Language/Standard-arabic/Grammar/Question-formation

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◀️ Question words — Previous Lesson Next Lesson — Formation and placement ▶️

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Standard ArabicGrammar0 to A1 Course → Interrogatives in Arabic → Question formation

In the previous lesson, we learned about the different question words in Arabic and their usage. Now, in this lesson, we will focus on how to form questions in Arabic. Forming questions in Arabic involves a few key components, including word order, verb conjugation, and the use of question particles. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently form and ask questions in Arabic.

Word Order in Questions[edit | edit source]

In Arabic, the word order in questions is slightly different from that of declarative sentences. In declarative sentences, the subject usually comes before the verb, but in questions, the verb typically comes before the subject. Let's look at an example:

Declarative sentence: أنا أذهب إلى المدرسة. (Ana adhabu ila al-madrasa.) I go to school.

Question: هل أنا أذهب إلى المدرسة؟ (Hal ana adhabu ila al-madrasa?) Do I go to school?

In the question, the verb "أذهب" (adhabu) comes before the subject "أنا" (ana). This change in word order indicates that it is a question.

Verb Conjugation in Questions[edit | edit source]

When forming questions in Arabic, it is important to conjugate the verb correctly. The verb conjugation depends on the subject of the sentence. Let's take a look at how to conjugate the verb "to go" (ذهب - dhahaba) in the present tense for different subjects:

أنا أذهب (Ana adhabu) - I go هل أنا أذهب؟ (Hal ana adhabu?) - Do I go?

أنت تذهب (Anta tadhabu) - You go (masculine singular) هل أنت تذهب؟ (Hal anta tadhabu?) - Do you go?

هو يذهب (Huwa yadhhabu) - He goes هل هو يذهب؟ (Hal huwa yadhhabu?) - Does he go?

هي تذهب (Hiya tadhabu) - She goes هل هي تذهب؟ (Hal hiya tadhabu?) - Does she go?

نحن نذهب (Nahnu nadhabu) - We go هل نحن نذهب؟ (Hal nahnu nadhabu?) - Do we go?

أنتم تذهبون (Antum tadhabuun) - You go (masculine plural) هل أنتم تذهبون؟ (Hal antum tadhabuun?) - Do you go?

هم يذهبون (Hum yadhhabuun) - They go هل هم يذهبون؟ (Hal hum yadhhabuun?) - Do they go?

As you can see, the verb "to go" (ذهب - dhahaba) is conjugated differently depending on the subject of the sentence. When forming questions, make sure to use the correct verb conjugation for the subject.

Question Particles[edit | edit source]

In addition to word order and verb conjugation, Arabic also uses question particles to indicate that a sentence is a question. The most common question particle in Arabic is "هل" (hal), which is placed at the beginning of a sentence. Let's see some examples:

هل تتكلم العربية؟ (Hal tatakallamu al-'arabiyya?) Do you speak Arabic?

هل تذهب إلى المدرسة؟ (Hal tadhhab ila al-madrasa?) Do you go to school?

هل تحب الطعام العربي؟ (Hal tuhibbu al-ta'am al-'arabi?) Do you like Arabic food?

In these examples, the question particle "هل" (hal) is used to indicate that the sentences are questions. It is important to include the question particle at the beginning of a question to clearly convey that it is not a declarative statement.

Conclusion[edit | edit source]

Congratulations! You have learned how to form questions in Arabic. Remember to use the correct word order, verb conjugation, and question particles to create questions. Practice forming questions with different verbs and subjects to improve your skills. In the next lesson, we will continue to explore interrogatives in Arabic by focusing on question words related to time and place. Stay tuned!

Table of Contents - Standard Arabic Course - 0 to A1[edit source]


Introduction to Arabic script


Nouns and gender in Arabic


Verbs and conjugation in Arabic


Numbers and counting in Arabic


Everyday Arabic vocabulary


Food and drink vocabulary


Arabic customs and traditions


Arabic music and entertainment


Adjectives in Arabic


Pronouns in Arabic


Prepositions in Arabic


Interrogatives in Arabic


Adverbs in Arabic


Transportation vocabulary


Shopping and money vocabulary


Arabic literature and poetry


Arabic calligraphy and art


Weather vocabulary


Conditional sentences in Arabic


Passive voice in Arabic


Relative clauses in Arabic


Arabic adjectives and nouns


Arabic cinema and TV


Arabic fashion and beauty


Sports and leisure vocabulary



Other Lessons[edit | edit source]



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