Reported Speech & Subordinate Clauses
Learn how to form reported speech and subordinate clauses in Arabic using أَنَّ (that), إِنَّ (indeed/that), and the verb قَالَ (said) with different clause structures.
إِنَّ and Its Sisters (إِنَّ وَأَخَوَاتُهَا)
إِنَّ and its five sisters are particles that introduce subordinate clauses and emphasize or modify the statement. They all take a noun in the accusative (اسم إِنَّ) followed by a predicate in the nominative (خَبَر إِنَّ). The six sisters: • إِنَّ (inna) - indeed, verily (emphasis) • أَنَّ (anna) - that (introduces reported content) • كَأَنَّ (ka'anna) - as if, as though • لٰكِنَّ (lākinna) - but, however • لَيْتَ (layta) - if only, I wish (for impossible wishes) • لَعَلَّ (la'alla) - perhaps, maybe All six follow the same grammatical rule: the noun after them takes the accusative case, while the predicate stays nominative. إِنَّ vs أَنَّ: إِنَّ starts a sentence; أَنَّ is embedded within a sentence (after a verb, preposition, etc.).
2 more sections and 5 practice questions
"Reported Speech & Subordinate Clauses" is one of 38 grammar lessons in Fahm Premium, each with worked examples and self-checking practice. The first 3 grammar lessons are free to try.
- Reported Speech with قَالَ (He Said)
- Other Subordinate Clause Structures
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Frequently asked questions
What is Reported Speech & Subordinate Clauses in Arabic?
Learn how to form reported speech and subordinate clauses in Arabic using أَنَّ (that), إِنَّ (indeed/that), and the verb قَالَ (said) with different clause structures.
How do you use Reported Speech & Subordinate Clauses in Arabic?
إِنَّ and its five sisters are particles that introduce subordinate clauses and emphasize or modify the statement. They all take a noun in the accusative (اسم إِنَّ) followed by a predicate in the nominative (خَبَر إِنَّ).
What are common examples of Reported Speech & Subordinate Clauses in Arabic?
Examples from this lesson include "inna al-'ilma nūrun" (Indeed, knowledge is light), "ka'anna ash-shamsa kuratun min nārin" (As if the sun were a ball of fire), "lākinna al-imtihāna sa'bun" (But the exam is difficult) and "layta ash-shabāba ya'ūdu yawman" (If only youth would return one day).