Lesson 125: Inna and Its Sisters

Step 1 of 5: Learn

A nominal sentence such as اَلْقَاضِي عَادِلٌ the judge is just may be introduced by a particle that colours it: indeed, that, because, but, as if, would that, perhaps. These seven particles all end in fatḥa, all but لَيْتَ on a doubled consonant, and the Arab grammarians call them إِنَّ وَأَخَوَاتُهَا, inna and its sisters, because they behave alike: the subject after them is put in the accusative while the predicate stays in the nominative: إِنَّ الْقَاضِيَ عَادِلٌ.

إِنَّ and its sisters

Each particle is followed by a subject in the accusative and a predicate in the nominative.
Particle	Meaning	Example	Translation
إِنَّinna	indeed, verily; 'that' after قَالَ	إِنَّ الْقَاضِيَ عَادِلٌ.inna l-qāḍiya ʿādilun	The judge is indeed just.
أَنَّanna	that (after other verbs and prepositions)	عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ الْمُتَّهَمَ بَرِيءٌ.ʿalimtu anna l-muttahama barīʾun	I learnt that the accused is innocent.
لِأَنَّli-anna	because	سُجِنَ لِأَنَّ التُّهْمَةَ ثَابِتَةٌ.sujina li-anna t-tuhmata thābitatun	He was imprisoned because the charge is proven.
لٰكِنَّlākinna	but	اَلشَّاهِدُ حَاضِرٌ لٰكِنَّ الْمُحَامِيَ غَائِبٌ.ash-shāhidu ḥāḍirun lākinna l-muḥāmiya ghāʾibun	The witness is present but the lawyer is absent.
كَأَنَّka-anna	as if, as though	كَأَنَّ الْمُتَّهَمَ لَا يَسْمَعُ.ka-anna l-muttahama lā yasmaʿu	It is as if the accused does not hear.
لَيْتَlayta	would that, if only	لَيْتَ الْحُكْمَ خَفِيفٌ.layta l-ḥukma khafīfun	If only the sentence were light.
لَعَلَّlaʿalla	perhaps, it is hoped that	لَعَلَّ الْقَاضِيَ يَرْحَمُهُ.laʿalla l-qāḍiya yarḥamuhu	Perhaps the judge will have mercy on him.

Rule 1: 1. Accusative subject, nominative predicate

After any of the seven particles the subject of the nominal sentence takes the accusative; the predicate, whether a noun, an adjective, a prepositional phrase or a verb, is unaffected. The subject may be a noun (إِنَّ الْمَحْكَمَةَ), a proper name (إِنَّ سَلِيمًا), or a pronoun suffix (إِنَّهُ). Compare فَإِنَّ, the same particle with فَـ prefixed, which is the ordinary continuation after أَمَّا.

إِنَّ الْمَحْكَمَةَ مَفْتُوحَةٌ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ إِلَّا الْجُمُعَةَ.
inna l-maḥkamata maftūḥatun kulla yawmin illa l-jumuʿata
The court is open every day except Friday.
قَالَ الْمُحَامِي إِنَّ الشُّهُودَ ثَلَاثَةٌ.
qāla l-muḥāmī inna sh-shuhūda thalāthatun
The lawyer said that the witnesses were three.
After قَالَ the particle is إِنَّ, with the subject الشُّهُودَ accusative.
أَخْبَرَنِي الشَّاهِدُ بِأَنَّ اللِّصَّ رَجُلٌ طَوِيلٌ.
akhbarani sh-shāhidu bi-anna l-liṣṣa rajulun ṭawīlun
The witness informed me that the thief is a tall man.
لَمْ يَحْضُرِ الْمُتَّهَمُ لِأَنَّ أُمَّهُ مَرِيضَةٌ.
lam yaḥḍuri l-muttahamu li-anna ummahu marīḍatun
The accused did not attend because his mother is ill.
اَلْقَضِيَّةُ قَدِيمَةٌ لٰكِنَّ الْحُكْمَ جَدِيدٌ.
al-qaḍiyyatu qadīmatun lākinna l-ḥukma jadīdun
The case is old but the judgement is new.
لَعَلَّ الْقَاضِيَ يُصْدِرُ قَرَارَهُ غَدًا.
laʿalla l-qāḍiya yuṣdiru qarārahu ghadan
Perhaps the judge will issue his decision tomorrow.
The predicate here is a verbal sentence.

Rule 2: 2. إِنَّ or أَنَّ?

