Verbs: Plural

01

Plural in the Present Tense

The present tense uses the same four prefixes as the singular forms, but adds specific endings to mark the plural.

First Person (We)

The "we" form uses the prefix ⁧⁧نـ⁩⁩ (na-) with no special plural ending. It looks identical in shape to the singular, but the prefix alone identifies it.

• ⁧⁧نَحْنُ نَكْتُبُ⁩⁩ (naḥnu naktubu) — we write

• ⁧نَحْنُ نَدْرُسُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ.⁩

  naḥnu nadrusu kulla yawmin.naḥnu nadrusu kulla yawmin.naḥnu nadrusu kulla yawmin.naḥnu nadrusu kula yawmin.

  We study every day.

• ⁧نَحْنُ نُحِبُّ السَّفَرَ.⁩

  naḥnu nuḥibbu al-safar.naḥnu nuḥibbu al-safar.naḥnu nuḥibbu ʾal-safar.naḥnu nuḥibu al-safar.

  We love traveling.

Second Person (You all)

For a group of males or a mixed group, the verb takes the prefix ⁧⁧تـ⁩⁩ (ta-) and the ending ⁧⁧ـُونَ⁩⁩ (-ūna-ūna-uwna-wna). For a group of all females, the ending is ⁧⁧ـْنَ⁩⁩ (-na).

• ⁧⁧أَنْتُمْ تَكْتُبُونَ⁩⁩ (antum taktubūnaantum taktubūnaʾantum taktubuwnaantum taktubwna) — you (males) write
• ⁧⁧أَنْتُنَّ تَكْتُبْنَ⁩⁩ (antunna taktubnaantunna taktubnaʾantunna taktubnaantuna taktubna) — you (females) write

• ⁧أَنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ فِي شَرِكَةٍ كَبِيرَةٍ.⁩

  antum taʿmalūna fī sharikatin kabīratin.antum taʿmalūna fī sharikatin kabīratin.ʾantum taʿmaluwna fiy sharikatin kabiyratin.antum taʿmalwna fy sharikatin kabyratin.

  You (plural) work at a big company.

• ⁧أَنْتُنَّ تَقْرَأْنَ كَثِيرًا.⁩

  antunna taqraʾna kathīran.antunna taqraʾna kathīran.ʾantunna taqraʾna kathiyran.antuna taqraʾna kathyran.

  You (females) read a lot.

Third Person (They)

For a group of males or a mixed group, the verb takes the prefix ⁧⁧يـ⁩⁩ (ya-) and the ending ⁧⁧ـُونَ⁩⁩ (-ūna-ūna-uwna-wna). For a group of all females, the prefix is ⁧⁧يـ⁩⁩ (ya-) and the ending is ⁧⁧ـْنَ⁩⁩ (-na).

• ⁧⁧هُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ⁩⁩ (hum yaktubūnahum yaktubūnahum yaktubuwnahum yaktubwna) — they (males) write
• ⁧⁧هُنَّ يَكْتُبْنَ⁩⁩ (hunna yaktubnahunna yaktubnahunna yaktubnahuna yaktubna) — they (females) write

• ⁧هُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ فِي الْحَدِيقَةِ.⁩

  hum yalʿabūna fī al-ḥadīqah.hum yalʿabūna fī al-ḥadīqah.hum yalʿabuwna fiy ʾal-ḥadiyqah.hum yalʿabwna fy al-ḥadyqah.

  They play in the garden.

• ⁧هُنَّ يَدْرُسْنَ الطَّبَّ.⁩

  hunna yadrusna al-ṭabb.hunna yadrusna al-ṭabb.hunna yadrusna ʾal-ṭabb.huna yadrusna al-ṭab.

  They (females) study medicine.

02

Plural in the Past Tense

In the past tense, the plural is marked entirely by suffixes added to the verb stem.

First Person (We)

The suffix ⁧⁧ـْنَا⁩⁩ (-nā-nā-nā-na) is added to the stem. Gender does not matter.

• ⁧سَافَرْنَا إِلَى مِصْرَ.⁩

  sāfarnā ilā Miṣr.sāfarnā ilā Miṣr.sāfarnā ilā Miṣr.safarna ila Miṣr.

  We traveled to Egypt.

Second Person (You all)

• You (plural male/mixed): Add ⁧ـتُمْ⁩ (-tum).
• You (plural female): Add ⁧ـتُنَّ⁩ (-tunna).

• ⁧هَلْ فَهِمْتُمْ الدَّرْسَ؟⁩

  hal fahimtum al-dars?hal fahimtum al-dars?hal fahimtum ʾal-dars?hal fahimtum al-dars?

  Did you (plural) understand the lesson?

Third Person (They)

• They (male/mixed): Add ⁧ـُوا⁩ (-ū). The final ⁧⁧ا⁩⁩ (alifalifʾalifalif) is written but not pronounced.
• They (female): Add ⁧ـْنَ⁩ (-na).

• ⁧ذَهَبُوا إِلَى السُّوقِ.⁩

  dhahabū ilā al-sūq.dhahabū ilā al-sūq.dhahabuw ilā ʾal-suwq.dhahabw ila al-swq.

  They went to the market.

• ⁧رَجَعْنَ مِنَ الْمَدْرَسَةِ.⁩

  rajaʿna min al-madrasah.rad͟jaʿna min al-madrasah.raǧaʿna min ʾal-madrasah.rajaʿna min al-madrasah.

  They (females) returned from the school.

03

Verb-Subject Agreement

Just as with the dual, when the verb comes before the subject (Verb-Subject-Object order), the verb remains singular, even if the subject is plural. The full plural verb form is used when the subject comes first or is implied.

Subject First (Use Plural Verb)

• ⁧الطُّلَّابُ ذَهَبُوا إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ.⁩

  al-ṭullābu dhahabū ilā al-madrasah.al-ṭullābu dhahabū ilā al-madrasah.ʾal-ṭullābu dhahabuw ilā ʾal-madrasah.al-ṭulabu dhahabw ila al-madrasah.

  The students went to school.

Verb First (Use Singular Verb)

• ⁧ذَهَبَ الطُّلَّابُ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ.⁩

  dhahaba al-ṭullābu ilā al-madrasah.dhahaba al-ṭullābu ilā al-madrasah.dhahaba ʾal-ṭullābu ilā ʾal-madrasah.dhahaba al-ṭulabu ila al-madrasah.

  The students went to school. (Literally: Went the students to school)