Lesson 48: Possessive Suffixes

The second column is the normal form; the third is the form used after i, ī or ay (and, for the first person, after ā, ū or ay).
Person	Suffix	After i / ī / ay	Meaning
1 sg.	ـِي	ـيَ	my
2 m. sg.	ـكَ	ـكَ	your (m.)
2 f. sg.	ـكِ	ـكِ	your (f.)
3 m. sg.	ـهُ	ـهِ	his
3 f. sg.	ـهَا	ـهَا	her
2 dual	ـكُمَا	ـكُمَا	your (two)
3 dual	ـهُمَا	ـهِمَا	their (two)
1 pl.	ـنَا	ـنَا	our
2 m. pl.	ـكُمْ	ـكُمْ	your (m. pl.)
2 f. pl.	ـكُنَّ	ـكُنَّ	your (f. pl.)
3 m. pl.	ـهُمْ	ـهِمْ	their (m.)
3 f. pl.	ـهُنَّ	ـهِنَّ	their (f.)

Rule 1: 1. The noun takes its construct shape

A noun with a suffix behaves as the first term of an iḍāfa, because it is one: بَيْتُكَ is built like بَيْتُ عُمَرَ. Hence: a noun in tāʾ marbūṭa writes ت (جَدَّةٌ, جَدَّتُكَ); the dual drops its نِ (وَلَدَانِ, وَلَدَاكَ; oblique وَلَدَيْنِ, وَلَدَيْكَ); the sound masculine plural drops its نَ (مُعَلِّمُونَ, مُعَلِّمُوكَ; oblique مُعَلِّمِيكَ); and أَبٌ, أَخٌ use their long forms أَبُو, أَبِي, أَبَا.

جَدَّتُنَا فِي الْبَيْتِ.
jaddatunā fi-l-bayti
Our grandmother is at home.
ة → ت before the suffix.
وَلَدَاكَ فِي الْمَدْرَسَةِ.
waladāka fi-l-madrasati
Your two children are at school.
Dual nominative without نِ.
رَأَيْتُ مُعَلِّمِيكَ فِي السُّوقِ.
raʾaytu muʿallimīka fi-s-sūqi
I saw your teachers in the market.
Sound plural, accusative, without نَ.
ذَهَبَ أَبُوهُ مَعَ أَخِيهِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ.
dhahaba abūhu maʿa akhīhi ila-l-masjidi
His father went with his brother to the mosque.
أَبُو nominative, أَخِي genitive after مَعَ.
سَأَلْتُ أَبَاكِ عَنْ زَوْجِ خَالَتِكِ.
saʾaltu abāki ʿan zawji khālatiki
I asked your (f.) father about your aunt's husband.
أَبَا accusative; خَالَةٌ → خَالَتِ.

Rule 2: 2. The suffix of the first person: ـِي and ـيَ

My is ـِي after a consonant. Its kasra swallows the case vowel, so وَلَدِي serves as nominative, genitive and accusative alike. After a long vowel or the diphthong ay, that is after the dual ـَا, the plural ـُو and the oblique ـَيْ, the suffix is ـيَ instead: وَلَدَايَ my two children. Two contractions follow: ـَيْ + ـيَ gives ـَيَّ (وَلَدَيَّ my two children, oblique; مُعَلِّمِيَّ my teachers, oblique), and ـُو + ـيَ also gives ـِيَّ (مُعَلِّمُونَ becomes مُعَلِّمِيَّ, بَنُونَ becomes بَنِيَّ), so that my teachers and my sons have one form in every case.

أَبِي وَأُمِّي فِي الْقَرْيَةِ.
abī wa-ummī fi-l-qaryati
My father and my mother are in the village.
ـِي after a consonant.
هٰذَانِ وَلَدَايَ.
hādhāni waladāya
These are my two children.
ـيَ after the dual ā.
سَكَنْتُ مَعَ وَلَدَيَّ فِي بَيْتٍ صَغِيرٍ.
sakantu maʿa waladayya fī baytin ṣaghīrin
I lived with my two children in a small house.
ay + ya → ayya.
جَاءَ مُعَلِّمِيَّ إِلَى بَيْتِنَا.
jāʾa muʿallimiyya ilā baytinā
My teachers came to our house.
ū + ya → iyya, even in the nominative.
أُحِبُّ بَنِيَّ وَبَنَاتِي.
uḥibbu baniyya wa-banātī
I love my sons and my daughters.

