Basic Arabic - A Grammar and Workbook

16 A pattern is seen in the examples above. The singular feminine indefinite nouns

Noun end in the letter ‫ ﺓ‬and the plural feminine indefinite nouns end in the letters ‫ﺍﺕ‬.
attributes:
number, singular feminine, indefinite plural feminine, indefinite
gender, case,
definiteness ‫ﺳﻴّﺎﺭﺓ‬ ‫ﺳﻴّﺎﺭﺍﺕ‬
‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﺔ‬ ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼﺕ‬
‫ﻳﺎﺑﺎﻧﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﻳﺎﺑﺎﻧﻴّﺎﺕ‬

Exercise: decoding attributes of an unfamiliar noun

Exercise 1

Study the feminine, indefinite nouns below and determine whether they are sin-
gular or plural by underlining the correct choice.

Noun Answer choices

‫ُﻣﺘَﺮ ِﺟﻤﺔ‬ (plural feminine, indefinite) or (singular feminine, indefinite)
‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺔ‬ (plural feminine, indefinite) or (singular feminine, indefinite)
(plural feminine, indefinite) or (singular feminine, indefinite)
‫َﺳﻴّﺪﺓ‬ (plural feminine, indefinite) or (singular feminine, indefinite)
‫ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ‬ (plural feminine, indefinite) or (singular feminine, indefinite)
‫ُﻣﺘَﺮ ِﺟﻤﺎﺕ‬ (plural feminine, indefinite) or (singular feminine, indefinite)
‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎﺕ‬ (plural feminine, indefinite) or (singular feminine, indefinite)
‫َﺳﻴّﺪﺍﺕ‬ (plural feminine, indefinite) or (singular feminine, indefinite)
‫ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺎﺕ‬

Typical arrangement of noun constituents (number,

gender, case, and definiteness)

In this section, we will examine the typical anatomy of a noun with respect to its
attributes (i.e. number, gender, case, and definiteness).

The morphological nature of the structure of Arabic nouns is such that the
attributes are intertwined in a single word. Therefore, we cannot easily examine
them in isolation. The typical anatomy of a noun can be represented morpho-
logically by columns showing a noun and the relative position of each of its
attributes.

The tables below illustrate the typical arrangement of the constituents of a
noun.
90

Singular: typical arrangement of noun constituents (number, Typical
gender, case, and definiteness) arrange-
ment of
‫ﻣﻤﺜ ٌﻞ‬ constituents
(number,
definiteness noun gender case definiteness number gender,
case, and
definiteness)

mumaththil un

‫ﺍﻟﻤﻤﺜ ُﻞ‬

definiteness noun gender case definiteness number

al mumaththil u

ٌ‫ﻣﻤﺜﻠﺔ‬

definiteness noun gender case definiteness number

mumaththil at u n

ُ‫ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﺔ‬

definiteness noun gender case definiteness number

al mumaththil at u

Dual: typical arrangement of noun constituents (number, gender,
case, and definiteness)

‫ﻣﻤﺜﻼ ِﻥ‬

definiteness noun gender case number

mumaththil aa ni

‫ﺍﻟﻤﻤﺜﻼﻥ‬ noun gender case number

definiteness mumaththil aa ni
al

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16 ‫ﻣﻤﺜﻠﺘﺎﻥ‬ noun gender case number

Noun definiteness
attributes:
number, mumaththil at aa ni
gender, case,
definiteness

‫ﺍﻟﻤﻤﺜﻠﺘﺎﻥ‬ noun gender case number

definiteness mumaththil at aa ni
al

Plural: typical arrangement of noun constituents (number, gender,
case, and definiteness)

‫ﻣﻤﺜﻠﻮﻥ‬

definiteness noun gender case number

mumaththil uu na

‫ﺍﻟﻤﻤﺜﻠﻮﻥ‬

definiteness noun gender case number

al mumaththil uu na

‫ﻣﻤﺜﻼ ٌﺕ‬

definiteness noun gender case definiteness

mumaththil aat u n

‫ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢﻼ ُﺕ‬

definiteness noun gender case definiteness

al mumaththil aat u

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The following sections contain details illustrating number, gender, case, and Number
definiteness in nouns.
‫ﺍﻟ َﻌﺪﺩ‬

Number ‫ﺍﻟ َﻌﺪﺩ‬

As noted above, Arabic nouns are either singular, dual, or plural.

Morphology
Plurals are more than two. Plurals are formed by suffixation (sound plural) or
inter-digitation (broken plural).

For masculine plural nouns, add a suffix to the noun stem.
For feminine plural nouns, add a suffix after removing the (at) suffix.

The dual is a separate morphological entity. For the dual, the suffix is added to
the noun stem. In the case of the feminine, the (at) suffix is not removed.

Singular ‫ﺍﻟـ ُﻤﻔ َﺮﺩ‬

Singular nouns are marked by an absence of dual or plural suffixes. The follow-
ing are examples of indefinite masculine and feminine nouns in the singular:

Masculine:

‫َﺭ ُﺟﻞ‬ a man
‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻞ‬ an actor
a son
‫ﺍِﺑﻦ‬ a book
‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺏ‬

Feminine:

‫ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺓ‬ a woman
‫ﺑِﻨﺖ‬ a girl/daughter
‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﺔ‬ an actress
‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔ‬ a table
‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺔ‬ a bookstore/library

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16 Exercise: singular ‫ﺍﻟـ ُﻤﻔ َﺮﺩ‬

Noun Exercise 2
attributes:
number, Read the phrases below. Each one comprises a noun followed by an adjective.
gender, case, Draw a line under the adjectives in the singular form.
definiteness
a) ‫ُﻣﺘَﺮ ِﺟﻤﻮﻥ ﻳﺎﺑﺎﻧﻴّﻮﻥ‬
b) ‫ُﻣﺘَﺮ ِﺟﻤﺎﺕ ﻳﺎﺑﺎﻧﻴّﺎﺕ‬
c) ‫ُﻣ ُﺪﻥ ﻳﺎﺑﺎﻧﻴﺔ‬
d) ‫ﺳﻴﺎﺭﺍﺕ ﻳﺎﺑﺎﻧﻴﺔ‬
e) ‫ﻟُﻐﺎﺕ ﺃﻭﺭﻭﺑﻴّﺔ‬
f ) ‫ُﻣﺘَﺮ ِﺟﻤﻮﻥ َﻋ َﺮﺏ‬

Dual ‫ﺍﻟ ُﻤﺜَﻨّﻰ‬

Dual nouns are marked by the compound dual suffixes ‫( ﺍ ِﻥ‬aani) or ‫( ْﻳ ِﻦ‬ayni).
It is important to note that the alif (‫ )ﺍ‬in the dual suffix ‫ ﺍ ِﻥ‬indicates that a dual
noun is in the nominative (‫ )ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬case, whereas a yaa’ (‫ )ﻱ‬in the dual suf-
fix ‫ ﻳ ِﻦ‬indicates that a dual noun is in the accusative (‫ )ﺍﻟـ َﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬or the geni-
tive (‫ )ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬case (see Case). The following are the same singular nouns, as

above, but in the dual:

Masculine:

two men ‫ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
‫َﺭ ُﺟﻠَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫َﺭ ُﺟﻼ ِﻥ‬
two actors ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼ ِﻥ‬
two sons ‫ﺍِﺑﻨَﻴ ِﻦ‬
two books ‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﺍِﺑﻨﺎ ِﻥ‬
‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎ ِﻥ‬
Feminine:
‫ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
‫ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬

two women ‫ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺗَ ْﻴﻦ‬ ‫ﺑِﻨﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬
‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬
two girls/daughters ‫ﺑِﻨﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺘَﺎ ِﻥ‬
two actresses ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَﺘَ ْﻴﻦ‬ ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒَﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬
94 two tables ‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟَﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬

two bookstores/libraries ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒَﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬

Exercises: dual ‫ﺍﻟ ُﻤﺜَﻨّﻰ‬ Exercise:

dual ‫ﺍﻟ ُﻤﺜَﻨّﻰ‬

Exercise 3

Change the following duals to their singular forms. Write the singular forms in
the blank spaces below. For this exercise, diacritic case markings may be left out
of the answers.

Dual Singular
__________
‫َﺭ ُﺟﻼ ِﻥ‬ __________
‫َﺭ ُﺟﻠَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ __________
‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ __________
‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎ ِﻥ‬ __________
__________
‫ﺍِﺑﻨَﻴ ِﻦ‬ __________
‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒَﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ __________
‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒَﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬ __________
‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬ __________

‫ﺑِﻨﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬
‫ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺗَ ْﻴﻦ‬

Exercise 4
Fill in the blanks in the table below.

Dual (‫) ُﻣﺜَﻨﱠﻰ‬ ‫ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬ Singular (‫) ُﻣﻔﺮﺩ‬
‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬
‫ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/ _______ ‫ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/
_______
‫ﻋﺮﺑﻴﱠ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ _______ _______ ‫ﻋﺮﺑ ﱞﻲ‬ Indefinite (‫)ﻧﻜﺮﺓ‬ Masculine
_______ _______ Definite (‫)ﻣﻌﺮﻓﺔ‬
_______ _______ _______ Indefinite (‫)ﻧﻜﺮﺓ‬ (‫)ﻣﺬ ّﻛﺮ‬
_______ _______ _______ Definite (‫)ﻣﻌﺮﻓﺔ‬
_______ _______ Feminine

(‫)ﻣﺆﻧّﺚ‬

95

16 Plural ‫ﺍﻟ َﺠﻤﻊ‬

Noun Plural nouns are of two kinds: sound plurals and broken plurals.
attributes: Nouns that happen to fall in the category of sound plurals have predictable
number,
gender, case, suffixes:
definiteness
For masculine nouns, the plural suffix is either ‫ ﻭﻥ‬or ‫ﻳﻦ‬
For feminine nouns, the plural suffix is ‫ﺍﺕ‬

Nouns that happen to fall in the category of broken plurals are created by an
internal shuffling of vowels. Broken plurals are not marked by a suffix.

Sound plurals ‫َﺟﻤﻊ ﺍﻟﺴﺎﻟﻢ‬

Masculine sound plurals and feminine sound plurals behave predictably when
transformed from their singular to plural forms.

Masculine sound plurals

Masculine sound plural nouns are marked by the compound plural suffixes ‫ﻭ َﻥ‬
(uuna) or ‫( ﻳ َﻦ‬iina). It is important to note that the waaw (‫ )ﻭ‬in the plural suffix
‫ ﻭ َﻥ‬indicates that a plural noun is in the nominative (‫ )ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬case, whereas a
yaa’ (‫ )ﻱ‬in the plural suffix ‫ ﻳ َﻦ‬indicates that a plural noun is in the accusative
(‫ )ﺍﻟـ َﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬or the genitive (‫ )ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬case (see Case).

‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻴﻦ‬ ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻮﻥ‬
actors

Feminine sound plurals

Feminine sound plural nouns are marked by the plural suffixes ‫( ﺍ ٌﺕ‬aatun) in the
nominative (‫ )ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬case, or ‫( ﺍ ٍﺕ‬aatin) in the accusative (‫ )ﺍﻟـ َﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬or the
genitive (‫ )ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬case (see Case). As is usual, the case markers are often not

shown.

96

Examples: meaning Exercises:
plural
actresses sound plurals
‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼﺕ‬ tables
‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻻﺕ‬ bookstores/libraries ‫َﺟﻤﻊ ﺍﻟﺴﺎﻟﻢ‬
‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺎﺕ‬

Exercises: sound plurals ‫َﺟﻤﻊ ﺍﻟﺴﺎﻟﻢ‬

Exercise 5

Change the following sound plurals to their singular forms. Write the singular
forms in the blank spaces below.

Plural Singular
_________
a) ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼﺕ‬ _________
b) ‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻻﺕ‬ _________
c) ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺎﺕ‬ _________
d) ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻴﻦ‬ _________
e) ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻮﻥ‬

Exercise 6

Once you have changed the sound plurals to their singular form, put them in four
very simple sentences. Refer to the glossary below for help.

Glossary actresses (female actors)
tables
a) ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼﺕ‬ bookstores/libraries
b) ‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻻﺕ‬ actors (male actors)
c) ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺎﺕ‬
d) ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻮﻥ‬

97

16 Below are four blank spaces for four simple sentences.

Noun a) ___________________________________________________________
attributes: b) ___________________________________________________________
number, c) ___________________________________________________________
gender, case, d) ___________________________________________________________
definiteness

Broken plurals ‫ﺟﻤﻊ ﺍﻟﺘَﻜﺴﻴﺮ‬

Broken plurals are created by internal shuffling of vowels of the singular form of
the noun. Unlike sound plurals, broken plurals are not marked by a predictable
suffix.

