Language/Sanaani-arabic/Grammar/Pronouns
Hi Sanaani Arabic learners! ๐
In this lesson, we will be discussing pronouns in Sanaani Arabic. Pronouns are essential parts of any language, as they replace nouns in a sentence. The aim of this lesson is to provide you with the necessary skills to understand and use pronouns in the Arabic language. Understanding the use of pronouns is also crucial to mastering Sanaani Arabic communication skills. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use pronouns with confidence in spoken and written Sanaani Arabic.
Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: Plurals & Questions.
What are Pronouns?[edit | edit source]
In Sanaani Arabic, like in English, pronouns are words used in place of a noun, e.g. "She" instead of "Maryam" or "They" instead of "The people".
Pronouns can be used in different ways, such as subject pronouns, object pronouns, possessive pronouns, and reflexive pronouns. However, for this lesson, we will focus on the basic forms of pronouns, which are subject pronouns and object pronouns.
Subject Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Subject pronouns in Sanaani Arabic are used as the subject of a sentence, e.g. "I am hungry," or "You are tired." They are as follows:
| Sanaani Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ุฃูููุง/ุฃูููููู | สพanฤ / สพanii | I / Me |
| ุฃูููุชู/ุฃูููุชู | สพanta / สพanti | You (masculine singular) / You (feminine singular) |
| ูููู | huwa | He |
| ูููู | hiya | She |
| ุฅููููููููุง | iihaa | It (feminine singular) |
| ุฅูููููู | iih | It (masculine singular) |
| ุฅูุญูููุง | iแธฅnฤ | We (inclusive) |
| ููุชูููุง | watnaa | We (exclusive) |
| ุฅูููููุชููููู ูุง | intumaa | You (masculine dual) / You (feminine dual) |
| ุฅูููููุชูููู | intum | You (masculine plural) / You (feminine plural) |
| ูููู ููุง | hummaa | They (masculine dual) / They (feminine dual) |
| ููููู ูู | humma | They (masculine plural) / They (feminine plural) |
For instance, "ุฃูููุง ุทูุงููุจ" (สพanฤ แนญฤlib) means "I am a student," and "ุฅูููุชู ู ูุฏููููู" (สพanta muddin) means "You are busy".
It is important to note that, in Sanaani Arabic, it is common to use subject pronouns instead of possessive adjectives, e.g. "I am hungry" is "ุฃูููุง ุฌูุงุฆูุน" (สพanฤ jฤสพiสฟ) and not "ุฌูุงุฆูุนู" (jฤสพiสฟun).
Object Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Object pronouns in Sanaani Arabic are used as the object of a sentence, e.g. "He hit me," or "She saw him." They are as follows:
| Sanaani Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ูููููู | nii | Me |
| ูู / ุฃูููุชู / ุฃูููุชู | ka / สพanta / สพanti | You (singular) |
| ูููู / ูููู / ุฅููููููููุง / ุฅูููููู | huwa / hiya / iihaa / iih | Him / Her / It (feminine singular) / It (masculine singular) |
| ุฅูุญููููููููุง / ููุชูููุง | iแธฅnฤ / watnaa | Us (inclusive) / Us (exclusive) |
| ุฅูููููุชูููู ูุง / ุฅูููููุชูููู | intumaa / intum | You (dual) / You (plural) |
| ูููููู ูุง / ูููู ู | hummaa / hum | Them (dual) / Them (plural) |
For example, "ูููู ุฑูุฃูููููููู" (huwa raสพฤni) means "He saw me," and "ูููู ุถูุฑูุจููููููุชููู" (hiya แธarabathu) means "She hit him."
Pronoun Usage[edit | edit source]
Pronouns are generally used to avoid repetition in a sentence, e.g. "She saw him, and he saw her," instead of "Maryam saw Ahmad, and Ahmad saw Maryam." Pronouns are also used to refer to a specific person or thing without using their name, e.g. "He is the one who helped me," instead of "Ahmad is the one who helped me."
In Sanaani Arabic, subject pronouns are typically omitted if the subject is already known, e.g. "ุฑูุงุญููุง" (rฤแธฅลซ) means "They went." Object pronouns, on the other hand, are typically placed directly after the verb, e.g. "ุดูููุชููู" (shafthu) means "I saw him."
Examples[edit | edit source]
Let's have a dialogue between two people to understand the use of pronouns better.
- Person 1: "ูููููู ู ููุฌูููุฒููุง ููููู ูุฏูุฑูุณูุฉู ู ูุจูููุฑูุง." (hum yajhazลซ lil-madrasati mabkirฤn) ("They get ready for school early.")
- Person 2: "ุฃูุง ููู ูุงู." (สพanฤ kamaan) ("Me too.")
- Person 1: "ุฅูุญูููุง ุฏูุฑูุณูููุง ุงููุจูุงุฑูุญูุฉ." (iแธฅnฤ darasnฤ al-bฤriแธฅah) ("We studied yesterday.")
- Person 2: "ุฃูููุง ุงููููููู ู ุฌูุงููุณู ุฃูุฑูุงุฌูุน." (สพanฤ al-yawmi jฤlis สพarฤjiสฟ) ("I am sitting today reviewing.")
Tips[edit | edit source]
Here are some tips to remember when using pronouns in Sanaani Arabic:
1. Use object pronouns to replace the object of the sentence. 2. Place object pronouns directly after the verb. 3. Use subject pronouns to replace the subject of the sentence. 4. Omit the subject pronoun if the subject is already known. 5. Remember the difference between masculine and feminine pronouns. 6. Practice speaking and writing with pronouns.
Related topics[edit | edit source]
If you want to learn more about Sanaani Arabic Sanaani Arabic or Arabic Arabic in general, do not hesitate to visit the Polyglot Club website. You can find native speakers and ask them any questions! Furthermore, don't forget to visit the page on Grammar.
Sources[edit | edit source]
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