learn singular and plural in Arabic language 2023

The noun in the Arabic language is divided into three sections: the singular, the dual, and the plural in Arabic. We will learn about the dual and the plural with its types in this lesson, please focus with us.

The dual (المُثنى)”almothana”:

The dual “المثنى” is every noun that indicates two things, and it exceeds the singular with an alif “ا” and noon“ن” or yaa “ي” and “ن” at the end of it.

Note:

1. We add the “ا”and the “ن” when the singular noun is nominative (مرفوع).

•Example :

	Arabic	English	pronunciation
Singular	تلميذ/تلميذة	Pupil	Tilmidh /Tilmidha
Dual	تلميذان /تلمذتان	two students	tilmidhani /tilmidhatani
The dual noun in a phrase	دخل التلميذان/دخلت التلميذتان	The two students entered.	Dakhala atilmidhani /Dakhalati atilmidhatani

2. We add the “ي” and the “ن” when the singular noun is drawn (مجرور)or accusative(منصوب).

•Example :

	Arabic	English	pronunciation
Singular	تلميذ /تلميذة	Pupil	Tilmidh /Tilmidha
Dual	تلميذين /تلميذتين	two students	Tilmidhayni /Tilmidhatayni
The dual in a phrase	ذهبت إلى التلميذين/ ذهبت إلى التلميذتين	I went to the two students	Dhahabtu ila atilmidhayni/ Dhahabtu ila atilmidhatayni

The plural(الجمع) “aljamea”:

The plural “الجمع” is every noun that indicates more than two things, the plural of a singular noun is by adding letters at the end of it or by changing it completely.

The plural in the Arabic language is of 3 types: the broken plural(جمع التكسير), the Peaceful masculine plural (جمع المذكر السالم)and the Peaceful feminine plural(جمع المؤنث السالم).

The plural types :

1.The Peaceful masculine plural”جمع المذكر السالم” “jameo almodhakar asalim”

It is a plural that denotes more than two masculine nouns and is formed by adding the letters “و” and “ن” or “ي” and “ن” at the end of it.

Note :

1. We add the “و“and the “ن” when the singular noun is nominative(مرفوع).

•Example :

Arabic	English	pronunciation
حضر المهندسون إلى القاعة	The engineers came to the hall.	Hadhara almohandisona ila alqaeati.

2. We add the “ي” and the “ن” when the singular noun is drawn (مجرور)or accusative(منصوب).

•Example :

Arabic	English	pronunciation
ناديت البائعين ليأخذوا بضائعهم	I called the sellers to take their goods.	Nadaytu alba’ieina liya’khodu badha’ieahom.

•Common Examples of Peaceful Masculine Plural :