Masculine broken plurals

Examples:

plural meaning
men
‫ِﺭﺟﺎﻝ‬ sons
‫ﺃﺑﻨﺎء‬ books
‫ُﻛﺘُﺐ‬

Gender ‫ﺍﻟ ِﺠﻨﺲ‬/‫ﺍﻟﻨﻮﻉ‬

No neutral
As noted above, gender is either masculine or feminine. There is no neutral category.

Feminine
Singular feminine
In the singular, feminine nouns are often marked by a taa’ marbuta, whose shape
is:

1) ‫ ﺓ‬when unjoined to the preceding letter

98

Example: Gender

‫ ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺓ‬a woman ‫ﺍﻟ ِﺠﻨﺲ‬/‫ﺍﻟﻨﻮﻉ‬
2) ‫ ــﺔ‬when joined to the preceding letter

Example:

‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺔ‬ a bookstore/library

3) ‫ ــﺘـ‬if the feminine noun is the first term in an ’idafa phrase where the

pronoun is suffixed to the noun.

Examples:

‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒَــﺘــﻪ‬ his bookstore/library

‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒَــﺘــﻬﺎ‬ her bookstore/library

Not all singular feminine nouns have an overt feminine marker.

Examples: sun
the sun
‫َﺷﻤﺲ‬ ground, floor, land
‫ﺍﻟﺸﻤﺲ‬ the ground, the floor, the earth
‫ﺃﺭﺽ‬
‫ﺍﻷﺭﺽ‬

Dual feminine

In the dual, the taa’ marbuta at the end of the noun changes to a regular ‫ﺕ‬, and
is followed by the dual suffixes ‫( ﺍ ِﻥ‬aani) or ‫( ْﻳ ِﻦ‬ayni).

Examples: dual meaning 99
two women
singular ‫ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺗَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ two girls
‫ﺑِﻨﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ two actresses
‫ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬ two tables
‫ﺑِﻨﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬ ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ two bookstores/libraries
‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟَﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬
‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬ ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒَﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬
‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺘَﺎ ِﻥ‬
‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒَﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬

16 Similarly, in the case of a dual feminine noun being the first term of an ’idafa,

Noun the taa’ marbuta at the end of the noun changes to a regular ‫ﺕ‬, and is followed
attributes:
number, by the dual suffix.
gender, case,
definiteness Examples:

singular dual meaning
his two bookstores/libraries
‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒَﺘﺎﻩُ  – َﻣﻜﺘَﺒَﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻪ‬ her two bookstores/libraries
‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒَﺘﺎﻫﺎ – َﻣﻜﺘَﺒَﺘَ ْﻴﻬﺎ‬

Note the obligatory deletion of the ‫ ﻥ‬of the first term of the ’idafa in the dual.

Plural feminine
In the plural feminine, the taa’ marbuta at the end of feminine singular noun

often changes to the plural feminine marker ‫ﺍﺕ‬.

Examples:

singular plural meaning
actresses
‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﺔ‬ ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼﺕ‬ tables
‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔ‬ ‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻻﺕ‬ bookstores/libraries
‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺔ‬ ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺎﺕ‬

However, it should be noted that not all singular feminine nouns ending in taa’
marbuuta automatically have sound feminine plural forms.

Example:

singular plural meaning
women
‫ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺓ‬ ‫ﻧِﺴﺎء‬

Not all plural feminine nouns have an overt feminine marker.

Examples: plural meaning
the suns
singular ‫ﺍﻟ ُﺸﻤﻮﺱ‬ the lands
‫ﺍﻷﺭﺍﺿﻲ‬
‫ﺍﻟﺸﻤﺲ‬
100 ‫ﺍﻷﺭﺽ‬

Summary: feminine Case ‫ﺍﻟﺤﺎﻟﺔ‬

Fpleumrailnifneemninoiunnessaurfefimx a‫ﺕ‬rk‫ﺍ‬e. dSobmy ethfeemsuifnfiixne‫ﺓ‬,ntohuendsuaarlesnuoffit xm‫ﻥ‬aِ r‫ﺎ‬k‫ﺗ‬eodrb‫ ِﻦ‬y‫ ْﻴ‬aَ‫ﺗ‬,ntyhesusfofiuxn:d and case
markings
(diacritics
and letters)

Plural Dual Singular

‫ﻧِﺴﺎء‬ ‫ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺗﺎ ِﻥ – ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺗَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺓ‬
‫ﺑَﻨﺎﺕ‬ ‫ﺑِﻨﺘﺎ ِﻥ – ﺑِﻨﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﺑِﻨﺖ‬
‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼﺕ‬ ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﺔ‬
‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻻﺕ‬ ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﺘﺎ ِﻥ – ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔ‬
‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺎﺕ‬ ‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺘَﺎ ِﻥ – ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟَﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺔ‬
‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒَﺘﺎ ِﻥ – َﻣﻜﺘَﺒَﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬

Masculine

LMikasecfuelminienisnoeundduapllusuraffil xneosu,nms aasrecumlianrekdeduablysuthffiexceosmapreou‫ ِﻥ‬n‫ﺍ‬d(apalunria)losru‫ِﻦ‬ffi‫ ْﻳ‬x(easyn‫ َﻥ‬i‫)ﻭ‬.
(uuna) or ‫( ﻳ َﻦ‬iina).

Broken plural masculine

Broken plural masculine nouns are not marked by any suffix:

    ‫ ِﺭﺟﺎﻝ‬،‫ َﺭ ُﺟﻼ ِﻥ – َﺭ ُﺟﻠَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬،‫َﺭ ُﺟﻞ‬
 ‫ ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻮﻥ – ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻴﻦ‬،‫ ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼ ِﻥ – ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬،‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻞ‬
      ‫ ُﻛﺘُﺐ‬،‫ ِﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎ ِﻥ – ِﻛﺘﺎﺑَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬،‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺏ‬

Case ‫ ﺍﻟﺤﺎﻟﺔ‬and case markings (diacritics and letters) 101

Nominative case ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
A noun in the nominative (‫ ) َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬case may be given the following case markers:

‫ ﺍﻥ‬,‫ َﺿ ّﻤﺔ‬,‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ َﺿﻢ‬, and ‫ﻭﻥ‬.
a) ‫( ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ َﺿﻢ‬a diacritic):

،ٌ‫ ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺓ‬،‫ ِﻛﺘﺎ ٌﺏ‬،‫ ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢ ٌﻞ‬،‫َﺭ ُﺟ ٌﻞ‬
ٌ‫ َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺔ‬،ٌ‫ ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔ‬،ٌ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﺔ‬
،‫ ﻧِﺴﺎ ٌء‬،‫ ُﻛﺘُ ٌﺐ‬،‫ِﺭﺟﺎ ٌﻝ‬

‫ َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺎ ٌﺕ‬،‫ ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻻ ٌﺕ‬،‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼ ٌﺕ‬

‫‪16‬‬ ‫‪َ (a diacritic):‬ﺿﻤﺔ )‪b‬‬
‫ﺍﺍﻟﻟ َﻤﺮـُ َُﻤﺟﺜﱢ ُﻠﻞﺔُ‪،،‬ﺍﻟﺍﻟﻤـُﻄَﻤﺎﺜﱢ ِﻭ ُﻞﻟ‪،‬ﺔُﺍ‪،‬ﻟ ِﻜﺍﻟﺘﺎَﻤﻜُﺏﺘَ‪،‬ﺒﺔُﺍﻟﻤﺮﺃﺓُ‪،‬‬
‫‪Noun‬‬ ‫ﺍﺍﻟﻟﻤِﺮـُ َﻤﺟﺜﱢﺎ ُﻝﻼ‪ُ ،‬ﺍﺕﻟ‪ُ ،‬ﻜﺍﺘُﻟ ُﺐﻄﺎ‪ِ ،‬ﻭﺍﻟﻨِﻻﺴُﺕﺎ‪ُ،‬ء‪،‬ﺍﻟ َﻤﻜﺘَﺒﺎ ُﺕ‬
‫‪attributes:‬‬
‫‪number,‬‬ ‫‪ (a letter):‬ﺍ ِﻥ ‪ in the dual ending‬ﺍ ‪c) The letter‬‬
‫‪gender, case,‬‬ ‫ﺍﺍ َُﻣﻟﻟﺭ َﻤَﻤﺮُﺟـﺜﱢُﻠََُﻤﺟﺘﻼﺜﱢﺎﻠَﻼِﺘِﻥﻥﺎ ِ‪،،‬ﻥ ِﻥ‪ُ ،‬ﻣ‪،‬ﺍﻁَﻤﻟﺎﺍﺜﱢﻟﻤِﻭـُﻟﻼﻄَﺘﻤﺎﺎِﺜﱢﻥ ِﻭِ‪،‬ﻥﻟﻼﺘ‪،‬ﺎِِﻛﻥﺘَِﻣ‪،‬ﻥﺎﺑﻜ‪،‬ﺍﺎﺘَﻟﻟﺒِِﻜﻥﺘَﻤﺘﺎ‪،‬ﺎﻜ ِﺑﺍﻥﺘَﺎﺒﻣﺘِﻥﺎﺮ‪،‬ﺃِﻥﺗﺍﺎﻟ ِﻤﻥ‪،‬ﺮﺃﺗﺎ ِﻥ‪،‬‬
‫‪definiteness‬‬
‫‪ (a letter):‬ﻭ َﻥ ‪ in the plural ending‬ﻭ ‪d) The letter‬‬

‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻮﻥ‪ ،‬ﻓَﻨّﺎﻧﻮﻥ )‪ (artists‬ﺍِﻗﺘﺼﺎﺩﻳّﻮﻥ )‪(economists‬‬
‫ﻟُﺒﻨﺎﻧﻴّﻮﻥ )‪ (Lebanese‬ﺳﻮﺭﻳّﻮﻥ )‪ِ (Syrians‬ﻋ ﺍﺮﻗﻴّﻮﻥ )‪(Iraqis‬‬

‫‪َ case:‬ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ ‪Notes about the different markers of the‬‬

‫‪ marks indefinite nouns:‬ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﺿﻢ‬
‫َﺭ ُﺟ ٌﻞ‪ُ ،‬ﻣ َﻤﺜﱢ ٌﻞ‪ِ ،‬ﻛﺘﺎ ٌﺏ‪ ،‬ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺓٌ‪ُ ،‬ﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﺔٌ‪ ،‬ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔٌ‪َ ،‬ﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺔٌ‬
‫ِﺭﺟﺎ ٌﻝ‪ُ ،‬ﻛﺘُ ٌﺐ‪ ،‬ﻧِﺴﺎ ٌء‪ُ ،‬ﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼ ٌﺕ‪ ،‬ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻻ ٌﺕ‪َ ،‬ﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺎ ٌﺕ‬

‫‪ marks duals:‬ﺍ ِﻥ‬
‫َﺭ ُﺟﻼ ِﻥ‪ُ ،‬ﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼ ِﻥ‪ِ ،‬ﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎ ِﻥ‪ ،‬ﺍﻣﺮﺃﺗﺎ ِﻥ‪ُ ،‬ﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَﺘﺎ ِﻥ‪ ،‬ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺘﺎ ِﻥ‪َ ،‬ﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬
‫ﺍﻟ َﺮ ُﺟﻼ ِﻥ‪ ،‬ﺍﻟﻤـُ َﻤﺜﱢﻼ ِﻥ‪ ،‬ﺍﻟ ِﻜﺘﺎﺑﺎ ِﻥ‪ ،‬ﺍﻟﻤﺮﺃﺗﺎ ِﻥ‪ ،‬ﺍﻟﻤـُ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَﺘﺎ ِﻥ‪ ،‬ﺍﻟﻄﺎ ِﻭﻟﺘﺎ ِﻥ‪،‬‬
‫ﺍﻟ َﻤﻜﺘَﺒﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬

‫‪ marks sound masculine plurals:‬ﻭﻥ‬

‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻮﻥ‪ ،‬ﺍﻟﻤـُ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻮﻥ‬

‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ ‪Accusative case‬‬
‫‪ – may be given the following case‬ﺍﻟ َﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ – ‪A noun in the accusative case‬‬
‫ﻓﺘﺤﺔ ‪,‬ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻓﺘﺢ ‪,‬ﺍ‪+‬ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻓﺘﺢ‪ ,‬ﻯ‪ ،‬ﻛﺴﺮﺓ ‪markers:‬‬
‫‪ (diacritic) for definite nouns (except feminine sound plural nouns).‬ﻓﺘﺤﺔ )‪102 a‬‬

‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺱ‪ ،‬ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺔَ‬

b) ‫( ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻓﺘﺢ‬diacritic) for indefinite feminine nouns (except feminine sound Definiteness

plural nouns) ‫ﺍﻟﺘَﻌﺮﻳﻒ‬
‫ﻭﺍﻟﺘﻨﻜﻴﺮ‬

ً‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺔ‬
c) ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻓﺘﺢ‬+‫( ﺍ‬letter and diacritic) for a singular masculine indefinite noun

‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪ ًﺳﺎ‬ ‫ْﻳ ِﻦ‬
d) ‫( ﻯ‬letter) for dual nouns ending in and sound plural masculine nouns
ending in ‫ﻳ َﻦ‬

‫ ﻣﻬﻨﺪ َﺳ ْﻴِﻦ‬،‫ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺳ ْﻴِﻦ‬،‫ ﻣﻬﻨﺪ َﺳﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬،‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺳﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬
‫ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﻴ َﻦ‬،‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﻴ َﻦ‬

e) ‫ ﻛﺴﺮﺓ‬only for feminine sound plural definite nouns

‫ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺎﺭﺍ ِﺕ‬
f) ‫ ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻛﺴﺮﺓ‬only for feminine sound plural indefinite nouns

‫ﺳﻴﺎﺭﺍ ٍﺕ‬

Genitive case ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬
A noun is recognized as being in the genitive case –‫ – ﺍﻟ َﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬by the following
case markers: ‫ ﻯ‬,‫ ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻛﺴﺮ‬,‫ﻛﺴﺮﺓ‬

a) ‫ ﻛﺴﺮﺓ‬for a definite noun
‫ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ ِﺕ‬،‫ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳ ِﺔ‬،‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ ِﺱ‬

b) ‫ ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻛﺴﺮ‬for an indefinite noun
‫ ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ ٍﺕ‬،‫ ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳ ٍﺔ‬،‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪ ٍﺱ‬

c) ‫( ﻯ‬letter) for dual nouns ending in ‫ ْﻳ ِﻦ‬and sound plural masculine nouns
ending in ‫ﻳ َﻦ‬
‫ ﻣﻬﻨﺪ َﺳ ْﻴِﻦ‬،‫ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺳ ْﻴِﻦ‬،‫ ﻣﻬﻨﺪ َﺳﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬،‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺳﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬
‫ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﻴ َﻦ‬،‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﻴ َﻦ‬

Definiteness ‫ﺍﻟﺘَﻌﺮﻳﻒ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﻨﻜﻴﺮ‬ 103

Arabic nouns are either indefinite or definite.
When is a noun definite? A noun is definite when it:

has the prefix ‫ﺍﻝ‬
is a ‫( ُﻣﻀﺎﻑ‬i.e. the first term of an ‫)ﺇﺿﺎﻓﺔ‬

is a proper name

16 Indefinite nouns, (‫)ﻧ ِﻜﺮﺓ‬,

Noun may not have a definite article prefix ‫ﺍﻝ‬
attributes: may not be the first term of an ’idafa (‫)ﺇﺿﺎﻓﺔ‬
number, may have ‫ ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ‬as a case marker
gender, case,
definiteness

Examples: (s., m., human)
(s., m., non-human)
‫ ﺍﺑ ٌﻦ‬،‫ ﻣـُ َﻤﺜﱢ ٌﻞ‬،‫َﺭ ُﺟ ٌﻞ‬ (s., f., human)
‫ِﻛﺘﺎ ٌﺏ‬ (s., f., non-human)

ً‫ ﻣـُ َﻤﺜّﻠﺔ‬،ٌ‫ﻣﺮﺃﺓ‬
ٌ‫ َﻣﻜﺘﺒﺔ‬،ً‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔ‬

A noun is definite (‫) َﻣﻌ ِﺮﻓﺔ‬

if it has the definite article prefix ‫ﺍﻝ‬

Examples: (s., m., human)
(s., m., non-human)
‫ ﺍﻻﺑﻦ‬،‫ ﺍﻟﻤـُ َﻤﺜﱢﻞ‬،‫ﺍﻟ َﺮ ُﺟﻞ‬ (s., f., human)
‫ﺍﻟ ِﻜﺘﺎﺏ‬ (s., f., non-human)

‫ ﺍﻟﻤـُ َﻤﺜّﻠﺔ‬،‫ﺍﻟﻤﺮﺃﺓ‬
‫ ﺍﻟـﻤﻜﺘﺒﺔ‬،‫ﺍﻟﻄﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔ‬

if it is the first term in an ‫ﺇﺿﺎﻓﺔ‬:

‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑُﻪ‬ his book
Mohamed’s book
‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺏ ُﻣﺤﻤﺪ‬ the man’s book
‫ﻛﺘﺎﺏ ﺍﻟﺮ ُﺟﻞ‬ his bookstore/library
the man’s bookstore/library
‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺘُﻪ‬
‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒَﺔ ﺍﻟﺮ ُﺟﻞ‬

if it included a possessive pronoun suffix to express possession:

 ‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑُﻪ‬ his book
‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺘُﻪ‬ his bookstore/library

104 For definite nouns, a case-marking diacritic, if present, cannot have tanween

(‫)ﺗَﻨﻮﻳﻦ‬

Exercise: definiteness Exercises:
summary
Exercise 7 of noun
attributes
The simple sentences below are written in English from least to most specific.
Fill in the blank spaces below with the Arabic version of the simple sentences
that are relatively more specific (i.e. that contains the definite version of
the noun).

a) This is a Sudanese song ‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﻏﻨﻮﺓ ﺳﻮﺩﺍﻧﻴﺔ‬
This is the Sudanese song
____________________
b) This is an Egyptian song
This is the Egyptian song ‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﻏﻨﻮﺓ ﻣﺼﺮﻳﺔ‬

c) This is a Sudanese Muhammad ____________________
This is the Sudanese Muhammad
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺳﻮﺩﺍﻧﻲ‬
d) This is an Egyptian Muhammad
This is the Egyptian Muhammad ____________________

‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻣﺼﺮﻱ‬

____________________

Exercises: summary of noun attributes

Exercise 8

Complete the table below by making all necessary changes to the singular form

of the noun ‫( ﺃﻣﺮﻳﻜ ﱞﻲ‬an American).

‫ﻣﻔﺮﺩ‬ ‫( ﻣﺬﻛﺮ‬m.) ‫ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
‫( ﻣﺆﻧّﺚ‬f.)
(Singular) (Genitive) (Accusative) (Nominative)
‫( ﻣﺬﻛﺮ‬m.) _______ _______
‫ﻧﻜﺮﺓ‬ ‫( ﻣﺆﻧّﺚ‬f.) ‫ﺃﻣﺮﻳﻜ ﱞﻲ‬
_______ _______
(Indefinite) _______
_______ _______
‫ﻣﻌﺮﻓﺔ‬ _______
_______ _______
(Definite) _______

105

16 Exercise 9

Noun Complete the table below by making all necessary changes to the dual form of
attributes:
number, the noun ‫( ﺃﻣﺮﻳﻜ ﱞﻲ‬an American).
gender, case,
definiteness

‫ُﻣﺜَﻨّﻰ‬ ‫( ﻣﺬﻛﺮ‬m.) ‫ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
‫( ﻣﺆﻧّﺚ‬f.)
(Dual) ‫( ﻣﺬﻛﺮ‬m.) (Genitive) (Accusative) (Nominative)
‫( ﻣﺆﻧّﺚ‬f.)
‫ﻧﻜﺮﺓ‬ _______ _______ _______
_______ _______ _______
(Indefinite)
_______ _______ _______
‫ﻣﻌﺮﻓﺔ‬ _______ _______ _______

(Definite)

Exercise 10

Complete the table below by making all necessary changes to the plural form of

the noun ‫( ﺃﻣﺮﻳﻜ ﱞﻲ‬an American).

‫َﺟﻤﻊ‬ ‫( ﻣﺬﻛﺮ‬m.) ‫ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
‫( ﻣﺆﻧّﺚ‬f.)
(Plural) ‫( ﻣﺬﻛﺮ‬m.) (Genitive) (Accusative) (Nominative)
‫( ﻣﺆﻧّﺚ‬f.)
‫ﻧﻜﺮﺓ‬ _______ _______ _______
_______ _______ _______
(Indefinite)
_______ _______ _______
‫ﻣﻌﺮﻓﺔ‬ _______ _______ _______

(Definite)

106

UNIT 17
Numbers and counting ‫ﺍﻷﻋﺪﺍﺩ ﻭ ﺍﻟﻤﻌﺪﻭﺩ‬

In dealing with numbers, the following are important terms:

‫ﺍﻟﻌﺪﺩ‬ the number
‫ﺍﻟﻤﻌﺪﻭﺩ‬ the counted noun

Number of ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻌﺪﻭﺩ‬

A. For 1 and 2, the numbers are not listed, only the counted noun (‫ )ﺍﻟﻤﻌﺪﻭﺩ‬is

listed in the singular or dual form.

Examples: Correct Incorrect

One book ‫ﻛﺘﺎﺏ‬ ‫ﻭﺍﺣﺪ ﻛﺘﺎﺏ‬
Two books ‫ﻛﺘﺎﺑَ ْﻴﻦ‬/‫ﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎ ِﻥ‬ ‫ﺍﺛﻨﻴﻦ ﻛﺘﺎﺏ‬

B. For the range 3–10, the numbers are listed and the counted noun (‫ )ﺍﻟﻤﻌﺪﻭﺩ‬is

in the plural form.

Examples: ‫ ﺳﻴﺎﺭﺍﺕ‬3
‫ ﻧﺴﺎء‬10
3 cars
10 women

C. For anything greater than 3 – 10, the numbers are listed and the counted

noun (‫ )ﺍﻟﻤﻌﺪﻭﺩ‬is in the singular form.

Examples: ‫ ﻟﻴﻠﺔ‬1000 107
‫ ﻁﺒﻴﺐ ُﻋﻴﻮﻥ‬50
1000 nights
50 eye doctors

17 Numbers ‫ﺃﺭﻗﺎﻡ‬

Numbers one ‫ﻭﺍ ِﺣﺪ‬
and counting two ‫ﺍِﺛﻨﺎﻥ‬
three ‫ﺛﻼﺛﺔ‬
‫ﺍﻷﻋﺪﺍﺩ ﻭ‬ four ‫ﺃﺭﺑﻌﺔ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻤﻌﺪﻭﺩ‬ five ‫َﺧﻤ َﺴﺔ‬
six ‫ِﺳﺘّﺔ‬
seven ‫َﺳﺒ َﻌﺔ‬
eight ‫ﺛﻤﺎﻧﻴﺔ‬
nine ‫ﺗِﺴﻌﺔ‬
ten ‫ﻋﺸﺮﺓ‬

108

UNIT 18
The sentence ‫ – ﺍﻟ ُﺠﻤﻠَﺔ‬the basics

In Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) there are two sentence types: the verbal sen-

tence (‫ )ﺍﻟ ُﺠﻤﻠﺔُ ﺍﻟﻔِﻌﻠﻴّﺔ‬and the nominal sentence (‫)ﺍﻟ ُﺠﻤﻠﺔُ ﺍ ِﻻﺳﻤﻴّﺔ‬. Each type of

sentence consists of two parts.

Constituents of a basic sentence

A verbal sentence has 1) a verb and 2) a subject.

A nominal sentence has 1) a subject (‫ )ﺍﻟ ُﻤﺒﺘَﺪﺃ‬and 2) a predicate (‫)ﺍﻟ َﺨﺒَﺮ‬.

The following summary illustrates each of the two clause types, their constituents,
and the relative ordering of the constituents:

constituents ‫ﺍﻟﻔِﻌﻞ‬ clause type
‫( ﺍﻟـ ُﻤﺒﺘَﺪﺃ‬the subject)
‫( ﺍﻟﻔﺎﻋﻞ‬the subject) ‫ﺍﻟﺠﻤﻠﺔ ﺍﻟﻔﻌﻠﻴﺔ‬
‫ﺍﻟــ َﺨـﺒَﺮ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺠﻤﻠﺔ ﺍﻻﺳﻤﻴﺔ‬

Exercises: constituents of a basic sentence

Exercise 1

Name the constituents of a verbal clause (‫) ُﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﻓِﻌﻠﻴّﺔ‬. Write the correct answer

in the blank spaces.

a) ___________________________________________
b) ___________________________________________

109

18 Exercise 2

The sentence Name the constituents of a nominal clause (‫) ُﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﺇﺳﻤﻴّﺔ‬. Write the correct

‫ – ﺍﻟ ُﺠﻤﻠَﺔ‬the answer in the blank spaces.

basics a) ___________________________________________
b) ___________________________________________

Subject of a verbal and a nominal sentence

Arab grammarians differentiate between the “subject” of a verbal sentence and
the “subject” of a nominal sentence:

The “subject” of a verbal sentence is called ‫ﺍﻟﻔﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬.
The “subject” of a nominal sentence is called ‫ﺍﻟـ ُﻤﺒﺘَﺪﺃ‬.