Rule 3: 3. ـهُ becomes ـهِ after i, ī and ay

The suffixes that begin with هُ, that is ـهُ, ـهُمَا, ـهُمْ, ـهُنَّ, change their ḍamma to kasra whenever the sound before them is i, ī or ay: after the genitive kasra (فِي بَيْتِهِ), after the oblique plural (مُعَلِّمِيهِمْ), after the oblique dual (وَلَدَيْهِ), and after فِي, إِلَى and عَلَى (فِيهِ, إِلَيْهِ, عَلَيْهِمْ). The meaning does not change; only the vowel harmonises with what precedes it.

وَلَدُهُ فِي بَيْتِهِ.
waladuhu fī baytihi
His child is in his house.
ـهُ after u, ـهِ after i.
سَكَنَ الرَّجُلُ مَعَ زَوْجَتِهِ وَوَلَدَيْهِ.
sakana-r-rajulu maʿa zawjatihi wa-waladayhi
The man lived with his wife and his two children.
ـهِ after kasra and after ay.
ذَهَبَ الْأَوْلَادُ إِلَى مُعَلِّمِيهِمْ.
dhahaba-l-awlādu ilā muʿallimīhim
The children went to their teachers.
ـهِمْ after ī.
أَبُوهُمَا فِي بَيْتِهِمَا.
abūhumā fī baytihimā
Their (two) father is in their house.
ـهُمَا after ū, ـهِمَا after i.

Case vowel + suffix. Before ـِي the case vowel disappears, so 'my child' has one form for all cases.
Person	Nominative	Genitive	Accusative	Meaning
1 sg.	وَلَدِي	وَلَدِي	وَلَدِي	my child
2 m. sg.	وَلَدُكَ	وَلَدِكَ	وَلَدَكَ	your (m.) child
2 f. sg.	وَلَدُكِ	وَلَدِكِ	وَلَدَكِ	your (f.) child
3 m. sg.	وَلَدُهُ	وَلَدِهِ	وَلَدَهُ	his child
3 f. sg.	وَلَدُهَا	وَلَدِهَا	وَلَدَهَا	her child
2 dual	وَلَدُكُمَا	وَلَدِكُمَا	وَلَدَكُمَا	your (two) child
3 dual	وَلَدُهُمَا	وَلَدِهِمَا	وَلَدَهُمَا	their (two) child
1 pl.	وَلَدُنَا	وَلَدِنَا	وَلَدَنَا	our child
2 m. pl.	وَلَدُكُمْ	وَلَدِكُمْ	وَلَدَكُمْ	your (m. pl.) child
2 f. pl.	وَلَدُكُنَّ	وَلَدِكُنَّ	وَلَدَكُنَّ	your (f. pl.) child
3 m. pl.	وَلَدُهُمْ	وَلَدِهِمْ	وَلَدَهُمْ	their (m.) child
3 f. pl.	وَلَدُهُنَّ	وَلَدِهِنَّ	وَلَدَهُنَّ	their (f.) child