Both mean that in reported statements, but they are not interchangeable. إِنَّ opens an independent sentence and follows قَالَ to say; أَنَّ follows every other verb of knowing, hearing, informing and thinking (عَلِمَ, سَمِعَ, أَخْبَرَ بِـ, ظَنَّ, اِعْتَرَفَ بِـ, أَنْكَرَ) and all prepositions (بِأَنَّ, لِأَنَّ, مَعَ أَنَّ although, إِلَّا أَنَّ except that, كَأَنَّ). لَا شَكَّ أَنَّ from lesson 116 belongs here too.

قَالَ الشَّاهِدُ إِنَّهُ رَأَى اللِّصَّ.
qāla sh-shāhidu innahu raʾa l-liṣṣa
The witness said that he had seen the thief.
سَمِعْنَا أَنَّ الْمَحْكَمَةَ حَكَمَتْ عَلَيْهِ بِالسِّجْنِ.
samiʿnā anna l-maḥkamata ḥakamat ʿalayhi bi-s-sijni
We heard that the court had sentenced him to prison.
اِعْتَرَفَ الْمُتَّهَمُ بِأَنَّهُ سَرَقَ السَّيَّارَةَ.
iʿtarafa l-muttahamu bi-annahu saraqa s-sayyārata
The accused confessed that he had stolen the car.
أَنْكَرَ أَنَّ الْمُجَوْهَرَاتِ لَهُ، مَعَ أَنَّهَا وُجِدَتْ فِي بَيْتِهِ.
ankara anna l-mujawharāti lahu, maʿa annahā wujidat fī baytihi
He denied that the jewellery was his, although it was found in his house.
لَا شَكَّ أَنَّ الشُّهُودَ صَادِقُونَ.
lā shakka anna sh-shuhūda ṣādiqūna
There is no doubt that the witnesses are truthful.

The particles with pronoun suffixes

The suffixes are the object suffixes of the verb. With the first person singular, إِنَّ، أَنَّ، لٰكِنَّ and كَأَنَّ may lose their final نَ: إِنِّي or إِنَّنِي; لَعَلَّ has لَعَلِّي beside لَعَلَّنِي; لَيْتَ always keeps لَيْتَنِي.
Person	إِنَّ / أَنَّ	لٰكِنَّ	كَأَنَّ	لَعَلَّ	لَيْتَ
I	إِنِّي / إِنَّنِيinnī / innanī	لٰكِنِّي / لٰكِنَّنِيlākinnī / lākinnanī	كَأَنِّي / كَأَنَّنِيka-annī / ka-annanī	لَعَلِّي / لَعَلَّنِيlaʿallī / laʿallanī	لَيْتَنِيlaytanī
you (m.)	إِنَّكَinnaka	لٰكِنَّكَlākinnaka	كَأَنَّكَka-annaka	لَعَلَّكَlaʿallaka	لَيْتَكَlaytaka
you (f.)	إِنَّكِinnaki	لٰكِنَّكِlākinnaki	كَأَنَّكِka-annaki	لَعَلَّكِlaʿallaki	لَيْتَكِlaytaki
he	إِنَّهُinnahu	لٰكِنَّهُlākinnahu	كَأَنَّهُka-annahu	لَعَلَّهُlaʿallahu	لَيْتَهُlaytahu
she	إِنَّهَاinnahā	لٰكِنَّهَاlākinnahā	كَأَنَّهَاka-annahā	لَعَلَّهَاlaʿallahā	لَيْتَهَاlaytahā
we	إِنَّنَا / إِنَّاinnanā / innā	لٰكِنَّنَا / لٰكِنَّاlākinnanā / lākinnā	كَأَنَّنَا / كَأَنَّاka-annanā / ka-annā	لَعَلَّنَاlaʿallanā	لَيْتَنَاlaytanā
you (m. pl.)	إِنَّكُمْinnakum	لٰكِنَّكُمْlākinnakum	كَأَنَّكُمْka-annakum	لَعَلَّكُمْlaʿallakum	لَيْتَكُمْlaytakum
you (f. pl.)	إِنَّكُنَّinnakunna	لٰكِنَّكُنَّlākinnakunna	كَأَنَّكُنَّka-annakunna	لَعَلَّكُنَّlaʿallakunna	لَيْتَكُنَّlaytakunna
they (m.)	إِنَّهُمْinnahum	لٰكِنَّهُمْlākinnahum	كَأَنَّهُمْka-annahum	لَعَلَّهُمْlaʿallahum	لَيْتَهُمْlaytahum
they (f.)	إِنَّهُنَّinnahunna	لٰكِنَّهُنَّlākinnahunna	كَأَنَّهُنَّka-annahunna	لَعَلَّهُنَّlaʿallahunna	لَيْتَهُنَّlaytahunna
you two	إِنَّكُمَاinnakumā	لٰكِنَّكُمَاlākinnakumā	كَأَنَّكُمَاka-annakumā	لَعَلَّكُمَاlaʿallakumā	لَيْتَكُمَاlaytakumā
they two	إِنَّهُمَاinnahumā	لٰكِنَّهُمَاlākinnahumā	كَأَنَّهُمَاka-annahumā	لَعَلَّهُمَاlaʿallahumā	لَيْتَهُمَاlaytahumā

