Arabic prepositions and particles (الحُروف والظروف) play a crucial role in determining sentence structure and meaning. Prepositions, such as “في” (in), “من” (from), and “إلى” (to), are used to indicate relationships between words and affect the grammatical case of nouns, while particles help connect ideas and clarify meaning in sentences.
Learning Arabic Prepositions and Particles will help you realize how precise the Arabic language is. The Arabic language is rich in prepositions and particles since each gives specific meanings and affects the grammatical case of the following word.
Here is an overview, focusing on Arabic prepositions, their meaning, grammatical effects, and how to use them effectively in sentences.
Arabic Particles – الحُروف (al-ḥurūf)
Particles are called in Arabic الحُروف (al-ḥurūf). The word al-ḥurūf is a pleural Arabic word that means letters and its singular form is (Harf) حرف.
The Arabic word الحُروف (al-ḥurūf) has 2 main meanings that can be distinguished from the context. Here is a detailed breakdown of both types.
1. Ḥurūf al Mabna حروف المباني
This type consists of letters of the Arabic Alphabet. The name “Mabna” comes from the Arabic word مبنى which means building as they build the word. These letters do not give any meanings alone.
2. Ḥurūf al Ma’ani حروف المعاني
This type consists of Arabic particles that are used to connect the sentences. The name al Ma’ani is derived from the Arabic word معني which means (meaning). They provide meaning to the sentence but their meaning is incomplete without a sentence. The Arabic particles are very important since they constitute the third type of words in the Arabic language which are classified into 3 categories nouns, verbs, and particles. You can identify them by the exclusion of nouns and verb signs.
One of the most common types of Ḥurūf al Ma’aniحروف المعاني is the Arabic prepositions. Ḥurūf al Ma’ani also includes but is unlimited to the following types.
1. Conjuction particles:
This type of particle is used to connect 2 words or two sentences such as:
| Particle | transliteration | translation |
| و | WA | and |
| أو | aw | or |
The particle “ و” is very common even in daily conversation. If you are concerned with daily conversation during your business with Arabs, you can see our Business Arabic Course.
2. Causative particles:
This type of Arabic particle is used to explain the reason for something. They are usually followed by a Subjunctive verb in the present tense.
| Particle | transliteration | translation |
| لِـ | (li) | to-for |
| كي | kay | To |
3. Conditional particles:
Conditional particles connect two sentences, one is the cause and the other is the result. This means you can use them to connect two sentences in a cause-and-effectا relationship.
For example:
| Particle | transliteration | translation |
| إن | In | If “expressing future hypothetical prediction” |
| لو | law | If “can indicate impossible condition unlike the real” |
| إذا | IZaa | If “for real or certain prediction” |
It is noteworthy to know that other types of these particles are used for different purposes. They also affect the grammatical case of the following word. You can understand more grammatical rules in our grammar course.
Prepositions in Arabic
Prepositions in Arabic are called ḥurūf al-jarr (حروف الجر) as they put the following noun in the genitive case which is called in Arabic (jarr). This means that when you see any Arabic preposition, without thinking the following is a genitive noun.
There are 3 main genitive case endings including the Kassra, yaa, and the Fatha. The genitive case ending is affected by the noun type.
| Kassra ِ (the main diacritical mark of the genitive case ) | Singular nouns |
| Broken Pleural nouns | |
| Sound Feminine Plural | |
| Yaa (Sub-diacritical mark) | Dual noun |
| Sound Masculine Plural | |
| The five unique nouns | |
| Fatha (sub- diacritical mark) | Diptote Nouns “certain nouns that should be free from tanween” |
Let us make this easier with examples:
| sentence | translation | transliteration | Gentive noun type | Genitive mark |
| ذهبت إلى المدرسة | I went to school | Dhahabtu ilā al-madrasah | المدرسةSingular noun | Kassra |
| مررت بمحطتين | I passed over two stations | Marartu bi-maḥṭatayni | محطتين Dual noun | Yaa |
| سافرت إلى مصر | I traveled to Egypt | Safartu ilā Miṣr | مصرDiptote Noun | Fatha |
| تحدثت إلي العاملين بالمستشفى | I talked to the hospital workers | Taḥaddatu ilā al-ʿāmilīna bil-mustashfā | ألعاملينSound masculine pleural | Yaa |
| تحدثت إلى الطبيبات | I talked to the female doctors | Taḥaddatu ilā al-ṭabībāt | الطبيباتSound feminine pleural | Kassra |
You can read more examples in our Arabic reading course.
What Are the 17 Prepositions in Arabic?
Alfiyah of Ibn Malik counted the Arabic preposition in 20. You can memorize them by the following poetry lines. Some linguistic scientists do not consider some uncommon prepositions, so they can be counted as 17.
