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 (nạ-na-na-n-) with no special plural ending. It looks identical in shape to the singular, but the prefix alone identifies it.

• ⁧⁧نَحْنُ نَكْتُبُ⁩⁩ (nạḥnụ nạktụbụnaḥnu naktubunaḥnu naktubunḥn nktb) — we write

• ⁧نَحْنُ نَدْرُسُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ.⁩

  nạḥnụ nạdrụsụ kụllạ yạwmịṇ.naḥnu nadrusu kulla yawmin.naḥnu nadrusu kulla yawmí.nḥn ndrs kl ywm.

  We study every day.

• ⁧نَحْنُ نُحِبُّ السَّفَرَ.⁩

  nạḥnụ nụḥịbbụ ᵃssạfạrạ.naḥnu nuḥibbu ᵃssafara.naḥnu nuḥibbu ᵃssafara.nḥn nḥb ᵃsfr.

  We love traveling.

Second Person (You all)

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

• ⁧⁧أَنْتُمْ تَكْتُبُونَ⁩⁩ (ʼạntụm tạktụbūnạʾantum taktubūnaˈantum taktubuwnaˈantm tktbwn) — you (males) write
• ⁧⁧أَنْتُنَّ تَكْتُبْنَ⁩⁩ (ʼạntụnnạ tạktụbnạʾantunna taktubnaˈantunna taktubnaˈantn tktbn) — you (females) write

• ⁧أَنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ فِي شَرِكَةٍ كَبِيرَةٍ.⁩

  ʼạntụm tạʕmạlūnạ fī šạrịkạẗịṇ kạbīrạẗịṇ.ʾantum taʿmalūna fī s͟harikatin kabīratin.ˈantum taʿmaluwna fiy šarikaẗí kabiyraẗí.ˈantm tʕmlwn fy šrkẗ kbyrẗ.

  You (plural) work at a big company.

• ⁧أَنْتُنَّ تَقْرَأْنَ كَثِيرًا.⁩

  ʼạntụnnạ tạqrạʼnạ kạṯīrạṇ.ʾantunna taqraʾna kat͟hīran.ˈantunna taqraˈna kaṯiyrá.ˈantn tqrʼn kṯyra.

  You (females) read a lot.

Third Person (They)

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

• ⁧⁧هُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ⁩⁩ (hụm yạktụbūnạhum yaktubūnahum yaktubuwnahm yktbwn) — they (males) write
• ⁧⁧هُنَّ يَكْتُبْنَ⁩⁩ (hụnnạ yạktụbnạhunna yaktubnahunna yaktubnahn yktbn) — they (females) write

• ⁧هُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ فِي الْحَدِيقَةِ.⁩

  hụm yạlʕạbūnạ fī ᵃlḥạdīqạẗị.hum yalʿabūna fī ᵃlḥadīqati.hum yalʿabuwna fiy ᵃlḥadiyqaẗi.hm ylʕbwn fy ᵃlḥdyqẗ.

  They play in the garden.

• ⁧هُنَّ يَدْرُسْنَ الطَّبَّ.⁩

  hụnnạ yạdrụsnạ ᵃṭṭạbbạ.hunna yadrusna ᵃṭṭabba.hunna yadrusna ᵃṭṭabba.hn ydrsn ᵃṭb.

  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.⁩

  sāfạrnā ʼịlā mịṣrạ.sāfarnā ʾilā miṣra.sāfarnā ˌilā miṣra.safrna ˌila mṣr.

  We traveled to Egypt.

Second Person (You all)

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

• ⁧هَلْ فَهِمْتُمْ الدَّرْسَ؟⁩

  hạl fạhịmtụm ᵃddạrsạ?hal fahimtum ᵃddarsa?hal fahimtum ᵃddarsa?hl fhmtm ᵃdrs?

  Did you (plural) understand the lesson?

Third Person (They)

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

• ⁧ذَهَبُوا إِلَى السُّوقِ.⁩

  ḏạhạbū ʼịlā ᵃssūqị.d͟hahabū ʾilā ᵃssūqi.ḏahabuw ˌilā ᵃssuwqi.ḏhbw ˌila ᵃswq.

  They went to the market.

• ⁧رَجَعْنَ مِنَ الْمَدْرَسَةِ.⁩

  rạjạʕnạ mịnạ ᵃlmạdrạsạẗị.rad͟jaʿna mina ᵃlmadrasati.raǧaʿna mina ᵃlmadrasaẗi.rjʕn mn ᵃlmdrsẗ.

  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.⁩

  aṭṭụllābụ ḏạhạbū ʼịlā ᵃlmạdrạsạẗị.aṭṭullābu d͟hahabū ʾilā ᵃlmadrasati.ʾaṭṭullābu ḏahabuw ˌilā ᵃlmadrasaẗi.alṭlab ḏhbw ˌila ᵃlmdrsẗ.

  The students went to school.

Verb First (Use Singular Verb)

• ⁧ذَهَبَ الطُّلَّابُ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ.⁩

  ḏạhạbạ ᵃṭṭụllābụ ʼịlā ᵃlmạdrạsạẗị.d͟hahaba ᵃṭṭullābu ʾilā ᵃlmadrasati.ḏahaba ᵃṭṭullābu ˌilā ᵃlmadrasaẗi.ḏhb ᵃṭlab ˌila ᵃlmdrsẗ.

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