Elementary Arabic Morphology 2

Possessive Nouns

  1. What is a possessive noun?

  2. What is the rule of possessive nouns?

  3. What exceptions are there to this rule?

  4. How is a possessive noun formed from a word ending in a hamzah?

  5. How is a possessive noun formed from a word ending in a weak letter?

  6. How is a possessive noun formed from a triliteral or quadriliteral word ending in an alif or yā'?

  7. A possessive noun is a form that indicates a relationship between two things. For example: لبنانيٌّ (a man from Lebanon).

  8. A. The noun is placed in the single masculine form and the last letter is given a kasrah then given yā's contracted together. For example: ناصرة (female helper) becomes ناصر (male helper) which becomes ناصريٌّ (from a helper). If the word is a broken plural the possessive noun can be formed from it or its singular form. For example: ملائکة (angels) becomes ملائکيٌّ or ملاکيٌّ (of the angels).

  9. The following words are exceptions to this rule:

مدینة becomes مدنيٌّ (a man from Medina)

قریة (village) becomes قَرَويٌّ (a man from a village)

حيّ (living) becomes حَیَويٌّ (a man from the living)

ید (hand) becomes یَدَويٌّ (hand-made)

أب (father) becomes أبَويٌّ (fatherly)

ابن (son) becomes بَنَويٌّ (sonly)

أخ (brother) becomes أخَويٌّ (brotherly)

سنة (year) becomes سَنَويٌّ (yearly)

لُقة (language) becomes لُغَويٌّ (literal)

دَم (blood) becomes دَمويٌّ (of blood)

  1. A noun ending in a hamzah:

• If the hamzah is a feminine hamzah it should be changed into a wāw, for example: بَیضاء (white) becomes بَیضاوِيٌّ (from white).

• If the hamzah is not a feminine hamzah then it can be changed into a wāw or it can remain, for example: سماء (sky) becomes سماويٌّ or سمائيٌّ (of the skies).

  1. A noun ending in a weak letter is put into the possessive noun form by erasing the weak letter and then adding the yā's. مصطفیَ becomes مصطفيٌّ (from Mustafa).

  2. If the word is a triliteral or quadriliteral word ending in a yā' or alif the last letter should be changed into a wāw and then the yā's should be added. For example: فَتیَ (young man) becomes فَتَوِيٌّ (of a young man).