The ة opens into ت before every suffix, exactly as before a genitive.
Person	Nominative	Genitive	Accusative	Meaning
1 sg.	جَدَّتِي	جَدَّتِي	جَدَّتِي	my grandmother
2 m. sg.	جَدَّتُكَ	جَدَّتِكَ	جَدَّتَكَ	your (m.) grandmother
2 f. sg.	جَدَّتُكِ	جَدَّتِكِ	جَدَّتَكِ	your (f.) grandmother
3 m. sg.	جَدَّتُهُ	جَدَّتِهِ	جَدَّتَهُ	his grandmother
3 f. sg.	جَدَّتُهَا	جَدَّتِهَا	جَدَّتَهَا	her grandmother
2 dual	جَدَّتُكُمَا	جَدَّتِكُمَا	جَدَّتَكُمَا	your (two) grandmother
3 dual	جَدَّتُهُمَا	جَدَّتِهِمَا	جَدَّتَهُمَا	their (two) grandmother
1 pl.	جَدَّتُنَا	جَدَّتِنَا	جَدَّتَنَا	our grandmother
2 m. pl.	جَدَّتُكُمْ	جَدَّتِكُمْ	جَدَّتَكُمْ	your (m. pl.) grandmother
2 f. pl.	جَدَّتُكُنَّ	جَدَّتِكُنَّ	جَدَّتَكُنَّ	your (f. pl.) grandmother
3 m. pl.	جَدَّتُهُمْ	جَدَّتِهِمْ	جَدَّتَهُمْ	their (m.) grandmother
3 f. pl.	جَدَّتُهُنَّ	جَدَّتِهِنَّ	جَدَّتَهُنَّ	their (f.) grandmother

The نِ of the dual is dropped. Genitive and accusative share the oblique stem ـَيْ; after it ـهُ becomes ـهِ.
Person	Nominative	Genitive	Accusative	Meaning
1 sg.	وَلَدَايَ	وَلَدَيَّ	وَلَدَيَّ	my two children
2 m. sg.	وَلَدَاكَ	وَلَدَيْكَ	وَلَدَيْكَ	your (m.) two children
2 f. sg.	وَلَدَاكِ	وَلَدَيْكِ	وَلَدَيْكِ	your (f.) two children
3 m. sg.	وَلَدَاهُ	وَلَدَيْهِ	وَلَدَيْهِ	his two children
3 f. sg.	وَلَدَاهَا	وَلَدَيْهَا	وَلَدَيْهَا	her two children
2 dual	وَلَدَاكُمَا	وَلَدَيْكُمَا	وَلَدَيْكُمَا	your (two) two children
3 dual	وَلَدَاهُمَا	وَلَدَيْهِمَا	وَلَدَيْهِمَا	their (two) two children
1 pl.	وَلَدَانَا	وَلَدَيْنَا	وَلَدَيْنَا	our two children
2 m. pl.	وَلَدَاكُمْ	وَلَدَيْكُمْ	وَلَدَيْكُمْ	your (m. pl.) two children
2 f. pl.	وَلَدَاكُنَّ	وَلَدَيْكُنَّ	وَلَدَيْكُنَّ	your (f. pl.) two children
3 m. pl.	وَلَدَاهُمْ	وَلَدَيْهِمْ	وَلَدَيْهِمْ	their (m.) two children
3 f. pl.	وَلَدَاهُنَّ	وَلَدَيْهِنَّ	وَلَدَيْهِنَّ	their (f.) two children

The نَ of the plural is dropped. In the first person ـُو + ـيَ contracts to ـِيَّ, so 'my sons' is بَنِيَّ in every case.
Person	Nominative	Genitive	Accusative	Meaning
1 sg.	بَنِيَّ	بَنِيَّ	بَنِيَّ	my sons
2 m. sg.	بَنُوكَ	بَنِيكَ	بَنِيكَ	your (m.) sons
2 f. sg.	بَنُوكِ	بَنِيكِ	بَنِيكِ	your (f.) sons
3 m. sg.	بَنُوهُ	بَنِيهِ	بَنِيهِ	his sons
3 f. sg.	بَنُوهَا	بَنِيهَا	بَنِيهَا	her sons
2 dual	بَنُوكُمَا	بَنِيكُمَا	بَنِيكُمَا	your (two) sons
3 dual	بَنُوهُمَا	بَنِيهِمَا	بَنِيهِمَا	their (two) sons
1 pl.	بَنُونَا	بَنِينَا	بَنِينَا	our sons
2 m. pl.	بَنُوكُمْ	بَنِيكُمْ	بَنِيكُمْ	your (m. pl.) sons
2 f. pl.	بَنُوكُنَّ	بَنِيكُنَّ	بَنِيكُنَّ	your (f. pl.) sons
3 m. pl.	بَنُوهُمْ	بَنِيهِمْ	بَنِيهِمْ	their (m.) sons
3 f. pl.	بَنُوهُنَّ	بَنِيهِنَّ	بَنِيهِنَّ	their (f.) sons

