أن

See also: ان, آن, إن, اَِنْ, -ان, and ان-

Arabic

Etymology 1

Uncertain, but probably identical to هَمّ (hamm, “concern”) from the root ه م م (h-m-m), with sound changes typical to Arabic, as e.g. in إن (ʔin).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔan/

Conjunction

أَنْ • (ʔan)

1. Introduces a verb clause in place of the definite verbal noun.

   Synonym: مَا (mā)

   1. to, that; introduces a subjunctive verb (often corresponding to the English infinitive)

      سَيَنْتَخِبُ الشَّعْبُ رَئِيسًا جَدِيدًا بَعْدَ أَنْ يُكْتَبَ الدُّسْتُور.

      sayantaḵibu š-šaʕbu raʔīsan jadīdan baʕda ʔan yuktaba ad-dustūr.

      The people will elect a new president after the constitution is written.

      (literally, “...after [that] the constitution be written”)

      أُرِيدُ أَنْ آكُلَ.

      ʔurīdu ʔan ʔākula.

      I want to eat.

      (literally, “I want that I eat.”)

      أُرِيدُ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ.

      ʔurīdu ʔan yaʔkula.

      I want him to eat.

      (literally, “I want that he eat.”)

   2. that; introduces a past-tense verb

      سَبَقَ أَنْ قُلْتُ لَكَ ذَٰلِكَ

      sabaqa ʔan qultu laka ḏālika

      I already told you so.

      (literally, “it has passed that I told you so.”)

      اِنْتَخَبَ الشَّعْبُ رَئِيسًا جَدِيدًا بَعْدَ أَنْ كُتِبَ الدُّسْتُور.

      intaḵaba š-šaʕbu raʔīsan jadīdan baʕda ʔan kutiba ad-dustūr.

      The people elected a new president after the constitution was written.

      (literally, “...after [that] the constitution was written”)

2. (literary) introduces a reported imperative verb in the same manner as above
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 7:117:

     وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ

     waʔawḥaynā ʔilā mūsā ʔan ʔalqi ʕaṣāka

     And we intimated to Moses, “throw your staff!”

     (literally, “and we intimated to Moses that throw your staff”)

3. Form of أَنَّ (ʔanna)

   أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ.

   ʔašhadu ʔan lā ʔilāha ʔillā llāhu.

   I bear witness that there is no god but God.

   عَلِمْتُ أنْ سَيُسَافِرُ زُهَيْرٌ

   I knew that Zuhayr would travel

   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 10:10:

     وَآخِرُ دَعْوَاهُمْ أَنِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَالَمِينَ

     waʔāḵiru daʕwāhum ʔani l-ḥamdu lillahi rabbi l-ʕālamīna

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Usage notes

• In sense 1.2, if أَنْ (ʔan) and the clause it introduces pertain to a verb, then they are syntactically its subject. However, this clause is never allowed to precede the verb: Arabic does not accept the phrasing *أَنْ قُلْتُ لَكَ ذٰلِكَ سَبَقَ (*ʔan qultu laka ḏālika sabaqa, literally “that I told you so has passed”).
  • If the verb phrase inside the clause is relatively short, this can serve to distinguish an أَنْ-phrase from the equivalent verbal noun. A sentence like سَبَقَ أَنْ تَعَامَلْنَا (sabaqa ʔan taʕāmalnā, “we have already done business together”) is perfectly fine being reworded to تَعَامُلُنَا سَبَقَ (taʕāmulunā sabaqa) instead of سَبَقَ تَعَامُلُنَا (sabaqa taʕāmulunā), but *أَنْ تَعَامَلْنَا سَبَقَ (*ʔan taʕāmalnā sabaqa) is ungrammatical.
• Notice that sense 1 is twice shown introducing the complement of prepositions like قَبْلَ (qabla, “before”) and بَعْدَ (baʕda, “after”); this also includes phrasal ones like بِمُجَرَّدِ (bi-mujarradi, “as soon as”, بِـ (bi-, “with”) + مُجَرَّد (mujarrad, “merely”)). If this preposition is in a past context, then the verb inside the clause can in fact be either past or nonpast: the overall meaning will be past-tense either way. Compare the example above that translates to "the people elected...", which shows the use of a past-tense verb with بَعْدَ أَن (baʕda ʔan), to the following:

  مَرِضَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسَافِرَ

  mariḍa qabla ʔan yusāfira

  He fell sick before he traveled.

  (literally, “he fell sick before [that] he travel”)

Derived terms

• أَلَّا (ʔallā)
• لِأَنْ (liʔan)
• لِئَلَّا (liʔallā)
• أَن التَّفْسِيرِيَّة (ʔan at-tafsīriyya)

Etymology 2

Adverbial accusative of the noun underlying the former conjunction.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔan.na/

Conjunction

أَنَّ • (ʔanna)

1. that (introduces an equational clause or a verb phrase)

   هَلْ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّنِي أَطْوَلُ مِنْكَ؟

   hal taʕlamu ʔannanī ʔaṭwalu minka?

