Modern Standard Arabic Pronouns: I, You, He, She, We, They

Modern Standard Arabic (Fusha) has more pronouns than the dialects, because it keeps separate forms for two people (the dual) and for groups of women.

The pronouns

In everyday reading you'll meet the singular and antum, hum and na7nu most. The dual and feminine plurals appear more in formal writing.

No verb "to be" in the present

Put the pronoun next to the description:

• أنا طالبٌana taalibunI am a student.
• هي مُعلّمةٌhiya mu3allimatunShe is a teacher.
• نحن من مصرna7nu min misrWe are from Egypt.

Pronouns are usually dropped before verbs

The verb already shows the person, so a pronoun adds emphasis:

• أكتبُ رسالةًaktubu risaalatanI am writing a letter.
• أنا أكتبُ وهو يقرأana aktubu wa huwa yaqra2uI am writing and he is reading.