	The singular noun in Arabic	pronunciation	The plural noun in Arabic	pronunciation	The singular and the plural noun in English
1	معلم	Mualim	معلمون/معلمين	Mualimun/Mualimeen	teacher/teachers
2	مدرب	Mudarrib	مدربون/مدربين	Mudarribon/Mudarribeen	Coach/coaches
3	بحار	Bahhar	بحارون/بحارين	Bahharon/Bahhareen	Sailor/Sailors
4	مخترع	Mukhtarie	مخترعون/مخترعين	Mukhtariun/Mukhtarieen	Inventor/inventors
5	مسافر	Musafir	مسافرون/مسافرين	Musafirun/Musafireen	Traveler/travelers
6	لاعب	Laeib	لاعبون/لاعبين	Laeibon/Laeibeen	Player/Players
7	فلاح	Fallah	فلاحون/فلاحين	Fallahon/Fallaheen	Peasant/Peasants
8	مبرمج	Mubarmij	مبرمجون/مبرمجين	Mubarmijun/Mubarmijeen	Programmer/Programmers
9	مصمم	Mussamim	مصممون/مصممين	Mussamimun/Mussamimeen	Designer/Designers
10	زائر	Za’ir	زائرون/زائرين	Za’iron/Za’ireen	Visitor/Visitors
11	مؤمن	Mu’min	مؤمنون/مؤمنين	Mu’minun/Mu’mineen	Believer/Believers
12	مسلم	Muslim	مسلمون/مسلمين	Muslimun/Muslimeen	Muslim/Muslims
13	شيوعي	Shuyuei	شيوعون/شيوعين	Shuyueiyun/Shuyueiyeen	Communist/Communists
14	جزائري	Djaja’iri	جزائريون/جزائريين	Djaza’riyun/Djaza’iriyeen	Algerian/Algerians
15	أمريكي	‘Amrikiy	أمريكيون/أمريكيين	‘Amrikiyun/’Amrikiyeen	American/Americans
16	سعودي	Sueudi	سعوديون/سعوديين	Sueudiyun/Sueudiyeen	Saudi/Saudis
17	موظف	Muwadhaf	موظفون/موظفين	Muwadhafun/Muwadhafeen	Employee/Employees
18	مبدع	Mubdie	مبدعون/مبدعين	Mubdieun/Mubdieen	Creative/Creatives
19	مميز	Mumayaz	مميزون/مميزين	Mumayazun/Mumayazeen	Special
20	مهني	Mihani	مهنيون/مهنيين	Mihaniyun/Mihaniyeen	Professional/Professionals
21	كاتب	Katib	كاتبون/كاتبين	Katibon/Katibeen	Writer/Writers
22	مؤلف	Mu’alif	مؤلفون/مؤلفين	Mu’alifun/Mu’alifeen	Author/authors
23	محارب	Muharib	محاربون/محاربين	Muharibun/Muharibeen	Warrior/Warriors
24	كذاب	Kadhab	كذابون/كذابين	Kadhabun/Kadhabeen	Liar/Liars
25	صادق	Sadiq	صادقون/صادقين	Sadiqun/Sadiqeen	Honest

•About the word “Peaceful” السالم” :

It is called the peaceful plural because its singular did not change when it was transformed into the plural. The radical remained the same. We only added letters at the end of it. We say that its singular has survived from the change.

2.Te Peaceful feminine plural”جمع المؤنث السالم””jameo almo’anathi asalim”

It is a plural that denotes more than two feminine nouns and is formed by deleting the “ة” at the end, and adding the letters alif”ا” and taa“ت” at the end of this noun.

•Example :

	Arabic	English	pronunciation
Singular	طبيبة	Doctor	Tabibah
Plural	طبيبات	Doctors	tabibat
The plural noun in a phrase	قابلت طبيبات في ساحة المدرسة	I met doctors in the schoolyard.	qabaltu tabibatin fi sahati almadrasati

•Common Examples of Peaceful feminine Plural :

	The singular noun in Arabic	pronunciation	The plural noun in Arabic	pronunciation	The singular and the plural noun in English
1	مهندسة	Muhandisah	مهندسات	Muhandisat	Engineer/Engineers
2	معلمة	Mualimah	معلمات	Mualimat	Teacher/Teachers
3	كاتبة	Katibah	كاتبات	Katibat	Writer/Writers
4	ممثلة	Mumathilah	ممثلات	Mumathilat	Actress/Actresses
5	مغنية	Mughaniyah	مغنيات	Mughaniyat	Singer/Singers
6	مصممة	Mussamimah	مصممات	Mussamimat	Designer/Designers
7	مبرمجة	Mubarmijah	مبرمجات	Mubarmijat	Programmer/Programmers
9	جميلة	Jamilah	جميلات	Jamilat	Beautiful/Beauties
10	سعيدة	Saeidah	سعيدات	Saeidat	Happy
11	حزينة	Hazinah	حزينات	Hazinat	Sad
12	متفاءلة	Mutafa’ilah	متفائلات	Mutafa’ilat	Optimistic/Optimists
14	قصيرة	Qasirah	قصيرات	Qasirat	Short/Shorts
15	مهذبة	Muhadhabah	مهذبات	Muhadhabat	Polite/Polites
16	مطيعة	Mutieah	مطيعات	Mutieat	Obedient/Obedients
18	سعيدة	Saeidah	سعيدات	Saeidat	Happy
20	ناجحة	Nadjiha	ناجحات	Nadjihat	Successful

3.The broken plural “جمع التكسير””jameo ataksir”

It is a plural that denotes more than two nouns and is formed by a complete change of its singular noun.

