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 (-ūna-ūna-uwna-wna).
• Accusative/Genitive Case (Object/Possession): Add ⁧⁧ـِينَ⁩⁩ (-īna-īna-iyna-yna).

• ⁧المُهَنْدِسُونَ مَاهِرُونَ.⁩

  al-muhandisūna māhirūna.al-muhandisūna māhirūna.ʾal-muhandisuwna māhiruwna.al-muhandiswna mahirwna.

  The engineers are skilled.

• ⁧رَأَيْتُ المُعَلِّمِينَ فِي المَدْرَسَةِ.⁩

  ra’aytu al-muʿallimīna fī al-madrasati.ra’aytu al-muʿallimīna fī al-madrasati.ra’aytu ʾal-muʿallimiyna fiy ʾal-madrasati.ra’aytu al-muʿalimyna fy al-madrasati.

  I saw the teachers in the school.

• ⁧نَحْنُ لُبْنَانِيُّونَ.⁩

  naḥnu lubnāniyyūna.naḥnu lubnāniyyūna.naḥnu lubnāniyyuwna.naḥnu lubnaniywna.

  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 (tāʾ marbūṭahtāʾ marbūṭahtāʾ marbuwṭahtaʾ marbwṭah) 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 (tāʾ marbūṭahtāʾ marbūṭahtāʾ marbuwṭahtaʾ marbwṭah) (if present) and add ⁧⁧ـَات⁩⁩ (-āt-āt-āt-at).

• Nominative Case: Ends in ⁧⁧ـَاتٌ⁩⁩ (-ātun-ātun-ātun-atun).
• Accusative/Genitive Case: Ends in ⁧⁧ـَاتٍ⁩⁩ (-ātin-ātin-ātin-atin). Note that this plural form never takes a ⁧⁧فَتْحَة⁩⁩ (fatḥah) (a) vowel, even in the accusative case.

• ⁧هَؤُلَاءِ طَالِبَاتٌ جَدِيدَاتٌ.⁩

  hā’ulā’i ṭālibātun jadīdātun.hā’ulā’i ṭālibātun d͟jadīdātun.hā’ulā’i ṭālibātun ǧadiydātun.ha’ula’i ṭalibatun jadydatun.

  These are new (female) students.

• ⁧لَدَيَّ سَيَّارَاتٌ كَثِيرَةٌ.⁩

  ladayya sayyārātun kathīratun.ladayya sayyārātun kathīratun.ladayya sayyārātun kathiyratun.ladaya sayaratun kathyratun.

  I have many cars.

• ⁧أُحِبُّ الحَيَوَانَاتِ.⁩

  uḥibbu al-ḥayawānāti.uḥibbu al-ḥayawānāti.uḥibbu ʾal-ḥayawānāti.uḥibu al-ḥayawanati.

  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 (kitābkitābkitābkitab) - book becomes ⁧⁧كُتُب⁩⁩ (kutub).
• ⁧⁧وَلَد⁩⁩ (walad) - boy becomes ⁧⁧أَوْلَاد⁩⁩ (awlādawlādʾawlādawlad).
• ⁧⁧رَجُل⁩⁩ (rajulrad͟julraǧulrajul) - man becomes ⁧⁧رِجَال⁩⁩ (rijālrid͟jālriǧālrijal).
• ⁧⁧مَكْتَب⁩⁩ (maktab) - office/desk becomes ⁧⁧مَكَاتِب⁩⁩ (makātibmakātibmakātibmakatib).

• ⁧الأَوْلَادُ يَلْعَبُونَ فِي الحَدِيقَةِ.⁩

  al-awlādu yalʿabūna fī al-ḥadīqati.al-awlādu yalʿabūna fī al-ḥadīqati.ʾal-awlādu yalʿabuwna fiy ʾal-ḥadiyqati.al-awladu yalʿabwna fy al-ḥadyqati.

  The boys are playing in the garden.

• ⁧قَرَأْتُ كُتُبًا قَدِيمَةً.⁩

  qara’tu kutuban qadīmatan.qara’tu kutuban qadīmatan.qara’tu kutuban qadiymatan.qara’tu kutuban qadymatan.

  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.⁩

  hādhihi aqlāmun jamīlatun.hādhihi aqlāmun d͟jamīlatun.hādhihi ʾaqlāmun ǧamiylatun.hadhihi aqlamun jamylatun.

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

• ⁧الكِلَابُ نَائِمَةٌ.⁩

  al-kilābu nā’imatun.al-kilābu nā’imatun.ʾal-kilābu nā’imatun.al-kilabu na’imatun.

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