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Intermediate

Inna and Her Sisters

Emphasis particles

إنّ makes the subject accusative

إنّ (indeed) begins a nominal sentence and puts the subject in the accusative; the predicate stays nominative.

💬 Examples
إنَّ البَيتَ كَبيرٌ
inna al-bayta kabiirun
Indeed the house is big
📝 Subject البيتَ accusative, predicate nominative
إنَّ اللهَ غَفورٌ
inna Allaha ghafuurun
Indeed God is forgiving
📝 Same pattern
Opposite of كان

Note that إنّ and her sisters do the reverse of كان: subject accusative, predicate nominative.

💬 Examples
أنَّ الطالِبَ مُجتَهِدٌ
anna aṭ-ṭaaliba mujtahidun
that the student is diligent
📝 أنّ inside a clause
لكنَّ الجَوَّ بارِدٌ
laakinna al-jawwa baaridun
but the weather is cold
📝 لكنّ = but
The sisters of إنّ

إنّ، أنّ، لكنّ، كأنّ، ليت، لعلّ all share this behavior.

💬 Examples
لَعَلَّ المَطَرَ قادِمٌ
la'alla al-maṭara qaadimun
Perhaps the rain is coming
📝 لعلّ = perhaps
كأنَّ الوَلَدَ أسَدٌ
ka'anna al-walada asadun
As if the boy were a lion
📝 كأنّ = as if