ما (الموصولة)

What (As a Linking Word)

Level 3

ما الموصولة (Relative Mā) acts as a bridge between a main sentence and a description. It translates to 'what' or 'that which' and is used for objects, ideas, or actions rather than people.

How It Works

1. Function and Meaning
ما الموصولة is a relative pronoun used for non-human entities (ghayr al-‘āqil). It is a 'headless' relative pronoun, meaning it functions as the noun itself (the thing which) rather than modifying a preceding noun. As a relative pronoun, it is inherently considered a definite noun (ma‘rifa). The clause that follows it is called Silat al-Mawṣūl (صلة الموصول).

2. The Relative Clause Structure
The relative clause can be a verbal sentence, a nominal sentence, or a 'semi-sentence' (shibh jumla) consisting of a prepositional phrase or an adverb. For example, in 'mā ‘inda-ka' (what is with you), عندك is the adverbial phrase serving as the صلة (relative complement); ما is the اسم موصول.

3. Prepositions and Orthography
Unlike the interrogative 'what?', relative ما retains its alif when preceded by a preposition. While some prepositions like من and عن merge into a single word (مِمّا and عَمّا), others like إلى and على are typically written separately (إلى ما and على ما).

4. The 'Return Pronoun' (Al-‘Ā’id)
The clause following ما الموصولة often contains a pronoun pointing back to it (the العائد). If it is the object of a preposition, it is usually retained (e.g., 'mā fakkarnā fī-hi'). If it is a direct object, it is often omitted in formal writing.

5. Distinction from 'mā al-maṣdariyya'
It is important to distinguish this from ما المصدرية. While relative 'mā' acts as a noun (the thing which), 'mā al-maṣdariyya' turns the following verb into a verbal noun (the act of). You can identify the relative version because it can usually be replaced by 'al-shay' al-ladhī' without changing the meaning.

With a Preceding Noun: For an attached relative description, say الكتابُ الذي قرأتُه (the book that I read), not الكتابُ ما قرأتُه with that intended meaning. Use قرأتُ ما أعجبني when ما itself supplies “what/the thing that.” A sentence can of course place الكتاب before negative ما in a different construction; the restriction concerns relative modification.

People and Qualities: من is the ordinary choice for identifying a person, while ما commonly presents a thing, act, or quality. Classical usage can extend ما to rational beings when focusing on a type or quality or including a mixed set; the beginner contrast is not an exceptionless human/nonhuman prohibition.

Examples (4)

  1. هذا ما باعه لنا البائع.

    This is what the seller sold to us.

    Word by Word: This what sold-it to-us the seller.

    In this example, 'mā' refers to a specific non-human object (the item sold). The suffix '-hu' in 'bā‘ahu' is the return pronoun.

  2. قرأ كل ما كان فوق المكتب.

    He read everything (all that which) was on the desk.

    Word by Word: He read all what was above the desk.

    Here, 'mā' follows 'kulla' (all/every) to mean 'everything that.' It refers to specific objects like books or papers.

  3. الوزن العاشر هو ما سألنا عنه.

    Form ten is what we asked about.

    Word by Word: The weight the tenth he what we asked about-it.

    The return pronoun '-hu' in 'anhu' is typically retained because it is the object of a preposition.

  4. أعطني ما عندك من كتب.

    Give me what you have (what is with you) of books.

    Word by Word: Give-me what with-you from books.

    This shows 'mā' followed by a 'semi-sentence' (shibh jumla), in this case an adverbial phrase 'inda-ka' (with you).

Common Mistakes

  • Dropping the alif when ما is a relative word.

    Different Meaningسألتُ عَمَّ حدث.
    سألتُ عَمَّا حدث.

    Both forms exist after سأل. عَمَّ حدث uses ما as a question word, so its alif drops: 'about what happened?'. عَمَّا keeps the alif when ما is a relative word, 'about that which happened', and it is the form usually written here.

  • Using ما when the intended reference is the person who helped.

    Different Meaningهذا هو ما ساعدني.
    هذا هو مَن ساعدني.

    For “This is the one who helped me,” use من. هذا هو ما ساعدني can instead correctly mean “This is what helped me,” referring to a thing or circumstance. The error is the intended person reading, not the sentence in all contexts.

How It Connects

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

ما (الموصولة)Level 3What (As a Linking Word)

Learn This First

To understand 'ما الموصولة' (the relative 'what'), you need to be familiar with how 'ما' is used in questions and how relative pronouns like 'الذي' connect sentences. You also need a solid grasp of basic Arabic sentence structures, as 'ما' acts as a bridge to a following clause.

Words in This Pattern

ما