منذ

Since and Ago

Level 2

منذ (mundhu) is the primary way to talk about time starting in the past. It covers both 'since' (since Friday) and 'ago/for' (two years ago / for two years).

How It Works

1. Expressing 'Since' and 'For'
In Modern Standard Arabic, the word منذ is most commonly used as a preposition. In this role, it is followed by a noun in the genitive case to indicate a point in time or a duration. Note that منذ does not take attached pronouns as it specifically governs nouns of time.
Example: ما رأى سميراً منذُ فبرايرَ (He hasn't seen Samir since February). Note that 'فبراير' takes a fatha because it is a diptote.

2. Expressing 'Ago'
When منذ is used with a duration of time, it can also translate to 'ago' in English. In formal Arabic, it can be treated as a noun where it acts as the subject or predicate of its own small clause, causing the following time word to appear in the nominative case (e.g., منذُ يومانِ), though the genitive case is standard in most contexts.
Example: وصلا منذُ ساعةٍ (They arrived an hour ago).

3. The Variant 'مذ' (Mudh)
The shorter form مذ is a synonym for منذ and is occasionally found in literature, though منذ is much more common in modern writing.

4. Usage with Verbs
To say 'ever since' followed by a verb, you can use the compound منذ أن or simply follow منذ directly with a past tense verb, where it acts as an adverb of time.
Example: هو سعيدٌ منذُ بدأَ العملَ (He has been happy since he started the job).

5. Tense Nuance
If an action started in the past and is still continuing, Arabic uses the present tense with منذ, whereas English typically uses the present perfect.
Example: أسكنُ في هذه المدينةِ منذُ سنةٍ (I have lived in this city for a year).

Examples (4)

  1. أعيش في هذه المدينة منذ خمس سنوات.

    I have been living in this city for five years.

    Word by Word: I live in this city since five years.

    Here, منذ indicates a duration. Notice the present tense verb 'أعيش' is used for an ongoing action.

  2. لم أره منذ يومِ السبت.

    I haven't seen him since Saturday.

    Word by Word: Not I see him since day (of) the Saturday.

    Here, منذ indicates a specific starting point. The noun 'يوم' takes the genitive ending.

  3. وصلتُ إلى المكتب منذ ساعة.

    I arrived at the office an hour ago.

    Word by Word: I arrived to the office since hour.

    In this context, منذ translates to 'ago'. Note that it precedes the noun 'ساعة'.

  4. تغيرت حياتي منذ أن بدأتُ العملَ هنا.

    My life has changed since I started working here.

    Word by Word: Changed my life since that I started the work here.

    When followed by a verb (بدأتُ), the particle 'أن' is commonly used to link the preposition to the clause.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing منذ at the end of the phrase like the English 'ago'.

    وصلتُ ساعةً منذُ.
    وصلتُ منذُ ساعةٍ.

    In Arabic, the temporal marker must always precede the noun it modifies.

  • Using منذ to mean 'because' (causality).

    منذُ الجو حار، سأبقى في البيت.
    لأنَّ الجو حار، سأبقى في البيت.

    Unlike the English word 'since', منذ is strictly temporal and cannot be used to express reasons or causes. Use لأن for causality.

  • Confusing the word order when expressing duration.

    أنا هنا خمس سنوات منذ.
    أنا هنا منذ خمس سنوات.

    Always place منذ before the time period, regardless of whether it translates to 'for', 'since', or 'ago' in English.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

منذLevel 2Since and Ago

Learn This First

To use 'منذ' (since/ago) correctly, a learner needs to understand how prepositions affect the following noun's case ending (the genitive case) and be familiar with basic time-related vocabulary to express when an action started.

Words in This Pattern

منذمنذ