Learn Adverb of Place in Arabic | Zarf Makaan

Let's continue to learn new Arabic words.

In the former lesson, you've memorized and understood the words which are related to parts of the time, level of time start from the longest to the shortest.

Today, you will know, understand, and memorize the new topic, it is a direction.

Direction in Arabic is جِهَةٌ (jihatun).

جِهَةٌ is singular, the plural form of جِهَةٌ  is جِهَاتٌ (jihaatun).

الجهات  (the directions/the places)

In a sentence, these words usually are acted as adverb of place or ẓarf makaan (ظَرْفُ مَكَانٍ)

1. تَحْتَ (taḥta)

taḥta means under; below.

2. فَوْقَ (fauqa)

fauqa means above; on; upon

3. أَمَامَ  (amaama)

amaama means in front of; opposite to; facing; at the front position

4. بَيْنَ (bayna)

bayna means between; amidst; among

5. وَسَطَ (wasaṭa)    

wasaṭa  means central; midst; center

6. دَاخِلَ (daakhila)

daakhila means within; in; inside

7. فِي (fii)

fii means at; in

8. خَلْفَ (khalfa)

khalfa means at the back of; backward; behind

9. حَوْلَ (ḥaula)

ḥaula means about; around

10. عَلَى ('alaá)

'alaá means on

Sentence examples

1.  تَنَامُ القِطَّةُ تَحْتَ الأَرِيْكَةِ

The meaning : The cat is sleeping under the sofa.

The sentence structure:

- تَنَامُ  = sleep

تَنَامُ   is fi'l mudari' for pronoun هِيَ (3rd person, feminine, singular)


- القِطَّةُ  = the cat (she-cat)

القِطَّةُ  is fa'il, marfu (nominative case), the indication of the rafa' is dammah "u"

- تَحْتَ  = under

تَحْتَ  is ẓarf makaan (adverb of place), mansub (accusative case), the indication of the nasb is fat-hah "a"

تَحْتَ  is muḍaaf (main word/the head)

- الأَرِيْكَةِ = the sofa

الأَرِيْكَةِ  is muḍaaf  ilaih (the complement), majrur (genitive case), the indication of the jar is kasrah "i"

2. الطَّائِرَةُ فَوْقَ المَدِيْنَةِ

The meaning : The plane is above the city.

The sentence structure:

- الطَّائِرَةُ= the plane

  الطَّائِرَةُ    is mubtada', marfu', the indication of the rafa' is dammah "u"

- فَوْقَ  = above

فَوْقَ  is ẓarf makaan, mansub, the indication of the nasb is fat-hah "a"

فَوْقَ  is mudaaf

- المَدِيْنَةِ = the city

المَدِيْنَةِ  is mudaaf  ilaih, majrur, the indication of the jar is kasrah "i"

mudaaf and mudaaf ilaih (the head and the complement) is shib-hul jumlah and acted as khabar.

3.  البَيْتُ أَمَامَ المَسْجِدِ

The meaning : The house is opposite of the mosque.

The sentence structure: 

- البَيْتُ = the house

البَيْتُ  is mubtada', marfu', the indication of the rafa' is dammah "u"

- أَمَامَ  = opposite of

أَمَامَ  is zarf makaan, mansub, the indication of the nasb is fat-hah "a"

أَمَامَ   is mudaaf

- المَسْجِدِ = the mosque

المَسْجِدِ is mudaaf ilaih, majrur, the indication of the jar is kasrah "i"

mudaf and mudaf ilaih (compound word) is shib-hul jumlah and  in this sentence is acted as khabar.

4.  يَجْلِسُ زَيْدٌ بَيْنَ أُمِّهِ وَأَبِيهِ

The meaning : Zaid is sitting between his mother and his father.

The sentence structure: 

- يَجْلِسُ  = sit

يَجْلِسُ  is fi'l mudari' for the pronoun هُوَ (third person, masculine, singular)

- زَيْدٌ  = zaid

زَيْدٌ  is fa'il, marfu' (nominative case), the indication of the rafa' is dammah "u"

- بَيْنَ  = between

بَيْنَ   is zarf makan (adverb of place), mansub, the indication of the nasb is fat-hah "a"

بَيْنَ   is mudaaf (the head)

- أُمِّهِ

It contains أُمِّ  and هِ

-- أُمِّ  = mother

أُمِّ  is mudaaf ilaih (the complement of بَيْنَ) , majrur, the indication of the jar is kasrah "i"

أُمِّ  is also as mudaaf (the thing that is possessed)

-- هِ = his

هِ  is attached pronoun.

هِ  is mudaaf ilaih (the possessor of أُمِّ  )


- وَ = and

- أَبِيهِ = his father

The explanation is the same as أُمِّهِ  

5. الرَّجُلُ وَسَطَ أَصْدِقَاءِ

The meaning : The man is in the midst of friends.

