Expressing 'To Have' (عندي, لي, معي)
عند, لـ, or مع based on the type of possession.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Arabic doesn't use a 'have' verb; instead, use prepositions like 'عندي' (at me) to express possession.
- Use 'عندي' (at me) for general possession: عندي كتاب (I have a book).
- Use 'لي' (to me) for ownership or abstract possession: لي حق (I have a right).
- Use 'معي' (with me) for items currently in your physical possession: معي مفاتيح (I have keys with me).
Overview
Unlike English, which uses the versatile verb 'to have' for everything from owning a car to having a headache, Arabic expresses possession through a prepositional structure. There is no single verb for 'to have' in daily use. Instead, possession is framed as a nominal sentence (جُمْلَة اِسْمِيَّة) where an object is located 'at' or 'to' a person.
This might seem like a philosophical distinction, but it's a core grammatical principle that offers precision and elegance once understood.
The concept is built around three key prepositions, each with a specific semantic domain: عِنْدَ (ʿinda) for general possession of objects and abstract things, لِـ (li-) for inherent relationships and inalienable attributes, and مَعَ (maʿa) for items physically with you at a given moment. Understanding these is not about memorizing translations, but about grasping the relationship between the possessor and the possessed. The phrase عِنْدِي كِتَابٌ (I have a book) establishes ownership, while مَعِي كِتَابٌ (I have a book with me) confirms its immediate presence.
This system is not an arbitrary workaround; it is a fundamental feature of Arabic sentence structure. The prepositional phrase (e.g., عِنْدِي) acts as the predicate (خَبَر), while the object being possessed (كِتَابٌ) is the grammatical subject (مُبْتَدَأ). The sentence literally means, "At me is a book." This structure is central to expressing states of being throughout the language.
How This Grammar Works
عِنْدَكَ سَيَّارَةٌ (You have a car), the phrase عِنْدَكَ (at you) is a fronted predicate, known as a خَبَر مُقَدَّم (khabar muqaddam). The actual subject of the sentence is سَيَّارَةٌ (a car), which is a delayed subject, or مُبْتَدَأ مُؤَخَّر (mubtadaʾ muʾakhkhar).مَرْفُوع). When the noun is indefinite, this is typically marked with a tanween ḍamm (ـٌ), as in لِي سُؤَالٌ (I have a question). Although this case ending is often dropped in spoken dialects, it is grammatically required in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and formal writing.كَانَ (kāna, 'to be') at the beginning of the sentence. Crucially, كَانَ must agree in gender with the possessed noun (the subject), not the possessor. For instance:كَانَ عِنْدِي كِتَابٌ.(I had a book.) -كَانَis masculine forكِتَابٌ.كَانَتْ عِنْدِي سَيَّارَةٌ.(I had a car.) -كَانَتْis feminine forسَيَّارَةٌ.
مَا (mā) or لَيْسَ (laysa). مَا provides simple, direct negation: مَا عِنْدِي وَقْتٌ (I don't have time). لَيْسَ is more formal and must conjugate to agree with the possessor.لَيْسَ عِنْدِي سَيَّارَةٌ. If you were to negate it for a male 'you', it becomes لَيْسَ عِنْدَكَ سَيَّارَةٌ.Word Order Rules
خَبَر مُقَدَّم (Fronted Predicate) + مُبْتَدَأ مُؤَخَّر (Delayed Subject).لَهَا شَقَّةٌ فِي بَيْرُوت.(She has an apartment in Beirut.)عِنْدَنَا اِجْتِمَاعٌ مُهِمٌّ.(We have an important meeting.)
نَكِرَة) because it typically represents new information being introduced into the conversation. You are stating the existence of 'an apartment' or 'a meeting'.مَعْرِفَة), the meaning of the sentence shifts from establishing existence to specifying location. It answers the question 'Where is the object?' rather than 'Do you have the object?'.عِنْدِي كِتَابٌ.(I have a book.) - States existence.عِنْدِي الكِتَابُ.(I have the book. / The book is with me.) - States location.
عِنْدَ المُدِيرِ الحَلُّ literally means "The solution is at the manager's," implying that a known solution resides with them. This is a common structure for indicating that someone holds the answer or key to a situation.أَنَا عِنْدِي مَشَاكِلُ كَثِيرَةٌ.(As for me, I have many problems.)الطُّلَّابُ لَهُمُ الحَقُّ فِي التَّعْبِيرِ عَنْ آرَائِهِمْ.(The students, they have the right to express their opinions.)
