Al-Kitaab® Online Language Lab

Grammar Worksheet Series

Worksheet 7.2 :: UsingʿInda to Indicate Possession

Grammar Explanation

In Arabic there are multiple ways of expressing possession. As we discussed in Worksheet 7.1,
possession is expressed in English using the verb “have”. We also showed how the preposition
laam, meaning “to/for” can be used to show possession in Arabic. Another way to show possession
is with the word ʿinda (َ‫ ) ِع ْند‬meaning “at”.

English Arabic Sentence Type

He has a cell phone.

.َ‫عِْن َدهََج َّوال‬ Statement
Literally: At him is a cell phone.
Does he have a cell ‫ه ْلَعِنْدَهََج َّوالَ؟‬ Question
phone? Literally: Is at him is a cell phone.

He does not have a cell

.َ‫ل ْـيسَعِْندَهََج َّوال‬
Literally: There is not at him a cell Negation
phone.
phone?

Dialog

Directions: Read the following dialog and play close attention to the possessive use of the ʿinda.

Maryam: Peace be upon you. .‫السالمَعلْيكم‬

َّ َ:‫مر َي‬
Sami: And upon you too. .‫َالسالم‬
َّ ‫َوعلْيك ْم‬:‫سامي‬
Maryam: I don’t have a cell phone right َ .‫َلْيسَعِْنديَج َّوالَاآل َن‬:‫مر َي‬
now.
Sami: You don’t have a cell phone, ‫َلِماذا َ؟‬،‫َلْيسَعِْند ِكَج َّوال‬:‫سامي‬
why?
Maryam: My friend always takes it. َ .‫ََتْخذهَدائماًَصديقيت‬:‫مر َي‬
Sami: Oh no, this is a big problem. ِ
َ .‫َهذهَِم ْشكِلةََكبرية‬.‫آه‬َ:‫سامي‬
Maryam: This isn’t a problem. Don’t ِ ‫َليست‬:‫مر َي‬
َ‫َألْيسَعِْندك‬.ً‫َهذهَِم ْشكِلة‬
you have a cell phone? ْ ْ
‫ج َّوال؟‬

7.2 Possession with ʿInda :: Page 1

Drill 1

Directions: In the table below you have the subject pronoun that matches with each possessive
pronoun. Then in each sentence below connect the word ‫ ِع ْند‬with the possessive pronoun. Write
out the complete sentence in the spaces provided. The abbreviation “per.” is short for “person”,
“sing.” is short for “singular”, “masc.” is short “masculine”, and “fem.” is short for “feminine”.
(Important: the word ‫ ِعْند‬that shows possession is voweled with a kasra on the last letter before
the possessive pronoun which is added to the end for the 1st person sing. but is voweled with a
fatḥa for all of the other pronouns.) Look in the glossary on page 4 if any words are unfamiliar to
you. Also check your answers on page 5 when you are finished.

Possessive
َ laam َ Subject Pronoun Description
َ Pronoun
‫ـي‬ َ ‫عِْن َِد‬ ‫أان‬ 1st per. sing.

‫ـنا‬ َ َ‫عِْند‬ ‫حنن‬ 1st per. pl.

َ‫ـك‬ َ َ‫عِنْد‬ َ ْ‫أن‬

‫ت‬ 2nd per. masc. sing.

َ‫ـك‬ َ ‫عِْن َد‬ َِ ْ‫أن‬

‫ت‬ 2nd per. fem. sing.

َ‫ـ ُكم‬ َ َ‫عِْند‬ ‫أنْـتم‬ 2nd per. masc. pl.

ُ‫َـه‬ َ َ‫عِْند‬ َ ‫هو‬ 3rd per. masc. sing.

‫ـها‬ َ َ‫عِنْد‬ َ ‫هي‬ 3rd per. fem. sing.

َ‫ُـهم‬ َ َ‫عِْند‬ َ َ‫ه ْم‬ 3rd per. masc. pl.

َ َََََََََ.‫ص ِدقاءََكثريو َن‬ ِ

ْ ‫عْنَدك ْمَأ‬ َ ‫ص ِدقاءَك‬
.‫ثريون‬ ِ
ْ ‫عْن َدَ(أنْـتم)َأ‬ .1
_َ ___________________________ َ ََ‫عِْن َدَ(هو)َج َّوال‬
.‫جديد‬ .2
_َ ___________________________ .َ‫عِنْ َدَ(هي)َقالدةََجيلة‬ .3
_َ ___________________________ ‫ه ْلَعِنْدَ(هم)َفـرصََلِلعمل؟‬ .4
_َ ___________________________ .‫ليسَعِنْدَ(أان)َحاسوب‬ .5
_َ ___________________________ َ ‫عِنْ َدَ(حنن)َتليفزيونَج‬
.‫ديد‬ .6
_َ ___________________________ ‫ه ْلَعِنْدَ(أنت)َم ْو ِع َد؟‬ .7

7.2 Possession with ʿInda :: Page 2

 _َ ___________________________ ‫نت َ)َكِتابَ؟‬
ِ ‫ هلَعِْندَ(أ‬.8
ْ

Drill 2

Directions: In this drill you will be given a sentence with scrambled words. Your job is to put the
words in the correct order to complete the sentence. If you find a pronoun that is not connected
you may have to put the pronoun in its possessive form. Look in the glossary on page 4 if any
words are unfamiliar to you. Also check your answers on page 5 when you are finished.

Unscrambled
‫هلَعندكَغ ْرفةَو ِاسعة؟‬
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
Scrambled
‫و ِاسعةَعن َدَغ ْرفةََأنتََهلَ؟‬ .1
.‫حننَالبـْيتَعِْندَأ ْزهارَليسَأمام‬ .2
.‫صغريةَعِْندَوسريعةََسيَّارةَهي‬ .3
‫عْندَه َْلَوج َّوالَهوَحاسوبَ؟‬ .4
.‫دائـماًَهمَو ِاجباتَعْندََكثرية‬.5
َ .‫ عِندَم ْشكِلةََأانَليس‬.6

Drill 3

Directions: Translate the following sentences from English into Arabic using ʿinda. Look in the
glossary on page 4 if any words are unfamiliar to you. Also check your answers on page 5 when
you are finished.

1. I don’t have many problems, thank God.

________________________________________________________________________________

2. Does he have a fast computer?

________________________________________________________________________________

3. We have a large spacious room.

________________________________________________________________________________

4. Sami, do you have flowers for me?

________________________________________________________________________________

7.2 Possession with ʿInda :: Page 3

 Glossary

English Arabic
Car َ ‫سيَّارة‬
Now ‫اآلن‬
he took, he takes َ‫ََيْخذ‬،‫أخذ‬
opportunity, pl. ‫َفـرص‬.‫فـ ْرصةَج‬
opportunities
flower, pl. flowers ‫َأزهار‬.‫زْهرةَج‬
Computer ‫حاسوب‬
problem, pl. problems ‫َمشاكِل‬.‫م ْشكِلةَج‬
fast َ ‫سري َع‬
Always َ ً‫دائـمَا‬

7.2 Possession with ʿInda :: Page 4