Prepositions Change the Ending

Level 1

In Modern Standard Arabic, any noun following a preposition (like 'in', 'to', or 'from') must take the genitive case (المجرور). This usually means the noun's ending changes to a 'kasra' (-i) sound.

How It Works

When a noun follows a preposition, it is called an ism majrūr and its grammatical state is al-jarr. For a beginner, the most important changes to notice are:

  • Singular Nouns and Broken Plurals: The ending changes to a kasra (ـِ) if definite, or tanwīn kasra (ـٍ) if indefinite. For example: في البيتِ.
  • The Definite Article with li-: When the preposition li- is attached to a word with the definite article, the alif of the article is dropped (e.g., للبيتِ). If the noun starts with the letter lām, the entire al- is removed to avoid writing three lāms (e.g., للغةِ).
  • Sound Masculine Plurals: The ending changes from -ūna to -īna (ـينَ). For example: إلى المعلمينَ.
  • Sound Feminine Plurals: These take a kasra (ـِ) if definite, or tanwīn kasra (ـٍ) if indefinite.
  • Dual Nouns: The ending changes from -āni to -ayni (ـينِ).
  • Dropping the Nūn: When dual nouns or sound masculine plurals are the first part of an iḍāfa construction, the final nūn (ن) is removed. This rule remains in effect after a preposition (e.g., إلى معلمي المدرسة). See Dropping ن When Nouns Are Joined for more.
  • Diptotes: These special nouns take a fatḥa (ـَ) instead of a kasra when they have neither ال nor a following construct complement; this includes definite proper names such as أحمد. However, they return to taking a kasra if they have the definite article or if they are the first part of an iḍāfa construction.
  • The Five Nouns: Words like 'father' or 'brother' use a yā’ (ـيـ) as their ending (e.g., لأبيك) specifically when they are the first part of an iḍāfa construction.
  • Fixed Nouns: Some nouns are 'fixed' (mabnī) and do not change their endings at all. Examples include هذا and هذه, which occupy a genitive position after a preposition. A noun ending in long alif, such as مستشفى, is different: it is declinable, with an estimated case vowel that cannot be heard on its final alif.
  • Spelling Changes: Prepositions ending in alif maqṣūra, like إلى and على, change the final letter to a yā’ (ي) when pronouns are attached (e.g., عليهِ).
  • Pronoun Adjustments: Pronouns following a preposition are grammatically 'in the place of jarr'. The preposition li- changes to la- before pronouns (e.g., لَه), except for the 1st person singular which remains lī (لي). Also, the pronoun -hu changes to -hi after a yā’ sound or any consonant with a kasra (e.g., بِهِ).
  • Phonetic Adjustments: To avoid consonant clusters, من becomes mina and عن becomes ‘ani before the definite article, such as in عنِ المدينةِ.

Prepositions to Recognize: مِنْ from, إِلَى to, عَنْ about/away from, عَلَى on, فِي in, بِـ with/by, كَـ like, and لِـ for/to all govern a genitive noun. The last three attach in writing: بِقَلَمٍ، كَأَسَدٍ، لِلطَّالِبِ. Meaning depends on the phrase. Words such as مَعَ and عِنْدَ also precede genitive nouns, but traditional grammar normally analyses them as adverbial nouns in an iḍāfa, not as members of this preposition list.

Examples (6)

  1. ذَهَبْتُ إِلَى المَكْتَبَةِ

    I went to the library.

    Word by Word: I-went to the-library(genitive)

    The preposition 'ilā' (to) makes the singular definite noun 'al-maktaba' take a kasra ending.

  2. سَلَّمْتُ عَلَى المُهَنْدِسِينَ

    I greeted the engineers.

    Word by Word: I-greeted upon the-engineers(genitive plural)

    For sound masculine plurals, the genitive marker is the letter 'Ya' (ـين) instead of a kasra.

  3. صَلَّيْتُ فِي مَسَاجِدَ كَثِيرَةٍ

    I prayed in many mosques.

    Word by Word: I-prayed in mosques(genitive-fatha) many(genitive-kasra)

    The word 'masājida' is a diptote (broken plural pattern); it takes a fatha instead of a kasra in the genitive case when it is indefinite.

  4. تَحَدَّثْتُ إِلَى أَبِيكَ

    I spoke to your father.

    Word by Word: I spoke to father(genitive-ya)-your.

    The 'Five Nouns' like 'Ab' (father) use the letter 'Ya' as the genitive marker when followed by a possessive pronoun.

  5. نَظَرْتُ إِلَى المُعَلِّمَاتِ

    I looked at the teachers (female).

    Word by Word: I-looked to the-teachers(female-genitive)

    Sound feminine plurals take a kasra in the genitive case, just like singular nouns.

  6. قَرَأْتُ فِي كُتُبٍ قَدِيمَةٍ

    I read in old books.

    Word by Word: I-read in books(genitive) old(genitive)

    Broken plurals like 'kutub' (books) behave like singular nouns and take a kasra in the genitive case.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the nominative ending (-u) after a preposition.

    فِي البَيْتُ
    فِي البَيْتِ

    Beginners often default to the nominative case (-u), but a preposition always requires the genitive (-i).

  • Using the -ūna ending for plurals after a preposition.

    مِنَ المُعَلِّمُونَ
    مِنَ المُعَلِّمِينَ

    Sound masculine plurals must change their ending to -īna when they follow a preposition.

  • Forgetting the spelling change when attaching pronouns to prepositions ending in alif maqṣūra.

    إلىه
    إليهِ

    When a pronoun is attached to prepositions like 'ilā' or 'alā', the final alif maqṣūra changes to a yā’.

How It Connects

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Prepositions Change the EndingLevel 1

Learn This First

To understand why a noun's ending changes after a preposition, you first need to recognize the three parts of speech (specifically nouns and particles) and the concept of case endings (I'rab). Familiarity with common prepositions like 'in' or 'from' provides the necessary context for applying this rule.

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