Formation Pattern
عِنْدَ, لِـ, or مَعَ) and attach the relevant object pronoun suffix. The process is consistent across all pronouns, with one minor phonetic adjustment for لِـ.
لِـ + ـِي (my), which merges to become لِي. For all other pronouns, the preposition takes the vowel fatḥa and becomes لَـ (e.g., لَكَ, لَهَا).
عِنْدَ (ʿinda) | لِـ (li-/la-) | مَعَ (maʿa) |
عِنْدِي | لِي | مَعِي |
عِنْدَكَ | لَكَ | مَعَكَ |
عِنْدَكِ | لَكِ | مَعَكِ |
عِنْدَهُ | لَهُ | مَعَهُ |
عِنْدَهَا | لَهَا | مَعَهَا |
عِنْدَنَا | لَنَا | مَعَنَا |
عِنْدَكُمْ | لَكُمْ | مَعَكُمْ |
عِنْدَكُنَّ | لَكُنَّ | مَعَكُنَّ |
عِنْدَهُمْ | لَهُمْ | مَعَهُمْ |
عِنْدَهُنَّ | لَهُنَّ | مَعَهُنَّ |
مَرْفُوع).
عِنْدَ (general possession), add ـهُ (his), and then the noun phrase سَيَّارَةٌ جَدِيدَةٌ, resulting in: عِنْدَهُ سَيَّارَةٌ جَدِيدَةٌ.
When To Use It
عِنْدَ, لِـ, and مَعَ is determined by the nature of the relationship between the possessor and the possessed item. Each preposition carves out a distinct semantic territory.عِنْدَ — General and Abstract Possession- Tangible Objects: Things you own, regardless of their current location.
عِنْدِي بَيْتٌ كَبِيرٌ(I have a big house) is true even when you are not at home. - Abstract Concepts: Ideas, problems, time, and appointments are 'at' you.
عِنْدِي فِكْرَةٌ(I have an idea).عِنْدِي مَوْعِدٌ مَعَ الطَّبِيبِ(I have a doctor's appointment). - Transactional Relationships: In a professional or service context, you can use
عِنْدَfor people. A doctor has patients (الطَّبِيبُ عِنْدَهُ مَرْضَى), and a manager has employees (المُدِيرُ عِنْدَهُ مُوَظَّفُونَ). This implies a role-based relationship, not a personal one.
لِـ — Inherent and Inalienable Belonging- Family and Relationships: This is the only correct choice for family and friends.
لِي أُخْتٌ وَاحِدَةٌ(I have one sister). Usingعِنْدَhere would sound cold and transactional, as if your sister were an object you possess. - Body Parts: Parts of your body belong 'to' you inseparably.
لَهُ عَيْنَانِ زَرْقَاوَانِ(He has two blue eyes). - Inherent Attributes and Rights: Abstract qualities that are part of your character or status, like experience, opinions, or rights, use
لِـ.لَنَا الحَقُّ فِي مَعْرِفَةِ الحَقِيقَةِ(We have the right to know the truth).لِي رَأْيٌ آخَرُ(I have another opinion) suggests a deeply held conviction.
مَعَ — Physical Accompaniment- Items in Your Possession: Use
مَعَfor things you are carrying.هَلْ مَعَكَ نُقُودٌ؟(Do you have cash on you?). If someone asksهَلْ عِنْدَكَ شَاحِنٌ؟(Do you have a charger?), you might say yes, but it could be at home.هَلْ مَعَكَ شَاحِنٌ؟specifically asks if you can produce one now. - Temporary Accompaniment: It implies that the possession is temporary.
لَيْسَ مَعِي جَوَازُ سَفَرِي، تَرَكْتُهُ فِي الفُنْدُقِ.(I don't have my passport with me; I left it at the hotel.) This contrasts with its primary meaning of "together with," as inأَنَا أَسْكُنُ مَعَ عَائِلَتِي(I live with my family).
Common Mistakes
- Mistake 1: Redundant
أَنَا عِنْدِي.عِنْدِيis a full predicate-subject structure meaning "At me is...". Addingأَنَاat the start (أَنَا عِنْدِي سَيَّارَةٌ) is grammatically valid but creates strong emphasis, as in "As for me, I have a car." In most neutral contexts, it is unnecessary and sounds unnatural.
- Mistake 2: Using
عِنْدَfor Family. Sayingعِنْدِي أَخٌinstead ofلِي أَخٌis a classic error. It makes the relationship sound like one of ownership rather than kinship. Always useلِـfor people with whom you have a personal, non-transactional relationship.
