Arabic Pronouns and Present Nominal Sentences

A1.2 · Building identity

Arabic Pronouns and Present Nominal Sentences

By the end, you can identify yourself and other people with the natural Arabic pattern—not a word-for-word copy of English.

Grammar map

Person or topic Subject or topic Identity form Example Pronunciation / note Natural English
I أنا no separate word أنا طالب / طالبة. anā ṭālib / ṭāliba I am a student.
you — masculine / feminine أنتَ / أنتِ no separate word أنتَ طالب / أنتِ طالبة. anta ṭālib / anti ṭāliba You are a student.
he / she هو / هي no separate word هو معلّم / هي معلّمة. huwa muʿallim / hiya muʿallima He/She is a teacher.
we نحن no separate word نحن طلاب / طالبات. naḥnu ṭullāb / ṭālibāt We are students.
you — plural masculine / feminine أنتم / أنتنّ no separate word أنتم طلاب / أنتنّ طالبات. antum ṭullāb / antunna ṭālibāt You are students.
they — masculine / feminine هم / هنّ no separate word هم معلّمون / هنّ معلّمات. hum muʿallimūn / hunna muʿallimāt They are teachers.

Notice the pattern

In beginner Modern Standard Arabic, an ordinary present nominal identity sentence has no separate word for am, is, or are.

The pronoun and the identity word show gender and number. Learn the masculine and feminine choices as paired forms.

Build identity sentences

Read each model aloud, then replace the identity word with one that is true for you or someone you know.

I

أنا طالب / طالبة.

I am a student.

you — masculine / feminine

أنتَ طالب / أنتِ طالبة.

You are a student.

he / she

هو معلّم / هي معلّمة.

He/She is a teacher.

we

نحن طلاب / طالبات.

We are students.

you — plural masculine / feminine

أنتم طلاب / أنتنّ طالبات.

You are students.

they — masculine / feminine

هم معلّمون / هنّ معلّمات.

They are teachers.

Practice

  1. Copy the first-row identity sentence exactly.
  2. Copy the second-row model, then replace its identity word with one that is true.
  3. Change the first-row idea to the we model in row four.
  4. Translate the third-row example into natural English.
  5. Does Arabic use a separate word that changes like English am / is / are? Answer from the pattern note.
  6. Write two true identity sentences: one about you and one about another person or group.
Check your answers
  1. 1 → أنا طالب / طالبة.
  2. 2 → A model is أنتَ طالب / أنتِ طالبة.
  3. 3 → نحن طلاب / طالبات.
  4. 4 → He/She is a teacher.
  5. 5 → Arabic uses no separate am/is/are word in an ordinary present nominal identity sentence.
  6. 6: Answers vary. Check the subject or topic, identity pattern, and any gender or number choices.

Create a three-person identity set

Write and say three accurate lines: one about yourself, one about another person, and one about a group. Check the person or topic form, gender and number choices, and the identity pattern.

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