Understanding Arabic pronouns is crucial because they are used in everyday conversation. The better you know them, the easier it will be to learn Arabic.
In this lesson, we’ll cover all the Arabic subject pronouns, how to use them, and provide examples.
Subject Pronouns in Arabic
Arabic subject pronouns show who is doing the action of a verb. There are twelve subject pronouns in total, reflecting three numbers (singular, dual, plural), two genders (masculine, feminine), and three persons (first, second, third).
Here are the twelve subject pronouns in Arabic:
- I: أنا (ana)
- You (masc. singular): أنتَ (anta)
- You (fem. singular): أنتِ (anti)
- He: هو (huwa)
- She: هي (hiya)
- We: نحن (naḥnu)
- You (dual): أنتما (antuma)
- They (dual): هما (humaa)
- You (masc. plural): أنتم (antum)
- You (fem. plural): أنتن (antunna)
- They (masc. plural): هم (hum)
- They (fem. plural): هن (hunna)
In Arabic, pronouns are more specific than in many other languages. For example, there are different forms of “you” depending on whether you are speaking to one person, two people, or more than two people. Most pronouns also have separate forms for masculine and feminine.
Here is the list of all the subject pronouns in Arabic:
Arabic Subject Pronouns | Transliteration | English |
أنا | ana | I |
انتَ | anta | you (masc.) |
انتِ | anti | you (fem.) |
هو | howwa | he |
هي | heyya | she |
Dual | ||
نحن | naHnu | we (two persons) |
أنتما | antuma | you (two persons) |
هما | humaa | they (two people) |
Plural | ||
نحن | naHnu | we |
أنتم | antum | you (masc.) |
أنتن | antunna | you (fem.) |
هم | homa | they (masc.) |
هن | hunna | they (fem.) |
READ ALSO: Object Pronouns In Arabic With Examples (Essential Guide)
How To Say I in Arabic
To say “I” in Arabic, use the word “أنا” (pronounced ana). This pronoun is used to refer to oneself. Here are some examples of how to use “أنا” (ana) in sentences:
- أنا طالب
Ana ṭālib
I am a student (masculine) - أنا طالبة
Ana ṭāliba
I am a student (feminine) - أنا من لندن
Ana min London
I am from London - أنا أحب القراءة
Ana uḥibbu al-qirā’a
I love reading - أنا متعب
Ana mutaʿabb
I am tired (masculine) - أنا متعبة
Ana mutaʿabba
I am tired (feminine)
How To Say You In Arabic
The word “you” in Arabic varies depending on the gender and number of the person being addressed. Here’s how to say “you” in different contexts:
- You (singular, masculine) – أنتَ (anta)
- أنتَ مدرس
Anta mudarris
You are a teacher (masculine)
- You (singular, feminine) – أنتِ (anti)
- أنتِ طبيبة
Anti ṭabība
You are a doctor (feminine)
- You (dual, both masculine and feminine) – أنتما (antumā)
- أنتما طلاب
Antumā ṭullāb
You (both) are students (masculine)
- You (plural, masculine) – أنتم (antum)
- أنتم أطباء
Antum aṭibbā’
You (all) are doctors (masculine)
- You (plural, feminine) – أنتن (antunna)
- أنتن معلمات
Antunna muʿallimāt
You (all) are teachers (feminine)
How To Say He In Arabic
To say “he” in Arabic, use “هو” (pronounced huwa). Here are some examples of how to use “هو” in sentences:
- هو مدرس
Huwa mudarris
He is a teacher (masculine) - هو طالب في الجامعة
Huwa ṭālib fī al-jāmiʿa
He is a student at the university - هو من مصر
Huwa min Miṣr
He is from Egypt - هو يحب كرة القدم
Huwa yuḥibbu kurat al-qadam
He loves soccer - هو مريض اليوم
Huwa marīḍ al-yawm
He is sick today
How To Say She In Arabic
To say “she” in Arabic, use “هي” (pronounced hiya). Here are some examples of how to use “هي” in sentences:
- هي طبيبة
Hiya ṭabība
She is a doctor (feminine) - هي طالبة في المدرسة
Hiya ṭāliba fī al-madrasah
She is a student at the school - هي من فرنسا
Hiya min Faransa
She is from France - هي تحب القراءة
Hiya tuḥibbu al-qirā’a
She loves reading - هي سعيدة اليوم
Hiya saʿīda al-yawm
She is happy today
How To Say They in Arabic
In Arabic, “they” varies based on gender and number:
- They (masculine plural) – هم (hum)
- هم مهندسون
Hum muhandisūn
They are engineers (masculine) - هم من العراق
Hum min al-ʿIrāq
They are from Iraq
- They (feminine plural) – هنّ (hunna)
- هنّ معلمات
Hunna muʿallimāt
They are teachers (feminine) - هنّ يسافرن إلى فرنسا
Hunna yusāfirna ilā Faransa
They are traveling to France
How To Say We in Arabic
To say “we” in Arabic, use “نحن” (pronounced naḥnu). Here are some examples of how to use “نحن” in sentences:
- نحن طلاب
Naḥnu ṭullāb
We are students - We in the garden ….. نحن في الحديقة
- We are from Japan ….. نحن من اليابان
- We are new students ….. نحن طلاب جدد