Language/Standard-arabic/Grammar/Negation

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Standard Arabic Grammar - Negation

Hi Standard Arabic learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will be learning about negation in Standard Arabic. Negation is the grammatical term for creating a negative statement, or a statement that denies something. It is an important concept to master in any language, as knowing how to negate a sentence will allow you to say exactly what you mean.

Consider broadening your understanding by checking out these related lessons: Future Tense, Standard Arabic Grammar → Verbs and conjugation in Arabic ..., Nouns & DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS.

Basics of Negation

In Standard Arabic, creating a negative statement is a relatively simple process. To negate a sentence, all you need to do is add the word "لا" (laa) before the verb. This is quite different from English, where we use auxiliary verbs, such as "do" or "will", to create negative sentences.

For example:

Standard Arabic	Pronunciation	English
لا أحب الكرات	laa uhibbu al-kurata	I don't like balls

In the above example, we have simply added "لا" before the verb "أحب" (uhibbu), which means "I like". Notice that there is no need to add an auxiliary verb, as we might in English.

Exceptions with Past Tense Verbs

When using negation with past tense verbs, things get slightly more complicated. To negate a sentence with a past tense verb, we must add "لم" (lam) before the verb, and "لا" (laa) before the subject.

For example:

Standard Arabic	Pronunciation	English
لم أذهب للمتجر	lam athhabu lil-matjar	I didn't go to the store

In the above example, we have added "لم" before the verb "أذهب" (athhabu), which means "I go". We have also added "لا" before the subject "أنا" (ana), which means "I".

Once you have understood these basic concepts, you will be able to create negative statements with ease.

Common Negatives - Nothing, Never and Nobody

There are some words in Arabic that are commonly used to create negative statements. Here are a few of the most common:

Nothing - لا شيئ (laa shay’in)
Never - لم يفعل أبدا (lam yaf’al ‘abadan)
Nobody - لا أحد (laa ahad)

Let's see how these words can be used in sentences:

Standard Arabic	Pronunciation	English
لا يوجد شيئ في الثلاجة	laa yujadu shay'un fi al-thalaja	There is nothing in the fridge
لم يتصل بي أحد اليوم	lam yatasallal bi ahad al-yawm	Nobody called me today
لم أذهب إلى هناك أبدا	lam athhabu ila hunak abadan	I never went there

Dialogue

Here is an example of a dialogue which demonstrates how negation can be used in conversation:

Person 1: هل تحب اللون الأحمر؟ (hal tuhibbu al-lawna al-ahmara?) - Do you like the color red?
Person 2: لا، لا أحبه (laa, laa uhibbuhu) - No, I don't like it.

Tips and Tricks

To solidify your understanding of negation, try practicing with some of the examples above. You can also look for other examples on Polyglot Club and ask for feedback from native speakers.

For more information on Standard Arabic grammar, visit the Standard Arabic section on the Polyglot Club website.

Sources

Other Lessons

Table of Contents - Standard Arabic Course - 0 to A1

Course Presentation

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

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