- Mistake 3: Incorrect Gender Agreement with
كَانَ. Remember thatكَانَagrees with the possessed noun, which is the grammatical subject. Learners often mistakenly make it agree with the possessor. For example:كَانَتْ لَهُ فُرْصَةٌ(He had an opportunity) is correct becauseفُرْصَةٌis feminine.كَانَ لَهُ فُرْصَةٌis incorrect.
- Mistake 4: Using the Wrong Negation Particle. The particle
لَاnegates present tense verbs (lā yafʿal). Since a possessive sentence is nominal, it must be negated withمَاorلَيْسَ. Sayingلَا عِنْدِيis a direct translation error from other languages and is grammatically incorrect in Arabic. The correct form isمَا عِنْدِيorلَيْسَ عِنْدِي.
- Mistake 5: Using
عِنْدَfor Inherent Qualities. Whileعِنْدِي خِبْرَةٌ(I have experience) is understandable,لِي خِبْرَةٌis more precise and common for abstract attributes that are part of you. It frames experience as an integral quality you've acquired, not just an item you hold.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
عِنْدَvs.لَدَى:لَدَى(ladā) is a more formal and literary synonym forعِنْدَ. You will frequently encounter it in news reports, academic texts, and formal speeches, but it is rare in everyday conversation. For example, a news anchor might sayلَدَى الحُكُومَةِ بَيَانٌ جَدِيدٌ(The government has a new statement). In your daily interactions,عِنْدَis always the safer and more natural choice.
- Possessive
مَعَvs. Accompanimentمَعَ: The meaning ofمَعَis determined by context. When it's followed by a pronoun suffix and appears as the predicate of a nominal sentence about an object, it means 'to have on one's person' (مَعِي المِفْتَاحُ). When it connects two nouns or pronouns in a verbal sentence, it means 'with' or 'together with' (سَافَرْتُ مَعَ أَصْدِقَائِي).
- The Verb
يَمْلِكُ(to own): Arabic does have a verb for possession,يَمْلِكُ(yamliku), but its meaning is much stronger than 'to have'. It signifies legal ownership or dominion. You would use it for significant assets:هُوَ يَمْلِكُ عِدَّةَ شَرِكَاتٍ(He owns several companies). Using it for everyday items like a pen (أَمْلِكُ قَلَمًا) would sound overly dramatic and strange.
Real Conversations
Observing these structures in natural contexts is key to mastering their use. Notice the specific choice of preposition in each case.
- At a restaurant:
النَّادِل: أَهْلًا بِكُمْ. مَاذَا تَطْلُبُونَ؟ (Waiter: Welcome. What would you like to order?)
أَنْتَ: هَلْ عِنْدَكُمْ قَهْوَةٌ مُخْتَصَّةٌ؟ (You: Do you have specialty coffee?)
- Making plans via text message:
صَدِيقُكَ: هَلْ أَنْتَ مَشْغُولٌ اليَوْم؟ (Your friend: Are you busy today?)
أَنْتَ: نَعَمْ، لِي اِلْتِزَامَاتٌ عَائِلِيَّةٌ. (You: Yes, I have family commitments.)
- At a job interview:
المُدِير: لِمَاذَا تَعْتَقِدُ أَنَّكَ مُنَاسِبٌ لِهَذِهِ الوَظِيفَةِ؟ (Manager: Why do you think you are suitable for this job?)
أَنْتَ: لِي خِبْرَةٌ طَوِيلَةٌ فِي إِدَارَةِ المَشَارِيعِ. (You: I have long experience in project management.)
- Before leaving the house:
الأُمُّ: هَلْ أَنْتَ جَاهِزٌ لِلْخُرُوجِ؟ (Mother: Are you ready to leave?)
الاِبْنُ: لَحْظَة، لَيْسَ مَعِي هَاتِفِي! (Son: One moment, I don't have my phone with me!)
- In a business meeting:
زَمِيلُكَ: لَيْسَ لَدَيْنَا وَقْتٌ كَافٍ لِإنْهَاءِ التَّقْرِيرِ. (Your colleague: We don't have enough time to finish the report.) Note the formal use of لَدَيْنَا, a variant of لَدَى.
Quick FAQ
This concept of obligation uses a different structure entirely: يَجِبُ عَلَيَّ أَنْ... (It is necessary upon me to...). For example, يَجِبُ عَلَيَّ أَنْ أَذْهَبَ الآنَ (I have to go now). It is never expressed with عِنْدَ or لِـ.
