A1 general 4분 분량

Separate Object Pronouns

Separate pronouns are the independent actors of your sentence—use them to say who is doing or being something.

The Rule in 30 Seconds

  • Used for subjects (I, You, He).
  • They stand alone as separate words.
  • No word for 'am/is/are' needed.
  • Must match gender (Male vs Female).

Quick Reference

Person Arabic English Gender
1st Ana I M/F
1st Nahnu We M/F
2nd Anta You Male
2nd Anti You Female
3rd Huwa He / It Male
3rd Hiya She / It Female
3rd Hum They Male/Mix

주요 예문

3 / 10
1

I am a student at the university.

I am a student at the university.

2

He is from Egypt.

He is from Egypt.

3

You are very smart.

You are very smart.

💡

No 'To Be' needed

Imagine the verb 'to be' (am, is, are) is invisible in the present tense. 'Ana happy' is a full sentence!

⚠️

Gender Trap

Don't call a woman 'Anta'. It's the linguistic equivalent of calling her 'Bro' when you shouldn't.

The Rule in 30 Seconds

  • Used for subjects (I, You, He).
  • They stand alone as separate words.
  • No word for 'am/is/are' needed.
  • Must match gender (Male vs Female).

Overview

Welcome to the VIP section of Arabic grammar! Meet the "Separate Pronouns." These are the words you use to talk about yourself, the person you're chatting with, or that guy over there. In English, we call them "I," "You," "He," and "She." In Arabic, they are the stars of the show because they can stand all by themselves. They don't need to cling to a verb or a noun like a needy toddler. They are independent, strong, and the very first thing you need to master to say "I am hungry" or "You are awesome."

How This Grammar Works

Think of these pronouns as the "Default Settings" for people. When you want to identify someone as the subject of a sentence (the one doing the action or being described), you use these. Unlike English, Arabic often drops the word "is" or "am" in simple sentences. So, if you want to say "He is happy," you literally say "He happy." These pronouns fill that "He" slot perfectly. They are "separate" because they are written as distinct words, unlike their cousins, the "attached pronouns" (which hang off the ends of words).

Formation Pattern

  1. 1Arabic is a bit more detailed than English here. We don't just have "You"; we have "You (male)" and "You (female)." It’s like having a custom greeting for everyone!
  2. 2Here is your starter kit:
  3. 3The Speaker (First Person):
  4. 4Ana = I (Works for guys and girls. Easy!)
  5. 5Nahnu = We
  6. 6The Person You're Talking To (Second Person):
  7. 7Anta = You (Male)
  8. 8Anti = You (Female)
  9. 9Antum = You (Plural/Group of guys or mixed)
  10. 10The Person Not There (Third Person):
  11. 11Huwa = He
  12. 12Hiya = She
  13. 13Hum = They (Males/Mixed)
  14. 14(Note: There are also "Dual" forms for exactly two people, but let's stick to the basics for now so your brain doesn't explode.)

When To Use It

Use these pronouns when you are starting a sentence or identifying someone. They are almost always the subject.

  • Identities: "Ana Sarah" (I am Sarah).
  • States/Feelings: "Huwa sa'id" (He is happy).
  • Locations: "Nahnu fi Dubai" (We are in Dubai).
  • Emphasis: "Anta the boss!" (Okay, maybe not that last one, but you get the idea).

When Not To Use It

This is where beginners trip up. Do NOT use these words to show possession or to receive an action.

  • Don't use Ana for "My." You can't say "Ana kitab" for "My book." That sounds like "I am a book." (Unless you identify as literature, don't do this).
  • Don't use Anta for "Your." Use the suffix -ka instead.
  • Don't use Huwa for "Him" as an object (e.g., "I saw Huwa"). No! You saw *him* (suffix -hu).

Common Mistakes

  • The Gender Bender: Calling a girl Anta. She might give you a weird look. Use Anti!
  • The "Am" Trap: Trying to translate "am" or "is" after the pronoun. "Ana is..." No. Stop. Just "Ana [Name]."
  • The Possessive Mix-up: Saying "Huwa sayyara" (He car) instead of "Sayyaratuhu" (His car).

Contrast With Similar Patterns

Compare Anta (Separate) with -ka (Attached).

  • Anta = You (Subject). "Anta mudarris" = You are a teacher.
  • -ka = Your/You (Object). "Kitabuka" = Your book.

Think of Separate Pronouns as the drivers of the car, and Attached Pronouns as the passengers.

Quick FAQ

Q. Why is there no word for "It"?

A. Arabic assigns a gender to everything. A door is "He" (Huwa), a table is "She" (Hiya).

Q. Do I always need to say Ana before a verb?

A. Not always! The verb usually contains the "I" inside it. But you use Ana if you want to be dramatic or clear.

Reference Table

Person Arabic English Gender
1st Ana I M/F
1st Nahnu We M/F
2nd Anta You Male
2nd Anti You Female
3rd Huwa He / It Male
3rd Hiya She / It Female
3rd Hum They Male/Mix
💡

No 'To Be' needed

Imagine the verb 'to be' (am, is, are) is invisible in the present tense. 'Ana happy' is a full sentence!

