Mastering Prepositions حُرُوْفُ الجَرِّ in Arabic

The Prepositions حُرُوْفُ الجَرِّ in Arabic Grammar Made Simple

In Arabic grammar, "حُرُوفُ الْجَرِّ" (ḥurūf al-jarr) are prepositions—small yet powerful words that come before a noun and cause it to take the genitive case (مَجْرُور). These words help describe relationships in time, place, possession, cause, and more. Just like English prepositions such as in, on, with, or for, Arabic prepositions serve to link words and clarify meaning.

Understanding ḥurūf al-jarr is essential for forming accurate and expressive Arabic sentences, both in speech and writing.

What Are Ḥurūf al-Jarr?

"Ḥarf jarr" (حرف جر) literally means "a particle that pulls (the noun) down," because it changes the ending of the following noun to the genitive case (مَجْرُور), often marked with a kasrah (ـِ) or kasratayn (ـٍ) for indefinite nouns.

For example:

        فِي الْبَيْتِ
        fī al-bayti

        in the house

Here, the word "الْبَيْتُ" (al-baytu – the house) becomes "الْبَيْتِ" after the preposition "فِي".

Common Arabic Prepositions (Ḥurūf al-Jarr)

Arabic	Transliteration	Meaning	Example with full vowel marks	Meaning of Example
مِنْ	min	from	خَرَجْتُ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ – kharajtu mina al-bayti	I went out of the house.
إِلَى	ilā	to	ذَهَبْتُ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ – dhahabtu ilā al-madrasati	I went to the school.
فِي	fī	in	الْكِتَابُ فِي الْحَقِيبَةِ – al-kitābu fī al-ḥaqībati	The book is in the bag.
عَلَى	ʿalā	on/upon	الْكِتَابُ عَلَى الْمَكْتَبِ – al-kitābu ʿalā al-maktabi	The book is on the desk.
بِـ	bi-	with / by	كَتَبْتُ بِالْقَلَمِ – katabtu bi al-qalami	I wrote with the pen.
لِـ	li-	for / to	هَذَا الْكِتَابُ لِلطَّالِبِ – hādhā al-kitābu liṭ-ṭālibi	This book is for the student.
عَنْ	ʿan	about / from	سَأَلْتُهُ عَن الدَّرْسِ – sa’altuhu ʿani ad-darsi	I asked him about the lesson.
كَـ	ka-	like / as	هُوَ كَالأَسَدِ – huwa ka al-asadi	He is like a lion.

Grammar Tip: What Happens to the Noun After the Preposition?

After a ḥarf jarr, the noun becomes مَجْرُور (majrūr), which means:

• A kasrah (ـِ) is added for singular definite nouns (e.g., البَيْتِ – al-bayti)
• A tanwīn kasrah (ـٍ) is used for indefinite nouns (e.g., بَيْتٍ – baytin)

This case change is a core part of Arabic syntax, so prepositions not only convey meaning, but also directly influence the form of the following word.

More Example Sentences

1. الْمُعَلِّمُ فِي الْفَصْلِ
al-muʿallimu fī al-faṣli
The teacher is in the classroom.

2. وَصَلْتُ إِلَى الْمَطَارِ
waṣaltu ilā al-maṭāri
I arrived at the airport.

3. الطِّفْلُ يَلْعَبُ عَلَى السَّرِيرِ
aṭ-ṭiflu yalʿabu ʿalā as-sarīri
The child is playing on the bed.

4. سَمِعْتُ عَنْهُ خَبَرًا
samiʿtu ʿanhu khabaran
I heard news about him.

Final Thoughts

Mastering ḥurūf al-jarr helps you form clearer, more fluid Arabic sentences. These prepositions allow you to express direction, place, time, cause, and possession—all crucial elements of daily conversation and advanced text interpretation.

Whether you're saying "I live in Cairo" or "This gift is for you", you’ll be relying on these elegant tools of expression. Learn them well, and your Arabic will not only sound more natural but also become grammatically accurate.