لِـ be attached to a regular noun instead of a pronoun?Yes, absolutely. This is the standard way to show possession for a named entity. For instance, لِلطَّالِبِ حَقٌّ فِي السُّؤَالِ (The student has a right to ask). The structure remains the same: the owner is introduced by لِـ and the possessed object is the delayed subject.
Yes, the core principle of using عند, لِـ, and مع is universal across almost all Arabic dialects. However, pronunciation and some specific usages can vary. For example, لِي is often pronounced إِلِي ('ili) in Levantine Arabic, and عِنْدِي might sound like `andi. The fundamental distinction between the three prepositions remains.
You use the interrogative pronoun مَنْ (man) at the beginning of the sentence: مَنْ عِنْدَهُ سُؤَالٌ؟ (Who has a question?). مَنْ مَعَهُ القَلَمُ؟ (Who has the pen on them?).
كِتَابِي) with these structures?You can, but it changes the meaning. عِنْدِي كِتَابِي would mean "My book is with me." This is a statement of location. It does not mean "I have my book," which is redundant. The simple phrase مَعِي كِتَابِي is more common for this purpose.
Possessive Preposition Suffixes
| Pronoun | At (عندي) | With (معي) | To (لي) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
I
|
عندي
|
معي
|
لي
|
|
You (m)
|
عندك
|
معك
|
لك
|
|
You (f)
|
عندكِ
|
معكِ
|
لكِ
|
|
He
|
عنده
|
معه
|
له
|
|
She
|
عندها
|
معها
|
لها
|
|
We
|
عندنا
|
معنا
|
لنا
|
|
You (pl)
|
عندكم
|
معكم
|
لكم
|
|
They
|
عندهم
|
معهم
|
لهم
|
Meanings
Arabic lacks a verb equivalent to 'to have'. Possession is expressed by combining a preposition with a pronominal suffix.
General Possession
Possessing something generally (e.g., owning a car, having a brother).
“عندي أخ.”
“عندي فكرة.”
Physical Possession
Having something on your person right now.
“معي قلم.”
“هل معك هاتف؟”
Abstract/Legal Ownership
Belonging or inherent rights.
“لي رأي في هذا الموضوع.”
“لي حقوق.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Preposition + Suffix
|
عندي قلم
|
|
Negative
|
ليس + Preposition + Suffix
|
ليس عندي قلم
|
|
Question
|
هل + Preposition + Suffix
|
هل عندك قلم؟
|
|
Ownership
|
لـ + Suffix
|
لي بيت
|
|
Physical
|
مع + Suffix
|
معي مفاتيح
|
|
Formal
|
لدى + Suffix
|
لدى الشركة فروع
|
Formality Spectrum
لدي سيارة. (Daily life)
عندي سيارة. (Daily life)
عندي سيارة. (Daily life)
معي سيارة. (Daily life)
Possession Map
General
- عندي At me
Physical
- معي With me
Abstract
- لي To me
Examples by Level
عندي كتاب.
I have a book.
هل عندك قلم؟
Do you have a pen?
ليس عندي وقت.
I don't have time.
معي مفاتيح.
I have keys with me.
هل معك جواز السفر؟
Do you have the passport with you?
لي بيت في دمشق.
I have a house in Damascus.
ليس معي نقود كافية.
I don't have enough money with me.
عنده سيارة قديمة.
He has an old car.
لي الحق في التعبير عن رأيي.
I have the right to express my opinion.
هل لدى الشركة فروع أخرى؟
Does the company have other branches?
ليس لدي أي فكرة عن الموضوع.
I don't have any idea about the topic.
معي كل الأوراق المطلوبة.
I have all the required documents with me.
لدى الحكومة خطط جديدة للنمو.
The government has new plans for growth.
لي ذكريات جميلة في هذا المكان.
I have beautiful memories in this place.
ليس لديهم أي اعتراض على القرار.
They don't have any objection to the decision.
هل معك ما يثبت هويتك؟
Do you have anything to prove your identity?
لي في هذا الأمر مصلحة شخصية.
I have a personal interest in this matter.
لدى الباحثين أدلة قوية.
The researchers have strong evidence.
ليس لي أي صلة بهذه القضية.
I have no connection to this case.
هل لدى الإدارة علم بالخبر؟
Does the management have knowledge of the news?
لي من العمر ثلاثون عاماً.
I am thirty years old.
لدى الشعراء قدرة فريدة على الوصف.
Poets have a unique ability to describe.
ليس لي من خيار آخر.
I have no other choice.
