Nouns: Dual

01

The Nominative Dual (Subject)

When the pair of items is the subject of the sentence (the one doing the action), you add the suffix ⁧⁧ـَانِ⁩⁩ (-ānị-āni-āni-an) to the singular noun. This consists of a long "a" followed by "ni".

• ⁧وَصَلَ المُسَافِرَانِ.⁩

  wạṣạlạ ᵃlmụsāfịrānị.waṣala ᵃlmusāfirāni.waṣala ᵃlmusāfirāni.wṣl ᵃlmsafran.

  The two travelers arrived.

• ⁧هَذَانِ بَيْتَانِ كَبِيرَانِ.⁩

  hạḏānị bạytānị kạbīrānị.had͟hāni baytāni kabīrāni.haḏāni baytāni kabiyrāni.hḏan bytan kbyran.

  These are two big houses.

02

The Accusative and Genitive Dual (Object and Preposition)

When the pair is the object of a verb, or follows a preposition (like "in" or "with"), the suffix changes to ⁧⁧ـَيْنِ⁩⁩ (-ạynị-ayni-ayni-yn). This sounds like the English word "eye" followed by "nee".

Notice that the final vowel is still a short "i" ⁧ـِ⁩ (ịii), but the long "a" changes to a diphthong "ay" ⁧ـَيْـ⁩ (ạyayayy).

• ⁧شَاهَدْتُ فِيلَيْنِ.⁩

  šāhạdtụ fīlạynị.s͟hāhadtu fīlayni.šāhadtu fiylayni.šahdt fylyn.

  I saw two elephants.

• ⁧تَكَلَّمْتُ مَعَ صَدِيقَيْنِ.⁩

  tạkạllạmtụ mạʕạ ṣạdīqạynị.takallamtu maʿa ṣadīqayni.takallamtu maʿa ṣadiyqayni.tklmt mʕ ṣdyqyn.

  I spoke with two friends.

03

Dual for Feminine Nouns

Most feminine nouns in Arabic end with the letter Tāʾ Marbūṭah ⁧ة⁩ (h). To make these nouns dual, you must first "open" the ⁧ة⁩ (h) into a regular ⁧⁧ت⁩⁩ (t), and then add the dual endings described above.

For example, ⁧⁧مَدِينَة⁩⁩ (mạdīnạẗmadīnahmadiynaẗmdynẗ) - city becomes ⁧⁧مَدِينَتَانِ⁩⁩ (mạdīnạtānịmadīnatānimadiynatānimdyntan) - two cities.

• ⁧هُنَاكَ شَجَرَتَانِ فِي الحَدِيقَةِ.⁩

  hụnākạ šạjạrạtānị fī ᵃlḥạdīqạẗị.hunāka s͟had͟jaratāni fī ᵃlḥadīqati.hunāka šaǧaratāni fiy ᵃlḥadiyqaẗi.hnak šjrtan fy ᵃlḥdyqẗ.

  There are two trees in the garden.

• ⁧اشْتَرَيْتُ سَاعَتَيْنِ.⁩

  ištạrạytụ sāʕạtạynị.is͟htaraytu sāʿatayni.ištaraytu sāʿatayni.ištryt saʕtyn.

  I bought two watches.

04

Usage Without Numbers

Because the dual suffix inherently carries the meaning of "two," it is usually unnecessary to use the number "two" ⁧⁧اِثْنَانِ⁩⁩ (iṯnānịit͟hnāniiṯnāniiṯnan) in the sentence. Using the noun with the dual ending is sufficient.

If the number "two" is added after the noun, it serves purely to emphasize the quantity.

• ⁧عِنْدِي قَلَمَانِ.⁩

  ʕịndī qạlạmānị.ʿindī qalamāni.ʿindiy qalamāni.ʕndy qlman.

  I have two pens.

• ⁧عِنْدِي قَلَمَانِ اثْنَانِ.⁩

  ʕịndī qạlạmānị iṯnānị.ʿindī qalamāni it͟hnāni.ʿindiy qalamāni iṯnāni.ʕndy qlman iṯnan.

  I have two pens (emphasizing exactly two).