case of the second element, مُضَاف إِلَيْهِ, is ALWAYS جَرّ case. This case could NEVER change into رَفْع or نَصْبٌ.
The first element, مُضَاف NEVER accepts Alif-laam or Thanween.
The second element, مُضَاف إلَيْهِ could either come up with Alif-laam or Thanween.
Default case of the first element, مُضَاف, is رَفْعٌ . It could change into نَصب or جَرٌّ, where it is necessary, depending on the grammatical position.
The case of the second element, مُضَاف إِلَيْهِ, is ALWAYS جَرّ case. This case could NEVER change into رَفْع or نَصْبٌ.
