- Today, we are going to classify Arabic nouns according to their endings.
- Arabic Nouns fall into three main categories:
(1) The Maqsoor Noun الاسم المقصور
(2) The Manqoos Noun الاسم المنقوص
(3) The Saheeh (Sound) Noun الاسم الصحيح
- Here is a brief comment on each of the three types.
(1) The Maqsoor Noun الاسم المقصور
It is any Mo’rab (declensional) noun that ends with an obligatory Alif, where the letter before it, has a Fatha. (The Alif is often written as Yaa but pronounced as an Alif).
Examples: – هُدى /Huda/ = guidance
– عطشى /‘atsha/ = (she) thirsty
– مصطفى = Mustafa = (chosen)
– فتى /fata/ = boy – kid
– مستشفى /mostashfa/ = hospital
– سُها /Soha/ = Soha
– عصا /assa/ = stick
Thus, from the definition and examples, it is clear that the word يسعى (to seek) is not a Maqsoor noun because it is a verb, not a noun. The same is with the two particles إلى (to) and على (on) because they are prepositions. Also, the word متى (when) because it is a Mabni noun. The word أبا likewise is not a maqsoor noun as the Alif in it is not obligatory, but optional.
(Note 1: The Obligatory Alif means that it is part of the root word.)
(Note 2: The Alif in Maqsoor nouns, turns to Yaa (ي) or Wow (و) when used in Dual and Plural.)
(Note 3: If the Maqsoor noun is nunated “has a Tanween”, the Alif is dropped only in pronunciation)
(2) The Manqoos Noun الاسم المنقوص
A Manqoos noun refers to every Mo’rab (declensional) noun that ends with an obligatory Yaa , where the letter before it, is broken (has a Kasra).
Examples: – قاضى /qaadi/ = judge
-محامى /mohaami/ = lawyer
– جانى /jaani/ = offender
– واعى /waa’ee/ = aware = conscious
Thus, from the definition and examples, we notice that the word يقضِى (to judge) is not a Manqoos noun because it is a verb, not a noun. The same is with the preposition فى (in) which is a particle and التى (which) which is a relative (Mabni) noun and أبى (father of).
(Note 1: The obligatory Yaa means that is part of the root word.)
(Note 2: The Yaa in Manqoos nouns, is dropped when the noun is used in the regular masculine plural)
(Note 3: If the Manqoos noun is nunated “has a Tanween”, the Yaa is dropped in the nominative and genitive cases, but it remains in the accusative case.)
(3) The Saheeh (Sound) Noun الاسم الصحيح
It is the noun that is neither Maqsoor nor Manqoos. That means that it doesn’t end in Alif or Yaa ; e.g. عمر (Omar) ,بيت (home) , جدار (wall) , دلو (bucket) , ظبىْ (antelope).
- There is a sub-category of Saheeh nouns called the Saheeh Mamdood Noun الاسم الصحيح الممدود which refers to a noun ending in a Hamza with an extra Alif; (the extra Alif here is NOTpart of the root word). E.g. حسناء /Hasnaa/ , بيداء = صحراء (desert) , بناء (building) , خضراء (she green) , عذراء (virgin).
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