Be careful

1- Bitaaç agrees in gender and number with the subject not the object:  Example:     اِلـْلَمْبَـةْ بِتاعِـةْ اِلْوَلَدْ  27-1  Il lamba bitaaçit il walad. - The lamp that belongs to the boy. The subject in the above example is "lamba" and the object is "il walad." Notice that despite that the object is masculine bitaaç agrees with the subject which happens to be feminine. Agreement is with the "thing" possessed and not the possessor. Don't get confused! 2- Notice the subtle difference in meaning between the use of the possessive suffix attached onto the noun versus the possessive suffix attached to bitaaç:   Example: كِتابـِي (a)  27-2  Kitaabi - My book اِلْكِتاب بِتاعي (b)  27-3  Il kitaab bitaaçi - The book that belongs to me.        Note: In the above two examples the nouns are definite. In example (a) the possessive suffix "i" makes the noun definite. (Don't forget possessive suffixes attached to nouns make them definite!). And in example (b) "Il" is used to make the noun definite. 3- Never use bitaaç to state family relationships.   Example: اِلْعَمًّ بِتاعِ الْبِنْتْ 27-4 il çam bitaaç il bint. - The uncle that belongs to the girl.       This is an awkward construction in Arabic and in English and frequently used incorrectly by non-native Arabic speakers.

Drills with answers

Transform these sentences using the correct form of bitaaç...    Answers below for drill 1 كِتابْها صَعْبْ kitabha saçb.   اِلْكِتابْ بِتاعْها صَعْبْ Il kitaab bitaçha saçb. Her book is difficult. The book that belongs to her is difficult. كُرْسيها قَديم Korsiiha adiim.                                        Her chair is old.   The chair that belongs to her is old. شَنْطِتي غالْيَة ŝanṭiti ġalya.                                       My purse is expensive.   The purse that belongs to me is expensive. مُديرْنا تَعْبانْ Modirna taçbaan.                                       Our director is tired.   * The director that belongs to us is tired. بَقّالَك غالي Ba’aalak ġaali.                         Your grocer is expensive.   * The grocer that belongs to you is expensive. * Awkward construction in English but acceptable in Arabic.     Answers for drill 1   كِتابْها صَعْبْ  28  kitabha saçb. اِلْكِتاب بِتاعْها صَعْب  29  Il kitaab bitaçha saçb. Her book is difficult. The book that belongs to her is difficult. See more answers   Transform these idaafa constructions into sentences using the correct form of bitaaç…    Answers below for drill 2 مَكْتَبْ والْدي maktab waldi.                                 Father’s office The office belongs to dad. فُسْتانْ سارَةْ fostaan Saara.                                 Sara’s dress  The dress belongs to Saara. عَرَبِيِّةْ سالْمَةْ çarabiyit Salma.                                 Salma’s car The car belongs to Salma. لَمْبِةْ فَريدَةْ lambit Farida.                                 Farida’s lamp The lamp belongs to Farida. مَسْطَرِةْ  اِلْوِلادْ masṭarit il wilaad.                                 The boys’ ruler The ruler belongs to the boys.      Answers for drill 2 مَكْتَبْ والْدي  38  maktab waldi         اِلْمَكْتَبْ بِتاعْ والْدي   39  Il maktab bitaaç waldi.  Father’s office The office belongs to father. See more answers