Attached Possessive Pronouns (الضَّمَائِر المُتَّصِلَة)

Arabic possessive pronouns never stand alone. They are like shadows; they must follow a noun. You cannot say "my" without saying what you own. In English, we say "my house." In Arabic, we say "house-my." It is a suffix system. You take a word like ism (name). Then you add a tiny ending like ـي (-i). Boom! You just said ismi (my name). These endings change based on who owns the item. The noun itself stays mostly the same. However, the ending of the noun acts as a bridge. This bridge connects the object to the owner. It is like a grammar handshake between two words.

1. 1Creating these words is like playing with Lego bricks. Follow these four simple steps:
2. 2Pick your noun. Let us use bayt (house).
3. 3Remove any "the" (al-) from the front. Possession already makes it specific.
4. 4Identify the owner (Me, You, Him, Her, Us).
5. 5Attach the matching suffix to the end of the noun.
6. 6For "My": Add ـي (-i). bayt becomes bayti.
7. 7For "Your" (masculine): Add ـكَ (-ka). bayt becomes baytuka.
8. 8For "Your" (feminine): Add ـكِ (-ki). bayt becomes baytuki.
9. 9For "His": Add ـهُ (-hu). bayt becomes baytuhu.
10. 10For "Her": Add ـها (-ha). bayt becomes baytuha.
11. 11For "Our": Add ـنا (-na). bayt becomes baytuna.
12. 12Yes, even native speakers forget the vowel at the end sometimes! In daily speech, people often drop the small a or u sounds before the suffix. You might just hear baytak instead of baytuka. Both are great, but baytuka is the gold standard for formal writing.

Use these whenever you need to show a relationship. It is not just for physical objects like phones or cars.

• Family members: Use akhi (my brother) or ummuka (your mother).
• Body parts: Use yadi (my hand) when you accidentally burn it on hot tea.
• Feelings and ideas: Use fikrati (my idea) during a brainstorming session.
• Introductions: This is essential for ismi (my name) when meeting new people.
• Ordering food: Use talabi (my order) to get that delicious falafel wrap you wanted.
• Job Interviews: Talking about khibrati (my experience) will impress any boss.

Think of it as a way to claim your space in the world. If it belongs to you or someone else, attach a pronoun!

There are two main red lights for this grammar point.

First, never use the definite article al- (the) with an attached pronoun. You cannot say al-kitabi. It is like saying "the my book" in English. It sounds clunky and confused. The pronoun already tells us exactly which book it is.

Second, don't use these suffixes with verbs if you want to show possession. These are strictly for nouns. If you attach a suffix to a verb, it changes the meaning to "me" or "him" as an object (like "he hit me"). We are sticking to "my stuff" for now. Keep your nouns and verbs in their own lanes to avoid a grammar pile-up!

One big hurdle is the Taa Marbuta (ة). This is the letter that looks like a circle with two dots. It usually sits at the end of feminine words like sayyara (car). When you add a pronoun, that circle "wakes up" and turns into a regular t (ت). So, sayyara + ـي becomes sayyarati. Many beginners forget to open that letter up.

Another trap is mixing up gender. If you are talking to a woman, use ـكِ (-ki). If you use ـكَ (-ka), she will know what you mean, but it is like calling a girl "sir." It is a bit awkward, but hey, we have all been there.

Lastly, beginners often try to use the long pronouns like ana (I) after the word. kitab ana is understandable but sounds like "book me." Stick to the suffixes for that polished, world-class vibe.

Do not confuse these with the Independent Pronouns.

• Independent: ana (I), anta (you), huwa (he).
• Attached: ـي (my), ـكَ (your), ـهُ (his).

Independent pronouns are the stars of the show. They act as the subject. Attached pronouns are the supporting cast. They attach to others to provide detail.

Also, watch out for the li (لِي) pattern. li means "to me" or "I have." You use li to say "I have a brother" (li akh). You use the attached pronoun to say "My brother is tall" (akhi tawil). One establishes ownership; the other labels the person or thing.