A Hundred and One Rules in Arabic Grammar!
- Negation Particle لـَيسَ (Revisited) ==========================================
In rule # 22, it was mentioned that any form ofلـَيسَ is used to negate Equational Sentences. We also said in rule # 62 that present tense verbal sentences are negated by usingلا Please check the following sentences:
**نـَعرِفُ أنَّ السَّادات کانَ واحِداً من أبطالِ الثورةِ المصريَّةِ.**
We know that Sadaat was one of the heros of the Egyptian revolution.
**لا نـَعرِفُ أنَّ السَّادات کانَ واحِداً من أبطالِ الثورةِ المصريَّةِ.**
We don't know that Sadaat was one of the heros of the Egyptian revolution.
If, however, the same sentence starts with a pronoun subject, Arabic allows you to negate it with** لـَيسَ** In fact, this form of negation is pretty strong.
**نـَحنُ نـَعرِفُ أنَّ السَّادات کانَ واحِداً من أبطالِ الثورةِ المصريَّةِ.**
**لـَسنا نـَعرِفُ أنَّ السَّادات کانَ واحِداً من أبطالِ الثورةِ المصريَّةِ.**