هاك حروف الجرّ وهي من إلى … حتى خلا حاشا عدا في عن على
مذ منذ ربّ اللام كي واو ّ وتا … والكاف والبا ولعلّ ومتى
بالظاهر اخصص منذ مذ وحتى … والكاف والواو وربّ والتا
Although the most common prepositions are only 8. The following table shows each preposition with the literature meaning and an example.
| preposition | transliteration | translation | example |
| في | ii | In -at | في الصباح |
| إلى | ilā | to, towards | إلى المدرسة |
| من | min | from, of | من المنزل |
| على | ʿalā | on, upon, over | غلى المكتب |
| عن | ʿan | about, concerning | عن الامتحان |
| ك | ka- | like, as | كالبطل |
| ب | bi- | by, with, in | بالقلم |
| ل | li- | for, to, belonging to | للعمل |
Prepositions Usage in Arabic
The Arabic prepositions can be used for several meanings according to the context, you will realize the meaning.
Preposition “من” = Miin
It gives many meanings according to the context including:
A. Part of something:
| sentence | transliteration | Translation | explanation |
| أكلت من الفواكة | akaltu min al-fawākih | I ate some of the fruits. | Min indicates part of the fruits. |
ه
B. The starting point of something.
| sentence | transliteration | Translation | explanation |
| خرجت من المنزل | kharajtu min al-manzil | I went out of the house | The starting point is the house |
C. The cause of something.
| sentence | transliteration | Translation | explanation |
| مات من الحزن | māta min al-ḥuzn | He died from sadness | The cause of death is the sadness he suffered. |
D. Type of something.
| sentence | transliteration | Translation | explanation |
| اشتريت كرسي مصنوع من الخشب | ishtaraytu kursiyy-an maṣnū‘an min al-khashab | I bought a chair made of wood. | The material from which the chair was made |
E. For emphasizing the meaning.
| sentence | transliteration | Translation | explanation |
| ما وجدت من أحد | mā wajadtu min aḥad | I did not find anyone | “ من” can be removed. Its role only ascertains. |
Preposition “إلى” = ilā:
This is also a very common preposition. Its primary meaning is “to” which indicates the ending point of a place or a time. However, it has other meanings.
| sentence | transliteration | Translation | explanation |
| ذهبت إلى المدرسة | dhahabtu ilā al-madrasah | I went to school. | The ending point is the school |
| اجمع أقلامك إلى مكتبك | : ijma‘ aqlāmak ilā maktabik | Gather your pens on your desk. | Its meaning is similar to “with” |
| الأمر إليك | al-amru ilayk | It is up to you | It means up to and can be replaced with “عن” |
| الموز أحب إلي من البرنقال | al-mawz aḥabbu ilayya min al-burtuqāl | I prefer bananas over oranges. | It means over or more than. |
Preposition “في” = Fii
Fii means “in” mostly but it can have other meanings.
| sentence | transliteration | Translation | explanation |
| الطالب في المدرسة | Al Talib fii -madrasah | The student is in school. | = in “ the primary case” |
| رأيته في الصباح | Raatouh fii Al sabbah | I saw him in the morning | In “For Time” |
| دخلت امرأة النار في هرة | dakhilat imra’ah al-nār fī hirrah | A woman entered the Hellfire because of a cat. | Because of |
Preposition “عن” =` an‘
This preposition implies two main meanings distance and avoidance. It can give other meanings. For example,
| sentence | transliteration | Translation | explanation |
| يفضل اللعب عن المذاكرة | yufaḍḍilu al-la‘b ‘aى al-mudhākirah | He prefers playing over studying. | avoidance |
| يبعد عن البيت كثيرًا | yab‘ud ‘an al-bayt kathīrًا | It is very far from the home | distance |
| تحدث عن نفسك | Tahadth an nafsiek | Tell about yourself | about |
Preposition “على” = alā
The literature meaning of this preposition is above or on. It can also be used for the following:
| sentence | transliteration | translation | Meaning |
| الكتاب على المنضدة | Al kitaab alā mindada | The book is on the table | The place of the book is on “real” |
| لك فضل علينا | Laak fadlon alānaa | I owe you a lot | metaphorical superiority |
| جاء على حين غفلة | Ja’a ‘ala heen ghafla | He came surprisingly | It gives adverbial meaning to the case “surprisingly” |
| خسرت على أني راض | Khasirtu ‘ala anni raadh | I lost but I am happy. | It means “Despite” or But |
letters ب ,ك ,ل :
These letters when come attached to a noun, they act as a preposition. You can easily memorize them by the Arabic word “كلب” which means dog.
| letter | transliteration | Meaning | example |
| 6. ك | ka | as/ similarity | أحمد كالأسدAhmed is similar to a lion. |
| 7. ل | li | For / to express the cause | ذهب لزيارة أخيه He went out to visit his brother. |
| dedication | ذاكر لحبه في العلمHe studied as he likes science. | ||
| Ownership | الكتاب لأحمد The book is for Ahmed | ||
| 8. ب | bi | By “to indicate the cause of something” | نجح بمجهودهHe succeeded with his hard work. |
| To replace by | استبدل بأخرReplace by another | ||
| with_within | أمسك بيديHold my hand. | ||
| Utilizing | ذهب بالسيارة He went by the car |
Horouf al qasm (حروف القسم), or a particle of oath. ت “ta”- و “wa” ب “bi”
These letters are used as particles of the oath “to swear”. For example
| Sentence | transliteration | translation |
| والله لتأكل | “Wallahi lita’kul” | I swear that you will eat. |
| تالله ما كذبت قط | Tallah ma kathabtu qat | I swear that I have never lied. |
Particles of exception:
Arabic linguists differed in these preposition. Some said that it can be considered a preposition within specific conditions. For example, حضر الطلاب عدا زيد.
| حاشا | ḥāshā |
| عدا | ‘adā |
| خلا | khāla |
رب – Ruba Letters:
It may be used for a large or small amount of something. The exact meaning is understood from the context.
| sentence | ||
| رب أخ لك لم تلده أمك | “Perhaps a brother to you is one not born of your mother. | Rubba akhin laka lam talidhu ummuk |
| رب ضرة نافعة | “Perhaps an adversity brings benefit.” | Rubba dhurratin naafi’ah |
The rest of the Arabic prepositions are rarely used, you take a look at them with their transliteration in the following table.
| 15. متى | matā |
| 16. كي | kay |
| 17. لعل | la‘alla |
| 18. منذ | mundhu |
| 19. مذ | much |
| 20. حتى | ḥattā |
Characteristics of Arabic Prepositions
When you use The Arabic prepositions have 3 prominent characteristics.
- All have a fixed grammatical case (mabniia= مبنية).
- They must be followed by a genitive noun.
- Some prepositions come in attached or separated forms. However, three prepositions ” ك ب ل” come only attached to the following genitive noun.
- Their meaning is affected by the context.
- Some prepositions can give the meaning of others.
For example, من gives the meaning of إلى and ب in the following examples:
| sentence | transliteration | translation | Instead of |
| نظر من طرف خفي | naẓara min ṭaraf khafī | He looked out of his eyes | ب |
| اقترب من النافذة | iqtaraba min al-nāfidha | Come nearer to the window | إلى |
Differences between Arabic Prepositions and Adverbs
It is not difficult to distinguish Arabic Prepositions from Adverbs. The Arabic prepositions are fixed and limited. You can keep the most common 8 prepositions. The prepositions are followed by a noun in the genitive case which is called in Arabic “ اسم مجرور” = ism majrūr.
Some Arabic adverbs are followed by a genitive noun as well. This will not be confusing for you if you memorize the Arabic prepositions.
It is noteworthy to know that the Adverbs are nouns, but the prepositions are particles.
Common Mistakes
The most common mistake when using Arabic prepositions is to consider only the literature’s meaning of prepositions. They have several meanings as mentioned, the English equivalent should not be considered in all cases.
Another common mistake during using Arabic prepositions is neglecting the genitive noun mark. The genitive noun mark depends on its type. They should not be replaced by each other.
Learn the Arabic language Online with Shaykhyi Academy:
Make Arabic easy with Our Online Arabic Classes And Lessons. We help you to deepen your Arabic knowledge and strengthen your linguistic skills. You will say goodbye to worry while speaking in Arabic with our specialized teachers.
We consider the individual differences between learners and help them improve and grow their vocabulary within a stress-free environment. Do not wait and waste your time.
Why Shaykhi Academy?
- Expert Native Tutors: Learn from highly qualified native Arabic speakers.
- Flexible Scheduling: Tailor your classes to fit your busy life.
- Affordable Learning: Access top-quality education at a price that suits you.
- Global Access: Study from anywhere in the world.
Explore Our Arabic Courses:
- Noorani Qaida: Build a strong foundation in Quranic Arabic.
- Comprehensive Arabic Courses: Master the Arabic language, from beginner to advanced levels.
- Fusha Arabic Classes: Delve into Modern Standard Arabic, the key to understanding literature, media, and formal communication across the Arab world.
- Quranic Arabic Course: Enhance your connection with the Quran by learning the language in which it was revealed.
Start Your Arabic Journey Today! Whether you’re just starting or looking to deepen your knowledge, Shaykhi Academy is here to support your journey. Book your free trial now and begin your path to Arabic mastery!
Conclusion:
Although learning Arabic prepositions and particles is very important, it can be daunting at first look. You can overcome this easily by practicing reading and listening to many Arabic speeches. This can develop your ability to know the meaning of the Arabic prepositions from the context.
Fortunately, Arabic prepositions have a fixed effect on the following nouns. They are also very common in everyday conversation, thus you will master them in short time practice.
