How to Express Necessity in Arabic?

Today, we are going to learn "must" or "have to" in Arabic language. There are several expressions to show the must or necessity in  Arabic.

Arabic expression for showing necessity examples : يَجِبُ عَلَى , يَنْبَغِي أَنْ , and so on.

This time, I will explain you one of them, it is : عَلَى + أَنْ

Read carefully the table below:

The pattern is :

- عَلَى then damir muttasil, examples :

you (singular, male) : عَلَيْكَ

we : عَلَيْنَا

and so on.


- after أَنْ  then mudari' mansub

Examples:

أَنْ أَقْرَأَ  : for damir  أَنَا (I)

أَنَ نَقْرَأَ : for damir نَحْنُ (we)


Summary: عَلَى + ضمير + أَنْ + المضارع المنصوب 

Once you understood, please read carefully the examples below:

1. for damir أَنَا (I).

عَلَيَّ أَنْ أَقْرَأَ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ
I have to read this book



2. for damir نَحْنُ (we)

عَلَيْنَا أَنْ نَقْرَأَ هَذَا الكِتَابَ
We have to read this book



3. for damir أَنْتَ  (you: singular, male)

عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَقْرَأَ هَذَا الكِتَابَ
You must read this book



4. for damir أَنْتِ (you: singular, female)

عَلَيْكِ أَنْ تَقْرَئِي هَذَا الكِتَابَ
You must read this book



5. for damir أَنْتُمْ (you: plural, male)

عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تَقْرَؤُوا هَذَا الكِتَابَ
You must read this book



6. for damir هُوَ (he: singular, male)

عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ هَذَا الكِتَابَ
He has to read this book

note:
we replace هُ with هِ because of the basic rule and for the shake of easier to pronounce.




7. for damir هُمْ (they: plural, male)

عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يَقْرَؤُوا هَذَا الكِتَابَ
They have to read this book




8. for damir هِيَ (she: singular, female)

عَلَيْهَا أَنْ تَقْرَأَ هَذَا الكِتَابَ
She has to read this book




9. for damir هُنَّ

عَلَيْهِنَّ أَنْ يَقْرَأْنَ هَذَا الكِتَابَ
They have to read this book

note: we change هُنَّ with هِنَّ because of the basic rule and for the sake of easier to pronounce.



After showing you nine examples, I'm sure you can make your own sentece with another pronoun (damir), like هُمَا, كُمَا , etc. You just change with appropriate damir and mudari' mansub like in the table above.


In addition to the examples above, I will show you another examples. Read carefully and try to make your own sentence with another damir (pronoun).

More examples :

عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَعْرِفَ هَذِهِ المَعْلُومَاتِ
You must know this information.


Exercises:

If you want to instruct 2nd person, plural, you can say:

- عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تَعْرِفُوا هَذِهِ المَعْلُومَاتِ
All of you must know this information.





عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَحْضُرَ مُبَكِّرًا
you must arrive early.


Exercise:

if you want to replace with damir he (هُوَ), you say:

عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَحْضُرَ مُبَكِّرًا
he has to arrive early.


======================================

Recommendation to read:

Arabic expression : Time

Arabic expression : food