What is the negative copula "laysa" in Arabic?

The negative copula "laysa" is a verb that is used to negate a sentence and indicate that the subject of the sentence is not in a certain state or does not possess a certain quality.

How is "laysa" conjugated in Arabic?

The verb "laysa" is a non-past tense verb and is conjugated based on the gender, number, and person of the subject. For example, "laysa" would be conjugated differently for a singular male subject than it would be for a plural female subject.

What are some examples of using "laysa" in a sentence?

Some examples of using "laysa" in a sentence include: "Laysa al-waqtu jayidun" meaning "The time is not good" and "Laysat al-bintu talibatan" meaning "The girl is not a student".

Can "laysa" be used in the past tense?

No, "laysa" cannot be used in the past tense. It is only used in the non-past tense to indicate a negative state.

How does "laysa" differ from the negative particle "la" in Arabic?

While "la" is a negative particle that negates a verb, "laysa" negates the subject of the sentence and indicates that it is not in a certain state or does not possess a certain quality.

Are there any exceptions to the conjugation of "laysa"?

Yes, there are some exceptions to the conjugation of "laysa" in certain dialects and registers of Arabic. In some cases, the verb may be conjugated differently or may be replaced with another negative copula such as "mā".

What is the opposite of "laysa" in Arabic?

The opposite of "laysa" is the copula "huwa" or "hiya" depending on the gender of the subject, which is used to indicate that the subject is in a certain state or possesses a certain quality.

How is "laysa" used in a sentence with a dual subject?

In a sentence with a dual subject, "laysa" is conjugated based on the gender of the dual subject. For example, "Laysa al-waladāni qarīban" meaning "The two boys are not near".

What are some common mistakes to avoid when using "laysa" in Arabic?

Common mistakes to avoid when using "laysa" in Arabic include using the wrong conjugation for the subject, using the wrong word order in the sentence, or failing to use the appropriate particle to connect the subject and predicate.

Where can I find more resources to learn about using "laysa" in Arabic?

You can find more resources to learn about using "laysa" in Arabic by consulting Arabic grammar books, taking online courses, or seeking out native speakers or language tutors for guidance and feedback.

Arabic grammar: Intermediate

The negative copula “laysa” / لَيْسَ

ByTeacher Kiyan-Mehdi

The negative copula لَيْسَ laysa in Arabic, meaning ‘not to be’, is used to turn a nominal sentence into the negative form.

Uniquely, this verb is one of the ‘sisters of kana’ which we’ll discuss here. Additionally, it inflects only for perfect tense while conveying a meaning associated with imperfect and present actions.

Laysa (لَيْسَ) being technically a verb, the predicate (خَبَر) of the nominal sentence it governs will always be in the accusative form (مَنْصُوب).

مُثَنّى (dual)	جمع (plural)	مُفْرَد (singular)	تَصْرِيف لَيْسَ Laysa conjugation
لَسْنا		لَسْتُ	المُتَكَلِّم 1st person
لَسْتُما	لَسْتُمْ	لَسْتَ	المُذَكَّر masc.	المُخاطَب 2nd person
لَسْتُما	لَسْتُنَّ	لَسْتِ	المُؤَنَّث fem.	المُخاطَب 2nd person
لَيْسا	لَيْسُوا	لَيْسَ	المُذَكَّر masc.	الغائِب 3rd person
لَيْسَتا	لَسْنَ	لَيْسَتْ	المُؤَنَّث fem.	الغائِب 3rd person

Examples:

I am not a doctor	لَسْتُ طَبِيبًا
Fawzia isn’t at home	لَيْسَتْ فَوْزِِيةُ في بَيْتِها
This isn’t correct	لَيْسَ صَحِيحًا

Note: When لَيْسَ is followed by preposition بِ the sentence can take step further in the negation, meaning ‘at all’.
I am absolutely not a doctor لَسْتُ بِطَبِيبٍ
This isn’t correct at all لَيْسَ بِصَحِيحٍ

Note 2: If the nominal sentence carries a temporal expression (كانَ وأَخواتِها), then it is it which will convert into a negative form by adhering to the standard rules of negating verbs.
لَمْ يَكُنْ صَحيحًا ← لم + مضارع مجَزوم ← كانَ صَحيحًا
It wasn’t correct ← Particle لَمْ + imperfect subjunctive mood ← It was correct

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Teacher Kiyan-Mehdi
Salam, I'm Kiyan-Mehdi — founder of ArabiKey and a certified Arabic teacher.
I learned Arabic as an adult myself, earned a Master's in Arabic studies with a research stay in Tunisia, and have since taught it at middle school and university level, and to adult self-learners.
If you want structured support to improve your Arabic, I offer small-group tutoring sessions adapted to different levels, helping you strengthen your foundations, practise consistently, and progress step by step.
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4 Comments

Tusk says:
May 5, 2024 at 12:22 pm
Very good explanation, but I have one suggestion why not make a button to go the next lesson. It certainly would be a great thing to have.
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1. Teacher Kiyan-Mehdi says:
  May 6, 2024 at 6:20 pm
  Thank you for this good suggestion!
  Reply
Alia says:
December 1, 2024 at 6:35 pm
Concernant la petite note lorsque laysa est suivi de la préposition “bi” ce qui est correct c’est que le khabar (prédicat) prend normalement une double kesra que l’on prononce “in”
Reply
1. Teacher Kiyan-Mehdi says:
  December 8, 2024 at 2:36 pm
  Vous avez tout à fait raison, j’ai corrigé cette petite coquille. Merci.
  Reply

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