Before a suffix أَبٌ takes the long forms it has before a genitive: أَبُو، أَبِي، أَبَا. 'My father' is أَبِي throughout.
Person	Nominative	Genitive	Accusative	Meaning
1 sg.	أَبِي	أَبِي	أَبِي	my father
2 m. sg.	أَبُوكَ	أَبِيكَ	أَبَاكَ	your (m.) father
2 f. sg.	أَبُوكِ	أَبِيكِ	أَبَاكِ	your (f.) father
3 m. sg.	أَبُوهُ	أَبِيهِ	أَبَاهُ	his father
3 f. sg.	أَبُوهَا	أَبِيهَا	أَبَاهَا	her father
2 dual	أَبُوكُمَا	أَبِيكُمَا	أَبَاكُمَا	your (two) father
3 dual	أَبُوهُمَا	أَبِيهِمَا	أَبَاهُمَا	their (two) father
1 pl.	أَبُونَا	أَبِينَا	أَبَانَا	our father
2 m. pl.	أَبُوكُمْ	أَبِيكُمْ	أَبَاكُمْ	your (m. pl.) father
2 f. pl.	أَبُوكُنَّ	أَبِيكُنَّ	أَبَاكُنَّ	your (f. pl.) father
3 m. pl.	أَبُوهُمْ	أَبِيهِمْ	أَبَاهُمْ	their (m.) father
3 f. pl.	أَبُوهُنَّ	أَبِيهِنَّ	أَبَاهُنَّ	their (f.) father

Declined exactly like أَبٌ: أَخُو، أَخِي، أَخَا.
Person	Nominative	Genitive	Accusative	Meaning
1 sg.	أَخِي	أَخِي	أَخِي	my brother
2 m. sg.	أَخُوكَ	أَخِيكَ	أَخَاكَ	your (m.) brother
2 f. sg.	أَخُوكِ	أَخِيكِ	أَخَاكِ	your (f.) brother
3 m. sg.	أَخُوهُ	أَخِيهِ	أَخَاهُ	his brother
3 f. sg.	أَخُوهَا	أَخِيهَا	أَخَاهَا	her brother
2 dual	أَخُوكُمَا	أَخِيكُمَا	أَخَاكُمَا	your (two) brother
3 dual	أَخُوهُمَا	أَخِيهِمَا	أَخَاهُمَا	their (two) brother
1 pl.	أَخُونَا	أَخِينَا	أَخَانَا	our brother
2 m. pl.	أَخُوكُمْ	أَخِيكُمْ	أَخَاكُمْ	your (m. pl.) brother
2 f. pl.	أَخُوكُنَّ	أَخِيكُنَّ	أَخَاكُنَّ	your (f. pl.) brother
3 m. pl.	أَخُوهُمْ	أَخِيهِمْ	أَخَاهُمْ	their (m.) brother
3 f. pl.	أَخُوهُنَّ	أَخِيهِنَّ	أَخَاهُنَّ	their (f.) brother

Rule 4: 4. Prepositions take the same suffixes

The suffixes attach to prepositions as readily as to nouns. لِ changes its vowel to fatḥa before every suffix but ـِي: لَكَ, لَهُ, لَنَا, but لِي. إِلَى and عَلَى end in alif maqṣūra, which becomes ـَيْ before a suffix: إِلَيْكَ, عَلَيْهِ; with my they give إِلَيَّ, عَلَيَّ. مِنْ and عَنْ double the nūn before ـِي and ـنَا: مِنِّي, مِنَّا, عَنِّي, عَنَّا. لِ with a suffix is the ordinary way to say to have: لِي أَخٌ I have a brother.

