Idafa (الإِضَافَة) - The Construct State
Master the idafa construction, the Arabic way of expressing possession and association between two nouns without using a separate word for 'of.'
What is Idafa?
Idafa (الإِضَافَة, literally 'addition') is one of the most important and frequent constructions in Arabic. It links two or more nouns to express possession, belonging, or association - similar to English 'of' or the possessive 's. Structure: noun1 (مُضَاف) + noun2 (مُضَاف إِلَيْهِ) Rules: 1. The first noun (مُضَاف) NEVER takes ال or tanwin. 2. The second noun (مُضَاف إِلَيْهِ) takes the genitive case (مَجْرُور). 3. The entire construction is definite if the second noun is definite.
2 more sections and 4 practice questions
"Idafa (الإِضَافَة) - The Construct State" is one of 38 grammar lessons in Fahm Premium, each with worked examples and self-checking practice. The first 3 grammar lessons are free to try.
- Rules and Restrictions
- Common Idafa Expressions
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Frequently asked questions
What is Idafa in Arabic?
Master the idafa construction, the Arabic way of expressing possession and association between two nouns without using a separate word for 'of.'
How do you use Idafa in Arabic?
Idafa (الإِضَافَة, literally 'addition') is one of the most important and frequent constructions in Arabic. It links two or more nouns to express possession, belonging, or association - similar to English 'of' or the possessive 's.
What are common examples of Idafa in Arabic?
Examples from this lesson include "kitābu at-tālibi" (the student's book / the book of the student), "bābu al-bayti" (the door of the house), "mudīru al-madrasati" (the principal of the school) and "kitābu tālibin" (a student's book).