The subjunctive and jussive in Arabic are important grammatical structures. Both moods are formed by modifying the endings of the verb, and they have specific rules for their use in different contexts. In this lesson, we will explore the subjunctive and jussive moods in Arabic, their formation, usage, and examples to help you master these important grammatical structures.

Subjunctive mood

The imperfect subjunctive mood / المُضارِع المَنْصوب

In the subjunctive mood, we use the imperfect indicative (المُضارِع المَرْفوع) and modify the verb endings by:

• replacing the final ḍamma ( ُ ) with a fatḥa ( َ )
• dropping the نَ for endings having it as their final syllable 🢡 pronouns أَنْتِ – أَنْتُم – هُمْ – أَنْتُما – هُما
• No modification for the feminine plural

مُثَنّى (dual)	جمع (plural)	مُفْرَد (singular)	المُضارِع المَنْصُوب  Imperfect subjunctive
نَحْنُ نَفْعَلَ		أنا أفَعَلَ	المُتَكَلِّم 1st person
أَنْتُما تَفْعَلا	أَنْتُمْ تَفْعَلُوا	أَنْتَ تَفْعَلَ	المُذَكَّر masc.	المُخاطَب  2nd person
	أَنْتُنَّ تَفْعَلْنَ	أََنْتِ تَفْعَلِي	المُؤَنَّث fem.
هُما يَفْعَلا	هُمْ يَفْعَلُوا	هُوَ يَفْعَلَ	المُذَكَّر masc.	الغائِب  3rd person
هُما تَفْعَلا	هُنَّ يَفْعَلْنَ	هِيَ تَفْعَلَ	المُؤَنَّث fem.

The subjunctive particles / حُرُوف النَصْب

The imperfect subjunctive mood is introduced by subjunctive particles (حُرُوف النَصْب) which are divided into two categories:

• Subordinate clause particles 
• Future tense negation particle

Subordinate clause particles 

The imperfect subjunctive mood is predominantly employed in subordinate clauses following the accompanying subjunctive particles, signaling an action that is either externally triggered or internally induced. The list of these subjunctive particles includes:

لِـ	إِذَنْ	أَنْ	كَي	فَـ	حَتّى
in order to / to	then / in that case	that / to	to, so that, in order to	so that	so that, in order to

He asked for water to drink	طَلَبَ الماءَ لِيَشْرَبَ
Then you fight with courage	إِذَنْ تُقاتِلَ بِشَجاعةٍ
You have to learn how to drive	يَجِبُ أَنْ تَتَعَلَّمَ السِياقةَ
They (two) sat to rest	جَلَسَا كَيْ يَسْتَرِيحا
Come with her, so that she’ll show you something	تَعالَ مَعها فَتُرِيَكَ شَيْئًا
We smile so that you don’t see our anger	نبْتَسِمُ حتّى لا ترى غَضَبَنا

Note: Prepositions ‘after’ بَعْدَ and ‘before’ قَبْلَ can be followed by the subjunctive particle أَنْ, leading to a verb in the subjunctive mood. 

I took a breakfast before leaving my house	أَفْطَرْتُ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَخْرُجَ مِنْ بَيْتي
They (usually) fall asleep after watching TV	يَنامُون بَعْدَ أَنْ يُشاهِدوا التِلفاز

Note 2: There is also a negative form for particles أَنْ / كَيْ / حَتّى 

حَتّى لا	كَيْلا	لِئَلاّ	ألاّ
in order not to	in order not to	in order not to	that not, not to

They (feminine) ask her not to do that	طَلَبْنَ مِنْها أَلاّ تَفْعَلَ كَذا
I was careful so nobody would rob me	حَذَرْتُ لِئَلاّ يَسْرَِقَنِي أَحَدٌ
He kicked him out so he wouldn’t come back	طَرَدَهُ كَيلا يَعُودَ
she kissed her son so that he would not cry	قَبَّلَتْ اِبْنَها حَتّى لا يَبْكِي

Note 3: In much the same way as an English infinitive, a verbal noun (مَصْدَر) can replace a subjunctive mood in any subordinate clause and be used as verb.

I like to rest	أُحِبُ الاِسْتِراحةَ
He hates walking in the woods	يَكْرَهُ المَشْي فِي الغابةِ

Future tense negation particle / لَنْ

To express negation in the future tense we use the subjunctive particle لَنْ with a verb in the imperfect subjunctive mood.

Future tense negation = لَنْ + المُضارِع المَنْصوب

I won’t lie	لَنْ أَكْذِبَ
You (plural) won’t come with me	لَنْ تَذْهَبُوا مَعِي

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Jussive mood

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The imperfect jussive mood / المضارِع المَجْزوم

In the subjunctive mood, we use the imperfect indicative and modify the verb endings by:

• Replacing the final ḍamma ( ُ ) with a sukūn ( ْ )
• Dropping the نَ for personal endings having it as their final syllable 🢡 pronouns أَنْتِ – أَنْتُم – هُمْ – أَنْتُما – هُما
• No modification for the feminine plural

مُثَنّى (dual)	جمع (plural)	مُفْرَد (singular)	المُضارِع المَجْزُوم  Imperfect jussive
نَحْنُ نَفْعَلْ		أنا أفَعَلْ	المُتَكَلِّم  1st person
أَنْتُما تَفْعَلا	أَنْتُمْ تَفْعَلُوا	أَنْتَ تَفْعَلْ	المُذَكَّر masc.	المُخاطَب  2nd person
	أَنْتُنَّ تَفْعَلْنَ	أََنْتِ تَفْعَلِي	المُؤَنَّث fem.
هُما يَفْعَلا	هُمْ يَفْعَلُوا	هُوَ يَفْعَلْ	المُذَكَّر masc.	الغائِب  3rd person
هُما تَفْعَلا	هُنَّ يَفْعَلْنَ	هِيَ تَفْعَلْ	المُؤَنَّث fem.

The jussive particles / حُرُوف الجَزْم

The imperfect jussive mood is introduced by two jussive particles (حُرُوف الجَزْم) which are:

• The past tense negation particle lam (لَمْ)
• The prohibition particle lā (لا)

Past tense negation particle (لَمْ)

To express negation in the past tense we use the subjunctive particle لَمْ with a verb in the imperfect jussive mood.

Past tense negation = لَمْ + المُضارِع المَجْزوم   

I didn’t understand anything	لَمْ أَفْهَمْ شَيْئًا
They didn’t visit them two at hospital	لَمْ يَزُورُوهُما فِي المُسْتَشْفَى

Note: The more archaic way to express past tense negation would be with particle ما followed by a verb in the perfect tense 

ما + الماضِي = لَمْ + المُضارِع المَجْزوم 

I didn’t understand anything	ما فَهِمْتُ شَيْئًا
They didn’t visit them two at hospital	ما زاروهُما فِي المُسْتَشْفَى

Prohibition particle (لا)

Prohibition is a negative imperative tense. To express negation in the imperative tense we use the particle لا with a verb in the imperfect jussive mood.

Prohibition = لا + المُضارِع المَجْزوم   

Don’t disturb the neighbours	لا تُزْعِجْ الجِيرانَ
Do not (plural) be lazy!	لا تَتَكاسَلوا