لِي أَخَوَانِ وَلَهَا أُخْتٌ وَاحِدَةٌ.
lī akhawāni wa-lahā ukhtun wāḥidatun
I have two brothers and she has one sister.
جَاءَ إِلَيَّ جَدِّي وَجَلَسَ عِنْدِي.
jāʾa ilayya jaddī wa-jalasa ʿindī
My grandfather came to me and sat with me.
إِلَيَّ; عِنْدَ takes the suffixes like a noun: عِنْدِي.
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامُ.
as-salāmu ʿalaykum wa-ʿalaykumu-s-salāmu
Peace be upon you. And upon you be peace.
The sukūn of ـكُمْ becomes ḍamma before the article.
أَخَذَ مِنِّي الْكِتَابَ وَأَعْطَاهُ لِأُخْتِهِ.
akhadha minni-l-kitāba wa-aʿṭāhu li-ukhtihi
He took the book from me and gave it to his sister.
سَأَلُوا عَنَّا وَعَنْ أَوْلَادِنَا.
saʾalū ʿannā wa-ʿan awlādinā
They asked about us and about our children.

Person	لِ to, for	بِ with, in	إِلَى to	عَلَى on	مِنْ from	عَنْ about
1 sg.	لِي	بِي	إِلَيَّ	عَلَيَّ	مِنِّي	عَنِّي
2 m. sg.	لَكَ	بِكَ	إِلَيْكَ	عَلَيْكَ	مِنْكَ	عَنْكَ
2 f. sg.	لَكِ	بِكِ	إِلَيْكِ	عَلَيْكِ	مِنْكِ	عَنْكِ
3 m. sg.	لَهُ	بِهِ	إِلَيْهِ	عَلَيْهِ	مِنْهُ	عَنْهُ
3 f. sg.	لَهَا	بِهَا	إِلَيْهَا	عَلَيْهَا	مِنْهَا	عَنْهَا
2 dual	لَكُمَا	بِكُمَا	إِلَيْكُمَا	عَلَيْكُمَا	مِنْكُمَا	عَنْكُمَا
3 dual	لَهُمَا	بِهِمَا	إِلَيْهِمَا	عَلَيْهِمَا	مِنْهُمَا	عَنْهُمَا
1 pl.	لَنَا	بِنَا	إِلَيْنَا	عَلَيْنَا	مِنَّا	عَنَّا
2 m. pl.	لَكُمْ	بِكُمْ	إِلَيْكُمْ	عَلَيْكُمْ	مِنْكُمْ	عَنْكُمْ
2 f. pl.	لَكُنَّ	بِكُنَّ	إِلَيْكُنَّ	عَلَيْكُنَّ	مِنْكُنَّ	عَنْكُنَّ
3 m. pl.	لَهُمْ	بِهِمْ	إِلَيْهِمْ	عَلَيْهِمْ	مِنْهُمْ	عَنْهُمْ
3 f. pl.	لَهُنَّ	بِهِنَّ	إِلَيْهِنَّ	عَلَيْهِنَّ	مِنْهُنَّ	عَنْهُنَّ

Possessive Suffixes

Step 1 of 5: Learn

The possessive suffixes

Rule 1: 1. The noun takes its construct shape

Rule 2: 2. The suffix of the first person: ـِي and ـيَ

Rule 3: 3. ـهُ becomes ـهِ after i, ī and ay

A singular noun: وَلَدٌ (child, son)

A noun in tāʾ marbūṭa: جَدَّةٌ (grandmother)

A dual noun: وَلَدَانِ (two children)

A sound masculine plural: بَنُونَ (sons)

The noun أَبٌ (father)

The noun أَخٌ (brother)

Attribute or predicate

Rule 4: 4. Prepositions take the same suffixes

Prepositions with the suffixes

Vocabulary

Step 2 of 5: Read

Our house

Notes

Comprehension

In the Quran

Step 3 of 5: Practice

Exercises

Step 4 of 5: Quiz

Translate from Arabic to English

Translate from English to Arabic

Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

How many questions would you like?

Step 5 of 5: Finish