Nouns: Nominative Case

01

Functions of the Nominative Case

There are two main situations where a noun must be in the nominative case:

1. The Subject of a Verb (The Doer)

In a verbal sentence, the person or thing performing the action is the subject (⁧⁧الْفَاعِل⁩⁩ (alfāʕịlalfāʿilʾalfāʿilalfaʕl)).

• ⁧يَدْرُسُ الطَّالِبُ.⁩

  yạdrụsụ ᵃṭṭālịbụ.yadrusu ᵃṭṭālibu.yadrusu ᵃṭṭālibu.ydrs ᵃṭalb.

  The student studies.

• ⁧وَصَلَ رَجُلٌ.⁩

  wạṣạlạ rạjụlụṇ.waṣala rad͟julun.waṣala raǧulú.wṣl rjl.

  A man arrived.

2. The Subject and Predicate of a Nominal Sentence

In a sentence that has no verb (sentences like "The house is big"), both the subject (the topic) and the predicate (the information about the topic) are in the nominative case.

• ⁧الْبَيْتُ جَدِيدٌ.⁩

  albạytụ jạdīdụṇ.albaytu d͟jadīdun.ʾalbaytu ǧadiydú.albyt jdyd.

  The house is new.

• ⁧الْمُدَرِّسَةُ ذَكِيَّةٌ.⁩

  almụdạrrịsạẗụ ḏạkịyyạẗụṇ.almudarrisatu d͟hakiyyatun.ʾalmudarrisaẗu ḏakiyyaẗú.almdrsẗ ḏkyẗ.

  The teacher (f) is smart.

02

Endings for Singular Nouns

For singular nouns and broken plurals, the nominative case is marked by the short vowel u (⁧⁧ضَمَّة⁩⁩ (ḑạmmạẗḍammahḍammaẗḍmẗ)). The specific ending depends on whether the word is definite or indefinite.

Indefinite Nouns (-un)

If the noun is indefinite (equivalent to using "a" or "an" in English), the ending is a double vowel sound called ⁧⁧تَنْوِين⁩⁩ (tạnwīntanwīntanwiyntnwyn). This is written as two loops or dashes above the final letter and pronounced as ⁧ـٌ⁩ (-ụṇ-un-ú-)<.

• ⁧هَذَا كِتَابٌ.⁩

  hặḏā kịtābụṇ.hād͟hā kitābun.hāḏā kitābú.hḏa ktab.

  This is a book.

• ⁧رَأَيْتُ قَلَمٌ.⁩

  rạʼạytụ qạlạmụṇ.raʾaytu qalamun.raˈaytu qalamú.rˈayt qlm.

  I saw a pen.

Definite Nouns (-u)

If the noun is made definite by the article ⁧⁧ال⁩⁩ (al-al-ʾal-al-), it loses the "n" sound. The ending becomes a single short vowel, written as a loop above the final letter and pronounced as ⁧ـُ⁩ (-ụ-u-u-)<.

• ⁧الْكِتَابُ مُفِيدٌ.⁩

  alkịtābụ mụfīdụṇ.alkitābu mufīdun.ʾalkitābu mufiydú.alktab mfyd.

  The book is useful.

• ⁧الشَّمْسُ حَارَّةٌ.⁩

  aššạmsụ ḥārrạẗụṇ.as͟hs͟hamsu ḥārratun.ʾaššamsu ḥārraẗú.alšms ḥarẗ.

  The sun is hot.

03

The Construct State (Possession)

When a noun is the first part of a possessive phrase (e.g., "the door of the house"), it is grammatically definite because of its position, but it does not take the article ⁧⁧ال⁩⁩ (al-al-ʾal-al-). In the nominative case, these nouns take the single vowel -u, similar to definite nouns.

• ⁧سَيَّارَةُ الْمُدِيرِ.⁩

  sạyyārạẗụ ᵃlmụdīrị.sayyāratu ᵃlmudīri.sayyāraẗu ᵃlmudiyri.syarẗ ᵃlmdyr.

  The manager's car.

• ⁧مِفْتَاحُ الْبَابِ.⁩

  mịftāḥụ ᵃlbābị.miftāḥu ᵃlbābi.miftāḥu ᵃlbābi.mftaḥ ᵃlbab.

  The key of the door.

04

Endings for Dual and Plural Nouns

While singular nouns use short vowels, dual nouns and sound masculine plurals indicate the nominative case by changing their suffix letters entirely.

Dual Nouns (-āni)

When talking about two people or things, the nominative ending is ⁧⁧ـَانِ⁩⁩ (-ānị-āni-āni-an).

• ⁧جَاءَ الْمُهَنْدِسَانِ.⁩

  jāʼạ ᵃlmụhạndịsānị.d͟jāʾa ᵃlmuhandisāni.ǧāˈa ᵃlmuhandisāni.jaˈa ᵃlmhndsan.

  The two engineers came.

Sound Masculine Plurals (-ūna)

For groups of males or mixed groups, the nominative ending is ⁧⁧ـُونَ⁩⁩ (-ūnạ-ūna-uwna-wn).

• ⁧الْمُعَلِّمُونَ مَشْغُولُونَ.⁩

  almụʕạllịmūnạ mạšḡūlūnạ.almuʿallimūna mas͟hg͟hūlūna.ʾalmuʿallimuwna mašġuwluwna.almʕlmwn mšḡwlwn.

  The teachers are busy.

05

Writing vs. Speaking

In fully vocalized texts (like the Quran or children's books), these endings are always written. However, in standard modern Arabic writing (newspapers, websites), the short vowel marks (⁧⁧ضَمَّة⁩⁩ (ḑạmmạẗḍammahḍammaẗḍmẗ) and ⁧⁧تَنْوِين⁩⁩ (tạnwīntanwīntanwiyntnwyn)) are usually omitted. The reader must infer the case based on the grammar of the sentence.

Additionally, in spoken Arabic (dialects) and when pausing at the end of a sentence in Formal Arabic, the final short vowel is often dropped completely. For example, ⁧⁧الْكِتَابُ⁩⁩ (alkịtābụalkitābuʾalkitābualktab) is often just pronounced as ⁧⁧الْكِتَاب⁩⁩ (alkịtābalkitābʾalkitābalktab).