The reason for calling it the broken plural is because it breaks the singular noun and changes it in its plural, it is different from the peaceful masculine plural and the peaceful feminine plural.

The broken plural does not have fixed rules, we will try to simplify it as much as possible.

I will put a table for you in which I arrange the frequently used nouns and their plural.

	The singular noun in Arabic	pronunciation	The plural noun in Arabic	pronunciation	The singular and the plural noun in English
1	قلم	Qalam	أقلام	‘Aqlaam	Pencil/Pencils
2	عَلَم	Aelam	أعلام	‘Aelaam	Flag/Flags
3	حلم	Hulm	أحلام	‘Ahlaam	Dream/Dreams
4	عدو	Aeduw	أعداء	‘Aedaa’	Enemy/Enemies
5	لون	Lawn	ألوان	‘Alwaan	Color/Colors
6	يتيم	Yatim	أيتام	‘Aytaam	Orphan/Orphans
7	زمن	Zamn	أزمان	‘Azmaan	Time/Times
8	لبن	Laban	ألبان	‘Albaan	Milk/ Dairy
9	يوم	Yawm	أيام	‘Ayaam	Day/Days
10	ثوب	Thawb	أثواب	Athwab	Dress/Dresses
11	عنق	Oenoq	أعناق	‘Aenaaq	Neck/Neck
12	فِعل	Fiel	أفعال	‘Afeaal	Act/Acts
13	قُفل	Qofl	أقفال	‘Aqfaal	Lock/Locks
14	طفل	Tifl	أطفال	‘Atfaal	Child/Children
15	كوب	kub	أكواب	‘Akwaak	Cup/Cups
16	عم	Eamm	أعمام	‘Aemaam	Uncle/Uncles
17	طعام	Taeam	أطعمة	‘Ateimah	Food/Foods
18	رغيف	Ragheef	أرغفة	‘Arghifah	Loaf/Loaves
19	عمود	Aemud	أعمدة	‘Aemidah	Pole/Poles
20	عين	Aeyn	أعين	‘Aeyun	Eye/Eyes
21	رِجل	Rijl	أرجل	‘Arjul	Foot/Feet
22	سهم	Sahm	سهام	Sihaam	Arrow/Arrows
23	قلب	Qalb	قلوب	Quluub	Heart/Hearts
24	حَب	Hab	حبوب	Hubuub	Grain/Grains
25	عِلم	Eilm	علوم	Euluum	Science/Sciences
26	قرض	Qardh	قروض	Quruudh	Loan/Loans
27	سم	Summ	سموم	Summuum	Venom/Venoms
28	كريم	Kareem	كرماء	Kuramaa’	generous
28	بخيل	Bakheel	بخلاء	Bukhalaa’	Stingy
30	عميل	Eameel	عملاء	Eumalaa’	Client/Clients
31	سجين	Sajeen	سجناء	Sujanaa’	Prisoner/Prisoners
32	غني	Ghaniy	أغنياء	‘Aghniyaa’	Rich
33	زعيم	Zaeem	زعماء	Zueamaa’	Leader/Leaders
34	غرفة	Ghorfah	غرف	Ghoraf	Room/Rooms
35	علبة	Eulbah	علب	Eulab	Can/Cans
36	دمية	Dumyah	دمى	Dumaa	Doll/Dolls
37	دب	Dubb	دببة	Dibabah	Bear/Bears
38	قط	Qitt	قطط	Qittatt	Cat/Cats
39	كتاب	Kitaab	كتب	Kutub	Book/Books
40	طريق	Ttareeq	طرق	Ttoroq	Way/Ways
41	مسجد	Masjid	مساجد	Masajid	Mosque/Mosques
42	كنيسة	Kanisah	كنائس	Kana’is	Church/Churches
43	أحمر	‘Ahmar	حمر	Humr	Red
44	أزرق	‘Azraq	زرق	Zurq	Blue

•In this lesson, we learn the singular, dual, plural and their rules, and most of the words and nouns used in the Arabic language. All you have to do is repeat the information and take the rules into account, good luck.

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