Nouns: Plural

01

The Sound Masculine Plural

This form is called "sound" because the original singular noun remains intact, and suffixes are simply added to the end. This pattern is almost exclusively used for human males (or mixed groups of males and females) and adjectives describing them. It is commonly seen with professions and nationalities.

To form this plural, you add a suffix depending on the grammatical case of the word in the sentence:

• Nominative Case (Subject): Add ⁧⁧ـُونَ⁩⁩ (-ūnạ-ūna-uwna-wn).
• Accusative/Genitive Case (Object/Possession): Add ⁧⁧ـِينَ⁩⁩ (-īnạ-īna-iyna-yn).

• ⁧المُهَنْدِسُونَ مَاهِرُونَ.⁩

  almụhạndịsūnạ māhịrūnạ.almuhandisūna māhirūna.ʾalmuhandisuwna māhiruwna.almhndswn mahrwn.

  The engineers are skilled.

• ⁧رَأَيْتُ المُعَلِّمِينَ فِي المَدْرَسَةِ.⁩

  rạʼạytụ ᵃlmụʕạllịmīnạ fī ᵃlmạdrạsạẗị.raʾaytu ᵃlmuʿallimīna fī ᵃlmadrasati.raˈaytu ᵃlmuʿallimiyna fiy ᵃlmadrasaẗi.rˈayt ᵃlmʕlmyn fy ᵃlmdrsẗ.

  I saw the teachers in the school.

• ⁧نَحْنُ لُبْنَانِيُّونَ.⁩

  nạḥnụ lụbnānịyyūnạ.naḥnu lubnāniyyūna.naḥnu lubnāniyyuwna.nḥn lbnanywn.

  We are Lebanese.

02

The Sound Feminine Plural

This form is used for nouns referring to human females, but also for many inanimate objects, particularly those that end with the feminine marker ⁧ة⁩ (tāʼ mạrbūṭạẗtāʾ marbūṭahtāˈ marbuwṭaẗtaʼ mrbwṭẗ) in the singular. It is also the default plural for many modern loanwords (like "mobiles" or "televisions") and verbal nouns.

To form this plural, remove the ⁧ة⁩ (tāʼ mạrbūṭạẗtāʾ marbūṭahtāˈ marbuwṭaẗtaʼ mrbwṭẗ) (if present) and add ⁧⁧ـَات⁩⁩ (-āt-āt-āt-at).

• Nominative Case: Ends in ⁧⁧ـَاتٌ⁩⁩ (-ātụṇ-ātun-ātú-at).
• Accusative/Genitive Case: Ends in ⁧⁧ـَاتٍ⁩⁩ (-ātịṇ-ātin-ātí-at). Note that this plural form never takes a ⁧⁧فَتْحَة⁩⁩ (fạtḥạẗfatḥahfatḥaẗftḥẗ) (a) vowel, even in the accusative case.

• ⁧هَؤُلَاءِ طَالِبَاتٌ جَدِيدَاتٌ.⁩

  hạʼụlāʼị ṭālịbātụṇ jạdīdātụṇ.haʾulāʾi ṭālibātun d͟jadīdātun.haˈulāˌi ṭālibātú ǧadiydātú.hˈalaˌi ṭalbat jdydat.

  These are new (female) students.

• ⁧لَدَيَّ سَيَّارَاتٌ كَثِيرَةٌ.⁩

  lạdạyyạ sạyyārātụṇ kạṯīrạẗụṇ.ladayya sayyārātun kat͟hīratun.ladayya sayyārātú kaṯiyraẗú.ldy syarat kṯyrẗ.

  I have many cars.

• ⁧أُحِبُّ الحَيَوَانَاتِ.⁩

  ʼụḥịbbụ ᵃlḥạyạwānātị.ʾuḥibbu ᵃlḥayawānāti.ˈuḥibbu ᵃlḥayawānāti.ˈaḥb ᵃlḥywanat.

  I like animals.

03

The Broken Plural

The majority of Arabic nouns, especially those referring to objects, animals, and plants, use the Broken Plural. It is called "broken" because the internal structure of the singular word is changed—vowels are altered, and letters may be added or removed. This is similar to English irregular plurals like "man" becoming "men" or "mouse" becoming "mice".

There are many different patterns for broken plurals. While there are some derivation rules, it is most practical to memorize the broken plural form whenever you learn a new singular noun.

Common patterns include:

• ⁧⁧كِتَاب⁩⁩ (kịtābkitābkitābktab) - book becomes ⁧⁧كُتُب⁩⁩ (kụtụbkutubkutubktb).
• ⁧⁧وَلَد⁩⁩ (wạlạdwaladwaladwld) - boy becomes ⁧⁧أَوْلَاد⁩⁩ (ʼạwlādʾawlādˈawlādˈawlad).
• ⁧⁧رَجُل⁩⁩ (rạjụlrad͟julraǧulrjl) - man becomes ⁧⁧رِجَال⁩⁩ (rịjālrid͟jālriǧālrjal).
• ⁧⁧مَكْتَب⁩⁩ (mạktạbmaktabmaktabmktb) - office/desk becomes ⁧⁧مَكَاتِب⁩⁩ (mạkātịbmakātibmakātibmkatb).

• ⁧الأَوْلَادُ يَلْعَبُونَ فِي الحَدِيقَةِ.⁩

  alʼạwlādụ yạlʕạbūnạ fī ᵃlḥạdīqạẗị.alʾawlādu yalʿabūna fī ᵃlḥadīqati.ʾalˈawlādu yalʿabuwna fiy ᵃlḥadiyqaẗi.alˈawlad ylʕbwn fy ᵃlḥdyqẗ.

  The boys are playing in the garden.

• ⁧قَرَأْتُ كُتُبًا قَدِيمَةً.⁩

  qạrạʼtụ kụtụbạṇ qạdīmạẗạṇ.qaraʾtu kutuban qadīmatan.qaraˈtu kutubá qadiymaẗá.qrʼt ktba qdymẗ.

  I read old books.

04

Agreement with Non-Human Plurals

There is a crucial rule in Arabic grammar regarding plurals of non-human things (objects, animals, concepts). Regardless of whether the noun is masculine or feminine, or whether it uses a sound or broken plural, if the noun refers to something non-human, it is treated grammatically as a feminine singular noun.

This means any adjectives describing these plurals, or verbs referring to them, must be in the feminine singular form.

• ⁧هَذِهِ أَقْلَامٌ جَمِيلَةٌ.⁩

  hặḏịhị ʼạqlāmụṇ jạmīlạẗụṇ.hād͟hihi ʾaqlāmun d͟jamīlatun.hāḏihi ˈaqlāmú ǧamiylaẗú.hḏh ˈaqlam jmylẗ.

  These are beautiful pens. (Literally: "This is pens beautiful[fem. sg.]")

• ⁧الكِلَابُ نَائِمَةٌ.⁩

  alkịlābụ nāʼịmạẗụṇ.alkilābu nāʾimatun.ʾalkilābu nāˌimaẗú.alklab naˌimẗ.

  The dogs are sleeping. (Literally: "The dogs is sleeping[fem. sg.]")