The Object Ending

Level 2

The Mansub (Accusative) case is the 'modifier' or 'target' state in Arabic. While its most famous role is marking the Direct Object, it also handles adverbs, time/place markers, and specific sentence structures like those starting with إنّ.

How It Works

The Mansub state is one of the three primary cases in Arabic declension. It is essential for formal writing and speech.

1. Primary Functions:

  • Direct Object (al-maf‘ul bihi): The entity receiving the action. Example: 'I read the book.'
  • Circumstantial State (al-Hal): Describes the state of the subject or object during the action, like 'The boy returned laughing'.
  • Adverbs of Time/Place (al-maf'ul fihi): Words like 'today' or 'under'.
  • Subject of Inna and its sisters: When a sentence starts with 'Indeed' (إنّ), the following noun becomes Mansub.
  • Predicate of كان and Its Sisters: The 'was' verb makes the description (predicate) Mansub.
  • Object of Purpose (al-maf'ul li-ajlihi): Explaining why an action happened in one word, like 'studying out of desire for success'.
  • Exclusion (al-mustathna): The noun following 'except' (إلا) in positive sentences.
  • Vocative (al-nida'): When calling someone using a joined noun, like 'O servant of God'.
  • Other Functions: Includes Specification and the Absolute Object.

2. Morphological Endings:

  • Singular Nouns and Broken Plurals: These take a -a (definite) or -an (indefinite). Indefinite nouns add a silent Alif (ـاً) as a chair for the tanwin, except for words ending in Ta Marbuta (ة), Alif Maqsura (ى), a Hamza preceded by Alif, or a Hamza sitting on an Alif. Note that Manqus nouns (ending in ي) do take the Alif chair when indefinite and Mansub (e.g., قاضياً).
  • Diptotes: These take a single fatha and never take tanwin.
  • Sound Feminine Plurals: They take a kasra (ـاتِ / ـاتٍ) instead of a fatha.
  • Duals and Masculine Plurals: The ending changes to a Ya (ـين).
  • The Five Special Nouns: Nouns like 'father' (أب) use a long Alif (أبا) when Mansub, provided they are in an Idafa construction and not attached to the first-person 'my' suffix.

Examples (5)

  1. شَرِبَ الوَلَدُ العَصِيرَ

    The boy drank the juice.

    Word by Word: Drank the boy the juice.

    'Al-'asira' (the juice) is the direct object, so it takes a single fatha because it is definite.

  2. قَرَأْتُ كِتَاباً جَدِيداً

    I read a new book.

    Word by Word: I-read book-a new-a.

    'Kitaban' is indefinite, so it takes tanwin fatha and the supporting Alif. The adjective 'jadidan' follows the same case.

  3. إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ

    Indeed, Allah is Forgiving.

    Word by Word: Indeed Allah Forgiving.

    The word 'Allaha' is Mansub because it follows the particle 'Inna'.

  4. كَانَ الجَوُّ بَارِداً

    The weather was cold.

    Word by Word: Was the weather cold.

    In a 'Kana' sentence, the predicate (baridan) must be Mansub.

  5. رَأَيْتُ المُعَلِّمَاتِ

    I saw the teachers (female).

    Word by Word: I-saw the-teachers.

    This shows the exception: sound feminine plurals take a kasra when they are in the Mansub state.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a fatha on sound feminine plurals.

    رأيتُ المعلماتَ
    رأيتُ المعلماتِ

    Sound feminine plurals (ending in -at) are unique; they use a kasra for the Mansub case, never a fatha.

  • Adding a supporting Alif to words ending in Ta Marbuta or certain Hamzas.

    شربتُ قهوةً ا
    شربتُ قهوةً

    While most indefinite nouns need a supporting Alif for tanwin fatha, words ending in Ta Marbuta (ة) or a Hamza preceded by Alif (like ماءً) do not take the extra Alif.

  • Reading the first noun after the verb as the subject.

    Different Meaningسألَ الطالبَ المعلمُ
    سألَ الطالبُ المعلمَ

    سألَ الطالبَ المعلمُ is correct and means 'The teacher asked the student.' The case endings, not word order, show who asks: the subject takes damma and the object takes fatha. To say 'the student asked the teacher', use سألَ الطالبُ المعلمَ.

How It Connects

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The Object EndingLevel 2

Learn This First

To understand the object ending (Al-Mansub), you first need to grasp the general concept of Arabic case endings (I'rab). You must also be able to distinguish between the parts of a verbal sentence so you can identify which word is the object receiving the action, and contrast its ending with the subject ending (Al-Marfu').

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

And 15 more in the full list.

Words in This Pattern

منصوب