* Arabic Nouns fall into Three main categories concerning their Number:

(1) Singular مفرد /Mofrad/        (2) Dual  مثنى /Mothanna/          (3) Plural جمع /Gam’/

(1) The Singular Noun الاسم المفرد /Al-Ism Al-Mofrad/

 It is the Noun that refers to only ONE person or thing.

        Examples:

         – Mohammad محمد               – Mona منى                      – man رجل /rajul/

         – boy ولد /walad/                 – giraffe زرافة /zarafah/             – bird طائر /ta’er/       

        – book كتاب /kitaab/            – pen قلم /qalam/                       – paper ورقة /waraqah/

      – school مدرسة /madrasah      – hospital مستشفى /mostashfa/    – college كلية /koliyah/

 (2) The Dual Noun الاسم المثنى /Al-Ism Al-Mothanna/

It is the Noun that refers to Two persons or things, speaking about Both of them together.

* How it is formed:

•  Rule : Add the letters (Alif + Noon) ـان  or ( Ya’a + Noon) ين  to the end of the singular.

Examples:

–  Two Mohammads محمدان /Mohammadaan/    or    محمدين /Mohammadayn/ 

–  Two men رجلان /rajulaan/       or       رجلين /rajulayn/

–   Two boys ولدان /waladaan/      or       ولدين /waladayn/  

–   Two books كتابان /kitabaan/     or      كتابين /kitabayn/

(Note: determining which dual suffix to apply to a noun depends mainly on the Case of that noun)

 (3) The plural Noun الاسم الجمع /Al-Ism Al-gam’/

It is the Noun that refers to Three or More persons or things speaking about them as a whole.

There are three types of the plural;

(1)  The Masculine Sound (Regular) Plural جمع المذكر السالم /Gam’ Al-Mozakkar Al-Salim/

* How it is formed:

• Rule: Add the letters (Waw + Noon) ون or (Ya’a + Noon) to the end of the Masculine Singular.

Examples: 

                       – Mohammad محمد       >>>>>>>      Mohammadoon محمدون

                      – He Teacher مدرس      >>>>>>>      Teachers مدرسون or مدرسين

                     – He Engineer مهندس   >>>>>>>      Engineers مهندسون or مهندسين

                     – He Player لاعب          >>>>>>>      Players لاعبون or لاعبين

                     – He Killer قاتل             >>>>>>>      Killers قاتلون  or قاتلين

                    – He Singer مطرب        >>>>>>>       Singers مطربون or مطربين

(Note: determining which plural suffix to apply to a noun depends mainly on the Case of that noun)

(2) The Feminine Sound (Regular) Plural Nouns جمع المؤنث السالم /Gam’ Al-Mo’annath Al-Salim/

* How it is formed: 

•  Rule: Add the letters (Alif + Ta’a) ا ت to the end of the Feminine Singular.

                Examples:   – Fatimah فاطمة               >>>>>>>       Fatimaat فاطمات

                                           – She Teacher مدرسة      >>>>>>>       Teachers مدرسات

                                          – She Engineer مهندسة    >>>>>>>       Engineers مهندسات

                                          – She Player لاعبة           >>>>>>>        Players لاعبات

                                          – She Killer قاتل             >>>>>>>         Killers قاتلات

                                          – She Singer مطربة        >>>>>>>>        Singers مطربات

                                          – She writer                  >>>>>>>>       Writers كاتبات

                                          – She Student طالبة        >>>>>>>>       Students طالبات

( Note: Here you drop the “closed Ta’a” and add the “Alif + open Ta’a”)

(3) The Broken (Irregular) Plural جمع التكسير /Gam’ Al-Takseer/

* How it is formed:

• It has No Rule and , so it can’t be predicted and has to be memorized by its various forms.
• You can compare lots of odd plurals to those you are already familiar with.
• It applies to most Nouns; either Feminine or Masculine.
• It often changes the form of its singular.
• A Noun can have more than one form of plural.

Examples:         – Heart قلب                  >>>>>>>        Hearts قلوب

                                 – Pillar عمود               >>>>>>>         Pillars أعمدة

                                 – Eye عين                    >>>>>>>        Eyes أعين/عيون 

                                 – Sea بحر                     >>>>>>>        Seas بحار / بحور  

                                 – Book كتاب                >>>>>>>         Books كتب

                                 – Picture صورة           >>>>>>>        Pictures صور 

                                 – He Student طالب     >>>>>>>         Students طلاب / طلبة

                                 – Captive أسير            >>>>>>>        Captives أسرى

                                 – He Friend صديق      >>>>>>>         Friends أصدقاء   

                                 – Desert صحراء           >>>>>>>         Deserts صحارى

                                 – Message رسالة         >>>>>>>          Messages رسائل / رسالات

                                 – House منزل              >>>>>>>          Houses منازل   

                                 – Mosque مسجد         >>>>>>>          Mosques مساجد

                                 – Church كنيسة          >>>>>>>          Churches كنائس 

                                 – School مدرسة           >>>>>>>          Schools مدارس

********** 

Note (1): Both types of regular plurals don’t usually change the form of the singular; they just add to it.

Note (2): Studying the Measures of the Plurals and Noun Cases will come later.

Note (3): Some Nouns can have regular and irregular plural forms.    

Bored of Grammar !? OK.

 Next time, we will read and article about Modern Egypt.

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Peace سلام   /Salam/