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Intermediate

Negation

لا، ما، لم، لن

لا negates the present

لا before a present-tense verb means 'does not'.

💬 Examples
لا أعرِفُ
laa a'rifu
I do not know
📝 لا + present
لا يَكتُبُ
laa yaktubu
he does not write
📝 Present negation
لم + jussive negates the past

لم before a jussive present-tense verb negates the past.

📊 Negation particles
Particle Negates Verb form
لا present indicative
ما past past (māḍī)
لم past jussive present
لن future subjunctive present
💬 Examples
لَم يَكتُبْ
lam yaktub
he did not write
📝 لم gives past meaning; verb is jussive
لَم أذهَبْ
lam adhhab
I did not go
📝 Note the sukun ending
لن negates the future

لن before a subjunctive present-tense verb negates the future.

💬 Examples
لَن أذهَبَ
lan adhhaba
I will not go
📝 لن + subjunctive (ـَ ending)
لَن يَنجَحَ
lan yanjaḥa
he will not succeed
📝 Future negation