لدى

The Formal Way to Say Have

Level 2

لدى (ladā) is the formal twin of عند. It is used in Modern Standard Arabic to express possession ('to have') or proximity ('at/with'). While it functions like a preposition, it is most famous for creating 'have' sentences in news, literature, and formal speech.

How It Works

1. Meaning and Usage
In Modern Standard Arabic, لدى is used to indicate that someone 'has' something or that something is 'at' a certain location/person. While it is synonymous with عند, it carries a much higher register. You will see it in newspapers, hear it on the news, or read it in books, but you will rarely hear it in daily conversation.

2. Morphological Changes
When you attach pronoun suffixes to لدى, the spelling and pronunciation shift:

  • The final ى changes to ي.
  • The suffix -hu (him) or -hum (them) changes its vowel to a kasra (-hi/-him) to harmonize with the preceding 'y' sound.

Examples:

  • لدى + هو = لديه (ladayhi) - He has
  • لدى + نا = لدينا (ladaynā) - We have
  • لدى + ي = لديّ (ladayya) - I have (note the shadda)

3. Abstract vs. Physical Possession
Unlike مع (which often implies you have something physically on you right now), لدى is used for both physical objects and abstract concepts like ideas, rights, or problems. In modern usage, the choice between لدى and عند is almost entirely about style and formality.

4. Temporal and Perceptual Usage
Beyond possession, لدى has two other core functions in formal writing:

  • Temporal: It means 'upon' or 'at the moment of'. For example, لدى وصوله (upon his arrival).
  • Perceptual: It means 'in the eyes of' or 'according to'. For example, مقبول لدى الجميع (acceptable to everyone).

Examples (6)

  1. لدينا اجتماع هام اليوم.

    We have an important meeting today.

    Word by Word: At-us meeting important today.

    This is a standard formal way to announce a meeting in a professional environment.

  2. ليس لديه أي فكرة عن الموضوع.

    He does not have any idea about the subject.

    Word by Word: Not at-him any idea about the subject.

    Here, لدى is used with the negation particle ليس to show a lack of possession of an abstract concept (an idea).

  3. هذا ما لديّ من المعلومات.

    This is the information I have.

    Word by Word: This what at-me from the information.

    Note the spelling of 'ladayya' (لديّ) for the first person 'I have'.

  4. لدى المدير تقرير جديد.

    The director has a new report.

    Word by Word: At the director report new.

    When followed by a noun like 'the director', the spelling of لدى remains unchanged.

  5. فرح الجميع لدى وصوله.

    Everyone was happy upon his arrival.

    Word by Word: Was-happy everyone at arrival-his.

    In formal Arabic, لدى is frequently used to mean 'upon' or 'at the moment of' an event.

  6. هذا القرار مقبول لدى الجميع.

    This decision is acceptable to everyone.

    Word by Word: This the-decision acceptable at the-everyone.

    لدى can also mean 'in the eyes of' or 'according to' when expressing how something is perceived by a group.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting the spelling change when adding a pronoun.

    لداه كتاب
    لديه كتاب

    The final alif maqṣūra (ى) must turn into a yā’ (ي) before any pronoun suffix is attached.

  • Using it in casual, everyday conversation.

    Different Meaningلديك قلم؟
    عندك قلم؟

    While grammatically correct, using 'ladā' in a casual setting like a coffee shop sounds unnaturally stiff, like saying 'Do you possess a pen?' in English.

How It Connects

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

لدىLevel 2The Formal Way to Say Have

Learn This First

To understand 'لدى', you first need to be familiar with the concept of expressing 'to have' using prepositions like 'عند'. Since 'لدى' is often used with attached pronouns in formal writing, you must understand how pronouns attach to particles. Finally, because these sentences don't use a verb like 'to have', a grasp of basic verbless nominal sentences is necessary.

Words in This Pattern

لدى