⚠️

Gender Trap

Don't call a woman 'Anta'. It's the linguistic equivalent of calling her 'Bro' when you shouldn't.

🎯

Objects have gender too

Talking about a book? Use 'Huwa' (He). Talking about a car? Use 'Hiya' (She). Everything is alive!

💬

Politeness

In very formal situations, people might use the plural 'Antum' for a single respected person, but stick to singular for now.

예시

10
#1 `Ana` talib fi al-jami'a.

I am a student at the university.

Focus: Ana

I am a student at the university.

Notice there is no word for 'am'.

#2 `Huwa` min Masr.

He is from Egypt.

Focus: Huwa

He is from Egypt.

Used to state origin.

#3 `Anti` dhakiyya jiddan.

You are very smart.

Focus: Anti

You are very smart.

Addressed to a female.

#4 `Nahnu` huna al-yawm.

We are here today.

Focus: Nahnu

We are here today.

Standard plural for 'we'.

#5 Hal `anta` marid?

Are you sick?

Focus: anta

Are you sick?

Question format, pronoun stays the same.

#6 Al-qalam? `Huwa` 'ala al-maktab.

The pen? It is on the desk.

Focus: Huwa

The pen? It is on the desk.

Using 'He' for an object (pen).

#7 ✗ `Ana` ism Ahmed.

✓ `Ismi` Ahmed.

Focus: Ismi

My name is Ahmed.

Don't use 'Ana' for possession.

#8 ✗ Ra'aytu `huwa` ams.

✓ Ra'aytuhu ams.

Focus: Ra'aytuhu

I saw him yesterday.

Object must be attached, not separate.

#9 `Hum` asdiqa'i.

They are my friends.

Focus: Hum

They are my friends.

Plural for a group of males or mixed group.

#10 Man `hiya`?

Who is she?

Focus: hiya

Who is she?

Simple question.

셀프 테스트

Choose the correct pronoun for a male.

___ talib jadid. (He is a new student)

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Huwa

'Huwa' means He. 'Hiya' is She. 'Anta' is You.

Select the correct form for 'I'.

___ min London. (I am from London)

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Ana

'Ana' is the standard first-person singular pronoun.

Address a female correctly.

Hal ___ ja'i'a? (Are you hungry?)

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: anti

When speaking to a female, use 'Anti'.

🎉 점수: /3

시각 학습 자료

Separate vs. Attached

Separate (Subject)
Anta You are...
Ana I am...
Attached (Possessive)
-ka Your...
-i My...

Which 'You' do I use?

1

Talking to one person?

YES ↓
NO
Use Antum (Plural)
2

Is it a male?

YES ↓
NO
Use Anti
3

Use Anta

Pronoun Icons

🙋

Me

  • • Ana
👉

You

  • • Anta
  • • Anti
👀

Him/Her

  • • Huwa
  • • Hiya

자주 묻는 질문

20 질문

It's a pronoun that stands as its own independent word, like Ana (I) or Huwa (He), rather than being attached to the end of another word.

You say Ana. It works for both males and females. Nice and simple!

Use Anta. Think of it as pointing directly at him.

Use Anti. It sounds softer with the 'i' at the end.

Arabic categorizes everything as either masculine or feminine. So 'it' will always be either Huwa (He) or Hiya (She).

The word is Nahnu. It covers any group that includes you.

No! Ana means 'I am'. For 'My', you use the suffix -i (like Ismi).

Not usually. Verbs in Arabic have the person built-in. Using Ana with a verb adds extra emphasis, like 'I personally did it'.

Huwa. It sounds a bit like 'Who-wa'.

Hiya. Similar to 'He-ya'.

Yes, sometimes Antum (plural) is used for respect, or titles like Hadratuka, but Anta/Anti is standard for A1.

Use Hum for a group of men or a mixed group. Hunna is for a group of only women.

That is the 'Dual' form, used when talking to exactly two people. It's cool, but you can survive without it at A1.

In Arabic present tense nominal sentences, the 'to be' verb is implied. Huwa talib literally means 'He student'.

In sentences with verbs, yes! But in sentences like 'He is tall', you absolutely need the pronoun Huwa.

Anta is for a male, Anti is for a female. The difference is just the final vowel (fatha vs kasra).

No. To say 'I have', you don't use Ana. You use a preposition structure like Indi.

Nope! Arabic script doesn't have capital letters at all.

It's like a breathy 'Hoo' followed by a quick 'wa'. Huwa.

Using Ana (I) when they mean 'My'. Remember: Ana starts the sentence; it doesn't own things!

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