Thus, it is important to keep in mind that the term “subject” is either going to

mean ‫ ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬or ‫ ُﻣﺒﺘَﺪﺃ‬depending on whether the sentence is a ‫ ﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﻓﻌﻠﻴﺔ‬or a
‫ ﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﺇﺳﻤﻴﺔ‬respectively.

Exercises: subject of a verbal and a nominal sentence

Exercise 3

What is the sentence type of each of these sentences? Choose the correct answer.

1) ً‫ﺃﻟﱠﻒ َﻣﺤﻤﻮ ٌﺩ ِﺭﻭﺍﻳﺔ‬ Mahmoud wrote a novel.
The author of the novel is Mahmoud.
a) Verbal sentence Mahmoud is the author of the novel.
b) Nominal sentence No! the novel’s author is Mahmoud.

2) ‫ﻣ َﺆﻟﱢﻒ ﺍﻟ ِﺮﻭﺍﻳﺔ ﻣﺤﻤﻮﺩ‬

a) Verbal sentence
b) Nominal sentence

3) ‫ﻣﺤﻤﻮﺩ ﻣﺆﻟﱢﻒ ﺍﻟ ِﺮﻭﺍﻳﺔ‬

a) Verbal sentence
b) Nominal sentence

4) ‫ﻻ! ﺍﻟﺮﻭﺍﻳﺔ ﻣﺆﻟﱢﻔﻬﺎ ﻣﺤﻤﻮﺩ‬

a) Verbal sentence
110 b) Nominal sentence

Exercise 4 Exercises:
Study the following sentence: subject of a
verbal and
‫ ﺃﻧ َﺖ ﺗَ َﻜﻠﱠﻤ َﺖ‬You (2nd p. masc. sing.) spoke. a nominal
sentence
Rewrite the sentence above by replacing the subject with each of the following:

Subject

a) ‫ﻣﺤﻤﺪ‬
b) ‫ﺍﻟ َﺮ ُﺟ ُﻞ‬
c) ‫ﻟﻴﻠﻰ‬
d) ‫ﺃﻧﺎ‬
e) ‫ﻧﺤﻦ‬
f) ‫ﺃﻧﺘُﻤﺎ‬
g) ‫ﻟﻴﻠﻰ ﻭﺳﻤﻴﺮﺓ‬
h) ‫ُﻣﺼﻄﻔﻰ ﻭﻣﺤﻤﻮﺩ ﻭﻋﺎﺋﻼﺗُﻬﻢ‬

a) _________________________________________________

b) _________________________________________________

c) _________________________________________________

d) _________________________________________________

e) _________________________________________________

f ) _________________________________________________

g) _________________________________________________

h) _________________________________________________

Exercise 5
Study the following sentence:

‫ ﺃﻧ َﺖ ﺗَﺘَ َﻜﻠﱠ ُﻢ‬You (2nd p. masc. sing.) speak/are speaking.

Rewrite the sentence above by replacing the subject with each of the following:

Subject 111

a) ‫ﺍﻟ َﺤﺮﺍﻣﻲ‬
b) ‫ﺍﻟ ُﺸﺮ ِﻁﻴّﺔ‬
c) ‫ﺃﻧﺎ‬

18 d) ‫ﻧﺤﻦ‬
e) ‫ﺍﻟـ ُﻤ َﻤ ﱢﺮ َﺿﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬
The sentence f) ‫ﺍﻟﻄﺒﻴﺒﺎ ُﺕ‬
g) ‫ﺍﻷَ ِﻁﺒّﺎ ُء‬
‫ – ﺍﻟ ُﺠﻤﻠَﺔ‬the
a) _________________________________________________
basics b) _________________________________________________
c) _________________________________________________
d) _________________________________________________
e) _________________________________________________
f ) _________________________________________________
g) _________________________________________________

Syntax: the position of the subject in a sentence

One important difference between the verbal and nominal sentence is the posi-
tion of the subject.

‫( ﺍﻟﻔﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬the subject) never comes before the verb in a ‫( ُﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﻓِﻌﻠﻴّﺔ‬verbal

sentence).

‫ﺍ(ﻟـ ُﻤﺟﺒﻤﺘَﻠﺪﺔﺃ‬n(othmeisnuabl jseecnt)temncoes)t.often comes before the predicate (‫ )ﺍﻟ َﺨﺒَﺮ‬in a ‫ﺇﺳﻤﻴﺔ‬

The basic verbal sentence ‫ﺍﻟ ُﺠﻤﻠﺔ ﺍﻟﻔِﻌﻠﻴّﺔ‬
In its most basic form, a verbal clause consists of a verb (‫ )ﻓِﻌﻞ‬and an implied

subject indicated by an embedded subject marker. If necessary, an explicit

standalone subject (‫ )ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬follows the verb and its embedded subject marker.

No Arabic verb exists without a subject. Thus any instance of a verb marks
a verbal clause. The subject of a verb is either embedded, or else it follows the

verb as an overt subject (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬.

Exercises: basic verbal sentence

Exercise 6
Study the following sentence that starts with a perfect verb. What type of sentence
is it? Choose the correct answer.

112

ُ‫ﺗَ َﻜﻠﱠ َﻤﺖ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺮﺃﺓ‬ The woman spoke Exercises:
basic verbal
a) ‫ُﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﻓِﻌﻠﻴّﺔ‬ sentence
b) ‫ﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﺇﺳﻤﻴﺔ‬

Exercise 7

Copy the sentence above that starts with a perfect verb and identify the the sub-

ject (‫ )ﺍﻟﻔﺎﻋﻞ‬by drawing a line under the correct word. Write your answer in the

blank space.

ُ‫ﺗَ َﻜﻠﱠ َﻤﺖ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺮﺃﺓ‬ The woman spoke

________________

Exercise 8

Copy the sentence above which starts with a perfect verb by replacing the sub-

ject (‫ )ﺍﻟﻔﺎﻋﻞ‬with each of the common nouns below. Write the correct answers

in the blank spaces.

Glossary

‫ﺍﻟﺮ ُﺟﻞ‬ the man
‫ﺍﻟَﺮ ُﺟﻼ ِﻥ‬ the two men
‫ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺮﺃﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬ the two women

‫ﺍﻟ ِﺮﺟﺎ ُﻝ‬ the men

‫ﺍﻟﻨِﺴﺎ ُء‬ the women

a) _________________________________________________

b) _________________________________________________

c) _________________________________________________

d) _________________________________________________

e) _________________________________________________

Exercise 9 113

Copy the sentences above and then identify the verb by drawing a line under the
correct word. Write your answers in the blank spaces.
a) _________________________________________________
b) _________________________________________________

18 c) _________________________________________________
d) _________________________________________________
The sentence e) _________________________________________________

‫ – ﺍﻟ ُﺠﻤﻠَﺔ‬the

basics

Exercise 10

Study the following sentence that starts with an imperfect verb. What type of
sentence is it? Choose the correct answer.

‫ﻳُﺴﺎﻓِ ُﺮ ﺍﻟﺮ ُﺟ ُﻞ‬ The man travels/is travelling.

a) ‫ُﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﻓِﻌﻠﻴّﺔ‬
b) ‫ﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﺇﺳﻤﻴﺔ‬

Exercise 11

Copy the sentence above which starts with an imperfect verb and then identify

the the subject (‫ )ﺍﻟﻔﺎﻋﻞ‬by drawing a line under the correct word. Write your

answer in the blank space.

‫ﻳُﺴﺎﻓِ ُﺮ ﺍﻟﺮ ُﺟ ُﻞ‬ The man travels/is travelling.

_________________________________________________

Exercise 12
Study the following sentence.

‫ﻳُﺴﺎﻓِ ُﺮ ﺍﻟﺮ ُﺟ ُﻞ‬
Rewrite the sentence by replacing the subject (‫ )ﺍﻟﻔﺎﻋﻞ‬with each of the common

nouns below. Write the correct answers in the blank spaces.

Glossary

‫ﻣﺤﻤﺪ‬ Mohamed (singular m. proper noun)
‫ﻟﻴﻠﻰ‬
‫ﻟﻴﻠﻰ ﻭﺳﻤﻴﺮﺓ‬ Laila (singular f. proper noun)
Laila and Samira (two singular f.
‫ُﻣﺼﻄﻔﻰ ﻭﻣﺤﻤﻮﺩ ﻭﻋﺎﺋﻼﺗُﻬﻢ‬ proper nouns)

114 Mostafa and Mahmood
(two singular m. proper nouns) and
their familiars

a) _________________________________________________ Basic nomi-
b) _________________________________________________
c) _________________________________________________ nal sentence
d) _________________________________________________
ُ‫ﺍﻟ ُﺠﻤﻠﺔ‬
‫ﺍ ِﻻﺳﻤﻴّﺔ‬

Exercise 13

Study the sentences below. Draw a line under the verb in each sentence. Write
the verbs in the blank spaces.

a) ‫ﻳُﺴﺎﻓِ ُﺮ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ‬
b) ‫ﺗُﺴﺎﻓِ ُﺮ ﻟﻴﻠﻰ‬
c) ‫ﺗُﺴﺎﻓِ ُﺮ ﻟﻴﻠﻰ ﻭﺳﻤﻴﺮﺓ‬
d) ‫ﻳُﺴﺎﻓِ ُﺮ ُﻣﺼﻄﻔﻰ ﻭﻣﺤﻤﻮﺩ ﻭﻋﺎﺋﻼﺗُﻬﻢ‬

a) _________________________________________________

b) _________________________________________________

c) _________________________________________________

d) _________________________________________________

Basic nominal sentence ‫ﺍﻟ ُﺠﻤﻠﺔُ ﺍ ِﻻﺳﻤﻴّﺔ‬

Arrangement of the basic nominal sentence

As noted above, in a nominal clause, the subject (‫ )ﺍﻟـ ُﻤﺒﺘَﺪﺃ‬usually precedes the
predicate (‫)ﺍﻟ َﺨﺒَﺮ‬.

Examples: ‫ﺍﻟ َﺨﺒَﺮ‬ ‫ﺍﻟ ُﻤﺒﺘَﺪﺃ‬
I am Waheed ‫ﻭﺣﻴﺪ‬ ‫ﺃﻧﺎ‬
Maha is Egyptian
New York is a large city ‫ِﻣﺼﺮﻳّﺔ‬ ‫ﻣﻬﺎ‬
‫ﻣﺪﻳﻨﺔ ﻛﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬
‫ﻧﻴﻮﻳﻮﺭﻙ‬

There is a special case where this order is obligatorily inverted and ‫ ﺍﻟ َﺨﺒَﺮ‬pre-
cedes the ‫ﺍﻟـ ُﻤﺒﺘَﺪﺃ‬. This inversion occurs when 1) the subject (‫ )ﺍﻟـ ُﻤﺒﺘَﺪﺃ‬is indefi-
nite and 2) the predicate (‫ )ﺍﻟ َﺨﺒَﺮ‬is a prepositional or adverbial phrase.

Examples: ‫ ﺍﻟـ ُﻤﺒﺘَﺪﺃ‬in the sentences below is underlined twice.
ٌ‫ﻟﻲ َﺳﻴّﺎﺭﺓ‬
I have a car.

‫ِﻋﻨ َﺪﻫﺎ ُﺻﺪﺍ ٌﻉ‬ She has a headache. 115

18 Types of headwords of nominal sentences

The sentence Proper nouns The director is Samira.
He is Mohammed.
‫ – ﺍﻟ ُﺠﻤﻠَﺔ‬the ُ‫ﺍﻟـ ُﻤﺪﻳﺮﺓُ ﺳﻤﻴﺮﺓ‬
‫ﻫﻮ ُﻣﺤ ّﻤ ٌﺪ‬
basics

Common nouns This is a door.
This is a tree.
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﺑﺎ ٌﺏ‬ Laila is a mother.
ٌ‫ﻫﺬﻩ َﺷ َﺠ َﺮﺓ‬ Mustafa is a father.

