How Do You Say “Is” in Arabic? – A Complete Guide to the Arabic Copula
When learners of Arabic ask how to translate the English linking verb “is,” they often expect a direct one‑to‑one equivalent. In reality, Arabic handles the concept of “to be” quite differently from English. The language frequently omits the verb altogether, relies on pronouns, or uses a small set of auxiliary forms such as huwa, hiya, kana, and laysa. Understanding these patterns is essential for constructing clear, natural sentences and for avoiding the common mistake of inserting an unnecessary “to be” where Arabic would simply leave it out.
The Arabic Copula: Basic Forms of “Is”
Arabic’s present‑tense copula is extremely simple. This is keyly a set of pronouns that can stand alone as “he is,” “she is,” “it is,” and so forth. The forms are:
- He is – huwa (هُوَ)
- She is – hiya (هِيَ)
- It is (masculine/neuter) – huwa (هُوَ)
- We are – nahnu (نَحْنُ)
- You (masculine singular) are – anta (أَنْتَ)
- You (feminine singular) are – anti (أَنْتِ)
- You (plural) are – antum (أَنْتُمْ) for males, antun (أَنْتُنَّ) for females
- They (masculine) are – hum (هُمْ)
- They (feminine) are – hunna (هُنَّ)
Because the pronoun itself carries the meaning of “is,” Arabic speakers often say “huwa al‑kitāb” (the book is) rather than “huwa is the book.” The verb “to be” is implied by the pronoun’s presence, so the actual word is is rarely needed.
Past Tense: “Was” and “Were”
When you need to express that something was in the past, Arabic uses the verb kana (كَانَ) and its conjugated forms. The past tense of “to be” is not a separate auxiliary; kana itself changes according to the subject:
- He was – kana (كَانَ)
- She was – kānat (كَانَتْ)
- It was – kāna (كَانَ)
- We were – kunā (كُنَّا)
- You (masculine) were – kunta (كُنْتَ)
- You (feminine) were – kunta (كُنْتِ)
- You (plural) were – kuntum (كُنْتُمْ) for males, kuntun (كُنْتُنَّ) for females
- They (masculine) were – kānū (كَانُوا)
- They (feminine) were – kānā (كَانَتَا)
These forms are used in the same way as English past‑tense “was” or “were.” As an example, “The student kana tired” translates to “The student was tired.” Notice that kana already carries the meaning of “was,” so no extra “to be” is required.
Negatives: “Is not” and “Not”
To say “is not” or “is not a,” Arabic employs the verb laysa (لَيْسَ) for masculine subjects and laysat (لَيْسَتْ) for feminine subjects. The forms are:
- He is not – laysa (لَيْسَ)
- She is not – laysat (لَيْسَتْ)
- It is not – laysa (لَيْسَ)
- We are not – la nahnu (لَا نَحْنُ)
- You (masculine) are not – la anta (لَا أَنْتَ)
- You (feminine) are not – la anti (لَا أَنْتِ)
- You (plural) are not – la antum (لَا أَنْتُمْ) for males, la antun (لَا أَنْتُنَّ) for females
- They (masculine) are not – la hum (لَا هُمْ)
- They (feminine) are not – la hunna (لَا هُنَّ)
In practice, you might hear “laysa al‑kitāb ḥadīth” (the book is not new). Again, the verb laysa supplies the negative meaning of “is not,” and the pronoun indicates the subject