   Do you know that I'm taller than you?

   أَعْرِفُ أَنَّ ٱبْنَكَ سَرَقَ سَيَّارَتِي.

   ʔaʕrifu ʔanna bnaka saraqa sayyāratī.

   I know that your son stole my car.

Usage notes

• If pertaining to a verb, أَنَّ (ʔanna) and the clause it introduces are syntactically its object. This distinguishes أَنَّ (ʔanna) from أَنْ (ʔan), especially in the case outlined in the usage note above.
• أَنَّ (ʔanna) must be followed immediately by the subject of the clause it introduces, in the accusative case. An attached object pronoun can satisfy this condition.
  • The sole exception is in the relevant sense of أَنْ (ʔan) above. In that case, such a subject can appear and cause the أَنَّ (ʔanna) pronunciation to resurface, but it is only optional. Compare the following alternative phrasing:
    أَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ

    ʔašhadu ʔannahu lā ʔilāha ʔillā l-lahu

    I bear witness that there is no god but God.

Inflection

Inflected forms
Base form					أَنَّ (ʔanna)
Personal-pronoun- including forms	Singular		Dual	Plural
	Masculine	Feminine	Common	Masculine	Feminine
First person	أَنَّنِي (ʔannanī)		أَنَّنَا (ʔannanā)
Second person	أَنَّكَ (ʔannaka)	أَنَّكِ (ʔannaki)	أَنَّكُمَا (ʔannakumā)	أَنَّكُمْ (ʔannakum)	أَنَّكُنَّ (ʔannakunna)
Third person	أَنَّهُ (ʔannahu)	أَنَّهَا (ʔannahā)	أَنَّهُمَا (ʔannahumā)	أَنَّهُمْ (ʔannahum)	أَنَّهُنَّ (ʔannahunna)

Alternative forms

• إِنَّ (ʔinna) (after certain verbs)

Derived terms

• لِأَنَّ (liʔanna)

See also

• (ʾinna and her sisters) إِنَّ وَأَخَوَاتُهَا (ʔinna waʔaḵawātuhā); إِنَّ (ʔinna), أَنَّ (ʔanna), لٰكِنَّ (lākinna), كَأَنَّ (kaʔanna), لَعَلَّ (laʕalla), لَيْتَ (layta), ^{(Category: Sisters of ʾinna)}

Etymology 3

From the root ء ن ن (ʔ-n-n), probably also related to the root ه م م (h-m-m) connected to the idea of worry, affect.

Pronunciation

• (verb) IPA^(key): /ʔan.na/
• (noun) IPA^(key): /ʔann/

Verb

أَنَّ • (ʔanna) I, non-past يَئِنُّ‎ (yaʔinnu)

1. to moan, to sough
2. to groan

Conjugation

Conjugation of

أَنَّ

(form-I geminate, verbal nouns أَنّ or أَنِين)

