1. Abjad Writing System
2. Romanization of the Arabic Abjad
3. Cursive Features of Arabic Letters
4. Vowels in Arabic
5. Stressed Consonants
6. Hamzah
7. Open-T vs. Tied-T
8. Syllable Stress in Arabic
1. The Definite Article الـ (al)
2. Double Vowel Ending – تَـنْويـن (Tanwīn)
3. Gender
4. Personal Pronouns
5. Word Patterns in Arabic
6. Introduction to Grammatical Cases
7. Dual & Plural
1. Sentences
2. Demonstrative Pronouns
3. Phrases
4. Grammatical Cases of Nouns & Adjectives
5. Past Tense
6. Adjectives
7. Cardinal Numbers
1. Present Tense
2. Negation
3. Prepositions
4. Interrogatives
5. Relative Pronouns
6. Conjunctions
7. Active & Passive Participles
8. Ordinal Numbers
1. Giving Commands & The Imperative
2. Irregular Verbs I
3. Verbal Nouns
4. Degrees of Comparison
5. Special-Use Particles, Nouns, & Pronouns
6. Progressive & Perfect Tenses
7. Nouns of Place, Instrument, & Intensity
8. Adverbs
1. Passive Voice
2. Irregular Verbs II
3. Impersonal Verbs & Expressions
4. إِنَّ (’inna), كـانَ (kāna), كـادَ (kāda) & ظَـنَّ (ẓanna)
5. Specification & Disambiguation
6. The Five Nouns
7. Circumstantial Adverb
8. Absolute Object & Causal Object
In this lesson, we examine some common impersonal verbs and expressions in Arabic.
Table of Contents
- Impersonal Expressions Using عَـلـى (‘alā) + attached pronoun
- Other Impersonal Verbs & Expressions in Arabic
- Negation of Impersonal Verbs & Expressions in Arabic
- Level VI – Advanced II (C2)
Impersonal Expressions Using عَـلـى (‘alā) + attached pronoun
One common impersonal expression in Arabic is formed using the preposition عَـلـى (‘alā) ‘on,’ suffixed by an attached pronoun and followed by either a verbal noun or أَنْ (‘an) + present verb. The expression can be translated as “it is incumbent upon me/him/her/us/them to ….”
| عَـلـى (‘alā) + attached pronoun + | Verbal noun (or) |
| أَنْ + present verb |
When the preposition عَـلـى (‘alā) ‘on’ is suffixed by an attached pronoun, it is written as follows:
| Singular | Dual | Plural | |
| 1st person (m/f) | عَـلَـيَّ ‘alayya | عَـلَـيْـنـا ‘alaynā | |
| 2nd person masculine | عَـلَـيْـكَ ‘alayka | عَـلَـيْـكُـما ‘alaykumā | عَـلَـيْـكُـم ‘alaykum |
| 2nd person feminine | عَـلَـيْـكِ ‘alayki | عَـلَـيْـكُـنَّ ‘alaykunna | |
| 3rd person masculine | عَـلَـيْـهِ ‘alayhi | عَـلَـيْـهِـمـا ‘alayhimā | عَـلَـيْـهِـم ‘alayhim |
| 3rd person feminine | عَـلَـيْـهـا ‘alayhā | عَـلَـيْـهِـنَّ ‘alayinna | |
Here are some examples:
| عَـلَـيْـكَ الاعْـتِـمـادُ (أَنْ تَـعْـتَـمِـدَ) عَـلـى نَـفْـسِـكَ٠ ‘alayka -l-i‘timādu (’an ta‘tamida) ‘alā nafsik. You should rely on yourself. |
| عَـلَـيْـهِ أَنْ يَـكـونَ أَكْـثَـرَ حَـذَرًا٠ ‘alayhi ’an yakūna ’akthara ḥadharan. He should bemore careful. |
| عَـلَـيْـنـا الْـحِـفـاظُ (أَنْ نُـحـافِـظَ) عَـلـى نَـظـافَـةِ الْـمَـديـنَـةِ٠ ‘alaynā -l-ḥifāẓu (’an nuḥāfiẓa) ‘alā naẓāfati -l-madīnah. We should maintain the cleanliness of the city. |
Other Impersonal Verbs & Expressions in Arabic
Other common impersonal verbs and expressions in Arabic include:
| Verb or Expression | Example |