Rule 3: 3. The emphatic لَـ

With إِنَّ alone, an affirmative لَـ (lām at-tawkīd) may be prefixed to strengthen the statement. If the subject follows إِنَّ at once, the لَـ goes on the predicate: إِنَّ الْحُكْمَ لَعَادِلٌ the judgement is truly just. If the subject is delayed, because an adverb or a prepositional phrase stands between it and إِنَّ, the لَـ goes on the subject: إِنَّ فِي الْقَضِيَّةِ لَعِبْرَةً in this case there is indeed a lesson. The لَـ changes no vowel and is not translated except by emphasis.

إِنَّ الْقَاضِيَ لَرَجُلٌ عَادِلٌ.
inna l-qāḍiya la-rajulun ʿādilun
The judge is indeed a just man.
إِنَّ الشَّاهِدَ لَصَادِقٌ فِي كَلَامِهِ.
inna sh-shāhida la-ṣādiqun fī kalāmihi
The witness is truly honest in what he says.
إِنَّ فِي السِّجْنِ لَرِجَالًا أَبْرِيَاءَ.
inna fi s-sijni la-rijālan abriyāʾa
There are indeed innocent men in prison.
Subject delayed after فِي السِّجْنِ, so لَـ attaches to it.
إِنَّ عِنْدَ الْمُحَامِي لَأَوْرَاقًا مُهِمَّةً.
inna ʿinda l-muḥāmī la-awrāqan muhimmatan
The lawyer certainly has important papers.

Rule 4: 4. Two subjects, and the subject after an adverb

The subject of إِنَّ need not follow it immediately: an adverb of time or place or a prepositional phrase may come first, and the subject is then often indefinite: إِنَّ فِي الْمَحْكَمَةِ قَاضِيًا جَدِيدًا there is a new judge in the court. When two subjects share one predicate, the second is normally accusative too, إِنَّ الْمُتَّهَمَ وَشَرِيكَهُ بَرِيئَانِ; but if it is added after the predicate has been expressed, it may stand in the nominative: إِنَّ الْمُتَّهَمَ بَرِيءٌ وَشَرِيكُهُ (or وَشَرِيكَهُ).

إِنَّ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ مَحْكَمَةً جَدِيدَةً.
inna fi l-madīnati maḥkamatan jadīdatan
There is a new court in the city.
إِنَّ الْمُتَّهَمَ وَشَرِيكَهُ فِي السِّجْنِ.
inna l-muttahama wa-sharīkahu fi s-sijni
The accused and his accomplice are in prison.
إِنَّ الشَّاهِدَ حَاضِرٌ وَالْمُحَامِي.
inna sh-shāhida ḥāḍirun wa-l-muḥāmī
The witness is present, and the lawyer too.
The second subject, added after the predicate, is nominative; the accusative وَالْمُحَامِيَ is equally correct.

Plain statement and emphatic statement

اَلْحُكْمُ عَادِلٌ.

al-ḥukmu ʿādilun

The judgement is just.

إِنَّ الْحُكْمَ لَعَادِلٌ.

inna l-ḥukma la-ʿādilun

The judgement is indeed just.

The particle turns the nominative subject into an accusative and the لَـ on the predicate adds a second layer of emphasis. The predicate itself keeps its nominative tanwīn.

Vocabulary

Why do words end with “-un”?

The -un ending is called tanween (nunation). It marks indefinite nouns — similar to “a/an” in English.

كِتَابٌ (kitaabun) = a bookvsكِتَاب (kitaab) = book (base word)

To find the base word, simply remove the final “-un” sound (the double-stacked damma بٌ on the last letter).