‫ﻟﻴﻠﻰ ﺃُ ﱞﻡ‬
‫ﻣﺼﻄﻔﻰ ﺃ ٌﺏ‬

Adjectival nouns Samira is a director/manager.
Samir is a director/manager.
ٌ‫ﺳﻤﻴﺮﺓُ ُﻣﺪﻳﺮﺓ‬ The road is long.
‫َﺳﻤﻴ ٌﺮ ُﻣﺪﻳ ٌﺮ‬ The method is complex.
Roses are beautiful.
‫ﺍﻟﻄﺮﻳ ُﻖ ﻁﻮﻳ ٌﻞ‬ The player (m. s.) is ready.
ٌ‫ﺍﻟﻄﺮﻳﻘﺔُ ُﻣ َﻌﻘﱠﺪﺓ‬ The player (f. s.) is ready.
The players (m. pl.) are ready.
‫ﺍﻟ َﻮﺭ ُﺩ ﺟﻤﻴ ٌﻞ‬ The players (f. pl.) are ready.
‫ﺍﻟﻼ ِﻋ ُﺐ ُﻣﺴﺘَ ِﻌ ﱞﺪ‬ Apartments/flats are expensive.
ٌ‫ﺍﻟﻼ ِﻋﺒﺔُ ُﻣﺴﺘَ ِﻌ ّﺪﺓ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻼ ِﻋﺒﻮﻥ ُﻣﺴﺘﻌ ّﺪﻭﻥ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻼ ِﻋﺒﺎﺕ ُﻣﺴﺘَ ِﻌ ّﺪﺍ ٌﺕ‬

ٌ‫ﺍﻟ ُﺸﻘَ ُﻖ ﻏﺎﻟِﻴﺔ‬

Temporal or locative adverbial nouns

‫ﺍﻟ َﺤﻔﻠﺔُ ﺑَﻌ َﺪ ﺍﻟ َﻌﺸﺎء‬ The party is after dinner.

‫ﺍﻟ َﻌﺸﺎ ُء ﺑَﻌ َﺪ ﺍﻟﺜﺎ ِﻣﻨ ِﺔ‬ Supper is after eight.
The restaurant is before the bookstore.
‫ﺍﻟـ َﻤﻄ َﻌ ُﻢ ﻗَﺒ َﻞ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﻜﺘَﺒ ِﺔ‬ You are after me.
‫ﺃﻧ َﺖ ﺑَﻌﺪﻱ‬ Azza is under the bed.

116 ‫َﻋ ّﺰﺓُ ﺗَﺤ َﺖ ﺍﻟ َﺴﺮﻳ ِﺮ‬

‫ﺃﻧﺎ ﺗَﺤ َﺖ ﺍﻟ َﺴﺮﻳ ِﺮ‬ I am under the bed. Exercises:
‫ﺍﻟ ِﺤﺬﺍ ُء ﺗَﺤ َﺖ ﺍﻟﺴﺮﻳ ِﺮ‬ The shoe is under the bed. basic nomi-
‫ﺍﻟﺤﻠَﻮﻳّﺎ ُﺕ ﻓﻮ َﻕ ﺍﻟﺜﻼﺟ ِﺔ‬ The candy is on top of the refrigerator. nal sentence
‫ﺍﻟﺼﻴﺪﻟﻴﺔُ َﻭﺭﺍ َء ﺍﻟﺒﻴ ِﺖ‬ The pharmacy is behind the house.
‫ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺎﺭﺓُ ﺃﻣﺎ َﻡ ﺑﻴ ٍﺖ ﺭﻣﺎﺩ ﱟﻱ‬ The car is in front of a grey house.
The cat’s on a tree.
‫ﺍﻟﻘِﻄّﺔُ ﻓَﻮ َﻕ َﺷ َﺠﺮ ٍﺓ‬ The papers are on top of a desk.
‫ﺍﻷﻭﺭﺍﻕ ﻓﻮ َﻕ َﻣﻜﺘَ ٍﺐ‬
The outcome is a loss.
Gerund ‫َﻣﺼ َﺪﺭ‬ The new development is a gain for us.
ٌ‫ﺍﻟﻨَﺘﻴﺠﺔُ َﺧﺴﺎﺭﺓ‬ Modern music is discordant.

‫ﺍﻟﺘَﻄَ ﱡﻮ ُﺭ ﺍﻟ َﺠﺪﻳ ُﺪ َﻣﻜ َﺴ ٌﺐ ﻟَﻨﺎ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻤﻮﺳﻴﻘﻰ ﺍﻟﺤﺪﻳﺜﺔُ ﻧَﺸﺎ ٌﺯ‬

Exercises: basic nominal sentence

Exercise 14
Write the sentences below in Arabic. Use the glossary if necessary. Remember to
add the correct preposition based on the context and intended meaning.

Glossary ‫ﻫُﺪﻯ‬

Hoda ‫ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺎﺭ ِﺓ‬
the car ‫ﺍﻟـﻤﻠَ ﱡﻒ‬
‫َﻣﻜﺘَ ِﺐ ﺍﻟﺴﻜﺮﺗﻴ ِﺮ‬
the file ‫ﺑﺎﺭﺑﺎﺭﺓ‬
the secretary’s desk
Barbara ‫ﻧﺎﺷﻔﻴﻞ‬
Nashville ُ‫ﺟﺎﺋﺰﺓ‬
prize
design ‫ﺗﺼﻤﻴﻢ‬

a) Hoda is in the car. 117
___________________________________________

b) The file is on the secretary’s desk.
___________________________________________

18 c) Barbara is from Nashville.
___________________________________________
The sentence
d) Magda is with Mounir.
‫ – ﺍﻟ ُﺠﻤﻠَﺔ‬the ___________________________________________

basics e) The prize is for the best design.
___________________________________________

Exercise 15

What type of sentence is each of the sentences below? Choose the correct answer.

a) ‫ﻫُﺪﻯ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺴﻴّﺎﺭ ِﺓ‬
i) ‫ُﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﻓِﻌﻠﻴّﺔ‬
ii) ‫ﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﺇﺳﻤﻴﺔ‬

b) ‫ﺍﻟـﻤﻠَ ﱡﻒ ﻋﻠﻰ َﻣﻜﺘَ ِﺐ ﺍﻟﺴﻜﺮﺗﻴ ِﺮ‬
i) ‫ُﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﻓِﻌﻠﻴّﺔ‬
ii) ‫ﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﺇﺳﻤﻴﺔ‬

c) ‫ﺑﺎﺭﺑﺎﺭﺓ ِﻣﻦ ﻧﺎﺷﭭﻴﻞ‬
i) ‫ُﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﻓِﻌﻠﻴّﺔ‬
ii) ‫ﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﺇﺳﻤﻴﺔ‬

d) ‫ﻣﺎﺟﺪﺓُ َﻣ َﻊ ﻣـُﻨﻴﺮ‬
i) ‫ُﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﻓِﻌﻠﻴّﺔ‬
ii) ‫ﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﺇﺳﻤﻴﺔ‬

e) ‫ﺍﻟﺠﺎﺋﺰﺓُ ﻷﺣﺴﻦ ﺗﺼﻤﻴﻢ‬
i) ‫ُﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﻓِﻌﻠﻴّﺔ‬
ii) ‫ﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﺇﺳﻤﻴﺔ‬

Exercise 16

Copy the nominal sentences above and then identify the predicate (‫ )ﺍﻟ َﺨﺒَﺮ‬by

drawing a line under the word(s).

a) ___________________________________________

b) ___________________________________________
c) ___________________________________________
d) ___________________________________________
118 e) ___________________________________________

Exercise 17 Exercises:
basic nomi-
Fill in the blanks using the words provided on the left. Please make all necessary nal sentence
changes to ensure agreement.

‫ﺃﻭﺭﻭﺑّﺎ‬ a) __________________ ‫ﺍﻹﻳﻄﺎﻟﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﻹﺳﺒﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﻔﺮﻧﺴﻴﺔ ﻟُﻐﺎﺕ‬
b) ‫ُﻣ َﺤ ﱠﻤﺪ ﻭ َﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ َﺳﻌﻴﺪ __________________ ﻳَ َﻤﻨﻴّﻮﻥ‬
‫َﺭ ُﺟﻞ‬ c) ‫ﻫﻮﻧﺪﺍ ﻭﺇﻳﺴﻮﺯﻭ ﻭﺗﻮﻳﻮﺗﺎ ________________ ﻳﺎﺑﺎﻧﻴﺔ‬
‫ﺳﻴّﺎﺭﺓ‬ d) ‫ﻓﻴﺮﻣﻮﻧﺖ ﻭﻧﻴﻮﻫﺎﻣﺸﻴﺮ ﻭﻛﻮﻧﻴﺘﻴﻜﺖ _________ ﺃﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ‬
e) ‫ﻣﻨﻬﺎﺗﻦ ﻭﺑﺮﻭﻛﻠﻴﻦ ﻭﺑﺮﻭﻧﻜﺲ َﻣﻨﺎ ِﻁﻖ _____ ﻓﻲ ﻧﻴﻮﻳﻮﺭﻙ‬
‫ِﻭﻻﻳﺔ‬ f) ‫ﺑﻴﺮﻭﺕ ﻭ ِﺩﻣﺸﻖ ﻭﺍﻟﻘﺎﻫﺮﺓ ________________ ﻋﺮﺑﻴﺔ‬
‫ﺻﻐﻴﺮ‬

‫ﻣﺪﻳﻨﺔ‬

Exercise 18

Study each of the sentences above that start with a noun. Determine what type of
sentence each one is. Write the correct answer in the blank space.

‫ ُﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﻓِﻌﻠﻴّﺔ‬or ‫ﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﺇﺳﻤﻴﺔ‬

a) ___________________________________________
b) ___________________________________________
c) ___________________________________________
d) ___________________________________________
e) ___________________________________________

Exercise 19

Copy the sentences above and then identify the subject (‫ )ﺍﻟـ ُﻤﺒﺘَﺪﺃ‬by drawing a

line under the correct word. Write your answer in the blank space.

a) ___________________________________________
b) ___________________________________________
c) ___________________________________________
d) ___________________________________________
e) ___________________________________________

119

UNIT 19

The noun–adjective phrases

Definition and form

A noun–adjective phrase, which occurs very frequently in Arabic, consists of a
noun followed by one or more adjectives.

Order

In a noun–adjective phrase the adjective follows the noun. This order is the
opposite of English; thus the English adjectival phrase ‘the white house’ is

rendered in Arabic as ‫ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺖ ﺍﻷﺑﻴﺾ‬, with the adjective ‫ ﺍﻷﺑﻴﺾ‬following the
noun ‫ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺖ‬.

Agreement

In a noun–adjective phrase, such as the expression ‫ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺖ ﺍﻷﺑﻴﺾ‬, the adjective
‫ ﺍﻷﺑﻴﺾ‬agrees with the noun that it qualifies in four respects:

Number (i.e. singular, dual, or plural)

‫ ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺖ‬is singular, thus the adjective must also be singular.

Gender (i.e. masculine, or feminine)

‫ ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺖ‬is masculine (‫)ﻫﻮ‬, thus the adjective must also be masculine (‫)ﻫﻮ‬.

Definiteness (i.e. definite or indefinite)

‫ ﺍﻟـﺒﻴﺖ‬is definite (‫)ﺍﻟـ‬, thus the adjective must also be definite.

Case (i.e. nominative, accusative, or genitive)

120

The adjective ‫ ﺍﻷﺑﻴﺾ‬must be in the same case as the noun, whatever that may Agreement
be (‫ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬- ‫)ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬:

‫ﺍﻟﺒَﻴ ُﺖ ﺍﻷﺑﻴ ُﺾ‬ ‫( َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
‫ﺍﻟﺒﻴ َﺖ ﺍﻷﺑﻴ َﺾ‬ ‫( َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
‫ﺍﻟﺒﻴ ِﺖ ﺍﻷﺑﻴ ِﺾ‬ ‫( َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

Before a more detailed exposition of adjectival agreement with nouns, it is nec-
essary to look at the following topics:

Noun types: not all nouns can function as adjectives (see Adjectival nouns,
under Noun Types).

Human vs non-human classification of nouns: the classification of a noun as
human or non-human affects its gender and number (see human vs “non-
human classification of nouns).

Noun: number, gender, definiteness, case.

121

UNIT 20

Adjectives: agreement with nouns

Adjectives: agreement with nouns in the singular

In the singular, there’s agreement between the noun and the adjective in all
respects: number, gender, definiteness, and case – whether a noun is human or
non-human.

Masculine indefinite
Human

Meaning ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
a big man ً‫َﺭ ُﺟﻼً ﻛﺒﻴﺮﺍ‬ ‫َﺭ ُﺟ ٌﻞ ﻛﺒﻴ ٌﺮ‬
a famous actor ‫َﺭ ُﺟ ٍﻞ ﻛﺒﻴ ٍﺮ‬ ً‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼً َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺍ‬
‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢ ٍﻞ َﻣﺸﻬﻮ ٍﺭ‬ ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢ ٌﻞ َﻣﺸﻬﻮ ٌﺭ‬

Non-human ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
‫ِﻛﺘﺎ ٍﺏ ﻛﺒﻴ ٍﺮ‬ ً‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎً ﻛﺒﻴﺮﺍ‬ ‫ِﻛﺘﺎ ٌﺏ ﻛﺒﻴ ٌﺮ‬
Meaning ‫ِﻛﺘﺎ ٍﺏ َﻣﺸﻬﻮ ٍﺭ‬
a big book ً‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎً َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺍ‬ ‫ِﻛﺘﺎ ٌﺏ َﻣﺸﻬﻮ ٌﺭ‬
a famous book

Number: the adjective is singular because the noun is singular.
Gender: the adjective is masculine because the noun is masculine.
Definiteness: the adjective is indefinite because the noun is indefinite.
122

Case: see case marking by diacritics. Adjectives:
agreement
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬because the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by a ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ َﺿﻢ‬. with nouns in
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬because the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬so marked by the the singular

letter ‫ ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻓﺘﺢ‬+ ‫ﺍ‬, as with all masculine indefinite nouns.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬because the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by a ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ‬

‫ﻛﺴﺮ‬.

Feminine indefinite
Human

Meaning ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
a big woman ‫ﺍﻣﺮﺃ ٍﺓ ﻛﺒﻴﺮ ٍﺓ‬ ً‫ﺍﻣﺮﺃﺓً ﻛﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬ ٌ‫ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺓٌ ﻛﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬
a famous actress ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠ ٍﺔ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭ ٍﺓ‬ ٌ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﺔٌ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬
ً‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﺔً َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬

Non-human ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟ ٍﺔ ﻛﺒﻴﺮ ٍﺓ‬
Meaning ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒ ٍﺔ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭ ٍﺓ‬ ً‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔً ﻛﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬ ٌ‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔٌ ﻛﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬
a big table ً‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺔً َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬ ٌ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺔٌ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬
a famous bookstore

Number: the adjective is singular because the noun is singular. 123

Gender: the adjective is feminine because the noun is feminine; so marked

by the feminine marker ‫ﺓ‬, ta’ marbuta.

Definiteness: the adjective is indefinite because the noun is indefinite.

Case: see case marking by diacritics.

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by a ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ‬
‫ َﺿﻢ‬.

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬so marked by a ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ‬
‫ﻓﺘﺢ‬.

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by a ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ‬
‫ﻛﺴﺮ‬.

20 Masculine definite
Human
Adjectives:
agreement
with nouns

Meaning ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
the big man ‫ﺍﻟ َﺮ ُﺟ ِﻞ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴ ِﺮ‬ ‫ﺍﻟ َﺮ ُﺟ َﻞ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴ َﺮ‬ ‫ﺍﻟ َﺮ ُﺟ ُﻞ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴ ُﺮ‬
‫ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢ ِﻞ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮ ِﺭ‬
the famous actor ‫ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢ َﻞ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮ َﺭ‬ ‫ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢ ُﻞ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮ ُﺭ‬
her elder son ‫ﺍِﺑﻨِﻬﺎ ﺍﻟ َﻜﺒﻴ ِﺮ‬ ‫ﺍِﺑﻨَﻬﺎ ﺍﻟ َﻜﺒﻴ َﺮ‬ ‫ﺍِﺑﻨُﻬﺎ ﺍﻟ َﻜﺒﻴ ُﺮ‬

Non-human

Meaning ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
the big book ‫ﺍﻟ ِﻜﺘﺎ َﺏ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴ َﺮ‬ ‫ﺍﻟ ِﻜﺘﺎ ُﺏ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴ ُﺮ‬
the famous book ‫ﺍﻟ ِﻜﺘﺎ ِﺏ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴ ِﺮ‬
his famous book ‫ﺍﻟ ِﻜﺘﺎ ِﺏ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮ ِﺭ‬ ‫ﺍﻟ ِﻜﺘﺎ َﺏ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮ َﺭ‬ ‫ﺍﻟ ِﻜﺘﺎ ُﺏ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮ ُﺭ‬
‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑَﻪُ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮ َﺭ‬ ‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑُﻪُ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮ ُﺭ‬
‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑِ ِﻪ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮ ِﺭ‬

Number: the adjective is singular because the noun is singular.

Gender: the adjective is masculine because the noun is masculine.

Definiteness: the adjective is definite because the noun is definite, so marked

by a definite article ‫ﺍﻝ‬, or by being a first term of ’idafa.

Case: (see case marking by diacritics)

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by a ‫ َﺿ ّﻤﺔ‬.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬so marked by a ‫ﻓﺘﺤﺔ‬.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by a ‫ﻛﺴﺮﺓ‬.

Feminine definite
Human

Meaning ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬

the big woman ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺮﺃﺓُ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴﺮﺓُ ﺍﻟﻤﺮﺃﺓَ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴﺮﺓَ ﺍﻟﻤﺮﺃ ِﺓ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴﺮ ِﺓ‬

the famous actress ‫ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﺔُ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓُ ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﺔَ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓَ ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢﻠ ِﺔ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭ ِﺓ‬

124 his elder daughter ‫ﺍﺑﻨَﺘِ ِﻪ ﺍﻟ َﻜﺒﻴﺮ ِﺓ‬ َ‫ﺍﺑﻨَﺘَﻪُ ﺍﻟ َﻜﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬ ُ‫ﺍﺑﻨَﺘُﻪُ ﺍﻟ َﻜﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬

Non-human Adjectives:
agreement
Meaning ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬ with nouns in
the big table ‫ﺍﻟﻄﺎ ِﻭﻟ ِﺔ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴﺮ ِﺓ‬ َ‫ﺍﻟﻄﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔَ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬ ُ‫ﺍﻟﻄﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔُ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬ the singular
the famous bookstore ‫ﺍﻟ َﻤﻜﺘَﺒ ِﺔ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭ ِﺓ‬ َ‫ﺍﻟ َﻤﻜﺘَﺒﺔَ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬ ُ‫ﺍﻟ َﻤﻜﺘَﺒﺔُ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬
his famous bookstore ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺘِ ِﻪ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭ ِﺓ‬ َ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺘَﻪُ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬
ُ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺘُﻪُ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬

Number: the adjective is singular because the noun is singular.

Gender: the adjective is feminine because the noun is feminine; so marked

by the feminine marker ‫ﺓ‬, ta’ marbuta.

Definiteness: the adjective is definite because the noun is definite; so marked

by a definite article ‫ﺍﻝ‬, or by being a first term of ’idafa.

Case: (see case marking by diacritics)

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by a ‫ َﺿ ّﻤﺔ‬.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬so marked by a ‫ﻓﺘﺤﺔ‬.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by a ‫ﻛﺴﺮﺓ‬.

Summary of adjectival agreement in the singular

In the singular, irrespective of whether the noun is human or non-human, the
adjective agrees with the noun in all respects:

Number: the adjective is the same number as the noun.

Gender: the adjective is the same gender as the noun, either masculine or
feminine.

Definiteness: the adjective is the same as the noun, either definite or
indefinite.

Case: the adjective is the same as the noun, either ‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ , ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬, or

‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

Indefinite masculine singular human and non-human 125

Number: the adjective is singular because the noun is singular.
Gender: the adjective is masculine because the noun is masculine.
Definiteness: the adjective is indefinite because the noun is indefinite.
Case: see case marking by diacritics.

20 The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬because the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by a ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ‬
‫ َﺿﻢ‬.
Adjectives: The adjective is ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬because the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬so marked by the
agreement letter ‫ ﺗﻮﻳﻦ ﻓﺘﺢ‬+ ‫ﺍ‬, as with all masculine indefinite nouns.
with nouns

The adjective is ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ because then noun is ‫; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ so marked by a ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ‬

‫ﻛﺴﺮ‬.

Indefinite feminine singular human and non-human

Number: the adjective is singular because the noun is singular.
Gender: the adjective is feminine because the noun is feminine; so marked

by the feminine marker ‫ﺓ‬, ta’ marbuta.

Definiteness: the adjective is indefinite because the noun is indefinite.
Case: see case marking by diacritics.

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by a ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ‬
‫ َﺿﻢ‬.

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬so marked by a ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ‬
‫ﻓﺘﺢ‬.

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by a ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ‬
‫ﻛﺴﺮ‬.

Definite masculine singular human and non-human

Number: the adjective is singular because the noun is singular.
Gender: the adjective is masculine because the noun is masculine.
Definiteness: the adjective is definite because the noun is definite, so marked

by a definite article ‫ﺍﻝ‬, or by being a first term of ’idafa.

Case: (see case marking by diacritics)

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by a ‫ َﺿ ّﻤﺔ‬.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬so marked by a ‫ﻓﺘﺤﺔ‬.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by a ‫ﻛﺴﺮﺓ‬.

Definite feminine singular human and non-human

Number: the adjective is singular because the noun is singular.
Gender: the adjective is feminine because the noun is feminine; so marked

by the feminine marker ‫ﺓ‬, ta’ marbuta.

126 Definiteness: the adjective is definite because the noun is definite; so marked

by a definite article ‫ﺍﻝ‬, or by being a first term of ’idafa.

Case: (see case marking by diacritics) Adjectives:
agreement
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by a ‫ َﺿ ّﻤﺔ‬. with nouns in
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬so marked by a ‫ﻓﺘﺤﺔ‬. the dual
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by a ‫ﻛﺴﺮﺓ‬.

Exercise: adjectival agreement with nouns
in the singular

Exercise 1

Fill in the blanks. Please make all necessary changes to ensure agreement. The
first one is completed for reference.

Glossary

‫ﻗَ ِﻮ ّﻱ ﺍﻟ َﺸﺨﺼﻴّﺔ‬ strong-willed (s., m.)
‫َﺭ ُﺟ ٌﻞ‬ a man
ٌ‫ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺓ‬ a woman

a) ‫َﺭ ُﺟ ٌﻞ _______ ﺍﻟ َﺸﺨﺼﻴّ ِﺔ‬ a strong-willed man

‫َﺭ ُﺟ ٌﻞ ﻗَ ِﻮ ﱡﻱ ﺍﻟ َﺸﺨﺼﻴّ ِﺔ‬ the strong-willed man
b) ‫ﺍﻟ َﺮ ُﺟ ُﻞ _______ ﺍﻟ َﺸﺨﺼﻴّ ِﺔ‬ a strong-willed woman
c) ‫ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺓٌ ________ ﺍﻟ َﺸﺨﺼﻴّ ِﺔ‬ the strong-willed woman
d) ‫ﺍﻟ َﻤﺮﺃﺓُ _________ ﺍﻟ َﺸﺨﺼﻴّ ِﺔ‬

Adjectives: agreement with nouns in the dual

In the dual, as in the singular, there’s agreement between the noun and the adjective
in number, gender, definiteness, and case whether a noun is human or non-human.

Masculine indefinite
Human

Meaning ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬ 127
two big men
two famous actors ‫َﺭ ُﺟﻠَ ْﻴ ِﻦ ﻛﺒﻴ َﺮ ْﻳ ِﻦ‬ ‫َﺭ ُﺟﻼ ِﻥ ﻛﺒﻴﺮﺍ ِﻥ‬
‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَ ْﻴ ِﻦ َﻣﺸﻬﻮ َﺭ ْﻳ ِﻦ‬ ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼ ِﻥ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺍ ِﻥ‬

20 Non-human ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑَ ْﻴ ِﻦ ﻛﺒﻴ َﺮ ْﻳ ِﻦ‬ ‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎ ِﻥ ﻛﺒﻴﺮﺍ ِﻥ‬
Adjectives: Meaning ‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎ ِﻥ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺍ ِﻥ‬
agreement two big books ‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑَ ْﻴ ِﻦ َﻣﺸﻬﻮ َﺭ ْﻳ ِﻦ‬
with nouns two famous books

Number: the adjective is dual because the noun is dual.

Gender: the adjective is masculine because the noun is masculine.

Definiteness: the adjective is indefinite because the noun is indefinite.

Case: in the dual, there is no distinction in case marking between the

‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬, and the ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬. See Case marking by letters.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by the letter ‫ﺍ‬

in the dual suffix ‫ﺍﻥ‬.

The adjective tihs e‫ﺏ‬d‫ﻮ‬ua‫ﺼ‬l s‫ﻨ‬u‫ َﻣ‬ffiwxh‫ﻦ‬en‫ﻳ‬.the noun is ‫; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ so marked by the

letter ‫ ﻱ‬in

The‫ﻱ‬adinjetchteivdeuiasl‫ﺭ‬su‫ﻭ‬f‫ﺮ‬fi‫ﺠ‬x ‫ﻳ َﻦﻣ‬w. hen the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by the letter

Feminine indefinite
Human

Meaning ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
two big women ‫ﺍﻣﺮﺃﺗَ ْﻴ ِﻦ ﻛﺒﻴﺮﺗَ ْﻴﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﻣﺮﺃﺗﺎ ِﻥ ﻛﺒﻴﺮﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬
two famous actresses ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺗَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَﺘﺎ ِﻥ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬

Non-human

Meaning ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
two big tables ‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ ﻛﺒﻴﺮﺗَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺘﺎ ِﻥ ﻛﺒﻴﺮﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬
two famous bookstores ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒَﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺗَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺘﺎ ِﻥ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬

Number: the adjective is dual because the noun is dual.
Gender: the adjective is feminine because the noun is feminine; so marked

128 by the feminine marker ‫ﺕ‬.

Definiteness: the adjective is indefinite because the noun is indefinite. Adjectives:
agreement
Case: in the dual, there is no distinction in case marking between the with nouns in
the dual
‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬, and the ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬. See Case marking by letters.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by the letter ‫ﺍ‬

in the dual suffix ‫ﺍﻥ‬.

The adjective tihs e‫ﺏ‬d‫ﻮ‬ua‫ﺼ‬l s‫ﻨ‬u‫ َﻣ‬ffiwxh‫ﻦ‬en‫ﻳ‬.the noun is ‫; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ so marked by the

letter ‫ ﻱ‬in

The‫ﻱ‬adinjetchteivdeuiasl‫ﺭ‬su‫ﻭ‬f‫ﺮ‬fi‫ﺠ‬x ‫ﻳ َﻦﻣ‬w. hen the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by the letter

Masculine definite
Human

Meaning ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
two big men ‫ﺍﻟ َﺮ ُﺟﻠَ ْﻴ ِﻦ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴ َﺮ ْﻳ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﻟ َﺮ ُﺟﻼ ِﻥ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴﺮﺍ ِﻥ‬
two famous actors ‫ﺍﻟـ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَ ْﻴ ِﻦ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺸﻬﻮ َﺭ ْﻳ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﻟـ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢﻼ ِﻥ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺍ ِﻥ‬
its two famous actors ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَ ْﻴ ِﻪ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺸﻬﻮ َﺭ ْﻳ ِﻦ‬ ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼﻩُ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺍ ِﻥ‬

Non-human ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
‫ﺍﻟ ِﻜﺘﺎﺑَ ْﻴ ِﻦ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴ َﺮ ْﻳ ِﻦ‬
Meaning ‫ﺍﻟ ِﻜﺘﺎﺑَ ْﻴ ِﻦ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮ َﺭ ْﻳ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﻟ ِﻜﺘﺎﺑﺎ ِﻥ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴﺮﺍ ِﻥ‬
two big books ‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑَ ْﻴ ِﻪ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮ َﺭ ْﻳ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﻟ ِﻜﺘﺎﺑﺎ ِﻥ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺍ ِﻥ‬
two famous books
his two famous books ‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎﻩُ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺍ ِﻥ‬

Number: the adjective is dual because the noun is dual. 129

Gender: the adjective is masculine because the noun is masculine.

Definiteness: the adjective is definite because the noun is definite, so

marked by a definite article ‫ﺍﻝ‬, or by being the first term of an ’idafa. In
an ’idafa, the ‫ ﻥ‬of the dual suffix ‫ ﺍﻥ‬or ‫ ﻳﻦ‬is dropped.

Case: in the dual, there is no distinction in case marking between the

‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬, and the ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬. See Case marking by letters.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by the letter ‫ﺍ‬

in the dual suffix ‫ﺍﻥ‬.

20 The adjective tihs e‫ﺏ‬d‫ﻮ‬ua‫ﺼ‬l s‫ﻨ‬u‫ َﻣ‬ffiwxh‫ﻦ‬en‫ﻳ‬.the noun is ‫; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ so marked by the

Adjectives: letter ‫ ﻱ‬in
agreement The‫ﻱ‬adinjetchteivdeuiasl‫ﺭ‬su‫ﻭ‬f‫ﺮ‬fi‫ﺠ‬x ‫ﻳ َﻦﻣ‬w. hen the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by the letter
with nouns

Feminine definite
Human

Meaning ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
the two large women ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺮﺃﺗَ ْﻴ ِﻦ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴﺮﺗَ ْﻴﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺮﺃﺗﺎ ِﻥ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴﺮﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬
the two famous actresses ‫ﺍﻟـ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺗَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﻟـ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَﺘﺎ ِﻥ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬
his two famous actresses ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻪ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺗَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠَﺘﺎﻩُ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬

Non-human

Meaning ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
the two big tables ‫ﺍﻟﻄﺎ ِﻭﻟﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴﺮﺗَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻄﺎ ِﻭﻟﺘﺎ ِﻥ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴﺮﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬
the two famous bookstores ‫ﺍﻟ َﻤﻜﺘَﺒﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺗَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﻟ َﻤﻜﺘَﺒﺘﺎ ِﻥ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬
his two famous bookstores ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻪ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺗَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺘﺎﻩُ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬

Number: the adjective is dual because the noun is dual.

Gender: the adjective is feminine because the noun is feminine; so marked

by the feminine marker ‫ﺕ‬.

Definiteness: the adjective is definite because the noun is definite; so marked

by a definite article ‫ﺍﻝ‬, or by being a first term of an ’idafa. In an ’idafa,
the ‫ ﻥ‬of the dual suffix ‫ ﺍﻥ‬or ‫ ﻳﻦ‬is dropped.

Case: in the dual, there is no distinction in case marking between the

‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬, and the ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬. See Case marking by letters.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by the letter ‫ﺍ‬

in the dual suffix ‫ﺍﻥ‬.

The adjective tihs e‫ﺏ‬d‫ﻮ‬ua‫ﺼ‬l s‫ﻨ‬u‫ َﻣ‬ffiwxh‫ﻦ‬en‫ﻳ‬.the noun is ‫; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ so marked by the

letter ‫ ﻱ‬in

The‫ﻱ‬adinjetchteivdeuiasl‫ﺭ‬su‫ﻭ‬f‫ﺮ‬fi‫ﺠ‬x ‫ﻳ َﻦﻣ‬w. hen the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by the letter

130

Summary of adjectival agreement in the dual Adjectives:
agreement
In the dual, irrespective of whether the noun is human or non-human, the adjec- with nouns in
tive agrees with the noun in number, definiteness, gender, and case. the dual

Indefinite masculine dual: human and non-human

Number: the adjective is dual because the noun is dual.

Gender: the adjective is masculine because the noun is masculine.

Definiteness: the adjective is indefinite because the noun is indefinite.

Case: in the dual, there is no distinction in case marking between the
‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬, and the ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬. See Case marking by letters.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by the letter ‫ﺍ‬

in the dual suffix ‫ﺍﻥ‬.

The adjective tihs e‫ﺏ‬d‫ﻮ‬ua‫ﺼ‬l s‫ﻨ‬u‫ َﻣ‬ffiwxh‫ﻦ‬en‫ﻳ‬.the noun is ‫; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ so marked by the

letter ‫ ﻱ‬in

The‫ﻱ‬adinjetchteivdeuiasl‫ﺭ‬su‫ﻭ‬f‫ﺮ‬fi‫ﺠ‬x ‫ﻳ َﻦﻣ‬w. hen the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by the letter

Indefinite feminine dual: human and non-human

Number: the adjective is dual because the noun is dual.

Gender: the adjective is feminine because the noun is feminine; so marked

by the feminine marker ‫ﺕ‬.

Definiteness: the adjective is indefinite because the noun is indefinite.

Case: in the dual, there is no distinction in case marking between the
‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬, and the ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬. See Case marking by letters.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by the letter ‫ﺍ‬

in the dual suffix ‫ﺍﻥ‬.

The adjective tihs e‫ﺏ‬d‫ﻮ‬ua‫ﺼ‬l s‫ﻨ‬u‫ َﻣ‬ffiwxh‫ﻦ‬en‫ﻳ‬.the noun is ‫; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ so marked by the

letter ‫ ﻱ‬in

The‫ﻱ‬adinjetchteivdeuiasl‫ﺭ‬su‫ﻭ‬f‫ﺮ‬fi‫ﺠ‬x ‫ﻳ َﻦﻣ‬w. hen the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by the letter

Definite masculine dual: human and non-human 131
The adjective agrees with the noun in number, definiteness, gender, and case.

Number: the adjective is dual because the noun is dual.
Gender: the adjective is masculine because the noun is masculine.
Definiteness: the adjective is definite because the noun is definite, so marked

by a definite article ‫ﺍﻝ‬, or by being the first term of an ’idafa. In an
’idafa, the ‫ ﻥ‬of the dual suffix ‫ ﺍﻥ‬or ‫ ﻳﻦ‬is dropped.

20 Case: in the dual, there is no distinction in case marking between the

Adjectives: ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬, and the ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬. See Case marking by letters.
agreement The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by the letter ‫ﺍ‬
with nouns
in the dual suffix ‫ﺍﻥ‬.

The adjective tihs e‫ﺏ‬d‫ﻮ‬ua‫ﺼ‬l s‫ﻨ‬u‫ َﻣ‬ffiwxh‫ﻦ‬en‫ﻳ‬.the noun is ‫; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ so marked by the

letter ‫ ﻱ‬in

The‫ﻱ‬adinjetchteivdeuiasl‫ﺭ‬su‫ﻭ‬f‫ﺮ‬fi‫ﺠ‬x ‫ﻳ َﻦﻣ‬w. hen the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by the letter

Definite feminine dual: human and non-human

Number: the adjective is dual because the noun is dual.

Gender: the adjective is feminine because the noun is feminine; so marked

by the feminine marker ‫ﺕ‬.

Definiteness: the adjective is definite because the noun is definite; so marked

by a definite article ‫ﺍﻝ‬, or by being a first term of an ’idafa. In an ’idafa,
the ‫ ﻥ‬of the dual suffix ‫ ﺍﻥ‬or ‫ ﻳﻦ‬is dropped.

Case: in the dual, there is no distinction in case marking between the

‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬, and the ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬. See Case marking by letters.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by the letter ‫ﺍ‬

in the dual suffix ‫ﺍﻥ‬.

The adjective tihs e‫ﺏ‬d‫ﻮ‬ua‫ﺼ‬l s‫ﻨ‬u‫ َﻣ‬ffiwxh‫ﻦ‬en‫ﻳ‬.the noun is ‫; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ so marked by the

letter ‫ ﻱ‬in

The‫ﻱ‬adinjetchteivdeuiasl‫ﺭ‬su‫ﻭ‬f‫ﺮ‬fi‫ﺠ‬x ‫ﻳ َﻦﻣ‬w. hen the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by the letter

Adjectives: agreement with nouns in the plural

In the plural, there’s agreement between a human noun and the adjective in all
respects: number, gender, definiteness, and case.

In the case of plural non-human nouns, however, an adjective only agrees in
two respects – definiteness and case – but must be singular and feminine.

Masculine indefinite
Human

Meaning ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬

big men ‫ِﺭﺟﺎ ٍﻝ ِﻛﺒﺎ ٍﺭ‬ ً‫ِﺭﺟﺎﻻً ِﻛﺒﺎﺭﺍ‬ ‫ِﺭﺟﺎ ٌﻝ ِﻛﺒﺎ ٌﺭ‬

132 famous actors ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻮﻥ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﻭ َﻥ ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻴَﻦ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﻳ َﻦ ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻴَﻦ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﻳ َﻦ‬

Non-human ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬ Adjectives:
‫ُﻛﺘُ ٍﺐ َﻛﺒَﻴﺮ ٍﺓ‬ ً‫ُﻛﺘُﺒﺎً َﻛﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬ ٌ‫ُﻛﺘُ ٌﺐ َﻛﺒَﻴﺮﺓ‬ agreement
Meaning ‫ُﻛﺘُ ٍﺐ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭ ٍﺓ‬ ٌ‫ُﻛﺘُ ٌﺐ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬ with nouns in
big books ً‫ُﻛﺘُﺒﺎً َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬ the plural
famous books

Number:

Human: the adjective is plural because the noun is plural.
Non-human: the adjective is singular and feminine because plural non-

human nouns take feminine singular adjectives.

Gender:

Human: the adjective is masculine because the noun is masculine.
Non-human: the adjective is feminine and singular because plural non-

human nouns take feminine singular adjectives.
Definiteness: the adjective is indefinite because the noun is indefinite.
Case: see case marking by diacritics and Case marking by letters.

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by an appro-
priate ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬marker as follows:
For broken plurals, the marker is ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ َﺿﻢ‬.
For sound masculine plurals, i.e. with the suffix ‫ﻭﻥ‬, the marker is ‫ﻭ‬.

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬so marked by the
appropriate ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬marker as follows:
For broken masculine plurals, the marker is by the letter ‫ ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻓﺘﺢ‬+ ‫ﺍ‬.
For sound masculine plurals, i.e. with the suffix ‫ﻳﻦ‬, the marker is ‫ﻱ‬.

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by the
appropriate ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬marker as follows:
For broken plurals, the marker is ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻛﺴﺮ‬.
For sound masculine plurals, i.e. with the suffix ‫ﻳﻦ‬, the marker is ‫ﻱ‬.

For sound masculine plurals there’s no distinction in case marking between

‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬and ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬.

133

20 Feminine indefinite
Human
Adjectives:
agreement
with nouns

Meaning ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
big women ‫ﻧِﺴﺎ ٍء ﻛﺒﻴﺮﺍ ٍﺕ‬ ‫ﻧِﺴﺎ ٌء ﻛﺒﻴﺮﺍ ٌﺕ‬
famous actresses ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼ ٌﺕ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺍ ٌﺕ‬
‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼ ٍﺕ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺍ ٍﺕ‬

Non-human

Meaning ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
big tables ‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻻ ٍﺕ َﻛﺒﻴﺮ ٍﺓ‬ ً‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻻ ٍﺕ َﻛﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬ ٌ‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻻ ٌﺕ َﻛﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬
famous bookstores ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺎ ٍﺕ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭ ٍﺓ‬ ً‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺎ ٍﺕ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬ ٌ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺎ ٌﺕ َﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬

Number:

Human: the adjective is plural because the noun is plural.
Non-human: the adjective is singular (and feminine) because plural non-

human nouns take singular feminine adjectives.

Gender: the adjective is feminine because the noun is feminine.

Definiteness: the adjective is indefinite because the noun is indefinite.
Case: see case marking by diacritics.

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ َﺿ ّﻢ‬.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬so marked by ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ‬

‫ َﻛﺴﺮ‬. For sound feminine plurals, there is no distinction in case marking
between the ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬, and the ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ‬
‫ َﻛﺴﺮ‬. For sound feminine plurals, there is no distinction in case marking
between the ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬, and the ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬.

134

Masculine definite Adjectives:
Human agreement
with nouns in
the plural

Meaning ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬

the big men ‫ﺍﻟ ِﺮﺟﺎ َﻝ ﺍﻟ ِﻜﺒﺎ َﺭ ﺍﻟ ِﺮﺟﺎ ِﻝ ﺍﻟ ِﻜﺒﺎ ِﺭ‬ ‫ﺍﻟ ِﺮﺟﺎ ُﻝ ﺍﻟ ِﻜﺒﺎ ُﺭ‬

the famous actors ‫ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻮ َﻥ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﻭ َﻥ ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻴَﻦ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﻳ َﻦ ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻴَﻦ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﻳ َﻦ‬
its famous actors ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻮﻩُ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﻭ َﻥ ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻴ ِﻪ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﻳ َﻦ ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﻴ ِﻪ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﻳ َﻦ‬

Non-human

Meaning ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
the big books َ‫ﺍﻟ ُﻜﺘُ َﺐ ﺍﻟ َﻜﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬ ُ‫ﺍﻟ ُﻜﺘُ ُﺐ ﺍﻟ َﻜﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬
the famous books ‫ﺍﻟ ُﻜﺘُ ِﺐ ﺍﻟ َﻜﺒﻴﺮ ِﺓ‬
his famous books َ‫ﺍﻟ ُﻜﺘُ َﺐ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬ ُ‫ﺍﻟ ُﻜﺘُ ُﺐ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬
‫ﺍﻟ ُﻜﺘُ ِﺐ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭ ِﺓ‬ َ‫ُﻛﺘُﺒَﻪُ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬ ُ‫ُﻛﺘُﺒُﻪُ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬
‫ُﻛﺘُﺒِ ِﻪ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭ ِﺓ‬

Number:

Human: the adjective is plural because the noun is plural.

Non-human: the adjective is singular because plural non-human nouns take
singular feminine adjectives.

Gender:

Human: the adjective is masculine because the noun is masculine.

Non-human: the adjective is feminine because plural non-human nouns take
feminine singular adjectives.

Definiteness: the adjective is definite because the noun is definite, so marked

by a definite article ‫ﺍﻝ‬, or by being the first term of an ’idafa. In an
’idafa, the ‫ ﻥ‬of the sound masculine suffix ‫ ﻭﻥ‬or ‫ ﻳﻦ‬is dropped.

Case: with the sound masculine plural there is no distinction in case marking

between the ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬and the ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬. See Case marking by diacritics

and Case marking by letters.

Theapapdrjoecptriivaeteis‫ َﻣ َﻣﺮﻓﺮﻓﻮﻮﻉﻉ‬mwarhkeenr the noun is ‫; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬ so marked by the
as follows:
135

20 For broken plurals, the marker is ‫ َﺿ ّﻤﺔ‬.
For sound masculine plurals, the marker is the letter‫ ﻭ‬in the suffix ‫ﻭﻥ‬.
Adjectives:
agreement Theapapdrjoepctriivaeteis‫ َﻣﻨ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺼﻮﺏﺏ‬mwarhkeenr the noun is ‫; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ so marked by the
with nouns as follows:

For broken plurals, the marker is ‫ﻓَﺘﺤﺔ‬.

For sound masculine plurals, the marker is the letter ‫ ﻱ‬in the suffix ‫ﻳﻦ‬.

Theapapdrjoepcrtiivateeis‫َﻣ َﻣﺠﺠﺮﻭﺮﻭﺭﺭ‬mwarhkeenr the noun is ‫; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ so marked by the
as follows:

For broken plurals, the marker is ‫ َﻛﺴﺮﺓ‬.

For sound masculine plurals, the marker is the letter ‫ ﻱ‬in the suffix ‫ﻳﻦ‬.
For broken plurals, the marker is ‫ َﻛﺴﺮﺓ‬.

Feminine definite ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
Human ‫ﺍﻟﻨِﺴﺎ ُء ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴﺮﺍ ُﺕ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻨِﺴﺎ ِء ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴﺮﺍ ِﺕ‬ ‫ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢﻼ ُﺕ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺍ ُﺕ‬
Meaning ‫ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺜﱢﻼ ِﺕ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺍ ِﺕ‬ ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼﺗُﻪ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺍ ُﺕ‬
the big women ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼﺗِﻪ ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺍ ِﺕ‬
the famous actresses
its famous actresses

Non-human

Meaning ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ ‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻄﺎ ِﻭﻻ ِﺕ ﺍﻟ َﻜﺒﻴﺮ ِﺓ‬ َ‫ﺍﻟﻄﺎ ِﻭﻻ ِﺕ ﺍﻟ َﻜﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬ ُ‫ﺍﻟﻄﺎ ِﻭﻻ ُﺕ ﺍﻟ َﻜﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬
the big tables ‫ﺍﻟ َﻤﻜﺘَﺒﺎ ِﺕ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭ ِﺓ‬ َ‫ﺍﻟ َﻤﻜﺘَﺒﺎ ِﺕ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬ ُ‫ﺍﻟ َﻤﻜﺘَﺒﺎ ُﺕ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬

the famous ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺎﺗِ ِﻪ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭ ِﺓ‬ َ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺎﺗِ ِﻪ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬ ُ‫َﻣﻜﺘَﺒﺎﺗُﻪُ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺸﻬﻮﺭﺓ‬
bookstores

his famous
bookstores

Number:

Human: the adjective is plural because the noun is plural.
Non-human: the adjective is singular because plural non-human nouns take
136 singular feminine adjectives.

Gender: the adjective is feminine because the noun is feminine. Adjectives:
agreement
Definiteness: the adjective is definite because the noun is definite, so marked with nouns in
the plural
by a definite article ‫ﺍﻝ‬, or by being the first term of an ’idafa.

Case: for sound feminine plurals, there is no distinction in case marking

between the ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬and the ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬. See Case marking by

diacritics.

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬, so marked by a ‫ َﺿ ّﻤﺔ‬.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬when the noun ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬. The noun is a sound

feminine plural which receives a ‫ َﻛﺴﺮﺓ‬in the ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬, when the noun is ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬.

Summary of adjectival agreement in the plural
In the plural, adjectival agreement depends on whether the noun is human or
non-human.

With human nouns:

Number: the adjective agrees with the noun.
Gender: the adjective agrees with the noun.
Definiteness: the adjective agrees with the noun.
Case: the adjective agrees with the noun.

With non-human nouns:

Number: the adjective is singular.
Gender: the adjective is feminine.
Definiteness: the adjective agrees with the noun.
Case: the adjective agrees with the noun.

Indefinite masculine plural: human and non-human

Number:

Human: the adjective is plural because the noun is plural.
Non-human: the adjective is singular and feminine because plural non-

human nouns take feminine singular adjectives.

137

20 Gender:

Adjectives: Human: the adjective is masculine because the noun is masculine.
agreement
with nouns Non-human: the adjective is feminine and singular because plural non-
numan nouns take feminine singular adjectives.

Definiteness: the adjective is indefinite because the noun is indefinite.

Case: see case marking by diacritics and Case marking by letters.

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by an
appropriate ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬marker as follows:
For broken plurals, the marker is ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ َﺿﻢ‬.
For sound masculine plurals, i.e. with the suffix ‫ﻭﻥ‬, the marker is ‫ﻭ‬.
Theapapdrjoepctriivaeteis‫ َﻣﻨ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺼﻮﺏﺏ‬mwarhkeenr ‫; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬
the noun is so marked by the
as follows:

For broken masculine plurals, the marker is the letter ‫ ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻓﺘﺢ‬+ ‫ﺍ‬.
For sound masculine plurals, i.e.with the suffix ‫ﻳﻦ‬, the marker is ‫ﻱ‬.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by the
appropriate ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬marker as follows:
For broken plurals, the marker is ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻛﺴﺮ‬.
For sound masculine plurals, i.e. with the suffix ‫ﻳﻦ‬, the marker is ‫ﻱ‬.

For sound masculine plurals there’s no distinction in case marking

between ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬and ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬.

Indefinite feminine plural: human and non-human

Number:

Human: the adjective is plural because the noun is plural.

Non-human: the adjective is singular (and feminine) because plural non-
human nouns take singular feminine adjectives.

Gender: the adjective is feminine because the noun is feminine.

Definiteness: the adjective is indefinite because the noun is indefinite.

Case: for sound feminine plurals, there is no distinction in case marking

between the ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬, and the ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬. See Case marking by diacritics.
The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ َﺿ ّﻢ‬.
‫َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ‬
The adjective is when the noun is so marked by

‫ َﻛﺴﺮ‬.

138

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬so marked by ‫ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ َﻛﺴﺮ‬. Adjectives:
agreement
For sound feminine plurals, there is no distinction in case marking between with nouns in
the plural
the ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬, and the ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬.

Definite masculine plural: human and non-human

Number:

Human: the adjective is plural because the noun is plural.

Non-human: the adjective is singular because plural non-human nouns take
singular feminine adjectives.

Gender:

Human: the adjective is masculine because the noun is masculine.

Non-human: the adjective is feminine because plural non-human nouns take
feminine singular adjectives.

Definiteness: the adjective is definite because the noun is definite, so marked

by a definite article ‫ﺍﻝ‬, or by being the first term of an ’idafa. In an
’idafa, the ‫ ﻥ‬of the sound masculine suffix ‫ ﻭﻥ‬or ‫ ﻳﻦ‬is dropped.

Case: with the sound masculine plural there is no distinction in case marking

between the ‫ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬and the ‫ َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬. See Case marking by diacritics

and Case marking by letters.

The adjective is ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬when the noun is ‫ ; َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬so marked by the
appropriate ‫ َﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬marker as follows:
For broken plurals, the marker is ‫ َﺿ ّﻤﺔ‬.
For sound masculine plurals, the marker is the letter‫ ﻭ‬in the suffix ‫ﻭﻥ‬.

Theapapdrjoepctriivaeteis‫ َﻣﻨ َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺼﻮﺏﺏ‬mwarhkeenr the noun is ‫; َﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ so marked by the
as follows:

For broken plurals, the marker is ‫ﻓَﺘﺤﺔ‬.

For sound masculine plurals, the marker is the letter ‫ ﻱ‬in the suffix ‫ﻳﻦ‬.

Theapapdrjoepctriivateeis‫َﻣ َﻣﺠﺠﺮﻭﺮﻭﺭﺭ‬mwarhkeenr the noun is ‫; َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ so marked by the
as follows:

For broken plurals, the marker is ‫ َﻛﺴﺮﺓ‬.

For sound masculine plurals, the marker is the letter ‫ ﻱ‬in the suffix ‫ﻳﻦ‬.
For broken plurals, the marker is ‫ َﻛﺴﺮﺓ‬.

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