لك
lak
The Arabic word for 'yours' is لك (lak).
Meaning: sincerely (pron)
What does it mean word for word?
The form is composed of the preposition لـ (for/belonging to) and the suffix ك (you, masculine singular).
Which one should you use?
The default form لك is specifically masculine singular. It must be adjusted for gender or number to be grammatically correct.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'yours' to a female, the vowel on the final consonant changes to an 'i' sound, resulting in لكِ.
How do you pronounce it?
lak
Did you know?
- If you want to say 'yours' to two people (dual), you cannot use the plural or singular forms, but must use the specific dual suffix to say لكما.
- In traditional Arabic calligraphy, the word لك is often styled with an elongated horizontal line called a 'kashida' to fill the space of a line or add aesthetic balance to a letter.
- In formal Arabic correspondence, the phrase 'yours' is often expanded into elaborate honorary titles that emphasize the social status of the recipient.
Examples in context
- هل هذه الكتب لك؟Are these books yours?This sentence is useful for asking if multiple books belong to someone using لك.Tatoeba #7198221 by OsoHombre, translation #6099444 by OsoHombre
- هل هذا الكتاب لك؟Is this book yours?This sentence is useful for asking if a single book belongs to someone using لك.Tatoeba #400791 by saeb, translation #56970 by CK
- هل هذه الأشياء لك؟Are these yours?This sentence is useful for asking if several objects belong to someone using لك.Tatoeba #372152 by saeb, translation #55038 by CK
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mariam finds a pen on the table and asks Youssef about it.
- مريم Maryamيا يوسف، هل هذا القلم لك؟Ya Youssef, hal hadha al-qalam laka?Youssef, is this pen yours?
- يوسف Youssefنعم، هو لي. شكراً لكِ يا مريم.Na'am, huwa li. Shukran laki ya Mariam.Yes, it is mine. Thank you, Mariam.
- مريم Maryamتفضل، ها هو القلم لك.Tafaddal, ha huwa al-qalam laka.Here you go, here is the pen for you.
- يوسف Youssefشكراً جزيلاً لكِ.Shukran jazilan laki.Thank you very much.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
