Language/Moroccan-arabic/Grammar/Direct-and-Indirect-Object-Clauses

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Moroccan Arabic Grammar → Relative Clauses → Direct and Indirect Object Clauses

As a beginner learning Moroccan Arabic, you may come across direct and indirect object clauses often. Understanding these clauses will help you to construct more complex sentences and communicate more effectively in spoken and written Arabic. In this lesson, we will explore how to form direct and indirect object clauses in Moroccan Arabic.

Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Comparative and Superlative Adjectives & The Genitive Case in Moroccan Arabic.

Direct Object Clauses

A direct object clause is a clause that acts as the object of a verb. In Moroccan Arabic, direct object clauses are formed by using a relative pronoun followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood.

For example:

Moroccan Arabic	Pronunciation	English
الشيء اللي كنديره	ash-shay' illi kandiruhu	the thing that I do
الفيلم اللي شفتو	al-film illi shuftuh	the movie that I watched
الشخص اللي كيتكلم معايا	ash-shakhs illi kaytakallam ma'aya	the person that speaks to me
القرار اللي كناخدو	al-qarar illi kanakhdou	the decision that we take

In the examples above, the relative pronoun "illi" is used to introduce the object clause. The verb that follows it is in the subjunctive mood.

To form a direct object clause, first identify the relative pronoun that corresponds with the appropriate gender and number of the noun referred to in the clause. The verb that follows should be in the subjunctive mood.

For example:

• هادشي اللي غيرتي فيه كان خطأ. (hadshi illi ghirti fih kan khta' - "what you changed was wrong")

In this example, the relative pronoun "illi" is used to introduce the direct object clause. The verb "khta'" is in the subjunctive mood.

Indirect Object Clauses

An indirect object clause is a clause that acts as the indirect object of a sentence. In Moroccan Arabic, indirect object clauses are formed by using a relative pronoun followed by the particle "li" and a verb in the subjunctive mood.

For example:

Moroccan Arabic	Pronunciation	English
الشيء اللي كندير ليه	ash-shay' illi kandir lih	the thing that I do for him/her
الحديث اللي كنقل ليه	al-hadith illi kanqol lih	the conversation that I tell him/her
المكان اللي كنروح ليه	al-makan illi kanruh lih	the place that we go to

In the examples above, the relative pronoun "illi" is used to introduce the indirect object clause. The particle "li" comes after "illi" and precedes the verb in the subjunctive mood. "Lih" means "to him/her."

To form an indirect object clause, first identify the relative pronoun that corresponds with the appropriate gender and number of the noun referred to in the clause. Then add the particle "li" and the verb in the subjunctive mood.

For example:

• هاد الكلام اللي كنقول ليكم تكونوا فاهمين. (had klam illi kanqul likom tkunu fahmin - "the thing that I am saying to you all is that you should understand")

In this example, the relative pronoun "illi" is followed by the particle "li" and the verb "tkunu" in the subjunctive mood.

Conclusion

In conclusion, direct and indirect object clauses are important structures in Moroccan Arabic. By mastering these structures, you will be able to communicate more effectively in spoken and written Arabic. Remember to use the appropriate relative pronouns and verb conjugations to form your clauses.

Sources

• Moroccan Arabic
• Moroccan Arabic grammar

Impressive work on finishing this lesson! Explore these additional pages to enhance your understanding: How to use “can” in Moroccan Arabic & Present Continuous in Moroccan Arabic.

Table of Contents - Moroccan Arabic Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction

• Alphabet and Writing
• Pronunciation

  ---

Greetings and Basic Phrases

• Introducing Yourself and Others
• Asking for Directions
• Numbers and Counting

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Gender and Plurals
• Demonstratives
• Possessive Pronouns

  ---

Food and Drink

• Ordering Food in a Restaurant
• Describing Food
• Beverages and Ordering Drinks

  ---

Verbs

• Present Tense
• Past Tense
• Future Tense

  ---

House and Home

• Rooms and Furniture
• Household Chores
• Renting an Apartment

  ---

Adjectives

• Adjective Agreement
• Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

  ---

Traditions and Customs

• Weddings and Celebrations
• Greetings and Etiquette

  ---

Prepositions

• Directional Prepositions
• Temporal Prepositions

  ---

Transportation

• Taking a Taxi
• Public Transportation

  ---

Imperative Mood

• Affirmative Imperative
• Negative Imperative

  ---

Shopping and Bargaining

• Shopping for Clothes
• At the Market
• Bargaining and Haggling

  ---

Historical Sites and Landmarks

• The Medina
• Kasbahs

  ---

Relative Clauses

• Direct and Indirect Object Clauses
• Relative Pronouns

  ---

Health and Emergencies

• At the Hospital
• Emergencies and First Aid

  ---

Passive Voice

• Formation of Passive Constructions
• Uses of the Passive

  ---

Leisure and Entertainment

• Music and Dance
• Sports and Activities

  ---

Holidays and Festivals

• Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha
• Ramadan

  ---

Conditional Mood

• Formation of the Conditional
• Uses of the Conditional

  ---

Regional Dialects

• Darija and Other Dialects
• Language Use and Social Context

  ---

Indirect Speech

• Reported Speech
• Indirect Questions

  ---

Weather and Climate

• Describing the Weather
• Seasons and Climate

Other Lessons

• Verbs "to have", "to be" and "to do"
• Reported Speech
• The verb "To leave"
• Give your Opinion
• The Verb "To Talk"
• Verb “to want”
• Relative Pronouns
• Demonstratives
• Adjective Agreement
• Adjectives

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