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 (al-fā‘ilal-fā‘ilʾal-fā‘ilal-fa‘il)).

• ⁧يَدْرُسُ الطَّالِبُ.⁩

  yadrusu al-ṭālibu.yadrusu al-ṭālibu.yadrusu ʾal-ṭālibu.yadrusu al-ṭalibu.

  The student studies.

• ⁧وَصَلَ رَجُلٌ.⁩

  waṣala rajulun.waṣala rad͟julun.waṣala raǧulun.waṣala rajulun.

  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.⁩

  al-baytu jadīdun.al-baytu d͟jadīdun.ʾal-baytu ǧadiydun.al-baytu jadydun.

  The house is new.

• ⁧الْمُدَرِّسَةُ ذَكِيَّةٌ.⁩

  al-mudarrisatu dhakiyyatun.al-mudarrisatu dhakiyyatun.ʾal-mudarrisatu dhakiyyatun.al-mudarisatu dhakiyatun.

  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 (ḍammahḍammahḍammahḍamah)). 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 (tanwīntanwīntanwiyntanwyn). This is written as two loops or dashes above the final letter and pronounced as ⁧ـٌ⁩ (-un)<.

• ⁧هَذَا كِتَابٌ.⁩

  hādhā kitābun.hādhā kitābun.hādhā kitābun.hadha kitabun.

  This is a book.

• ⁧رَأَيْتُ قَلَمٌ.⁩

  ra’aytu qalamun.

  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 (-u)<.

• ⁧الْكِتَابُ مُفِيدٌ.⁩

  al-kitābu mufīdun.al-kitābu mufīdun.ʾal-kitābu mufiydun.al-kitabu mufydun.

  The book is useful.

• ⁧الشَّمْسُ حَارَّةٌ.⁩

  ash-shamsu ḥārratun.ash-shamsu ḥārratun.ʾash-shamsu ḥārratun.ash-shamsu ḥaratun.

  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.⁩

  sayyāratu al-mudīri.sayyāratu al-mudīri.sayyāratu ʾal-mudiyri.sayaratu al-mudyri.

  The manager's car.

• ⁧مِفْتَاحُ الْبَابِ.⁩

  miftāḥu al-bābi.miftāḥu al-bābi.miftāḥu ʾal-bābi.miftaḥu al-babi.

  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 (-āni-āni-āni-ani).

• ⁧جَاءَ الْمُهَنْدِسَانِ.⁩

  jā’a al-muhandisāni.d͟jā’a al-muhandisāni.ǧā’a ʾal-muhandisāni.ja’a al-muhandisani.

  The two engineers came.

Sound Masculine Plurals (-ūna)

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

• ⁧الْمُعَلِّمُونَ مَشْغُولُونَ.⁩

  al-mu‘allimūna mashghūlūna.al-mu‘allimūna mashghūlūna.ʾal-mu‘allimuwna mashghuwluwna.al-mu‘alimwna mashghwlwna.

  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 (ḍammahḍammahḍammahḍamah) and ⁧⁧تَنْوِين⁩⁩ (tanwīntanwīntanwiyntanwyn)) 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 (al-kitābual-kitābuʾal-kitābual-kitabu) is often just pronounced as ⁧⁧الْكِتَاب⁩⁩ (al-kitābal-kitābʾal-kitābal-kitab).