| مِن اللّازِمِ min al-lāzimi it is necessary | مِـن اللّازِمِ شُـرْبُ مـا يَـكْـفـي مِـنَ الْـمـاءِ٠ min al-lāzimi shurbu mā yakfī min (a) -l-mā’. It is necessary to drink enough water. |
| مِن الواجِبِ min al-wājibi it is necessary | مِـن الـواجِـبِ أَنْ تَـصِـلَ فـي الْـوَقْـتِ الْـمُـحَـدَّدِ٠ min al-wājibi ’an taṣila fī -l-waqti -l-muḥaddad. It is necessary that you arrive at the specified time. |
| مِن الضَّرورِيِّ min aḍ-ḍarūriyyi it is necessary | مِـن الـضَّـرورِيِّ اِتِّـخـاذُ الْـخُـطْـوَةِ الـتَّـالِـيَـةِ٠ min aḍ–ḍarūriyyi -ttikhādhu -l-khuṭwati -t-tāliyah. It is necessary to take the next step. |
| يَـجِـبُ yajibu must, should | يَـجِـبُ (عَـلَـيْـكَ) أَنْ تَـنـامَ مُـبَـكِّـرًا٠ yajibu (‘alayka) ’an tanāma mubakkiran. You should sleep early. |
| يَـنْـبَـغـي yanbaghī must, should | يَـنْـبَـغـي أَنْ نَـدْرُسَ الاقْـتِـراحَ بِـعِـنـايَـةٍ٠ yanbaghī ’an nadrusa -l-iqtirāḥa bi-‘ināyah. We should study the proposal carefully. |
| يُـفْـتَـرَضُ yuftaraḍu it is supposed | يُـفْـتَـرَضُ أَنْ يَـكـونَ الْـمَـحَـلُّ مَـفْـتـوحًـا الْآنَ٠ yuftaraḍu ’an yakūna -l-maḥallu maftūḥan (i) -l-’ān. It is supposed that the shop is open now. |
| مِـنَ الْـمَـفْـروضِ min al-mafrūḍi it is supposed | مِـنَ الْـمَـفْـروضِ أَنْ نَـجْـتَـمِـعَ الْـيَـوْمَ٠ min al-mafrūḍi ’an najtami‘a -l-yawm. It is supposed that we meet today. |
| مِـنَ الْـمَـفْـتَـرَضِ min al-muftaraḍi it is supposed | مِـنَ الْـمُـفْـتَـرَضِ أَنْ تَـهْـدَأَ الْأُمـورُ٠ min al-muftaraḍi ’an tahda’a -l-’umūr. It is supposed that things will calm down. |
| يُـمْـكِـنُ yumkinu it is possible | يُـمْـكِـنُ أَنْ تَـتَـغَـيَّـرَ الـظُّـروف٠ yumkinu ’an tataghayyara -ẓ-ẓurūf. It is possible that the circumstances will change. |
| مِـن الْـمُـمْـكِـنِ min al-mumkini it is possible | مِـن الْـمُـمْـكِـنِ أَنْ تَـعْـمَـلَ عَـنْ بُـعْـدٍ٠ min al-mumkini ’an ta‘mala ‘an bu‘d. It is possible for you to work remotely. |
| مِـن الْـمُـرَجَّـحِ min al-murajjaḥi it is likely | مِـن الْـمُـرَجَّـحِ أَنْ تَـنْـتَـهـيَ الْـمَـعْـرَكَـةُ قَـريـبًـا٠ min al-murajjaḥi ’an tantahiya -l-ma‘rakatu qarīban. It is likely that the battle will end soon. |
| مِن الـمُحْـتَـمَـلِ min al-muḥtamali it is probable | مِـن الـمُحْـتَـمَـلِ أَنْ تُـمْـطِـرَ غَـدًا٠ min al-muḥtamali ’an tumṭira ghadan. It is probable that it will rain tomorrow. |
| مِـن الْـمـُسـْتَـحْـسَـنِ min al-mustaḥsani it is preferable | مِـن الْـمـُسـْتَـحْـسَـنِ أَنْ تَـبْـدَأَ بِـسُـرْعَـةٍ٠ min al-mustaḥsani ’an tabda’a bi-sur‘ah. It is preferable that you start quickly. |
| مِـن الـطَّـبـيـعِـيِّ min aṭ-ṭabī‘iyyi it is normal | مِـن الـطَّـبـيـعِـيِّ أَنْ تَـشْـعُـرَ بِـبَـعْـضِ الْأَلَـمِ٠ min aṭ-ṭabī‘iyyi ’an tash‘ura bi-ba‘ḍi -l-’alam. It is normal that you feel some pain. |
| مِـن الْـمُـسْـتَـحـيـلِ min al-mustaḥīli it is impossible | مِـن الْـمُـسْـتَـحـيـلِ تَـجـاهُـلُ الـتَّـحَـدِّيـاتِ الْـقـادِمَـةِ٠ min al-mustaḥīli tajāhulu -t-taḥaddiyāti -l-qādimah. It is impossible to ignore the upcoming challenges. |
