لِـ (الملكية)

Belonging with لِ

Level 1

Use لِـ (li-) to say someone 'has' a relative or 'owns' an object. It attaches directly to the word that follows.

How It Works

The preposition لِـ (li-), often called Lām al-Milkiyya, is a fundamental tool for expressing possession or belonging. It is a 'proclitic,' meaning it must be physically attached to the noun or pronoun it modifies. Note that it can also mean 'for' or 'to' depending on context.

1. Usage with Nouns
When attached to a noun, it functions as a preposition, putting the following noun into the genitive case (usually ending in a kasra).

  • If the noun has the definite article الـ (al-), the alif is dropped: الكتاب becomes لِلكتابِ.
  • If the noun starts with the letter Lam (ل), the entire al- is removed to avoid three Lams in a row: اللغة becomes لِلغةِ.

2. Usage with Pronouns
When pronouns are attached to لِـ, the vowel usually changes from i to a (fatha), except for the first person singular:

  • لِي - I have / For me
  • لَكَ - You (m) have / For you
  • لَهُ - He has / For him

3. Sentence Structure and Negation
The word order depends on whether the possessed item is definite or indefinite:

  • Indefinite: If the item is indefinite, use a fronted predicate structure: لِي ابن (I have a son). The noun is in the nominative case.
  • Definite: If the item is definite, it typically comes first: الكتاب لِي (The book is mine).

To negate possession, you can use لَيْسَ or the particle ما:

  • لَيْسَ لِي ابن (I do not have a son).

4. Past Tense
To express 'had,' use كَانَ at the start. The verb must agree in gender with the possessed noun:

  • كَانَ لِي ابن (I had a son).

5. Distinction from 'Inda
While عِنْدَ is used for physical possession (like a pen), لِـ is preferred for inalienable things like family members or abstract rights.

Examples (5)

  1. لِي عَائِلَةٌ كَبِيرَةٌ.

    I have a large family.

    Word by Word: To-me family large.

    Here, 'li-' is used for a family relationship. The word 'family' is the subject and takes the nominative ending.

  2. هَذَا الكِتَابُ لِلأُستَاذِ.

    This book belongs to the professor.

    Word by Word: This the-book to-the-professor.

    Notice how the 'alif' in 'al-ustādh' is dropped when 'li-' is attached.

  3. لَكَ الحَقُّ فِي ذَلِكَ.

    You have the right to that.

    Word by Word: To-you the-right in that.

    When attached to the pronoun 'ka' (you), the preposition changes its vowel to 'la-'.

  4. لَيْسَ لِي وَقْتٌ.

    I do not have time.

    Word by Word: Not to-me time.

    To negate possession with 'li-', use 'laysa' at the beginning of the sentence.

  5. كَانَ لِي صَدِيقٌ فِي مِصْرَ.

    I had a friend in Egypt.

    Word by Word: Was to-me friend in Egypt.

    To express possession in the past, use 'kana' before the 'li-' phrase.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the wrong vowel with pronouns.

    لِكَ كِتاب
    لَكَ كِتاب

    Except for 'Lī' (for me), the preposition 'li-' changes to 'la-' when attached to pronouns like 'ka', 'hu', or 'nā'.

  • Forgetting to drop the Alif in the definite article.

    لِالبيت
    لِلبَيت

    When 'li-' attaches to a word starting with 'al-', the 'alif' must be removed in writing.

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لِـ (الملكية)Level 1Belonging with لِ

Learn This First

To understand how 'li' expresses belonging, you first need to know how to form basic sentences without verbs and how prepositions affect the endings of nouns. Familiarity with personal pronouns is also essential, as 'li' is commonly used with them to say 'I have' or 'he has'.

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