مَحْكَمَةٌ

maḥkamatun

court of law

قَاضٍ

qāḍin

judge

مُحَامٍ

muḥāmin

lawyer, advocate

مُتَّهَمٌ

muttahamun

accused, defendant

اِتَّهَمَ يَتَّهِمُ

ittahama, yattahimu

to accuse (of: بِـ)

تُهْمَةٌ

tuhmatun

charge, accusation

قَضِيَّةٌ

qaḍiyyatun

case, lawsuit; matter

حُكْمٌ

ḥukmun

judgement, sentence; rule

حَكَمَ يَحْكُمُ

ḥakama, yaḥkumu

to judge; حَكَمَ عَلَى … بِـ: to sentence (someone) to

سِجْنٌ

sijnun

prison

سَرِقَةٌ

sariqatun

theft

بَرِيءٌ

barīʾun

innocent

شَاهِدٌ

shāhidun

witness

غَرَامَةٌ

gharāmatun

fine (penalty)

اِعْتَرَفَ يَعْتَرِفُ

iʿtarafa, yaʿtarifu

to confess, to admit (something: بِـ)

أَنْكَرَ يُنْكِرُ

ankara, yunkiru

to deny

مُدَّةٌ

muddatun

period, term

قَرَارٌ

qarārun

decision, ruling

خِلَافٌ

khilāfun

dispute, disagreement

عِبْرَةٌ

ʿibratun

lesson, warning example

Step 2 of 5: Read

In the courts

فِي الْمَحَاكِمِ

Tap any word to look it up.

Notes

Comprehension

1.What was the young man accused of?
2.Why did the judge say the sentence was light?
3.How many months' rent did the justice of the peace order the merchant to pay?
4.What was the fine imposed on the man who struck his neighbour?
5.Why did the court compare the incident to one that happened in front of it?

In the Quran

إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ
Surah Al-'Asr · 103:2
إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ: إِنَّ with an accusative subject and the emphatic لَـ on a prepositional predicate.
- إِنَّinnaIndeed
- ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَl-insānamankind
- لَفِىlafī(is) surely, in
- خُسْرٍkhus'rinloss
Read in context
إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًۭا
Surah Ash-Sharh · 94:6
إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا: the subject يُسْرًا is delayed after the adverbial phrase and stays accusative.
- إِنَّinnaIndeed
- مَعَmaʿawith
- ٱلْعُسْرِl-ʿus'rithe hardship
- يُسْرًۭاyus'ran(is) ease
Read in context
كَأَنَّهُنَّ ٱلْيَاقُوتُ وَٱلْمَرْجَانُ
Surah Ar-Rahman · 55:58
كَأَنَّهُنَّ الْيَاقُوتُ وَالْمَرْجَانُ: كَأَنَّ with a pronoun suffix as its subject and a nominative predicate.
- كَأَنَّهُنَّka-annahunnaAs if they were
- ٱلْيَاقُوتُl-yāqūturubies
- وَٱلْمَرْجَانُwal-marjānuand coral
Read in context
وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَتَلَهُمْ ۚ
Surah Al-Anfal · 8:17
وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ قَتَلَهُمْ: لٰكِنَّ with its accusative subject followed by a verbal predicate.
- وَلَـٰكِنَّwalākinnabut
- ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
- قَتَلَهُمْ ۚqatalahumkilled them
Read in context

Step 3 of 5: Practice

Exercises

Strict harakat

Exercise 1 of 70/0 correct

Transform

Introduce this sentence with إِنَّ:

اَلْقَاضِي عَادِلٌ.

Step 4 of 5: Quiz

Translate from Arabic to English

Type your translation, then check it. Spelling and vowel marks are graded leniently.

1.

إِنَّ الْمَحْكَمَةَ تَنْظُرُ الْيَوْمَ فِي قَضِيَّةِ سَرِقَةٍ كَبِيرَةٍ.

2.

قَالَ الْمُتَّهَمُ إِنَّهُ بَرِيءٌ لٰكِنَّ الشُّهُودَ قَالُوا إِنَّهُمْ رَأَوْهُ.

3.

اِعْتَرَفَ الشَّابُّ بِأَنَّهُ سَرَقَ الدَّرَّاجَةَ لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ مُحْتَاجًا إِلَى الْمَالِ.

4.

لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أَفْعَلْ ذٰلِكَ، وَلَعَلَّ الْقَاضِيَ يَرْحَمُنِي.

5.

إِنَّ فِي هٰذِهِ الْقَضِيَّةِ لَعِبْرَةً لِكُلِّ تَاجِرٍ.

6.

كَأَنَّ الشَّاهِدَ لَا يَعْرِفُ الْمُتَّهَمَ، مَعَ أَنَّهُمَا جَارَانِ.

Translate from English to Arabic

Type your translation, then check it. Spelling and vowel marks are graded leniently.

1.

The judge is indeed a just man.

2.

We heard that the court sentenced the thief to prison for six months.

3.

The lawyer is present but the witness is absent.

4.

He denied the charge because the jewellery was not his.

5.

Perhaps the two neighbours will make peace after this judgement.

6.

I know that the accused and his accomplice are innocent.

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