هل لدى المرء حق الاختيار؟
Does one have the right to choose?
Easily Confused
Learners use them interchangeably.
Both imply possession.
Both mean 'to have'.
Common Mistakes
أنا عندي كتاب
عندي كتاب
عندي أملك كتاب
عندي كتاب
عندي كتاب في
عندي كتاب
عندي هو كتاب
عندي كتاب
معي سيارة
عندي سيارة
لي كتاب
عندي كتاب
ليس عندي كتاب
ليس عندي كتاب
لدى أنا كتاب
لدي كتاب
عندي الحق
لي الحق
معي بيت
عندي بيت
امتلك كتاب
عندي كتاب
لدى لي كتاب
لدي كتاب
عندي في البيت
في بيتي
Sentence Patterns
عندي ___.
هل عندك ___؟
ليس عندي ___.
لي ___ في هذا المكان.
Real World Usage
عندي سؤال.
هل معك جواز السفر؟
لدي خبرة في هذا المجال.
ليس معي نقود.
عندي فكرة جديدة!
لي الحق في التظلم.
Don't look for a verb
Suffixes are key
Use 'معي' for physical items
Dialect variations
Smart Tips
Use 'عندي' + object.
Use 'معي' + object.
Use 'لي' + abstract noun.
Use 'لدى' instead of 'عند'.
Pronunciation
Suffix attachment
The suffix must be clearly pronounced as part of the word.
Question
عِنْدَكَ كِتَاب؟ ↗
Rising intonation at the end indicates a question.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'عندي' as 'At-me' and 'معي' as 'With-me'.
Visual Association
Imagine a person standing with a book 'at' their side (عندي) and holding a key 'with' their hand (معي).
Rhyme
At me is 'عندي', with me is 'معي', possession is simple, as you can see.
Story
Ahmed walks into a shop. He says 'عندي' (I have) money in his account, but he realizes he doesn't have his wallet 'معي' (with me). He feels sad because he has a right 'لي' (to me) to buy the item.
Word Web
Challenge
Look at 3 items around you and say 'عندي [item]' for each.
Cultural Notes
Often uses 'إلي' (ili) instead of 'لي' for possession.
Uses 'معايا' for 'with me'.
Uses 'عندي' very frequently for all types of possession.
The construction is based on the Arabic prepositional system where location implies possession.
Conversation Starters
هل عندك أخ؟
هل معك هاتف؟
هل لديك خطط لعطلة نهاية الأسبوع؟
هل للمرء الحق في تغيير رأيه؟
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
___ كتاب.
___ قلم في يدي.
Find and fix the mistake:
أنا عندي سيارة.
عندي كتاب.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
عند + ه = ?
عندي / سيارة / جديدة
Arabic has a verb for 'to have'.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises___ كتاب.
___ قلم في يدي.
Find and fix the mistake:
أنا عندي سيارة.
عندي كتاب.
عندي / معي / لي
عند + ه = ?
عندي / سيارة / جديدة
Arabic has a verb for 'to have'.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesI have a sister.
How do you say 'I don't have time'?
Match these:
___ الحق في الكلام.
Arrange: (with you / money / Do / have?)
أنا عندي بيت.
Which one implies you own a house?
We have a meeting.
هل ___ شاحن؟ (to a female friend)
I had a dream.
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
Arabic expresses possession through location. It's a different way of viewing the world.
It's a formal version of 'عند'. Use it in writing or professional settings.
It's very common, but 'معي' and 'لي' add precision.
Use 'ليس' before the prepositional phrase.
The core is the same, but some dialects have unique particles.
Use 'امتلك' for formal ownership.
Mostly, but it can also imply strong personal connection.
Use 'هل' or just rising intonation.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Tener
Arabic lacks a 'have' verb.
Avoir
Arabic lacks a 'have' verb.
Haben
Arabic lacks a 'have' verb.
Motte iru
Arabic lacks a 'have' verb.
You (有)
Arabic lacks a 'have' verb.
عندي
None.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Videos
Related Grammar Rules
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Arabic Sentences: Action First! (VSO Order)
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Arabic Subject-Verb Agreement: Matching He, She, and They
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Past Tense with Kana: Saying 'I was' and 'It was' (كان)
Overview In Arabic, expressing past states of being or conditions necessitates a specific grammatical construct, particu...
Arabic Emphasis: Inna and its Sisters (إنَّ وأخواتها)
Overview In Arabic, emphasis and sentence framing are not merely matters of tone; they are encoded directly into the gr...
