Prepositions
Common Arabic prepositions and their usage
I can use common prepositions to describe location and direction
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
أنا في البَيتِ
I am in the house
مِن مِصرَ
From Egypt
على الطّاوِلَةِ
On the table
بِالقَلَمِ
With the pen
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
حروف الجر (Prepositions)
Arabic prepositions are حروف الجر — they put the following noun in مجرور (genitive) case.
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| في | in | في البيت (in the house) |
| مِن | from | من مصر (from Egypt) |
| إلى | to | إلى المدرسة (to school) |
| على | on | على الطاولة (on the table) |
| مَعَ | with | مع صديقي (with my friend) |
| بِـ | with/by | بالقلم (with the pen) |
Note: بِـ and لِـ attach directly to the next word: بِ + ال → بال.
Common Error Patterns
Not using genitive case after preposition
All prepositions govern مجرور: في البيتِ (not البيتُ)
Wrong preposition for the context
في = in/at (location), إلى = to (direction), من = from (origin)
أنا في البَيتِ
I am in the house
fī l-bayti — في puts البيت in genitive (الكسرة).
مِن مِصرَ
From Egypt
min miṣra — من + proper noun. Diptote مصر takes fatḥa instead of kasra.
على الطّاوِلَةِ
On the table
ʿalā ṭ-ṭāwilati — على + definite noun in genitive.
بِالقَلَمِ
With the pen
bi-l-qalami — بِـ attaches directly to ال: بِ + القلم → بالقلم.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises