Read the bilingual lesson for Cases of the Broken Plural and Changes When ال Is Added and test your understanding with a focused quiz.
Lesson
1. What Will We Learn in This Level?
● In this section, we will study the grammatical cases of the broken plural in detail.
● We will learn how a broken plural shows case through vowel marks like a singular noun.
● We will study the case and spelling changes that occur when ال is added to an indefinite noun.
● We will learn the important rule that tanwīn is removed when an indefinite noun becomes definite, while a case-ending nūn remains.
● We will work through fifteen broken-plural and fifteen definite-with-al examples.
2. Case-Ending Rule for the Broken Plural
● A broken plural shows its grammatical case through tanwīn vowel marks, just like a singular noun:
○ nominative: two ḍammahs (ٌ) on the final letter, as in رِجَالٌ (many men).
○ accusative: two fatḥahs (ً) with an added alif, as in رِجَالًا.
○ genitive: two kasrahs (ٍ) beneath the final letter, as in رِجَالٍ.
● Note: A broken plural ending in round tāʾ, such as أَلْسِنَةٌ, does not take a final alif in the accusative.
3. Case Chart for Broken Plurals (Part One)
● Learn the nominative, accusative, and genitive forms of these broken plurals:
Nominative
Accusative
Genitive
أَوْلَادٌ
أَوْلَادًا
أَوْلَادٍ
كُتُبٌ
كُتُبًا
كُتُبٍ
رُسُلٌ
رُسُلًا
رُسُلٍ
قُلُوبٌ
قُلُوبًا
قُلُوبٍ
وُجُوهٌ
وُجُوهًا
وُجُوهٍ
أَقْلَامٌ
أَقْلَامًا
أَقْلَامٍ
آذَانٌ (ears)
آذَانًا
آذَانٍ
أَعْيُنٌ (eyes)
أَعْيُنًا
أَعْيُنٍ
4. Case Chart for Broken Plurals (Part Two)
● Learn the nominative, accusative, and genitive forms of these broken plurals:
Nominative
Accusative
Genitive
عُيُونٌ
عُيُونًا
عُيُونٍ
أَلْسِنَةٌ (tongues)
أَلْسِنَةً
أَلْسِنَةٍ
أَمْرَاضٌ
أَمْرَاضًا
أَمْرَاضٍ
بُيُوتٌ
بُيُوتًا
بُيُوتٍ
أَذْكَارٌ
أَذْكَارًا
أَذْكَارٍ
أَبْوَابٌ
أَبْوَابًا
أَبْوَابٍ
حُرُوفٌ
حُرُوفًا
حُرُوفٍ
5. Case Changes When ال Is Added
● When ال is added to an indefinite noun to make it definite, its case endings are affected as follows:
○ Removing tanwīn: Tanwīn is removed from singular nouns, broken plurals, and feminine sound plurals, leaving one vowel mark: ḍammah, fatḥah, or kasrah. Example: رَجُلٌ → اَلرَّجُلُ.
○ Effect on dual nouns and masculine plurals: Dual nouns and masculine sound plurals end in a case-ending nūn (ـَانِ / ـَيْنِ and ـُونَ / ـِينَ) rather than tanwīn. Therefore, adding ال does not change their final letters or sounds, as in مُسْلِمُونَ → اَلْمُسْلِمُونَ.
6. Case Chart After Adding ال (Part One)
● Learn the three grammatical cases after adding ال:
Base/meaning
Nominative
Accusative
Genitive
وَلَدٌ
اَلْوَلَدُ
اَلْوَلَدَ
اَلْوَلَدِ
بِنْتٌ
اَلْبِنْتُ
اَلْبِنْتَ
اَلْبِنْتِ
كِتَابٌ
اَلْكِتَابُ
اَلْكِتَابَ
اَلْكِتَابِ
قَلَمٌ
اَلْقَلَمُ
اَلْقَلَمَ
اَلْقَلَمِ
كُتُبٌ
اَلْكُتُبُ
اَلْكُتُبَ
اَلْكُتُبِ
رُسُلٌ
اَلرُّسُلُ
اَلرُّسُلَ
اَلرُّسُلِ
مُسْلِمَاتٌ
اَلْمُسْلِمَاتُ
اَلْمُسْلِمَاتِ
اَلْمُسْلِمَاتِ
سَمَوَاتٌ
اَلسَّمَوَاتُ
اَلسَّمَوَاتِ
اَلسَّمَوَاتِ
7. Case Chart After Adding ال (Part Two)
● Learn the three grammatical cases after adding ال:
Base/meaning
Nominative
Accusative
Genitive
آيَاتٌ
اَلْآيَاتُ
اَلْآيَاتِ
اَلْآيَاتِ
جَنَّاتٌ
اَلْجَنَّاتُ
اَلْجَنَّاتِ
اَلْجَنَّاتِ
بَنَاتٌ
اَلْبَنَاتُ
اَلْبَنَاتِ
اَلْبَنَاتِ
صَادِقَاتٌ
اَلصَّادِقَاتُ
اَلصَّادِقَاتِ
اَلصَّادِقَاتِ
قُلُوبٌ
اَلْقُلُوبُ
اَلْقُلُوبَ
اَلْقُلُوبِ
كُفَّارٌ
اَلْكُفَّارُ
اَلْكُفَّارَ
اَلْكُفَّارِ
طُلَّابٌ
اَلطُّلَّابُ
اَلطُّلَّابَ
اَلطُّلَّابِ
8. Level Summary
● Like singular nouns, a broken plural shows its case through two ḍammahs, two fatḥahs, or two kasrahs.
● Adding ال to a noun removes the tanwīn from its final letter, leaving one vowel mark.
● Dual nouns and masculine sound plurals do not end in tanwīn, so adding ال does not affect their case-ending sounds.