verbal nouns الْمَصَادِر						أَنّ or أَنِين ʔann or ʔanīn
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						آنّ ʔānn
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مَأْنُون maʔnūn
active voice الْفِعْل الْمَعْلُوم
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	أَنَنْتُ ʔanantu	أَنَنْتَ ʔananta	أَنَّ ʔanna		أَنَنْتُمَا ʔanantumā	أَنَّا ʔannā		أَنَنَّا ʔanannā	أَنَنْتُمْ ʔanantum	أَنُّوا ʔannū
	f		أَنَنْتِ ʔananti	أَنَّتْ ʔannat			أَنَّتَا ʔannatā			أَنَنْتُنَّ ʔanantunna	أَنَنَّ ʔananna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَئِنُّ ʔaʔinnu	تَئِنُّ taʔinnu	يَئِنُّ yaʔinnu		تَئِنَّانِ taʔinnāni	يَئِنَّانِ yaʔinnāni		نَئِنُّ naʔinnu	تَئِنُّونَ taʔinnūna	يَئِنُّونَ yaʔinnūna
	f		تَئِنِّينَ taʔinnīna	تَئِنُّ taʔinnu			تَئِنَّانِ taʔinnāni			تَأْنِنَّ taʔninna	يَأْنِنَّ yaʔninna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَئِنَّ ʔaʔinna	تَئِنَّ taʔinna	يَئِنَّ yaʔinna		تَئِنَّا taʔinnā	يَئِنَّا yaʔinnā		نَئِنَّ naʔinna	تَئِنُّوا taʔinnū	يَئِنُّوا yaʔinnū
	f		تَئِنِّي taʔinnī	تَئِنَّ taʔinna			تَئِنَّا taʔinnā			تَأْنِنَّ taʔninna	يَأْنِنَّ yaʔninna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَئِنَّ or أَئِنِّ or آنِنْ ʔaʔinna or ʔaʔinni or ʔānin	تَئِنَّ or تَئِنِّ or تَأْنِنْ taʔinna or taʔinni or taʔnin	يَئِنَّ or يَئِنِّ or يَأْنِنْ yaʔinna or yaʔinni or yaʔnin		تَئِنَّا taʔinnā	يَئِنَّا yaʔinnā		نَئِنَّ or نَئِنِّ or نَأْنِنْ naʔinna or naʔinni or naʔnin	تَئِنُّوا taʔinnū	يَئِنُّوا yaʔinnū
	f		تَئِنِّي taʔinnī	تَئِنَّ or تَئِنِّ or تَأْنِنْ taʔinna or taʔinni or taʔnin			تَئِنَّا taʔinnā			تَأْنِنَّ taʔninna	يَأْنِنَّ yaʔninna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		إِنَّ or إِنِّ or اِينِنْ ʔinna or ʔinni or īnin			إِنَّا ʔinnā				إِنُّوا ʔinnū
	f		إِنِّي ʔinnī							اِينِنَّ īninna
passive voice الْفِعْل الْمَجْهُول
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	أُنِنْتُ ʔunintu	أُنِنْتَ ʔuninta	أُنَّ ʔunna		أُنِنْتُمَا ʔunintumā	أُنَّا ʔunnā		أُنِنَّا ʔuninnā	أُنِنْتُمْ ʔunintum	أُنُّوا ʔunnū
	f		أُنِنْتِ ʔuninti	أُنَّتْ ʔunnat			أُنَّتَا ʔunnatā			أُنِنْتُنَّ ʔunintunna	أُنِنَّ ʔuninna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُؤَنُّ ʔuʔannu	تُؤَنُّ tuʔannu	يُؤَنُّ yuʔannu		تُؤَنَّانِ tuʔannāni	يُؤَنَّانِ yuʔannāni		نُؤَنُّ nuʔannu	تُؤَنُّونَ tuʔannūna	يُؤَنُّونَ yuʔannūna
	f		تُؤَنِّينَ tuʔannīna	تُؤَنُّ tuʔannu			تُؤَنَّانِ tuʔannāni			تُؤْنَنَّ tuʔnanna	يُؤْنَنَّ yuʔnanna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُؤَنَّ ʔuʔanna	تُؤَنَّ tuʔanna	يُؤَنَّ yuʔanna		تُؤَنَّا tuʔannā	يُؤَنَّا yuʔannā		نُؤَنَّ nuʔanna	تُؤَنُّوا tuʔannū	يُؤَنُّوا yuʔannū
	f		تُؤَنِّي tuʔannī	تُؤَنَّ tuʔanna			تُؤَنَّا tuʔannā			تُؤْنَنَّ tuʔnanna	يُؤْنَنَّ yuʔnanna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُؤَنَّ or أُؤَنِّ or أُونَنْ ʔuʔanna or ʔuʔanni or ʔūnan	تُؤَنَّ or تُؤَنِّ or تُؤْنَنْ tuʔanna or tuʔanni or tuʔnan	يُؤَنَّ or يُؤَنِّ or يُؤْنَنْ yuʔanna or yuʔanni or yuʔnan		تُؤَنَّا tuʔannā	يُؤَنَّا yuʔannā		نُؤَنَّ or نُؤَنِّ or نُؤْنَنْ nuʔanna or nuʔanni or nuʔnan	تُؤَنُّوا tuʔannū	يُؤَنُّوا yuʔannū
	f		تُؤَنِّي tuʔannī	تُؤَنَّ or تُؤَنِّ or تُؤْنَنْ tuʔanna or tuʔanni or tuʔnan			تُؤَنَّا tuʔannā			تُؤْنَنَّ tuʔnanna	يُؤْنَنَّ yuʔnanna

Noun

أَنّ • (ʔann) m

1. verbal noun of أَنَّ (ʔanna) (form I)

Declension

Declension of noun أَنّ (ʔann)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	أَنّ ʔann	الْأَنّ al-ʔann	أَنّ ʔann
Nominative	أَنٌّ ʔannun	الْأَنُّ al-ʔannu	أَنُّ ʔannu
Accusative	أَنًّا ʔannan	الْأَنَّ al-ʔanna	أَنَّ ʔanna
Genitive	أَنٍّ ʔannin	الْأَنِّ al-ʔanni	أَنِّ ʔanni

References

• Tropper, Josef (2003) “Sekundäres wortanlautendes Alif im Arabischen”, in Kogan, Leonid, editor, Studia Semitica (Orientalia: Papers of the Oriental Institute; III), Moscow, →ISBN, pages 207–209