| مِـن الـسَّـهْـلِ min as-sahli it is easy | مِـن الـسَّـهْـلِ فَـهْـمُ الْأَحْـداثِ الْأَخـيـرَةِ٠ min as-sahli fahmu-l-’aḥdāthi -l-’akhīrah. It is easy to understand recent events. |
| مِـن الـصَّـعْـبِ min aṣ-ṣa‘bi it is difficult | مِـن الـصَّـعْـبِ تَـبْـريـرُ مـا حَـصَـلَ٠ min aṣ-ṣa‘bi tabrīru mā ḥaṣal. It is difficult to justify what happened. |
| مِـن الْـمُـتَـوَقَّـعِ min al-mutawaqqa‘i it is expected | مِـن الْـمُـتَـوَقَّـعِ أَنْ يَـسْـتَـمِـرَّ الْـمَـطَـرُ لِـسـاعـاتٍ٠ min al-mutawaqqa‘i ’an yastamirra -l-maṭaru li-sā‘āt. It is expected that the rain will continue for hours. |
| مِـن الْـمُـنْـتَـظَـرِ min al-muntaẓari it is expected | مِـن الْـمُـنْـتَـظَـرِ إِعْـلانُ الْـقَـرارِ قَـريـبًـا٠ min al-muntaẓari ’i‘lānu -l-qarāri qarīban. It is expected the announcement of the decision soon. |
| مِـن الْـجَـديـرِ بِـالـذِّكْـرِ min al-jadīr bi-dh-dhikri it is worth mentioning | مِـن الْـجَـديـرِ بِـالـذِّكْـرِ الـتَّـطَوُّرُ الْـكَـبـيـرُ مُـؤَخَّـرًا٠ min al-jadīr bi-dh-dhikri -t-taṭawwuru -l-kabīru mu’akh kharan. It is worth mentioning the great progress recently. |
All of the verbs and expressions above are followed by either a verbal noun or أَنْ (’an) + present verb. Some impersonal expressions can be followed by أَنَّ (’anna) + nominal sentence.
| مِـن الْـمَـفْـهـومِ min al-mafhūmi it is understood | مِـن الْـمَـفْـهـومِ أَنَّ الْـجَـمـيـعَ كـانَ حـاضِـرًا٠ min al-mafhūmi ’anna -l-jamī‘a kāna ḥāḍiran. It is understood that everyone was present. |
| مِـن الْـواضِـحِ min al-wāḍiḥi it is clear | مِـن الْـواضِـحِ أَنَّ الْـمَـنْـزِلَ يَـحْـتـاجُ إِلـى تَـنْـظـيـف٠ min al-wāḍiḥi ’anna -l-manzila yaḥtāju ’ilā tanẓīf. It is clear that the house needs cleaning. |
| مِـن الْـمَـعْـروفِ min al-ma‘rūfi it is known | مِـن الْـمَـعْـروفِ أَنَّ الـتَّـدْخـيـنَ مُـضِـرٌّ بِـالـصِّـحَّـةِ٠ min al-ma‘rūfi ’anna -t-tadkhīna muḍirrun bi-ṣ-ṣiḥḥah. It is known that smoking is harmful to health. |
Negation of Impersonal Verbs & Expressions in Arabic
The negation of expressions that begin with مِـن (min) is formed by preceding the expression with لَـيْـسَ (laysa). The negation of present verbs is formed by preceding the verb with لا (lā). Here are some examples:
| مِـن الْـمُـمْـكِـنِ min al-mumkini it is possible | لَـيْـسَ مِـن الْـمُـمْـكِـنِ أَنْ تَـعْـمَـلَ عَـنْ بُـعْـدٍ٠ laysa min al-mumkini ’an ta‘mala ‘an bu‘d. It is not possible for you to work remotely. |
| مِـن الْـمَـفْـهـومِ min al-mafhūmi it is understood | لَـيْـسَ مِـن الْـمَـفْـهـومِ أَنَّ الْـجَـمـيـعَ كـانَ حـاضِـرًا٠ laysa min al-mafhūmi ’anna -l-jamī‘a kāna ḥāḍiran. It is not understood that everyone was present. |
| يَـجِـبُ yajibu must, should | لا يَـجِـبُ (عَـلَـيْـكَ) أَنْ تَـنـامَ مُـبَـكِّـرًا٠ lā yajibu (‘alayka) ’an tanāma mubakkiran. You do not have to sleep early. |
| يُـفْـتَـرَضُ yuftaraḍu it is supposed | لا يُـفْـتَـرَضُ أَنْ يَـكـونَ الْـمَـحَـلُّ مَـفْـتـوحًـا الْآنَ٠ lā yuftaraḍu ’an yakūna -l-maḥallu maftūḥan (i) -l-’ān. It is not supposed that the shop is open now. |
Next: إِنَّ (’inna), كـانَ (kāna), كـادَ (kāda) & ظَـنَّ (ẓanna)
Other lessons in Level VI: