Basic Arabic - A Grammar and Workbook

UNIT 10

Noun type words: syntactic function,
case name, and case marking

Syntactic function, case name, and case marking are three interrelated topics that
taken together determine how a noun “should” be (I vs me, we vs us, . . . ).

Syntactic function

A noun-type word can have different syntactic functions. For the purpose of
illustration, it is useful to examine three such functions: subject of a verb, object
of a verb, and object of a preposition. Later, some other functions will be pre-
sented. See Syntactic functions and their case markers.

1) Subject of a verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬

In an instance where someone or something performs an action, that
someone or something is called “subject”, and the action is called “verb”.

Example of a ‫ﻓﺎﻋﻞ‬:
The monkey ate the banana in an instant ‫ﺃﻛﻞ ﺍﻟﻘﺮﺩ ﺍﻟﻤﻮﺯﺓ ﻓﻲ ﻟﺤﻈﺔ‬
2) Object of a verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬

In an instance where an action affects someone or something, that someone
or something is called “object”, and the action is called “verb”.

Example of a ‫ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬:
The monkey ate the banana in an instant ‫ﺃﻛﻞ ﺍﻟﻘﺮﺩ ﺍﻟﻤﻮﺯﺓ ﻓﻲ ﻟﺤﻈﺔ‬
3) Object of a preposition ( ‫ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬:)

A noun that immediately follows a preposition (see Prepositions) is called
the object of a preposition.

Example of an ‫ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬:
The monkey ate the banana in an instant. ‫ﺃﻛﻞ ﺍﻟﻘﺮﺩ ﺍﻟﻤﻮﺯﺓ ﻓﻲ ﻟﺤﻈﺔ‬

40

For a more complete list of different syntactic functions see Syntactic functions Exercise:
and their case markers. syntactic
function of
Exercise: syntactic function of nouns nouns

Exercise 1 41

Identify the syntactic function of the underlined words as subject of a verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬,
object of a verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬, or object of a preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬. For each

underlined word, select the appropriate syntactic function from the three options
provided.

A Mohamed travelled to Yemen in the winter of 2009.

.۲۰۰۹ ‫ﺳﺎﻓﺮ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻟﻴَﻤﻦ ﻓﻲ ﺷﺘﺎء‬
i) ‫ﻣﺤﻤﺪ‬

a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬,
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬,
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬
ii) ‫ﺍﻟﻴَﻤﻦ‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬,
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬,
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬
iii) ‫ﺷﺘﺎء‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬,
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬,
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

B The wife listens to the radio while she has breakfast in the morning.

.‫ﺗﺴﺘﻤﻊ ﺍﻟﺰﻭﺟﺔ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻹﺫﺍﻋﺔ ﻭﻫﻲ ﺗﻔﻄﺮ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺼﺒﺎﺡ‬
i) ‫ﺍﻟﺰﻭﺟﺔ‬

a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬,
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬,
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬
ii) ‫ﺍﻹﺫﺍﻋﺔ‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

10 iii) ‫ﺍﻟﺼﺒﺎﺡ‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬
Noun type b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬
words: c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬
syntactic
function, C When I visit the family during the weekends, we eat dinner and watch TV
case name, together.
and case
marking .‫ﻋﻨﺪﻣﺎ ﺃﺯﻭﺭ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﺋﻠﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻧﻬﺎﻳﺔ ﺍﻷﺳﺒﻮﻉ ﻧﺄﻛﻞ ﺍﻟﻌﺸﺎء ﻭﻧُﺸﺎﻫﺪ ﺍﻟﺘﻠﻔﺰﻳﻮﻥ ﻣﻌﺎ‬

42 i) ‫ﺍﻟﻌﺎﺋﻠﺔ‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

ii) ‫ﻧﻬﺎﻳﺔ‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

iii) ‫ﺍﻟﻌﺸﺎء‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

iv) ‫ﺍﻟﺘﻠﻔﺰﻳﻮﻥ‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

D She saw the accident on TV then read an article about it.

.‫ﺷﺎﻫ َﺪﺕ ﺍﻟﺤﺎﺩﺛﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺘﻠﻔﺰﻳﻮﻥ ﺛُ ّﻢ ﻗﺮﺃَﺕ ﻣﻘﺎﻟﺔ ﻋﻨﻬﺎ‬

i) ‫ﺍﻟﺤﺎﺩﺛﺔ‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬,
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬,
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

ii) ‫ﺍﻟﺘﻠﻔﺰﻳﻮﻥ‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬,
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬,
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

iii) ‫ﻣﻘﺎﻟﺔ‬ Exercise:
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬, syntactic
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬, function of
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ nouns

E The two friends met in the evening and had dinner, then went into the 43
“Shuruuq” bookstore where Mustafa bought a magazine and Mahmoud
bought a book.

‫ﺗﻘﺎﺑﻞ ﺍﻟﺼﺪﻳﻘﺎﻥ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺎء ﻭﺃﻛﻼ ﺍﻟﻌﺸﺎء‬
‫ﻭﺑﻌﺪ ﺫﻟﻚ ﺩﺧﻼ ﻣﻜﺘﺒﺔ »ﺍﻟﺸﺮﻭﻕ« ﺣﻴﺚ ﺍﺷﺘﺮﻯ‬

.‫ﻣﺼﻄﻔﻰ ﻣﺠﻠﺔ ﻭﺍﺷﺘﺮﻯ ﻣﺤﻤﻮﺩ ﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎ‬

i) ‫ﺍﻟﺼﺪﻳﻘﺎﻥ‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬,
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬,
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

ii) ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺎء‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬,
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬,
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

iii) ‫ﺍﻟﻌﺸﺎء‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬,
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬,
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

iv) ‫ﻣﻜﺘﺒﺔ‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬,
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬,
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

v) ‫ﻣﺼﻄﻔﻰ‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬,
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬,
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

vi) ‫ﻣﺠﻠﺔ‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬,
b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬,
c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

10 vii) ‫ﻣﺤﻤﻮﺩ‬
a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬,
Noun type b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬,
words: c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬
syntactic
function, viii) ‫ﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎ‬
case name, a) subject of verb (‫)ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬,
and case b) object of verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬,
marking c) object of preposition (‫)ﺍﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

Case name

There are three cases for Arabic nouns. Here are their Arabic names, followed
by English equivalents:

1 ‫ﺣﺎﻟﺔ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬ the nominative case
2 ‫ﺣﺎﻟﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ the accusative case
3 ‫ﺣﺎﻟﺔ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ the genitive case

By convention, a noun functioning as:

1 a subject of a verb (‫ )ﻓﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬is in the nominative case (‫)ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬,
2 the object of a verb (‫ )ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬is in the accusative case (‫)ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬, and

3 the object of a preposition (‫ )ﺍِﺳﻢ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬is in the genitive case (‫)ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬.

Examples:

1 Noun in the nominative case ( ‫)ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
(because its syntactic function is subject of a verb – ‫)ﻓﺎﻋﻞ‬:
‫  ﺃﻛﻞ ﺍﻟﻘﺮﺩ ﺍﻟﻤﻮﺯﺓ ﻓﻲ ﻟﺤﻈﺔ‬The monkey ate the banana in an instant.

2 Noun in the accusative case (‫)ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬
(because its syntactic function is object of a verb – ‫)ﺍﻟﻤﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬:
‫  ﺃﻛﻞ ﺍﻟﻘﺮﺩ ﺍﻟﻤﻮﺯﺓ ﻓﻲ ﻟﺤﻈﺔ‬The monkey ate the banana in an instant.

3 Noun in the genitive case (‫)ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬
(its syntactic function is object of a preposition – ‫)ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ ﺑﺤﺮﻑ ﺟﺮ‬:
‫  ﺃﻛﻞ ﺍﻟﻘﺮﺩ ﺍﻟﻤﻮﺯﺓ ﻓﻲ ﻟﺤﻈﺔ‬The monkey ate the banana in an instant.

44

Exercise: case name Exercise:
case name
Exercise 2
45
Identify the case name of the underlined words as ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative), ‫ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬
(accusative), or ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive). For each underlined word, select the appro-

priate case name from the three options provided.

A Mohamed travelled to Yemen in the winter of 2009.

.۲۰۰۹ ‫ﺳﺎﻓﺮ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻟﻴَﻤﻦ ﻓﻲ ﺷﺘﺎء‬
i) ‫ﻣﺤﻤﺪ‬

a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)
ii) ‫ﺍﻟﻴَﻤﻦ‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)
iii) ‫ﺷﺘﺎء‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

B The wife listens to the radio while she has breakfast in the morning.

.‫ﺗﺴﺘﻤﻊ ﺍﻟﺰﻭﺟﺔ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻹﺫﺍﻋﺔ ﻭﻫﻲ ﺗﻔﻄﺮ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺼﺒﺎﺡ‬

i) ‫ﺍﻟﺰﻭﺟﺔ‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

ii) ‫ﺍﻹﺫﺍﻋﺔ‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

10 iii) ‫ﺍﻟﺼﺒﺎﺡ‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
Noun type b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
words: c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive).
syntactic
function, C When I visit the family during the weekends we eat dinner and watch TV
case name, together.
and case
marking .‫ﻋﻨﺪﻣﺎ ﺃﺯﻭﺭ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﺋﻠﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻧﻬﺎﻳﺔ ﺍﻷﺳﺒﻮﻉ ﻧﺄﻛﻞ ﺍﻟﻌﺸﺎء ﻭﻧُﺸﺎﻫﺪ ﺍﻟﺘﻠﻔﺰﻳﻮﻥ ﻣﻌﺎ‬

46 i) ‫ﺍﻟﻌﺎﺋﻠﺔ‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

ii) ‫ﻧﻬﺎﻳﺔ‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

iii) ‫ﺍﻟﻌﺸﺎء‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

iv) ‫ﺍﻟﺘﻠﻔﺰﻳﻮﻥ‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

D She saw the accident on TV then read an article about it

.‫ﺷﺎﻫ َﺪﺕ ﺍﻟﺤﺎﺩﺛﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺘﻠﻔﺰﻳﻮﻥ ﺛُ ّﻢ ﻗﺮﺃَﺕ ﻣﻘﺎﻟﺔ ﻋﻨﻬﺎ‬

i) ‫ﺍﻟﺤﺎﺩﺛﺔ‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

ii) ‫ﺍﻟﺘﻠﻔﺰﻳﻮﻥ‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

iii) ‫ﻣﻘﺎﻟﺔ‬ Exercise:
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative) case name
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive) 47

E The two friends met in the evening and had dinner, then went into the
“Shuruuq” bookstore where Mustafa bought a magazine and Mahmoud
bought a book.

‫ﺗﻘﺎﺑﻞ ﺍﻟﺼﺪﻳﻘﺎﻥ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺎء ﻭﺃﻛﻼ ﺍﻟﻌﺸﺎء ﻭﺑﻌﺪ ﺫﻟﻚ ﺩﺧﻼ‬
‫ﻣﻜﺘﺒﺔ ”ﺍﻟﺸﺮﻭﻕ“ ﺣﻴﺚ ﺍﺷﺘﺮﻯ ﻣﺼﻄﻔﻰ ﻣﺠﻠﺔ ﻭﺍﺷﺘﺮﻯ‬

.‫ﻣﺤﻤﻮﺩ ﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎ‬

i) ‫ﺍﻟﺼﺪﻳﻘﺎﻥ‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

ii) ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺎء‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

iii) ‫ﺍﻟﻌﺸﺎء‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

iv) ‫ﻣﻜﺘﺒﺔ‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

v) ‫ﻣﺼﻄﻔﻰ‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

vi) ‫ﻣﺠﻠﺔ‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

10 vii) ‫ﻣﺤﻤﻮﺩ‬
a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
Noun type b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
words: c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)
syntactic
function, viii) ‫ﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎ‬
case name, a) ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative)
and case b) ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative)
marking c) ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive)

Case marking

Only words are given case marks, not phrases or sentences.
Case marking means providing a “clue” indicating the case or function of a

noun. When the English first person singular pronoun functions as a subject, it
becomes “I”, otherwise it is “me”. The marking thus involves a pretty obvious
“clue” – a complete change of the word from “I” to “me”. In other instances
English case marking is by only changing a letter:

They went to John → John went to them (y → m)
She’s the one who saw me → She’s the one whom I saw (o → m)

There are two ways to mark the case of Arabic nouns:

1 Diacritics
2 Letters

Exercises: case marking

Exercise 3

Are case marks applied to any of the words or phrases below? Give the answer

‫( ﻧﻌﻢ‬yes) or ‫( ﻻ‬no) in the blank spaces below.

a) singular, feminine noun ‫ﻧﻌﻢ‬ ‫ﻻ‬

_______ _______

b) singular, masculine noun _______ _______

c) dual, feminine noun _______ _______

d) sound, plural masculine _______ _______

e) verbal phrase _______ _______
48 f) nominal phrase _______ _______

Case marking by diacritics Case
marking by
Case-marking diacritics – if present – (see Case-marking diacritics in the Arabic diacritics
language writing system) are as follows.

Nominative case (‫ )ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬is generally marked by the following diacritics:

1 ‫ َﺿ ّﻤﺔ‬/u/ for a definite noun
2 ‫ ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ َﺿﻢ‬/un/ for an indefinite noun

Examples: Definiteness Masculine Feminine Meaning
Number
‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ ُﺱ‬ ُ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺔ‬ The engineer
Single Definite ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪ ٌﺱ‬ ٌ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺔ‬ An engineer
Single Indefinite ‫ﺍﻟ َﺴﻴّﺎﺭﺍ ُﺕ‬ The cars
Plural Definite ‫َﺳﻴّﺎﺭﺍ ٌﺕ‬ Cars
Plural Indefinite

Accusative case, ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬, is generally marked by the following diacritics:

1 ‫ ﻓﺘﺤﺔ‬/a/, for a definite noun (exceptions include plural feminine nouns)
2 ‫ ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻓﺘﺢ‬/an/ for an indefinite feminine noun (exceptions include plural

feminine nouns)

3 the letter ‫ ﺍ‬and ‫ ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻓﺘﺢ‬/an/ for an indefinite masculine noun

Examples:

Number Definiteness Masculine Feminine Meaning
Single Definite The engineer
Single Indefinite ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺱ‬ َ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺔ‬ An engineer
ً‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ‬ ً‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺔ‬

Genitive case (‫ )ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬is generally marked by the following diacritics:

1 ‫ ﻛﺴﺮﺓ‬/i/ for a definite noun
2 ‫ ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻛﺴﺮ‬/in/ for an indefinite noun

49

10 Examples:

Noun type Number Definiteness Masculine Feminine Meaning
words: Single Definite The engineer
syntactic Single Indefinite ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ ِﺱ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳ ِﺔ‬ An engineer
function, Plural Definite ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪ ٍﺱ‬ ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳ ٍﺔ‬ The engineers
case name, Plural Indefinite ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ ِﺕ‬ Engineers
and case ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ ٍﺕ‬
marking

Exercise: case marking by diacritics

Exercise 4

Study the sentence below. Add the appropriate case marker to the underlined
words. If necessary, refer to sections on agreement, case marking, and syntactic
functions of nouns and their case markers.

‫ﺍﺳﺘﺠﺎﺑﺖ ﺍﻟﺤﻜﻮﻣﺔ ﺍﻷﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ ﻟﺪﻋﻮﺍﺕ ﺍﻻﺗﺼﺎﻝ ﺍﻟﻤﺒﺎﺷﺮ ﺑﺴﻮﺭﻳﺎ‬
‫ ﺍﻟﺠﻠﻮﺱ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻁﺎﻭﻟﺔ ﻭﺍﺣﺪﺓ ﻣﻊ‬،‫ ﻟﻠﻤﺮﺓ ﺍﻷﻭﻟﻰ‬،‫ ﻭﻗﺒﻠﺖ‬،‫ﻭﺇﻳﺮﺍﻥ‬
‫ ﻭﻓﻲ ﺇﻁﺎﺭ ﻣﺆﺗﻤﺮ‬،‫ﻣﺴﺌﻮﻟﻴﻦ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺒﻠﺪﻳﻦ ﻓﻲ ﺷﻬﺮ ﻣﺎﺭﺱ ﺍﻟﻤﺎﺿﻲ‬
‫ﺑﻐﺪﺍﺩ ﺍﻟﺬﻱ ﺷﺎﺭﻙ ﻓﻴﻪ ﻭﻓﻮﺩ ﺃﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ ﻭﻋﺮﺑﻴﺔ ﺑﻬﺪﻑ ﺇﻳﺠﺎﺩ ﺣﻞ ﻟﻮﻗﻒ‬

.‫ﺩﻭﺍﻣﺔ ﺍﻟﻌﻨﻒ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺮﺍﻕ‬

Exercise 5

Study the phrases below. Identify the syntactic function of the underlined words

as subject ‫ﻢ‬o‫ﺳ‬f a‫)ﺍ‬v. eFrobr(‫ﻞ‬ea‫ِﻋ‬ch‫)ﻓﺎ‬u,nodbejrelcint eodf a verb (‫)ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬, object of a preposition
word, name of the
(‫ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ select the appropriate

case-marking diacritic (‫ َﺿ ّﻤﺔ‬, ‫ﻓَﺘﺤﺔ‬, ‫)ﻛﺴﺮﺓ‬.

a) ‫ﺫﻫﺒﺖ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺔ ﻟﻠﻤﺮﺓ ﺍﻟﺜﺎﻧﻴﺔ‬
b) ‫ﺍﺳﺘﺠﺎﺑﺖ ﺍﻟﺤﻜﻮﻣﺔ ﻟﺪﻋﻮﺍﺕ ﺍﻻﺗﺼﺎﻝ‬

‫ﺍﻟﻤﺒﺎﺷﺮﻓﻲ ﻅﻞ ﺍﻟﻀﻐﻮﻁ‬
c) ‫ﺍﺳﺘﺠﺎﺑﺖ ﺍﻟﺤﻜﻮﻣﺔ ﺍﻹﻁﺎﻟﻴﺔ‬
d) ‫ﻗﺒﻠﺖ )ﻫﻰ( ﺍﻟﺠﻠﻮﺱ‬

50

For each of the four underlined words, fill in the blanks below with 1) the appro- Case
priate syntactic function and 2) the name of the case-marking diacritic. If neces- marking by
sary, refer to sections on case marking and syntactic functions of nouns and their letters
case markers.

a) ‫ﺍﻟﻤ ّﺮﺓ‬ Syntactic function Case-marking diacritic
b) ‫ﻅﻞ‬ _______________ __________________
c) ‫ﺍﻟﺤﻜﻮﻣﺔ‬ _______________ __________________
d) ‫ﺍﻟﺠﻠﻮﺱ‬ _______________ __________________
_______________ __________________

Case marking by letters

Whereas diacritics are often by convention left out of written Arabic, case-
marking letters cannot be left out of written words because letters are never left
out of written Arabic.

Letters are used for case-marking nouns in the dual (see Dual) and nouns in
the sound masculine plural (see Sound plurals).

Nominative case ( ‫ )ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬is marked by the letters:

‫ ﺍ‬/aa/, for dual nouns
‫ ﻭ‬/uu/, for sound masculine plural nouns

Examples:

Number Definiteness Masculine Feminine Meaning
Dual Definite The two engineers
Dual Indefinite ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ ِﻥ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬ Two engineers
Plural Definite ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ ِﻥ‬ ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬ The engineers
Plural Indefinite ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﻮ َﻥ‬ Engineers
NA
‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﻮ َﻥ‬
NA

Accusative case (‫ )ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬is generally marked by:
the letter ‫ ﺍ‬/an/ + diacritic ‫ ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ ﻓﺘﺢ‬for a single indefinite masculine noun
the letter ‫ ﻱ‬/y/ for dual and sound masculine plural nouns

51

10 Examples:

Noun type Number Definiteness Masculine Feminine Meaning
words: Single Indefinite An engineer
syntactic Dual Definite ً‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ‬ NA The two engineers
function, Dual Indefinite Two engineers
case name, Plural Definite ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺳ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺳﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ The engineers
and case Plural Indefinite ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪ َﺳ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪ َﺳﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ Engineers
marking ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﻴ َﻦ‬
NA Meaning
‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﻴ َﻦ‬ The two engineers
NA Two engineers
The engineers
Genitive case (‫ )ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬is marked by the: Engineers
letter ‫ ﻱ‬/y/ for dual and sound masculine plural nouns

Examples:

Number Definiteness Masculine Feminine
Dual Definite
Dual Indefinite ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺳ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺳﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬
Plural Definite ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪ َﺳ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪ َﺳﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬
Plural Indefinite ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﻴ َﻦ‬
‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﻴ َﻦ‬

Letters marking case of dual nouns

With dual nouns there is no distinction between the ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative) and
the ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive) markers. Thus, case cannot be determined on the basis

of the marking; rather case is determined on the basis of the syntactic function
of the noun.

With dual nouns, case-marking letters – always present – are the following:

The nominative case (‫ )ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬is marked by the:

letter ‫ ﺍ‬/aa/,

Examples: Masculine Feminine Meaning
The two engineers
Definiteness ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ ِﻥ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬ Two engineers
Definite ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ ِﻥ‬ ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬
Indefinite
52

Accusative and genitive cases (‫ )ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ ﻭﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬are marked by the: Letters
letter ‫ ﻱ‬/y/ marking case
of sound
masculine
plural nouns

Examples: Masculine Feminine Meaning
The two engineers
Definiteness ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺳ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺳﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ Two engineers
Definite ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪ َﺳ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪ َﺳﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬
Indefinite

Letters marking case of sound masculine plural nouns

With sound masculine plural nouns there is no distinction between the ‫ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬
(accusative) and the ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive) markers. Thus, case can’t be determined

on the basis of the marking; rather case is determined on the basis of the syntac-
tic function of the noun.

With sound masculine plural nouns, case-marking letters – always present –
are the following:

Nominative case (‫ )ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬is marked by:

the letter ‫ ﻭ‬/uu/

Examples: Masculine Meaning
The engineers
Definiteness ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﻮ َﻥ‬ Engineers
Definite ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﻮ َﻥ‬
Indefinite

Accusative and genitive (‫ )ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ ﻭﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬cases are marked by:
the letter ‫ ﻱ‬/ii/

In the plural, there is no distinction in case marking between accusative and

genitive (‫)ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ ﻭﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬.

Examples: Masculine Meaning 53
The engineers
Definiteness ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﻴ َﻦ‬ Engineers
Definite ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﻴ َﻦ‬
Indefinite

10 Exercises: case marking by letters

Noun type Exercise 6
words: Rewrite the sentences below by transforming the underlined singular nouns into
syntactic their dual form. Place the correct answer in the blank spaces below. Remem-
function, ber to make all necessary changes and add the letters marking the case of dual
case name, nouns.
and case
marking a) ‫َﻭ َﺟﺪ ُﺕ ﻋﺎﺋﻠﺔً ﻓﻲ ﻫﺬﻩ ﺍﻟﺒﻨﺎﻳﺔ‬

_____________________________________________________________

b) ‫ﺍﻟﻜﺘﺎ ُﺏ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻜﺮﺳﻲ‬

_____________________________________________________________

c) ‫ﺍﻷﺳﺘﺎﺫﺓُ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟ ُﻜﻠّﻴّﺔ‬

_____________________________________________________________

d) ‫ﺍﻟﺒﻨﺖ َﻛ ّﺴـﺮﺓ ﻗَﻠَ ٍﻢ‬

_____________________________________________________________

e) ‫ﻛﺘﺒﺖ ﺍﻟﺮﺳﺎﻟﺔ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻟﺮ ُﺟ ِﻞ‬

_____________________________________________________________

Exercise 7

Rewrite the sentences below by transforming the underlined singular nouns into
their plural, masculine form. Place the correct answer in the blank spaces below.
Remember to make all necessary changes and add the letters marking the case
of plural nouns.

a) ‫َﻭ َﺟﺪ ُﺕ ﺍﻟﺮﺟ َﻞ ﺍﻟ َﻄـﻴﱢـ َﺐ ﻓﻲ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﺸﺎﺭﻉ‬

_____________________________________________________________

b) ‫ﻳﺼﻮ ُﻡ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﻠ ُﻢ ﺷﻬ َﺮ ﺭﻣﻀﺎﻥ‬

_____________________________________________________________

c) ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻮﺍﻁ ُﻦ ﻣﻌﺘﺎ ُﺩ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺩﻓﻊ ﺍﻟﻀﺮﺍﺋﺐ‬

_____________________________________________________________

54

Variations in case marking Variations in
case marking
The majority of circumstances requiring case marking by diacritics for nouns
are outlined above. The following, however, are some variations that are marked
slightly differently:

i) Sound plural feminine nouns, ending with the suffix ‫ﺍﺕ‬
ii) Diptotes (‫)ﺍﻟﻤﻤﻨﻮﻉ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺼﺮﻑ‬

iii) Nouns with the following letters in final position:

‫)ﺃﻟﻒ( ﺍ‬
‫)ﺃﻟِﻒ َﻣﻘﺼﻮﺭﺓ( ﻯ‬
‫)ﻳﺎء( ﻱ‬

Case marking: Feminine sound plural nouns ending in ‫ﺍﺕ‬

For the feminine sound plural, there is no distinction in case marking between

‫ ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬and ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬.

Examples: Definiteness Feminine Meaning
Definite the cars
Case Indefinite ‫ﺍﻟ َﺴﻴّﺎﺭﺍ ُﺕ‬ cars
Definite ‫َﺳﻴّﺎﺭﺍ ٌﺕ‬ the cars
‫ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬ Indefinite ‫ﺍﻟ َﺴﻴّﺎﺭﺍ ِﺕ‬ cars
‫ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬ ‫َﺳﻴّﺎﺭﺍ ٍﺕ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬

Case marking of diptotes ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻤﻨﻮﻉ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺼﺮﻑ‬
Diptotes are a class of nouns which do not display ‫ ﺗﻨﻮﻳﻦ‬when they are indefi-

nite. In addition, when they are indefinite, there is no distinction in case marking

between ‫ ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬and ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬.

Examples: Number Definiteness Feminine Meaning 55
Plural Definite the streets
Case Plural Indefinite ‫ﺍﻟ َﺸﻮﺍ ِﺭ ُﻉ‬ streets
Plural Definite ‫َﺷﻮﺍ ِﺭ ُﻉ‬ the streets
‫ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬ Plural Indefinite ‫ﺍﻟ َﺸﻮﺍ ِﺭ َﻉ‬ streets
‫ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬ ‫َﺷﻮﺍ ِﺭ َﻉ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬/‫ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬

10 Case marking of nouns ending with ‫ﺍ – ﺃﻟِﻒ‬
Nouns ending in ‫ ﺃﻟِﻒ‬can’t have case markers.
Noun type
words: Examples: ‫ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ Meaning
syntactic ‫َﻋﺼﺎ‬ a stick
function, ‫ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬ ‫َﻋﺼﺎ‬ ‫ﺍﻟ َﻌﺼﺎ‬ the stick
case name, ‫َﻋﺼﺎ‬ ‫ﺍﻟ َﻌﺼﺎ‬
and case ‫ﺍﻟ َﻌﺼﺎ‬
marking

Case marking of nouns ending with ‫ﻯ – ﺃﻟِﻒ َﻣﻘﺼﻮﺭﺓ‬
There can be no case markers for nouns ending in ‫ﺃﻟِﻒ ﻣﻘﺼﻮﺭﺓ‬.

Examples: ‫ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ Meaning
‫َﻣﻘﻬﻰ‬ a coffee shop
‫ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬ ‫َﻣﻘﻬﻰ‬ the coffee shop
‫َﻣﻘﻬﻰ‬ ‫ﺍﻟـ َﻤﻘﻬﻰ‬ ‫ﺍﻟـ َﻤﻘﻬﻰ‬
‫ﺍﻟـ َﻤﻘﻬﻰ‬

Case marking of nouns ending with ‫ﻱ – ﻳﺎء‬
For nouns ending in ‫ﻳﺎء‬, only the ‫( ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative) can be assigned a case

marker indicating the actual case. The other two cases can’t have a marker indi-

cating their actual cases; the indefinite ‫ ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬and ‫ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬both have the same
marker ( ٍ‫) ـ‬, while neither the definite ‫ ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nor ‫ ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬can have any marker.

Examples: ‫ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ ‫َﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬ Meaning
ً‫ُﻣﺤﺎ ِﻣﻴﺎ‬ ‫ُﻣﺤﺎ ٍﻡ‬ a lawyer
‫ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬ a lawyer
‫ُﻣﺤﺎ ٍﻡ‬ ‫ﺍﻟـ ُﻤﺤﺎﻣ َﻲ‬ ‫ﺍﻟـ ُﻤﺤﺎﻣﻲ‬

‫ﺍﻟـ ُﻤﺤﺎﻣﻲ‬

Exercise: variations in case marking

Exercise 8

Study the eight sentences below. The underlined words are diptotes (‫ﻣﻤﻨﻮﻉ ﻣﻦ‬
56 ‫)ﺍﻟﺼﺮﻑ‬. First add the appropriate case marker to the underlined words. Then

‫‪write the case name for each of these eight words in the blank spaces below. The‬‬ ‫‪An overview‬‬
‫‪first answer is offered as an example.‬‬ ‫‪of case‬‬
‫‪markings‬‬

‫ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ ‪a) case name:‬‬ ‫ﻣﻊ ﺃﻧّﻲ ﻻ ﺃﻛﺘُﺐ ﺭﺳﺎﺋﻞ ﻋﺎﺩﺓً‪،‬‬
‫ﻓﺈﻧّﻲ ﺃﺣﻴﺎﻧﺎً ﺃﻛﺘُ ُﺐ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺻﺪﻳﻘﺔ ﻁﻔﻮﻟﺘﻲ‪.‬‬
‫________________ ‪b) case name:‬‬

‫ﻟﻤﺎﺫﺍ ﻻ ﺗُﻮ َﺟ ُﺪ َﻛﻨﺎﺋﺲ ﻛﺜﻴﺮﺓٌ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻷﺣﻴﺎء ﺍﻟﺤﺪﻳﺜﺔ ﺑﺎﻟ ُﻤ ُﺪﻥ ﺍﻟﻐﺮﺑﻴﺔ؟‬

‫________________ ‪c) case name:‬‬

‫ﻋﻤﻠﻲ ﻳَﻀﻄﱠ ُﺮﻧﻲ ﺃﻥ ﺃُﻗﻴ َﻢ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺮﻳﻦ ﻋ ّﺪﺓَ ﺃﺳﺎﺑﻴﻊ ﻣﻦ ﻛ ّﻞ ﺳﻨﺔ·‬

‫________________ ‪d) case name:‬‬

‫َﻣ َﺮ ْﺭ ُﺕ ﺑِﺘَﺠﺎ ِﺭﺏ َﺻﻌﺒ ٍﺔ ﻛﺜﻴﺮ ٍﺓ ﻓﻲ ﺣﻴﺎﺗﻲ ﺟﻌﻠﺘﻨﻲ ﺃﻛﺘَ ِﺸﻒ ﻧَﻔﺴﻲ·‬

‫________________ ‪e) case name:‬‬

‫ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﺍﻟﺬﻳﻦ ﺗﻌ ّﺮﻓ ُﺖ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ ﺍﻟﻌﺮﺑﻲ ﻛﺎﻧﻮﺍ ﻟُﻄَﻔﺎء ِﺟ ّﺪﺍً ﻣﻌﻲ·‬

‫________________ ‪f ) case name:‬‬

‫َﺧ ﱠﺮ َﺟﺖ ﺍﻟﺠﺎﻣﻌﺔ ﺍﻷﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺑﻴﺮﻭﺕ ُﻭ َﺯﺭﺍء ﻭ ُﺭ َﺅﺳﺎء ﻋﺮﺑﺎً ﻛﺜﻴﺮﻳﻦ·‬

‫________________ ‪g) case name:‬‬

‫ِﻋﻨﺪﻣﺎ ُﺯﺭﻧﺎ ﺍﻟﺸﺎ َﻡ ﺭﺃَ ْﻳﻨﺎ ِﻋ ﱠﺪﺓَ َﻣﺴﺎ ِﺟﺪ ﻗَﺪﻳﻤﺔً ﻓﻲ ﻣﻨﻄﻘﺔ” ﺑﺎﺏ ﺗﻮﻣﺎ·‬

‫________________ ‪h) case name:‬‬

‫ﻧﺎﻗَ َﺸﺖ ﺍﻟ ُﻤﺘَ َﺤ ﱢﺪﺛَﺔُ ﺑﺎﺳﻢ ﺍﻟ ُﺤﻜﻮﻣﺔ ِﻋ ّﺪﺓَ َﻣﺸﺎﺭﻳﻊ ﺟﺪﻳﺪﺓ ﺗَﻨﻮﻱ ﺍﻟ ُﺤﻜﻮﻣﺔُ ﺍﻟﻘﻴﺎ َﻡ ﺑﻬﺎ·‬

‫‪An overview of case markings‬‬

‫‪Examples:‬‬ ‫‪Masculine‬‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬ ‫‪Meaning‬‬ ‫‪57‬‬

‫‪Definiteness‬‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ ُﺱ‬ ‫‪Feminine‬‬ ‫‪The engineer‬‬
‫‪Definite‬‬ ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪ ٌﺱ‬ ‫‪An engineer‬‬
‫‪Indefinite‬‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ ِﻥ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺔُ‬ ‫‪The two engineers‬‬
‫‪Definite‬‬ ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺔٌ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬

10 Indefinite ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ ِﻥ‬ ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬ Two engineers
Definite ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﻮ َﻥ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ ُﺕ‬ The engineers
Noun type Indefinite Engineers
words: ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﻮ َﻥ‬ ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ ٌﺕ‬
syntactic Definiteness Meaning
function, Definite ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬ The engineer
case name, Indefinite An engineer
and case Definite The two engineers
marking Indefinite Two engineers
Definite The engineers
Indefinite Masculine Feminine Engineers

‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺱ‬ َ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺔ‬ Meaning
ً‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ‬ ً‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺔ‬ The engineer
An engineer
‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺳ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺳﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ The two engineers
‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪ َﺳ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪ َﺳﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ Two engineers
‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﻴ َﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ ِﺕ‬ The engineers
‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﻴ َﻦ‬ ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ ٍﺕ‬ Engineers

‫ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

Definiteness Masculine Feminine

Definite ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ ِﺱ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳ ِﺔ‬
Indefinite ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪ ٍﺱ‬ ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳ ٍﺔ‬
Definite ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺳ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪ َﺳﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬
Indefinite ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪ َﺳ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬ ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪ َﺳﺘَ ْﻴ ِﻦ‬
Definite ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﻴ َﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ ِﺕ‬
Indefinite ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﻴ َﻦ‬ ‫ﻣﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎ ٍﺕ‬

Exercise: an overview of case marking

Exercise 9
Complete the three tables below by making all necessary changes to the noun

‫( ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢ ٌﻞ‬an actor).

A Fill in the blanks in this table with the noun in the singular. Please make all
necessary changes to reflect all combinations of the following attributes:
definite, indefinite, masculine, feminine, nominative case, accusative case,
genitive case.

58

The singular (‫)ﺍﻟ ُﻤﻔ َﺮﺩ‬ Exercise: an
overview of
Definite (‫) َﻣﻌ ِﺮﻓَﺔ‬ Indefinite (‫) ﻧَ ِﻜ َﺮﺓ‬ Case case marking

Feminine Masculine Feminine Masculine ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬
(‫) ُﻣ َﺆﻧﱠﺚ‬ (‫) ُﻣ َﺬ ﱠﻛﺮ‬ (‫) ُﻣ َﺆﻧﱠﺚ‬ (‫) ُﻣ َﺬ ﱠﻛﺮ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

______ ______ ______ ‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢ ٌﻞ‬
______ ______ ______
______ ______ ______ ______
______

B Fill in the blanks in this table with the noun in the dual. Please make all
necessary changes to reflect all combinations of the following attributes:
definite, indefinite, masculine, feminine, nominative case, accusative case,
genitive case.

The dual (‫) ﺍﻟ ُﻤﺜَﻨﱠﻰ‬

Definite ( ‫) َﻣﻌ ِﺮﻓَﺔ‬ Indefinite (‫) ﻧَ ِﻜ َﺮﺓ‬ Case

Feminine Masculine Feminine Masculine ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬
(‫) ُﻣ َﺆﻧﱠﺚ‬ (‫) ُﻣ َﺬ ﱠﻛﺮ‬ (‫) ُﻣ َﺆﻧﱠﺚ‬ (‫) ُﻣ َﺬ ﱠﻛﺮ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

______ ______ ______ ______
______ ______ ______ ______

______ ______ ______ ______

C Fill in the blanks in this table with the noun in the plural. Please make all
necessary changes to reflect all combinations of the following attributes:
definite, indefinite, masculine, feminine, nominative case, accusative case,
genitive case.

The plural (‫)ﺍﻟ َﺠﻤﻊ‬

Definite (‫) َﻣﻌ ِﺮﻓَﺔ‬ Indefinite ( ‫)ﻧَ ِﻜ َﺮﺓ‬ Case

Feminine Masculine Feminine Masculine

(‫) ُﻣ َﺆﻧﱠﺚ‬ (‫) ُﻣ َﺬ ﱠﻛﺮ‬ (‫) ُﻣ َﺆﻧﱠﺚ‬ (‫) ُﻣ َﺬ ﱠﻛﺮ‬

______ ______ ______ ______ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬
______ ______ ______ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬

______ ______ ______ ______

59

UNIT 11

Syntactic functions and their case markers

‫ﺍﻟﺤﺎﻟﺔ ﺍﻹﻋﺮﺍﺑﻴﺔ ﻭ ﻋﻼﻣﺎﺕ ﺍﻹﻋﺮﺍﺏ‬

The function of a word determines its case (see Syntactic function). The follow-
ing are some main functions of words and their equivalent case names:

A The following functions of words are marked ‫( ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻉ‬nominative):
‫( ﺍﻟﻔﺎ ِﻋﻞ‬subject of a verb)
‫( ﺍﻟـ ُﻤﺒﺘﺪﺃ‬subject of a ‫)ﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﺍﺳﻤﻴﺔ‬
‫( ﺍﻟـ َﺨﺒﺮ‬predicate of a ‫)ﺟﻤﻠﺔ ﺍﺳﻤﻴﺔ‬

B The following functions of words are marked ‫ ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺏ‬accusative:
‫( ﺍﻟـ َﻤﻔﻌﻮﻝ ﺑﻪ‬direct object of a verb)
‫( ﺍﻟ َﻈﺮﻑ‬adverb)

C The following functions of words are marked ‫( ﻣﺠﺮﻭﺭ‬genitive):
‫( ﺍﻟـ َﻤﺠﺮﻭﺭ ﺑﺤﺮﻑ ﺟﺮ‬the object of a preposition)
‫( ﺍﻟـ ُﻤﻀﺎﻑ ﺇﻟﻴﻪ‬the second term of an ’idafa)

60

UNIT 12

Noun types

A phrasal predicate is a nominal phrase with one of the following headwords:

1 Proper noun

Examples: ... ،ُ‫ َﺳﻤﻴﺤﺔ‬،‫ ﻟﻴﻠﻰ‬،‫ ﻣـُﺼﻄَﻔﻰ‬،‫ ﻣـُ َﺤ ّﻤ ٌﺪ‬،ُ‫ﺳـَﻤﻴﺮﺓ‬
2 Common noun

Examples: ... ،ٌ‫ ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺓ‬،‫ َﺭ ُﺟ ٌﻞ‬،ٌ‫ َﻣﺪ َﺭﺳﺔ‬،ٌ‫ َﺷ َﺠ َﺮﺓ‬،‫ﺑﺎ ٌﺏ‬
3 Adjectival noun

Examples:

،ٌ‫ َﻁﻮﻳﻠﺔ‬،‫ َﻁﻮﻳ ٌﻞ‬،‫ ُﻣﺪﻳ ٌﺮ‬،ٌ‫ُﻣﺪﻳﺮﺓ‬
... ،ٌ‫ َﺟﻤﻴﻠﺔ‬،‫ َﺟﻤﻴ ٌﻞ‬،ٌ‫ ﻣـُ َﻌﻘﱠﺪﺓ‬،‫ﻣـُ َﻌﻘﱠ ٌﺪ‬

4 Temporal or locative adverbial noun

Examples: ... ،‫ َﻭﺭﺍ َء‬،‫ ﺃﻣﺎ َﻡ‬،‫ ﺗَﺤ َﺖ‬،‫ ﻓَﻮ َﻕ‬،‫ ﻗَﺒ َﻞ‬،‫ﺑَﻌ َﺪ‬
5 Gerund

Examples:

،‫ ﺍِﺳﺘِﻘﻼ ٌﻝ‬،‫ َﺟﻤﺎ ٌﻝ‬،‫ ﻧَﺸﺎ ٌﺯ‬،‫َﺩﻣﺎ ٌﺭ‬ 61
... ،‫ ﺗَﻘﺒﻴ ٌﻞ‬،‫ﺍِﺳﺘِﻘﺒﺎ ٌﻝ‬

12 Adjectival nouns

Noun types An adjectival noun has a masculine form as well as a feminine one.

Examples of adjectival nouns in the singular:

‫ﻛﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬/‫َﻛﺒﻴﺮ‬
‫ َﺻﻐﻴﺮﺓ‬/‫َﺻﻐﻴﺮ‬

‫ﻁﺎﻟِﺒﺔ‬/‫ﻁﺎﻟﺐ‬
‫ ُﻣﺪﻳﺮﺓ‬/‫ُﻣﺪﻳﺮ‬
‫ َﺟﻤﻴﻠﺔ‬/‫َﺟﻤﻴﻞ‬
‫ﻗَﺒﻴﺤﺔ‬/‫ﻗَﺒﻴﺢ‬

The examples of adjectives above illustrate that an adjective has a masculine form
and an equivalent feminine one. In other words, adjectives exist in masculine-
feminine pairs.

The relative adjective ‫ﺍﻟﻨﱢﺴﺒﺔ‬

The relative adjective is formed by suffixing a ‫ ّﻱ‬to the masculine noun.

Example:

Egypt Egyptian (s., m.)

‫ِﻣﺼﺮ‬ ‫ِﻣﺼﺮﻱ‬

There are three exceptions:

If a noun ends in ‫ ﺓ‬or ‫ ﺍ‬or ‫ﻳﺎ‬.

To form the adjective: First, drop the last letter ‫ ﺓ‬or ‫ ﺍ‬or ‫ﻳﺎ‬, then add the ‫ﻱ‬.

Examples:

1 If the word ends in ‫ﺍ‬, such as ‫ﺃﻣﺮﻳﻜﺎ‬

America American (s., m.)

62 ‫ﺃﻣﺮﻳﻜ ّﻲ ﺃﻣﺮﻳﻜﺎ‬

2 If the word ends in ‫ﻳﺎ‬, such as ‫ﺳﻮﺭﻳﺎ‬ Exercise:

Syria Syrian (s., m.) the relative

‫ﺳﻮﺭﻳﺎ‬ ‫ﺳﻮﺭ ّﻱ‬ adjective

‫ﺍﻟﻨﱢﺴﺒﺔ‬

3 If the word ends in ‫ﺓ‬, such as ‫ﺟﺎ ِﻣﻌﺔ‬

University Academic (s., m.)

‫ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ‬ ‫ﺟﺎﻣﻌ ّﻲ‬

To form a feminine adjective, add ‫ ﺓ‬after the adjectival suffix ‫ ّﻱ‬.

Example: Egyptian Egyptian
Egypt (s., m.) (s., f.)

‫ِﻣﺼﺮ‬ ‫ِﻣﺼﺮ ّﻱ‬ ‫ِﻣﺼﺮﻳّﺔ‬

Exercise: the relative adjective ‫ﺍﻟﻨﱢﺴﺒﺔ‬

Exercise 1

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate relative adjectives. First, for each statement,
identify the suitable word from the glossary below. Then make all the necessary
changes to each selected word from the glossary below to convert it to an adjective
that agrees with the noun that it qualifies. That is, the relative adjective must agree
with the noun that it qualifies in terms of number, gender, and definiteness.

Glossary ‫ﺍﻟﺴﻌﻮﺩﻳﺔ‬
Saudi Arabia ‫ﺇﻳﻄﺎﻟﻴﺎ‬
Italy ‫ﺇﺳﺒﺎﻧﻴﺎ‬
Spain ‫ﻓﺮﻧﺴﺎ‬
France ‫ﺗﺮﻛﻴﺎ‬
Turkey ‫ِﻣﺼﺮ‬
Egypt

63

12 Arab ‫( ﻋﺮﺏ‬s., m.)
coffee ‫( ﻗﻬﻮﺓ‬s., f.)
Noun types bank ‫( ﺍﻟﺒﻨﻚ‬s., m.)
literature ‫( ﺍﻷَ َﺩﺏ‬s., m.)

a) a Saudi man ________ ‫ﺭﺟﻞ‬
b) the Turkish coffee (s., f.) ________ ‫ﺍﻟﻘﻬﻮﺓ‬
c) the Arab bank (s., m.) ________ ‫ﺍﻟﺒﻨﻚ‬
d) Italian girl ________ ‫ﺑﻨﺖ‬

e) The book, Alf Leila Wa Leila, is one of the great

works in the history of Arab Literature (s., m.).

‫ﻛﺘﺎﺏ ‘‘ﺃﻟﻒ ﻟﻴﻠﺔ ﻭﻟﻴﻠﺔ’’ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻷﻋﻤﺎﻝ‬
________ ‫ﺍﻟﻌﻈﻴﻤﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺗﺎﺭﻳﺦ ﺍﻷﺩﺏ‬

f) I {study/am studying} Spanish literature (s., m.)

  _________ ‫ﺃﺩ ُﺭﺱ ﺍﻷَ َﺩﺏ‬

g) She’s an Egyptian from the city of Tanta

‫ﻫﻲ _________ ﻣﻦ ﻣﺪﻳﻨﺔ ﻁﻨﻄﺎ‬
h) the Egyptian student (s., m.) _________ ‫ﺍﻟﻄﺎﻟﺐ‬

Substantive nouns

Examples of masculine substantive nouns:

‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺏ‬ a book
‫ﺷﺎﺭﻉ‬ a street
a cup
‫ﻓِﻨﺠﺎﻥ‬ a house
‫ﺑَﻴﺖ‬

64

Examples of feminine substantive nouns: Gerunds

‫ﺳﻴﺎﺭﺓ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺼﺪﺭ‬
‫ﻁﺎﻭﻟﺔ‬
‫ﺷﺠﺮﺓ‬ a car
  ‫ﺷﻘّﺔ‬ a table
a tree
an apartment

The masculine and feminine examples of substantive nouns above illustrate that
a substantive is either masculine or feminine. There aren’t masculine-feminine
pairs of the same substantive.

Gerunds ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺼﺪﺭ‬

Gerunds and verb

‫ﺮ‬Aِ‫ﺼﻳُ َﺪﺴﺎﺭﻓ‬, h‫َﻣ‬e tcraanveilss,diesr‫ﺮ‬ivَ‫ﻔ‬e‫ ﱠﺴ‬d‫ﺍﻟ‬f.ro(SmeeaWveorrbd.–Fnoour nexpaamrapdlieg,mth.)eD‫ﺭ‬e‫ﺪ‬pَ ‫ﺼ‬end‫ َﻣ‬infgroomn the verb
how it is

used, it can have either the meaning “travelling”, or the meaning of the English

infinitive “to travel”.

Gerunds and gender

A gerund is either masculine or feminine. There are no masculine-feminine pairs
of the same gerund.

Examples of masculine gerunds:

‫َﺷﺮﺡ‬ (an) explanation
‫ُﻭﺟﻮﺩ‬ (an) existence
‫ﻗُﺒﻮﻝ‬ (an) acceptance
walking (e.g. Walking is beneficial.)
‫َﻣﺸﻲ‬

Examples of feminine gerunds:

‫ﻗِﺮﺍءﺓ‬ reading
‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺑﺔ‬ writing
‫َﻏﺒﺎﻭﺓ‬ stupidity
‫َﺣﻼﻭﺓ‬ sweetness

65

12 Exercises: gerunds

Noun types

Exercise 2

Rewrite the following sentence by substituting the word ‫( َﻣﺸﻲ‬walking) with the

prompts provided. Make all other necessary changes.
He likes walking because it strengthens the mind.

a) walking ‫ﻫﻮ ﻳﺤﺐ ﺍﻟﻤﺸﻰ ِﻷﻧﻪ ﻳُﻘَ ّﻮﻯ ﺍﻟ َﻌﻘﻞ‬
b) reading
c) writing  _________________________________________

 _________________________________________

Exercise 3

Study the sentences below. Underline the ‫ ﻣﺼﺪﺭ‬in each sentence.

a) ‫ﺃﻛﻞ ﺍﻟﻔﻄﺎﺭ ُﻣﻔﻴﺪ‬
b) ‫ﺍﻟﻄﻔﻞ ﻻ ﻳﺤﺐ ﺍﻻ ْﺳﺘِﺤﻤﺎﻡ‬
c) ‫ﺍﻟﺒﻨﺖ ﺗﺴﺘﻤﺘﻊ ﺑﻘﺮﺍءﺓ ﺍﻟﻜﺘﺐ‬
d) ‫ﺍﻟﺘﺎﺟﺮ ﻳُ ﱢﺤﺐ ﺍﻹﻗﺎﻣﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻤﺪﻥ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴﺮﺓ‬
e) ‫ﺍﺯﺩﺍﺩ ﻋﺪ ُﺩ ﺍﻟ ُﻤﺤ ّﺠﺒﺎﺕ ﻓﻲ ﻫﺬﻩ ﺍﻟﻤﻨﻄﻘﺔ‬
f) ‫ﺍﻷُﺳﺘﺎﺫ ﻻ ﻳﺤ ﱡﺐ ﺍﻟﺘَﺪﺭﻳﺲ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺼﺒﺎﺡ‬
g) ‫ﻋﻘﻴﻞ ﻛﺎﻥ ﻳﺤﺐ ُﺷﺮﺏ ﺍﻟﻘﻬﻮﺓ‬
h) ‫ﺍﻟ ُﺸﻌﻮﺭ ﺑﺎﻟﻮﺣﺪﺓ ﺻﻌﺐ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﺠﻤﻴﻊ‬
i) ‫ﺩﺍﻟﻴﺎ ﺗُ ِﺤﺐ ﺍﻟ ﱠﺴﻔَﺮ‬

66

UNIT 13

The “human” vs “non-human”
classification of nouns

Arabic nouns fall into two broad categories (kingdoms in other systems). The

first category, ‫ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻗِﻞ‬, meaning “rational”, is only in reference to humans. The
other category, ‫ﻏﻴﺮ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻗِﻞ‬, meaning “not rational”, includes everything else (i.e.

animal, vegetable, and mineral).

Gender and non-human nouns

Arabic has no neutral category, i.e. it; there are only masculine and feminine.

In the singular, the word “it” is either masculine (‫ )ﻫﻮ‬or feminine (‫)ﻫﻲ‬. So, a

non-human noun is either:

masculine or feminine
or
‫ﻫﻮ – ُﻣ َﺬ ﱠﻛﺮ‬ ‫ﻫﻲ – ُﻣ َﺆﻧﱠﺚ‬.

Examples: ‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﻫﻮ ﺍﻟ ُﻜﺮﺳﻰ‬
This is the chair (m.) ‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﻫﻰ ﺍﻟ َﺸﻘّﺔ‬
This is the apartment (f.)

Non-human referents are often made explicit. Thus, Arabic equivalents of
English expressions such as “It is hot”, “It is night”, or “It is difficult” tend not

to use proform equivalents of “it”, such as ‫ ﻫﻮ‬and ‫ﻫﻲ‬. Instead a commonly

understood or commonly interpreted referent of “it” is used.

Examples: It (i.e. the weather) is hot 67
It (i.e. the time) is night
‫ﺍﻟ َﺠ ّﻮ ﺣﺎﺭ‬ It (i.e. the problem) is difficult
‫ﺍﻟﻮﻗ ُﺖ ﻟﻴﻞ‬
‫ﺍﻟـﻤـُﺸﻜﻠﺔ ﺻﻌﺒﺔ‬

13 Exercise: gender and non-human nouns

The “human” Exercise 1
vs “non- Fill in the blanks. Below is a glossary of terms for reference.
human”
classification
of nouns

Glossary car
ambulance
‫َﺳﻴّﺎﺭﺓ‬ fast
‫ﺇﺳﻌﺎﻑ‬
‫ﺳﺮﻳﻊ‬

1 The car (f.) is fast _________ ‫ﺍﻟ َﺴﻴّﺎﺭﺓ‬
2 It (the car, f.) is fast ‫_________ َﺳﺮﻳﻌﺔ‬
3 The ambulance (m.) is fast _________ ‫ﺍﻹﺳﻌﺎﻑ‬
4 It (the ambulance, m.) is fast ‫_________ ﺳﺮﻳﻊ‬

Gender and human nouns

A human noun can have a masculine and a feminine form. To make a masculine

noun feminine, add a ‫ﺗﺄء َﻣﺮﺑﻮﻁﺔ‬.

Example: Masculine
Professor Feminine

‫ﺃُﺳﺘﺎﺫ‬
‫ﺃُﺳﺘﺎﺫﺓ‬

Exercise: gender and human nouns

Exercise 2

Rewrite the following by turning the masculine human nouns into feminine.
Please make all necessary changes to ensure agreement. Write the answers in the
blank spaces below.

a) He is a professor   ‫ﻫﻮ ﺃُﺳﺘﺎﺫ‬
She is a professor
_________________

b) He is a student  ‫ﻫﻮ ﻁﺎﻟﺐ‬
68 She is a student
_________________

c) He is American  ‫ﻫﻮ ﺃﻣﺮﻳﻜﻲ‬ Exercise:
She is American number in
_________________ human and
non-human
Number in human and non-human nouns nouns
and their adjectives and their
adjectives
Concerning the number in nouns, Arabic distinguishes between human and non-
human nouns.

Non-human plural nouns are treated like singular feminine nouns in a sen-
tence. Therefore, the adjectives for non-human plural nouns will always be sin-
gular and feminine.

Examples:

non-human noun and adjective meaning

‫ﺳﻴﺎﺭﺍﺕ ﺃﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴّﺔ‬ American (s., f.) cars (pl., f.)
‫ﺳﻴﺎﺭﺓ ﺃﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴّﺔ‬ American (s., f.) car (s., f.)
‫ﺷﻮﺍ ِﺭﻉ ﻭﺍ ِﺳﻌﺔ‬ wide (s., f.) streets (pl.)
‫ﺷﺎﺭﻉ ﻭﺍ ِﺳﻊ‬ wide (s., m.) street (s., m.)

Only human adjectives can be plural and feminine or masculine.

Examples: meaning
American student (s., m.)
human noun and adjective American student (s., f.)
American (pl., m.) students (pl., m.)
‫ﻁﺎﻟِﺐ ﺃﻣﺮﻳﻜ ّﻲ‬ American (pl., f.) students (pl., f.)
‫ﻁﺎﻟِﺒﺔ ﺃﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴّﺔ‬
‫ﻁُﻼّﺏ ﺃﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴّﻮﻥ‬
‫ﻁﺎﻟِﺒﺎﺕ ﺃﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴّﺎﺕ‬

Exercise: number in human and non-human
nouns and their adjectives

Exercise 3 69

Fill in the blank spaces below with the appropriate adjective. Use the glossary
below to identify the relevant adjective. Then make all the necessary adjustments
to the number and gender of the adjective to ensure agreement with the noun.

13 Glossary languages (pl.)
European (s., m.)
The “human” ‫ﻟُﻐﺎﺕ‬ translators (pl., m.)
vs “non- ‫ﺃﻭﺭﻭﺑ ّﻲ‬ Arab (pl.)
human” ‫ُﻣﺘَﺮ ِﺟﻤﻮﻥ‬ employees (pl., f.)
classification new (s., m.)
of nouns ‫َﻋ َﺮﺏ‬ things
‫ﻣﻮﻅّﻔﺎﺕ‬ Japanese (s., m.)
Lebanese (s., m.)
‫ﺟﺪﻳﺪ‬
‫ﺃﺷﻴﺎ َء‬
‫ﻳﺎﺑﺎﻧـ ّﻲ‬
‫ﻟُﺒﻨﺎﻧ ّﻲ‬

a) Italian, Spanish, and French are European languages.

_________ ‫ﺍﻹﻳﻄﺎﻟﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﻹﺳﺒﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﻔﺮﻧﺴﻴﺔ ﻟُﻐﺎﺕ‬

b) Lebanese friends

________ ‫ﺃﺻﺤﺎﺏ‬

c) Arab translators at the UN

‫ُﻣﺘَﺮ ِﺟﻤﻮﻥ ______ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻷُ َﻣﻢ ﺍﻟ ُﻤﺘﱠ ِﺤﺪﺓ‬

d) Miss Muna, Miss Wafa’ and Mrs Mary are new employees.

_________ ‫ﺍﻵﻧِﺴﺔ ُﻣﻨﻰ ﻭﺍﻵﻧِﺴﺔ ﻭﻓﺎء ﻭﺍﻟﺴﻴﺪﺓ ﻣﺎﺭﻱ ﻣﻮﻅّﻔﺎﺕ‬

e) Today, the history professor taught us new things about ancient Central
Asian history.

_________ ‫ﺍﻟﻴﻮ َﻡ ﺃﺳﺘﺎ ُﺫ ﺍﻟﺘﺎﺭﻳ ِﺦ ﻋﻠﱠﻤﻨﺎ ﺃﺷﻴﺎ َء‬
‫ﻋﻦ ﺗﺎﺭﻳ ِﺦ ﺁﺳﻴﺎ ﺍﻟ ُﻮ ْﺳ َﻄﻰ ﺍﻟﻘﺪﻳﻢ‬.

f ) Honda, Isuzu and Toyota are Japanese cars.

_________ ‫ﻫﻮﻧﺪﺍ ﻭﺇﻳﺴﻮﺯﻭ ﻭﺗﻮﻳﻮﺗﺎ َﺳﻴّﺎﺭﺍﺕ‬

70

UNIT 14

The human category nouns

I. Singular human

Reference to singular masculine human nouns

Masculine singular human nouns are referred to by the pronoun ‫ﻫﻮ‬, or by the
demonstrative ‫ﻫﺬﺍ‬.

Examples: This man
This is a man
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟ َﺮ ُﺟﻞ‬ This is the man
‫ﻫﺬﺍ َﺭ ُﺟﻞ‬
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﻫﻮ ﺍﻟ َﺮ ُﺟﻞ‬

Exercise: reference to singular masculine human nouns

Exercise 1

Study the sentences below and the pronouns and/or demonstratives in each
sentence. Draw a line under each pronoun and/or demonstrative referencing a
singular masculine human noun. In the blank spaces below, write the specific
pronoun and/or demonstrative. Where, for example, the pronoun is affixed to
part of another word, only write the independent pronoun. If there are no refer-
ences to singular, masculine human nouns, write “none” in the blank spaces.

Glossary restless 71
far-sighted
‫ﻛﺜﻴ ُﺮ ﺍﻟﺤﺮﻛﺔ‬ cute/funny
‫ﺑﻌﻴﺪﺓُ ﺍﻟﻨﻈﺮ‬ quick-witted
‫ﺧﻔﻴﻔﺔُ ﺍﻟﺪ ِﻡ‬
‫ﻭﺳﺮﻳﻌﺔُ ﺍﻟﺒﺪﻳﻬﺔ‬

‫‪14‬‬ ‫‪ tall‬ﺍﻟﻄﻮﻳ ُﻞ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﻣ ِﺔ‬
‫‪ handsome‬ﺍﻟﺠﻤﻴ ُﻞ ﺍﻟﻮﺟﻪ‬
‫‪The human‬‬
‫‪category‬‬ ‫ﻗﻠﻴ ُﻞ ﺍﻟﻜﻼﻡ‬ ‫‪silent, not wordy‬‬
‫‪nouns‬‬ ‫ﺟﻤﻴﻠﺔُ ﺍﻟ َﻤﻨﺎ ِﻅ ِﺮ‬ ‫‪pretty, scenic‬‬
‫‪kind-hearted, generous‬‬
‫‪72‬‬ ‫ﻁَﻴّﺒﺔ ﺍﻟﻘﻠﺐ‬

‫‪ in broad circulation‬ﺍﻟﻮﺍﺳﻌ ِﺔ ﺍﻻﻧﺘﺸﺎﺭ‬
‫‪ unpleasant‬ﺛﻘﻴ ُﻞ ﺍﻟ ّﺪ ِﻡ‬

‫‪ pale-faced or jaundiced‬ﺃﺻﻔَ ُﺮ ﺍﻟ َﻮﺟﻪ‬

‫__________________________________________________ )‪a‬‬

‫ﻻ ﻳﺴﺘﻄﻴﻊ ﺃﺧﻲ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺠﻠﺲ ﻓﻲ ﻣﻜﺎﻥ ﻭﺍﺣﺪ ﻣﺪﺓ ﻁﻮﻳﻠﺔ‪ ،‬ﻓﻬﻮ ﻛﺜﻴ ُﺮ ﺍﻟﺤﺮﻛﺔ‬

‫__________________________________________________ )‪b‬‬

‫ﻭﺍﻟﺪﺗﻲ ﺇﻧﺴﺎﻧﺔ ﺑﻌﻴﺪﺓُ ﺍﻟﻨﻈﺮ ﺗُﻔَـ ّﻜﺮ ﺩﺍﺋﻤﺎً ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟ ُﻤﺴﺘﻘﺒﻞ‬

‫__________________________________________________ )‪c‬‬

‫ﺗﻌﺠﺒﻨﻲ ﺷﺨﺼﻴﺘﻬﺎ ﻷﻧّﻬﺎ ﺧﻔﻴﻔﺔُ ﺍﻟﺪ ِﻡ ﻭﺳﺮﻳﻌﺔُ ﺍﻟﺒﺪﻳﻬﺔ‬

‫__________________________________________________ )‪d‬‬

‫َﻣﻦ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﺸﺎ ّﺏ ﺍﻟﻄﻮﻳ ُﻞ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﻣ ِﺔ ﺍﻟﺠﻤﻴ ُﻞ ﺍﻟﻮﺟﻪ؟‬

‫__________________________________________________ )‪e‬‬

‫ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺼﻌﺐ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺘﻌ ّﺮﻑ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﻷﻧّﻪ ﺧﺠﻮ ٌﻝ ﻭﻗﻠﻴ ُﻞ ﺍﻟﻜﻼﻡ‬

‫__________________________________________________ ) ‪f‬‬

‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﻣﻨﻄﻘﺔ ﺟﻤﻴﻠﺔُ ﺍﻟ َﻤﻨﺎ ِﻅ ِﺮ ﻭﻟﺬﻟﻚ ﻳَﻘ ِﺼ ُﺪﻫﺎ ﻧﺎ ٌﺱ ﻛﺜﻴﺮﻭ َﻥ ﻛ ّﻞ ﻋﺎﻡ‬

‫__________________________________________________ )‪g‬‬

‫ﺟﺮﻳﺪﺓ ﺍﻟــ ’’ﻭﺍﺷﻨﻄﻮﻥ ﺑﻮﺳﺖ“ ﻭﺍﻟـ ’’ﻧﻴﻮﻳﻮﺭﻙ ﺗﺎﻳﻤﺰ“ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺠﺮﺍﺋﺪ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻮﺍﺳﻌ ِﺔ ﺍﻻﻧﺘﺸﺎﺭ‬

‫__________________________________________________ )‪h‬‬

‫ﻳﺒﺪﻭ ﺃﻧّﻚ ﺗﻌﺒﺎﻥ ﺟﺪﺍً ﻭﺃﺻﻔَ ُﺮ ﺍﻟ َﻮﺟﻪ‪ ،‬ﻫﻞ ﺃﻧ َﺖ َﻣﺮﻳﺾ؟‬

‫__________________________________________________ )‪i‬‬

‫ﻫﻲ َﻁﻴّﺒﺔ ﺍﻟﻘﻠﺐ‪ ،‬ﺗﺤ ّﺐ ﻛ ّﻞ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﻭﺗﺤﺎﻭﻝ ﺃﻥ ﺗﺴﺎﻋﺪﻫﻢ‬

‫__________________________________________________ )‪j‬‬

‫ﻫﻮ ﺷﺨﺺ ﺛﻘﻴ ُﻞ ﺍﻟ ّﺪ ِﻡ‪ ،‬ﻻ ﺃﺳﺘﻄﻴﻊ ﺍﻟ ُﺠﻠﻮﺱ ﻣﻌﻪ ﺃﻛﺜﺮ ﻣﻦ ﺩﻗﻴﻘﺘﻴﻦ‬

Reference to singular feminine human nouns Exercise:
reference to
Feminine singular human nouns are referred to by the pronoun ‫ﻫﻲ‬, or by the singular fem-
demonstrative ‫ﻫﺬﻩ‬. inine human
nouns

Examples: This woman
This is a woman
‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺮﺃﺓ‬ This is the woman
‫)ﻫﺬﻩ ﺍِﻣﺮﺃﺓ( ﻫﺬﻩ َﻣﺮﺃﺓ‬

‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﻫﻲ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺮﺃﺓ‬

Exercise: reference to singular feminine human nouns

Exercise 2

Study the sentences below and the pronouns and/or demonstratives in each
sentence. Draw a line under each pronoun and/or demonstrative referencing a
singular feminine human noun. In the blank spaces below, write the specific pro-
noun and/or demonstrative. Where, for example, the pronoun is affixed to part of
another word, only write the independent pronoun. If there are no references to
singular feminine human nouns, write “none” in the blank spaces.

Glossary restless ‫ﺟﻤﻴﻠﺔُ ﺍﻟ َﻤﻨﺎ ِﻅ ِﺮ‬ pretty, scenic
far-sighted ‫ﻁَﻴّﺒﺔ ﺍﻟﻘﻠﺐ‬
‫ﻛﺜﻴ ُﺮ ﺍﻟﺤﺮﻛﺔ‬ cute/funny kind-hearted,
‫ﺑﻌﻴﺪﺓُ ﺍﻟﻨﻈﺮ‬ quick-witted ‫ﺍﻟﻮﺍﺳﻌ ِﺔ ﺍﻻﻧﺘﺸﺎﺭ‬ generous
tall ‫ﺛﻘﻴ ُﻞ ﺍﻟ ّﺪ ِﻡ‬
‫ﺧﻔﻴﻔﺔُ ﺍﻟﺪ ِﻡ‬ handsome in broad
‫ﻭﺳﺮﻳﻌﺔُ ﺍﻟﺒﺪﻳﻬﺔ‬ silent, not ‫ﺃﺻﻔَ ُﺮ ﺍﻟ َﻮﺟﻪ‬ circulation
wordy
‫ﺍﻟﻄﻮﻳ ُﻞ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﻣ ِﺔ‬ unpleasant
‫ﺍﻟﺠﻤﻴ ُﻞ ﺍﻟﻮﺟﻪ‬
pale-faced or
‫ﻗﻠﻴ ُﻞ ﺍﻟﻜﻼﻡ‬ jaundiced

a) __________________________________________________

‫ ﻓﻬﻮ ﻛﺜﻴ ُﺮ ﺍﻟﺤﺮﻛﺔ‬،‫ﻻ ﻳﺴﺘﻄﻴﻊ ﺃﺧﻲ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺠﻠﺲ ﻓﻲ ﻣﻜﺎﻥ ﻭﺍﺣﺪ ﻣﺪﺓ ﻁﻮﻳﻠﺔ‬ 73

b) __________________________________________________

‫ﻭﺍﻟﺪﺗﻲ ﺇﻧﺴﺎﻧﺔ ﺑﻌﻴﺪﺓُ ﺍﻟﻨﻈﺮ ﺗُﻔَـ ّﻜﺮ ﺩﺍﺋﻤﺎً ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟ ُﻤﺴﺘﻘﺒﻞ‬

c) __________________________________________________

‫ﺗﻌﺠﺒﻨﻲ ﺷﺨﺼﻴﺘﻬﺎ ﻷﻧّﻬﺎ ﺧﻔﻴﻔﺔُ ﺍﻟﺪ ِﻡ ﻭﺳﺮﻳﻌﺔُ ﺍﻟﺒﺪﻳﻬﺔ‬

14 d) __________________________________________________

The human ‫َﻣﻦ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﺸﺎ ّﺏ ﺍﻟﻄﻮﻳ ُﻞ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﻣ ِﺔ ﺍﻟﺠﻤﻴ ُﻞ ﺍﻟﻮﺟﻪ؟‬
category
nouns e) __________________________________________________

‫ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺼﻌﺐ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺘﻌ ّﺮﻑ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﻷﻧّﻪ ﺧﺠﻮ ٌﻝ ﻭﻗﻠﻴ ُﻞ ﺍﻟﻜﻼﻡ‬

f) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﻣﻨﻄﻘﺔ ﺟﻤﻴﻠﺔُ ﺍﻟ َﻤﻨﺎ ِﻅ ِﺮ ﻭﻟﺬﻟﻚ ﻳَﻘ ِﺼ ُﺪﻫﺎ ﻧﺎ ٌﺱ ﻛﺜﻴﺮﻭ َﻥ ﻛ ّﻞ ﻋﺎﻡ‬

g) __________________________________________________

‫ﺟﺮﻳﺪﺓ ﺍﻟــ ’’ﻭﺍﺷﻨﻄﻮﻥ ﺑﻮﺳﺖ“ ﻭﺍﻟـ ’’ﻧﻴﻮﻳﻮﺭﻙ ﺗﺎﻳﻤﺰ“ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺠﺮﺍﺋﺪ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻮﺍﺳﻌ ِﺔ ﺍﻻﻧﺘﺸﺎﺭ‬

h) __________________________________________________

‫ ﻫﻞ ﺃﻧ َﺖ َﻣﺮﻳﺾ؟‬،‫ﻳﺒﺪﻭ ﺃﻧّﻚ ﺗﻌﺒﺎﻥ ﺟﺪﺍً ﻭﺃﺻﻔَ ُﺮ ﺍﻟ َﻮﺟﻪ‬

i) __________________________________________________

‫ ﺗﺤ ّﺐ ﻛ ّﻞ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﻭﺗﺤﺎﻭﻝ ﺃﻥ ﺗﺴﺎﻋﺪﻫﻢ‬،‫ﻫﻲ َﻁﻴّﺒﺔ ﺍﻟﻘﻠﺐ‬

j) __________________________________________________

‫ ﻻ ﺃﺳﺘﻄﻴﻊ ﺍﻟ ُﺠﻠﻮﺱ ﻣﻌﻪ ﺃﻛﺜﺮ ﻣﻦ ﺩﻗﻴﻘﺘﻴﻦ‬،‫ﻫﻮ ﺷﺨﺺ ﺛﻘﻴ ُﻞ ﺍﻟ ّﺪ ِﻡ‬

Summary: reference to singular human nouns

Predictably, in the singular, gender determines which pronouns and demonstra-
tives are used to reference a noun:

Masculine: Feminine:

Pronoun: ‫ﻫﻮ‬ Pronoun: ‫ﻫﻲ‬
Demonstrative: ‫ﻫﺬﺍ‬ Demonstrative: ‫ﻫﺬﻩ‬

Exercises: summary – reference to singular human nouns

Exercise 3
Rewrite the sentences below and change pronouns and demonstratives that are
singular masculine human to singular feminine human. Please make all neces-
sary changes to ensure agreement. Write the answers in the blank spaces below.
a) __________________________________________________

،‫ﻻ ﻳﺴﺘﻄﻴﻊ ﺃﺧﻲ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺠﻠﺲ ﻓﻲ ﻣﻜﺎﻥ ﻭﺍﺣﺪ ﻣﺪﺓ ﻁﻮﻳﻠﺔ‬
74 ‫ﻓﻬﻮ ﻛﺜﻴ ُﺮ ﺍﻟﺤﺮﻛﺔ‬

b) __________________________________________________ Reference
to masculine
‫َﻣﻦ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﺸﺎ ّﺏ ﺍﻟﻄﻮﻳ ُﻞ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﻣ ِﺔ ﺍﻟﺠﻤﻴ ُﻞ ﺍﻟﻮﺟﻪ؟‬ dual human
nouns
c) __________________________________________________

‫ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺼﻌﺐ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺘﻌ ّﺮﻑ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﻷﻧّﻪ ﺧﺠﻮ ٌﻝ ﻭﻗﻠﻴ ُﻞ ﺍﻟﻜﻼﻡ‬

d) __________________________________________________

،‫ﻫﻮ ﺷﺨﺺ ﺛﻘﻴ ُﻞ ﺍﻟ ّﺪﻡ‬
‫ﻻ ﺃﺳﺘﻄﻴﻊ ﺍﻟ ُﺠﻠﻮﺱ ﻣﻌﻪ ﺃﻛﺜﺮ ﻣﻦ ﺩﻗﻴﻘﺘﻲ‬

Exercise 4

Rewrite the sentences below and change pronouns and demonstratives that are
singular feminine human to singular masculine human. Please make all neces-
sary changes to ensure agreement. Write the answers in the blank spaces below.

Glossary

area/place ‫( ﻣﻨﻄﻘﺔ‬s., f.) area/place ‫( ﻣﻜﺎﻥ‬s., m.)

a) __________________________________________________

‫ﺗﻌﺠﺒﻨﻲ ﺷﺨﺼﻴﺘﻬﺎ ﻷﻧّﻬﺎ ﺧﻔﻴﻔﺔُ ﺍﻟﺪ ِﻡ ﻭﺳﺮﻳﻌﺔُ ﺍﻟﺒﺪﻳﻬﺔ‬

b) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﻣﻨﻄﻘﺔ ﺟﻤﻴﻠﺔُ ﺍﻟ َﻤﻨﺎ ِﻅ ِﺮ ﻭﻟﺬﻟﻚ ﻳَﻘ ِﺼ ُﺪﻫﺎ ﻧﺎ ٌﺱ ﻛﺜﻴﺮﻭ َﻥ ﻛ ّﻞ ﻋﺎﻡ‬

c) __________________________________________________

‫ ﺗﺤ ّﺐ ﻛ ّﻞ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﻭﺗﺤﺎﻭﻝ ﺃﻥ ﺗﺴﺎﻋﺪﻫﻢ‬،‫ﻫﻲ ﻁَﻴّﺒﺔ ﺍﻟﻘﻠﺐ‬

II. Dual human

Reference to masculine dual human nouns

Masculine dual human nouns can be referred to by the pronoun ‫ﻫُﻤﺎ‬, or by the
demonstrative ‫ ﻫﺬﺍﻥ‬if the noun is in the nominative case, or the demonstrative
‫ ﻫﺬﻳﻦ‬if the noun is either in the accusative or genitive case.

Examples: These two men 75
These are two men
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ِﻥ ﺍﻟ َﺮ ُﺟﻼﻥ‬ These are the two men
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ِﻥ َﺭ ُﺟﻼﻥ‬
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ِﻥ ﻫُﻤﺎ ﺍﻟ َﺮ ُﺟﻼﻥ‬

14 Exercise: reference to masculine dual human nouns

The human Exercise 5
category
nouns Study the sentences below and the pronouns and/or demonstratives in each sen-
tence. Draw a line under each pronoun and/or demonstrative referencing a mas-
culine dual human noun. In the blank spaces below, write the specific pronoun
and/or demonstrative. If there are no references to masculine dual human nouns,
write “none” in the blank spaces.

a) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺬﺍﻥ ﻫﻤﺎ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎﻥ‬

b) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺬﺍﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎﻥ ﺃﺳﺴﺎ ﺷﺮﻛﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻡ ﺍﻟﻤﺎﺿﻲ‬

c) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺎﺗﺎﻥ ﻫﻤﺎ ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺮﺿﺘﺎﻥ‬

d) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺎﺗﺎﻥ ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺮﺿﺘﺎﻥ ﺃﺳﺴﺘﺎ ﻋﻴﺎﺩﺓ ﻣﺠﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻡ ﺍﻟﻤﺎﺿﻲ‬

Reference to feminine dual human nouns

Feminine dual human nouns are referred to by the pronoun ‫ﻫُﻤﺎ‬, or by the demon-
tshtreatniovuen‫ ِﻥ‬i‫ﺎ‬s‫ﺎﺗ‬i‫ﻫ‬n if the noun is in the nominative case, or the demonstrative ‫ﻫﺎﺗﻴﻦ‬ if
either the accusative or genitive case.

Examples: These two women
These are two women
‫ﻫﺎﺗﺎ ِﻥ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺮﺃﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬ These are the two women
‫ﻫﺎﺗﺎ ِﻥ َﻣﺮﺃﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬
‫ﻫﺎﺗﺎ ِﻥ ﻫُﻤﺎ ﺍﻟ َﻤﺮﺃﺗﺎ ِﻥ‬

Exercise: reference to feminine dual human nouns

Exercise 6

Study the sentences below and the pronouns and/or demonstratives in each
sentence. Draw a line under each pronoun and/or demonstrative referencing a
feminine dual human noun. In the blank spaces below, write the specific pronoun
and/or demonstrative. If there are no references to feminine dual human nouns,
76 write “none” in the blank spaces.

a) __________________________________________________ Exercises:
summary
‫ﻫﺬﺍﻥ ﻫﻤﺎ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎﻥ‬ reference to
dual human
b) __________________________________________________ nouns

‫ﻫﺬﺍﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎﻥ ﺃﺳﺴﺎ ﺷﺮﻛﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻡ ﺍﻟﻤﺎﺿﻲ‬

c) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺎﺗﺎﻥ ﻫﻤﺎ ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺮﺿﺘﺎﻥ‬

d) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺎﺗﺎﻥ ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺮﺿﺘﺎﻥ ﺃﺳﺴﺘﺎ ﻋﻴﺎﺩﺓ ﻣﺠﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻡ ﺍﻟﻤﺎﺿﻲ‬

Summary: reference to dual human nouns

With demonstratives, reference to the dual masculine requires a masculine
demonstrative, while reference to the dual feminine requires a feminine one:

Masculine: ‫ ﻫﺬﺍﻳﻦ‬،‫ﻫﺬﺍ ِﻥ‬
Feminine: ‫ ﻫﺎﺗﻴﻦ‬،‫ﻫﺎﺗﺎﻥ‬

However, reference to the masculine dual and the feminine dual is by the same
pronoun:

Masculine: ‫ﻫُﻤﺎ‬
Feminine: ‫ﻫُﻤﺎ‬

Exercises: summary reference to dual human nouns

Exercise 7 77

Rewrite the sentences below and change the pronouns and demonstratives that
are dual masculine human to dual feminine human. Please make all necessary
changes to ensure agreement. Write the answers in the blank spaces below.

These are the (two m.) children

‫ﻫﺬﺍﻥ ﻫﻤﺎ ﺍﻟﻄﻔﻼﻥ‬

These are the (two f.) children
________________________

These (two m.) engineers founded a company last year

‫ﻫﺬﺍﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳﺎﻥ ﺃﺳﺴﺎ ﺷﺮﻛﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻡ ﺍﻟﻤﺎﺿﻲ‬

These (two f.) engineers founded a company last year
________________________________________________

14 Exercise 8

The human Rewrite the sentences below and change the pronouns and demonstratives that
category are dual feminine human to dual masculine human. Please make all necessary
nouns changes to ensure agreement. Write the answers in the blank spaces below.

These (two f.) nurses founded a free clinic last year

‫ﻫﺎﺗﺎﻥ ﺍﻟ ُﻤ َﻤﺮﺿﺘﺎﻥ ﺃﺳﺴﺘﺎ ﻋﻴﺎﺩﺓ ﻣﺠﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻡ ﺍﻟﻤﺎﺿﻲ‬

These (two m.) nurses founded a free clinic last year
________________________________________________

These are nurses (d., f.)

‫ﻫﺎﺗﺎﻥ ﻫﻤﺎ ُﻣ َﻤﺮﺿﺘﺎﻥ‬

These are nurses (d., m.)
________________________________________________

III. Plural human

Reference to masculine plural human nouns

Plural masculine human nouns are referred to by the pronoun ‫ﻫُﻢ‬, or by the demon-
strative ‫ﻫﺆﻻء‬.

Examples: These men
These are men
‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﺍﻟ ِﺮﺟﺎﻝ‬ These are the men
‫ﻫﺆﻻء ِﺭﺟﺎﻝ‬
‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻫُﻢ ﺍﻟ ِﺮﺟﺎﻝ‬

Exercise: reference to masculine plural human nouns

Exercise 9

Study the sentences below and the pronouns and/or demonstratives in each sen-
tence. Draw a line under each pronoun and/or demonstrative referencing a mas-
culine plural human noun. In the blank spaces, write the specific pronoun and/or
demonstrative. If there are no references to masculine dual human nouns, write
“none” in the blank spaces.

78

a) __________________________________________________ Exercise:
reference
‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻫﻢ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎء‬ to feminine
plural human
b) __________________________________________________ nouns

‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻋﻠﻤﺎء‬

c) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻫﻦ ﺍﻟﻤﺤﺘﺮﻓﺎﺕ‬

d) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻫﻢ ﺍﻟﻤﺤﺘﺮﻓﻮﻥ‬

e) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻫﻢ ﺍﻟﺘﻼﻣﻴﺬ‬

f ) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﺗﻼﻣﻴﺬ‬

g) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻫﻦ ُﻣﺘﺮﺟﻤﺎﺕ‬

h) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﺍﻟﻤﺘﺮﺟﻤﺎﺕ‬

Reference to feminine plural human nouns

Plural feminine human nouns are referred to by the pronoun ‫ﻫُ ﱠﻦ‬, or by the demon-
strative ‫ﻫﺆﻻء‬.

Examples: These women
These are women
‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﺍﻟﻨﺴﺎء‬ These are the women
‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻧِﺴﺎء‬
‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻫُ ﱠﻦ ﺍﻟﻨﺴﺎء‬

Exercise: reference to feminine plural human nouns

Exercise 10 79

Study the sentences below and the pronouns and/or demonstratives in each sen-
tence. Draw a line under each pronoun and/or demonstrative referencing a femi-
nine plural human noun. In the blank spaces below, write the specific pronoun
and/or demonstrative. If there are no references to feminine plural human nouns,
write “none” in the blank spaces.

14 a) __________________________________________________

The human ‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻫﻢ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎء‬
category
nouns b) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻋﻠﻤﺎء‬

c) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻫﻦ ﺍﻟﻤﺤﺘﺮﻓﺎﺕ‬

d) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻫﻢ ﺍﻟﻤﺤﺘﺮﻓﻮﻥ‬

e) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻫﻢ ﺍﻟﺘﻼﻣﻴﺬ‬

f) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﺗﻼﻣﻴﺬ‬

g) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻫﻦ ُﻣﺘﺮﺟﻤﺎﺕ‬

h) __________________________________________________

‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﺍﻟﻤﺘﺮﺟﻤﺎﺕ‬

Summary: reference to plural human nouns

Reference to the masculine feminine plural is by the same demonstrative:

Masculine: ‫ﻫﺆﻻ ِء‬
Feminine: ‫ﻫﺆﻻ ِء‬

However, reference to the masculine requires a masculine pronoun, but refer-
ence to the feminine requires a feminine one:

Masculine: ‫ﻫُﻢ‬
Feminine: ‫ﻫُ ﱠﻦ‬

Exercise: summary – reference to plural human nouns

Exercise 11

Rewrite the sentences below and change the pronouns and demonstratives that
are plural feminine human to plural masculine human. Please make all necessary
changes to ensure agreement. Write the answers in the blank spaces.

a) These (pl. f.) are the skilled (individuals)

80 ‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻫﻦ ﺍﻟﻤﺤﺘﺮﻓﺎﺕ‬

These (pl. m.) are the skilled (individuals) Exercise:
_________________________________ summary –
reference to
b) These are translators (pl. f.) plural human
nouns
‫ﻫﺆﻻء ﻫﻦ ُﻣﺘﺮﺟﻤﺎﺕ‬

These are translators (pl. m.)
_________________________

Overall

Singular
Reference to the masculine and feminine using pronouns and demonstratives is
on the basis of gender:

Masculine: ‫ ﻫﻮ‬and ‫ﻫﺬﺍ‬
Feminine: ‫ ﻫﻲ‬and ‫ﻫﺬﻩ‬

Dual
Reference to the masculine and feminine is on the basis of gender only with the
demonstratives:

Masculine: ‫ ﻫﺬﻳﻦ‬،‫ﻫﺬﺍ ِﻥ‬
Feminine: ‫ ﻫﺎﺗﻴﻦ‬،‫ﻫﺎﺗﺎﻥ‬

However, reference to the masculine and feminine is by the same pronoun:

Masculine: ‫ﻫُﻤﺎ‬
Feminine:  ‫ﻫُﻤﺎ‬

Plural 81
Reference to the masculine and the feminine is on the basis of gender only with
the pronouns:

Masculine: ‫ﻫُﻢ‬
Feminine:  ‫ﻫُ ﱠﻦ‬

However, reference to the masculine and feminine is by the same demonstrative:

Masculine: ‫ﻫﺆﻻ ِء‬
Feminine:  ‫ﻫﺆﻻ ِء‬

UNIT 15

The non-human category nouns

I. Singular non-human

Reference to singular masculine non-human nouns

Masculine singular non-human nouns are referred to by the pronoun ‫ﻫﻮ‬, or by
the demonstrative ‫ﻫﺬﺍ‬.

Examples: This chair
This is a chair
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟ ُﻜﺮﺳﻲ‬ This is the chair
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ُﻛﺮﺳﻲ‬ This street
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﻫﻮ ﺍﻟ ُﻜﺮﺳﻲ‬ This is a street
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﺸﺎ ِﺭﻉ‬ This is the street
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﺷﺎ ِﺭﻉ‬ This cup
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﻫﻮ ﺍﻟﺸﺎﺭﻉ‬ This is a cup
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﻔِﻨﺠﺎﻥ‬ This is the cup
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﻓِﻨﺠﺎﻥ‬ This house
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﻫﻮ ﺍﻟﻔِﻨﺠﺎﻥ‬ This is a house
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺖ‬ This is the house

‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﺑﻴﺖ‬
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﻫﻮ ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺖ‬

Exercise: singular masculine non-human nouns

Exercise 1
Fill in the blanks below with the appropriate noun and pronoun and/or demon-
82 strative. The first example is completed for reference. For help, refer to the fol-
lowing glossary of objects found in a typical classroom:

‫‪Glossary‬‬ ‫‪(s., m.) chair‬‬ ‫‪Reference‬‬
‫‪(s., m.) door‬‬ ‫‪to singular‬‬
‫ُﻛﺮﺳﻲ‬ ‫‪(s., m.) window‬‬ ‫‪feminine‬‬
‫ﺑﺎﺏ‬ ‫‪(s., m.) book‬‬ ‫‪non-human‬‬
‫ُﺷﺒّﺎﻙ‬ ‫‪(s., m.) pen‬‬ ‫‪nouns‬‬
‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺏ‬
‫ﻗَﻠَﻢ‬

‫?‪What is this‬‬ ‫ﻣﺎ ﻫﺬﺍ؟‬
‫‪This is a chair.‬‬ ‫ﻫﺬﺍ ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ‬
‫‪This is the chair‬‬ ‫ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ ﺍﻟ ُﻜﺮﺳﻲ‬

‫?‪What is this‬‬ ‫ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ ؟‬
‫‪This is a door.‬‬ ‫ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ ﺑﺎﺏ‬
‫‪This is the door.‬‬ ‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﻫﻮ ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ‬

‫?‪What is this‬‬ ‫ﻣﺎ ﻫﺬﺍ؟‬
‫‪This is a window.‬‬ ‫ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ‬
‫‪This is the window.‬‬ ‫ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ ﺍﻟ ُﺸﺒّﺎﻙ‬

‫?‪What is this‬‬ ‫ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ ؟‬
‫‪This is a book.‬‬ ‫ﻫﺬﺍ ِﻛﺘﺎﺏ‬
‫‪This is the book.‬‬
‫ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ‬

‫?‪What is this‬‬ ‫ﻣﺎ ﻫﺬﺍ؟‬
‫‪This is a pen.‬‬ ‫ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ‬
‫‪This is the pen.‬‬
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ﻫﻮ ﺍﻟﻘَﻠَﻢ‬

‫‪Reference to singular feminine non-human nouns‬‬

‫‪, or by‬ﻫﻲ ‪Feminine singular non-human nouns are referred to by the pronoun‬‬
‫‪.‬ﻫﺬﻩ ‪the demonstrative‬‬

‫‪Examples:‬‬ ‫‪This car‬‬ ‫‪83‬‬
‫‪This is a car‬‬
‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﺍﻟﺴﻴّﺎﺭﺓ‬
‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﺳﻴّﺎﺭﺓ‬

15 ‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﻫﻲ ﺍﻟﺴﻴّﺎﺭﺓ‬ This is the car
‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﺍﻟ َﺸ َﺠﺮﺓ‬ This tree
The non- ‫ﻫﺬﻩ َﺷ َﺠﺮﺓ‬ This is a tree
human ‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﻫﻲ َﺷ َﺠﺮﺓ‬ This is the tree
category This table
nouns This is a table
This is the table
‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﺍﻟﻄﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔ‬ This apartment
‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔ‬ This is an apartment
‫ﺍﻟﻫ َﺸﻲﻘّﺍﺔﻟﻄﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔ‬ ‫ﻫﺬﻩ‬ This is the apartment
‫ﻫﺬﻩ‬
‫ﻫﺬﻩ َﺷﻘّﺔ‬
‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﻫﻲ ﺍﻟ َﺸﻘّﺔ‬

Exercise: singular feminine non-human nouns

Exercise 2
Fill in the blanks below with the appropriate noun and pronoun and/or demon-
strative. For help, refer to the following glossary of objects found in a typical
classroom:

Glossary (s., f.) table
(s., f.) notebook
‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔ‬
‫َﻛ ﱠﺮﺍﺳﺔ‬

What is this? ‫ﻣﺎ ﻫ ِﺬ ِﻩ؟‬
This is a table. __________ ‫ﻫ ِﺬ ِﻩ‬
This is the table. ‫__________ ﺍﻟﻄﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔ‬

What is this? ‫__________ __________؟‬
__________ ‫ﻫ ِﺬ ِﻩ‬
This is a notebook.

This is the notebook. ‫__________ ﺍﻟ َﻜ ﱠﺮﺍﺳﺔ‬

Summary:

Predictably, in the singular, gender determines which pronouns and demonstra-
tives are used to reference a noun:

Masculine:

84 Pronoun: ‫ﻫﻮ‬
Demonstrative: ‫ﻫﺬﺍ‬

Feminine: Exercise:
dual
Pronoun: ‫ﻫﻲ‬ masculine
Demonstrative: ‫ﻫﺬﻩ‬ non-human
nouns
II. Dual non-human

Reference to dual masculine non-human nouns

Masculine, non-human dual nouns can be referred to by the pronoun ‫ﻫُﻤﺎ‬. These
nouns can also be referred to by the demonstrative ‫ ﻫﺬﺍﻥ‬if they are in the nomi-
native case, or the demonstrative ‫ ﻫﺬﻳﻦ‬if they are in either the accusative or the

genitive case.

Examples: These two streets
These are two streets
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ِﻥ ﺍﻟﺸﺎ ِﺭﻋﺎ ِﻥ‬ These are the two streets
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ِﻥ ﺷﺎ ِﺭﻋﺎ ِﻥ‬
‫ﻫﺬﺍ ِﻥ ﻫُﻤﺎ ﺍﻟﺸﺎ ِﺭﻋﺎ ِﻥ‬

Exercise: dual masculine non-human nouns

Exercise 3

Translate the English phrases below into Arabic with a noun and pronoun and/or
demonstrative. Use a pronoun or demonstrative corresponding to non-human dual
masculine nouns. Refer to the glossary below for the noun and make the necessary
changes to ensure agreement.

Glossary book (s., m.)
door (s., m.)
‫ِﻛﺘﺎﺏ‬ window (s., m.)
‫ﺑﺎﺏ‬ book (s., m.)
‫ُﺷﺒّﺎﻙ‬ pen (s., m.)
‫ﻗَ ِﻛﻠَﺘﻢﺎﺏ‬

i. These are two books 85
_________________

ii. These are the two doors
_________________

iii. These are the two windows
_________________

15 iv. These two houses
_________________
The non-
human v. These are the two pens
category _________________
nouns

Reference to feminine dual non-human nouns

‫ﻦﻥ‬dِ e‫ﻴﺎ‬m‫ﺎﻘّﺗﺘ‬o‫ َﺸﻫ‬n‫ﻟ‬is‫ﺍ‬ftrtFaheteimvneion‫ﻥ‬uiِ nn‫ﺎ‬e‫ﺗ‬i‫ﺎ‬s‫ﻫ‬diuniafletihntheoeunrnotsuhnearaiesccirnuesftaehtreirvenedoomtroignbeayntiivttiehveceapcsareos,eno.orutnhe‫ﻤﺎ‬dُ‫ﻫ‬em, oonr sbtryattihvee

Examples: These two apartments
These are two apartments
‫ﻫﺎﺗﺎ ِﻥ ﺍﻟ َﺸﻘّﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬ These are the two apartments
‫ﻫﺎﺗﺎ ِﻥ َﺷﻘّﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬
‫ﻫﺎﺗﺎ ِﻥ ﻫُﻤﺎ ﺍﻟ َﺸﻘّﺘﺎ ِﻥ‬

Exercise: dual, feminine non-human nouns

Exercise 4

Transform the English phrases below into Arabic with a noun and pronoun and/or
demonstrative. Use a pronoun or demonstrative corresponding to non-human dual
feminine nouns. Refer to the glossary below for the noun and make the necessary
changes to ensure agreement.

Glossary car (s., f.)
tree (s., f.)
‫ﺳﻴّﺎﺭﺓ‬ table (s., f.)
‫َﺷ َﺠﺮﺓ‬ apartment (s., f.)
‫ﻁﺎ ِﻭﻟﺔ‬

‫َﺷﻘّﺔ‬

i) These two cars
_________________

ii) These are the two cars
_________________

iii) These are the two trees
_________________

86 iv) These two tables
_________________

Summary: Exercise:
With demonstratives, reference to the dual masculine requires a masculine de- reference
monstrative, while reference to the dual feminine requires a feminine one: to all non-
human plural
Masculine: ‫ ﻫﺬﻳﻦ‬،‫ﻫﺬﺍ ِﻥ‬ nouns
Feminine: ‫ ﻫﺎﺗﻴﻦ‬،‫ﻫﺎﺗﺎﻥ‬

However, reference to the masculine dual and the feminine dual is by the same
pronoun:

Masculine: ‫ﻫُﻤﺎ‬
Feminine: ‫ﻫُﻤﺎ‬

III. Plural non-human

Reference to all non-human plural nouns

Plural non-human nouns form a special category. They are all exclusively referred

to by the pronoun ‫ﻫﻲ‬, or by the demonstrative ‫ﻫﺬﻩ‬.

Examples: These streets
These are streets
‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﺍﻟﺸﻮﺍ ِﺭﻉ‬ These are the streets
‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﺷﻮﺍﺭﻉ‬
‫ﻫﺬﻩ ﻫﻲ ﺍﻟﺸﻮﺍﺭﻉ‬

Exercise: reference to all non-human plural nouns

Exercise 5

Translate the English phrases below into Arabic with a noun and pronoun and/or
demonstrative. Use a pronoun or demonstrative corresponding to non-human plural
nouns. Refer to the glossary below for the noun and make the necessary changes to
ensure agreement.

Glossary notebook
apartment
‫َﻛ ﱠﺮﺍﺳﺔ‬
‫َﺷﻘّﺔ‬

i) These notebooks 87
_______________

ii) These apartments
_______________

15 iii) These are the apartments
_______________
The non-
human iv) These are apartments
category _______________
nouns
Overall
Singular
Reference to the masculine and feminine using pronouns and demonstratives is
on the basis of gender:

Masculine: ‫ ﻫﻮ‬and ‫ﻫﺬﺍ‬
Feminine: ‫ ﻫﻲ‬and ‫ﻫﺬﻩ‬

Dual
Reference to the masculine and feminine is on the basis of gender only with the
demonstratives:

Masculine: ‫ ﻫﺬﻳﻦ‬،‫ﻫﺬﺍ ِﻥ‬
Feminine: ‫ ﻫﺎﺗﻴﻦ‬،‫ﻫﺎﺗﺎﻥ‬

However, reference to the masculine and feminine is by same pronoun:

Masculine: ‫ﻫُﻤﺎ‬
Feminine: ‫ﻫُﻤﺎ‬

Plural
Reference to the masculine and the feminine is by the same pronoun:

Masculine: ‫ﻫﻲ‬
Feminine: ‫ﻫﻲ‬

Similarly, reference to the masculine and feminine is by the same demonstrative:

Masculine: ‫ﻫﺬﻩ‬
Feminine: ‫ﻫﺬﻩ‬

88

UNIT 16

Noun attributes: number, gender,
case, definiteness

The morphological nature of the structure of Arabic words is such that, apart
from its core meaning (which is determined by its roots), a noun has four attri-
butes: number, gender, case, and definiteness.

Number (‫) َﻋﺪﺩ‬
Singular (‫) ُﻣﻔ َﺮﺩ‬
Dual (‫) ُﻣﺜَﻨّﻰ‬
Plural (‫) َﺟﻤﻊ‬

Gender is either masculine or feminine. There is no neutral category.
Case is nominative, accusative, or genitive.
Definiteness is definite or indefinite.

Decoding attributes of an unfamiliar noun

We can discern the attributes of a noun based on its form. That is, we can read
a word we have never seen before and determine the number, gender, case, and
definiteness of the noun based on the form of the word.

For example, study the following two nouns in their singular feminine, indefi-
nite forms:

‫ﺳﻴّﺎﺭﺓ‬ car
‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻠﺔ‬ actress (female actor)
‫ﻳﺎﺑﺎﻧﻴﺔ‬ Japanese woman/girl

Now, study the nouns in their plural feminine, indefinite forms:

‫ﺳﻴّﺎﺭﺍﺕ‬ cars 89
‫ُﻣ َﻤﺜﱢﻼﺕ‬ actresses (female actors)
‫ﻳﺎﺑﺎﻧﻴّﺎﺕ‬ Japanese women/girls