The sentence structure: 

- الرَّجُلُ = the man

الرَّجُلُ is mubtada', marfu, the indication of the rafa' is dammah "u"

- وَسَطَ = midst

وَسَطَ  is mudaaf , mansub, the indication of the nasb is fat-hah "a"

- أَصْدِقَاءِ = friends

أَصْدِقَاءِ  is mudaaf ilaih, majrur , the indication of the jar is kasrah "i"

6. السَّائِقُ دَاخِلَ السَّيَّارَةِ

The meaning : The driver is inside the car

The sentence structure: 

- السَّائِقُ  = the driver

السَّائِقُ  is mubtada, marfu', the indication of the rafa' is dammah "u"

- دَاخِلَ = inside

دَاخِلَ is mudaaf (the head), mansub, the indication of the nasb is fat-hah "a"

- السَّيَّارَةِ = the car

السَّيَّارَةِ  is mudaaf ilaih (the complement), majrur, the indication of the jar is kasrah "i"

The combination دَاخِلَ and السَّيَّارَةِ  is shib-hul  jumlah and acted as khabar.

7.  يَدْرُسُ زَيْدٌ فِي الفَصْلِ

The meaning : Zaid is studying in the classroom.

The sentence structure: 

- يَدْرُسُ  = study

يَدْرُسُ  is fi'l mudari' 

- زَيْدٌ  = zaid

زَيْدٌ  is fa'il, marfu', the indication of the rafa' is dammah "u"

- فِي  = in

فِي  is harf jar.

- الفَصْلِ = the classroom

الفَصْلِ is majrur because of har jar فِي  , the indication of the jar is kasrah "i"

8. تَقِفُ مَرْيَمُ خَلْفَ أُمِّهَا

The meaning : Maryam is standing behind her mother.

The sentence structure: 

- تَقِفُ = stand

تَقِفُ is fi'l mudari' for the pronoun هِيَ (third person, feminine, singular)

- مَرْيَمُ = Maryam

مَرْيَمُ  is fa'il, marfu', the indication of the rafa' is dammah "u"

- خَلْفَ = behind

خَلْفَ  is zarf makan, mansub, the indication of the nasb is fat-hah "a"

خَلْفَ  is mudaaf.

- أُمِّ = mother

أُمِّ  is mudaaf ilaih, majrur, the indication of the jar is kasrah "i"

أُمِّ  is also mudaaf  to pronoun هَا 

- هَا = her

هَا is attached pronoun, it is mudaaf ilaih (possessor of أُمِّ  )


==addition note==

أُمُّهَا  = her mother

- أُمُّ  = mudaaf

- هَا = mudaaf ilaih

أُمُّهُ  = his mother

- أُمُّ  = mudaaf

- هُ = mudaaf ilaih

أُمُّكَ = your mother

- أُمُّ  = mudaaf

- كَ = mudaaf ilaih

==end note==

9. يَجْلِسُ الطُّلاَّبُ حَوْلَ الطَّاوِلَةِ

The meaning : The students is sitting around the table

The sentence structure: 

- يَجْلِسُ  = sit

يَجْلِسُ is fi'l mudari'.

- الطُّلاَّبُ = the students

الطُّلاَّبُ is fa'il, marfu', the indication of the rafa' is dammah "u"

- حَوْلَ = around

حَوْلَ is mudaaf, mansub, the indication of the nasb is fat-hah "a"

- الطَّاوِلَةِ = the table

الطَّاوِلَةِ is mudaaf ilaih, majrur, the indication of the jar is kasrah "i"

10. الكِتَابُ عَلَى المَكْتَبِ

The meaning : The book is on the desk.

The sentence structure: 

- الكِتَابُ = the book

الكِتَابُ  is mubtada, marfu, the indication of the rafa' is dammah "u"

- عَلَى = on

عَلَى is harf jar

- المَكْتَبِ  = the desk

المَكْتَبِ  is majrur of عَلَى , the indication of the jar is kasrah "i"

عَلَى المَكْتَبِ is shib-hul jumlah and acted as khabar.


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I hope you've already obtained comprehensive insight.

To get more understanding how to make a simple sentence using the words you've memorized, you should answer the following quiz

Quiz

Translate the following sentence into Arabic.

 1. Where  is the car?
The car is in the parking lot. 

2. Where is the bird? 
The bird is above the tree. 

3. Where is the pen?
The pen is on the table. 

4. Where is the teacher?
The teacher is in front of the students. 

5. Where is the cat sleeping?
The cat is sleeping under the sofa. 

Try to answer the questions, then check your answer here:

Answers

1. Where  is the car?  => أَيْنَ السَّيَّارَةُ؟
The car is in the parking lot. => السَّيَّارَةُ فِي المَوْقِفِ

2. Where is the bird?  => أَيْنَ الطَّيْرُ؟
The bird is above the tree. => الطَّيْرُ فَوْقَ الشَّجَرَةِ

3. Where is the pen? => أَيْنَ القَلَمُ؟
The pen is on the table. =>       القَلَمُ عَلَى المَكْتَبِ

4. Where is the teacher? =>  أَيْنَ المُدَرِّسُ؟
The teacher is in front of the students. => المُدَرِّسُ أَمَامَ الطُّلاَّبِ

5. Where is the cat sleeping? => أَيْنَ يَنَامُ القِطُّ؟
The cat is sleeping under the sofa. => يَنَامُ القِطُّ تَحْتَ الأَرِيكَةِ