Dual and Plural Definite Nouns and the Case-Ending Rule for Non-Rational Plurals

Read the bilingual lesson for Dual and Plural Definite Nouns and the Case-Ending Rule for Non-Rational Plurals and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. What Will We Learn in This Level?

● In this section, we will learn how to make definite subjects dual and plural from their singular forms. ● We will study the grammatical difference between the dual and plural forms of rational and non-rational nouns. ● We will learn the rule for using a predicate with a non-rational plural. ● We will complete the exercises in both main columns.

2. Comparison of Singular, Dual, and Plural Rational Nouns

● Study this comparative chart showing singular, dual, and plural forms of nouns referring to rational living beings after al- is added: Meaning / example Singular Dual Plural Student اَلطَّالِبُ جَالِسٌ اَلطَّالِبَانِ جَالِسَانِ اَلطُّلَّابُ جَالِسُونَ Believer اَلْمُؤْمِنُ صَادِقٌ اَلْمُؤْمِنَانِ صَادِقَانِ اَلْمُؤْمِنُونَ صَادِقُونَ Hypocrite اَلْمُنَافِقُ كَاذِبٌ اَلْمُنَافِقَانِ كَاذِبَانِ اَلْمُنَافِقُونَ كَاذِبُونَ Man اَلرَّجُلُ مُسْلِمٌ اَلرَّجُلَانِ مُسْلِمَانِ اَلرِّجَالُ مُسْلِمُونَ Boy اَلْوَلَدُ حَاضِرٌ اَلْوَلَدَانِ حَاضِرَانِ اَلْأَوْلَادُ حَاضِرُونَ

3. Comparative Chart of Feminine Rational Nouns

● Study this chart showing the changes in feminine rational nouns: Meaning / example Singular Dual Plural Female student اَلطَّالِبَةُ قَائِمَةٌ اَلطَّالِبَتَانِ قَائِمَتَانِ اَلطَّالِبَاتُ قَائِمَاتٌ Female hypocrite اَلْمُنَافِقَةُ خَائِفَةٌ اَلْمُنَافِقَتَانِ خَائِفَتَانِ اَلْمُنَافِقَاتُ خَائِفَاتٌ Woman اَلْمَرْأَةُ ضَاحِكَةٌ اَلْمَرْأَتَانِ ضَاحِكَتَانِ اَلنِّسَاءُ ضَاحِكَاتٌ — اَلنِّسَاءُ is a broken plural. Girl اَلْبِنْتُ بَاكِيَةٌ اَلْبِنْتَانِ بَاكِيَتَانِ اَلْبَنَاتُ بَاكِيَاتٌ

4. The Important Rule for Non-Rational Plurals

● Arabic has a special rule for plurals of non-living or non-rational nouns: ○ When the subject is a non-rational plural, the predicate may be either feminine singular or feminine plural. ● For ease of use, the feminine singular predicate is generally used. ● Examples: ○ The doors are open. -> اَلْأَبْوَابُ مَفْتُوحَةٌ (مَفْتُوحَةٌ is feminine singular), or مَفْتُوحَاتٌ (feminine plural). ○ The books are new. -> اَلْكُتُبُ جَدِيدَةٌ (جَدِيدَةٌ is feminine singular), or جَدِيدَاتٌ.

5. Comparative Chart of Non-Rational Nouns (Part One)

● Learn the singular, dual, and plural forms of the following non-rational nouns, including both predicate options: Meaning / example Singular Dual Plural Door اَلْبَابُ مَفْتُوحٌ اَلْبَابَانِ مَفْتُوحَانِ اَلْأَبْوَابُ مَفْتُوحَةٌ / مَفْتُوحَاتٌ Book اَلْكِتَابُ جَدِيدٌ اَلْكِتَابَانِ جَدِيدَانِ اَلْكُتُبُ جَدِيدَةٌ / جَدِيدَاتٌ Chair اَلْكُرْسِيُّ مَكْسُورٌ اَلْكُرْسِيَّانِ مَكْسُورَانِ اَلْكَرَاسِيُّ مَكْسُورَةٌ / مَكْسُورَاتٌ

6. Comparative Chart of Non-Rational Nouns (Part Two)

● Learn the forms of the following feminine non-rational nouns: Meaning / example Singular Dual Plural Room اَلْغُرْفَةُ نَظِيفَةٌ اَلْغُرْفَتَانِ نَظِيفَتَانِ اَلْغُرَفُ نَظِيفَةٌ / نَظِيفَاتٌ Car اَلسَّيَّارَةُ جَمِيلَةٌ اَلسَّيَّارَتَانِ جَمِيلَتَانِ اَلسَّيَّارَاتُ جَمِيلَةٌ / جَمِيلَاتٌ Clock اَلسَّاعَةُ كَبِيرَةٌ اَلسَّاعَتَانِ كَبِيرَتَانِ اَلسَّاعَاتُ كَبِيرَةٌ / كَبِيرَاتٌ

Practice questions

Question 1

According to Arabic grammar, what is the rule for the predicate when the subject is a non-rational plural, such as اَلْكُتُبُ or اَلْأَبْوَابُ?

  • The predicate may be either feminine singular or feminine plural
  • The predicate must always be sound masculine plural
  • The predicate must always remain masculine singular

Question 2

In the Arabic sentence اَلْأَوْلَادُ حَاضِرُونَ, the subject is rational, so a feminine singular predicate cannot be used.

  • True
  • False

Question 3

Select the most common and natural Arabic translation of "The books are new."

  • اَلْكُتُبُ جَدِيدَةٌ
  • اَلْكُتُبُ جَدِيدٌ
  • اَلْكِتَابُ جَدِيدَةٌ

Question 4

Match the following definite singular rational nouns with their correct plural forms:

Question 5

Sort the correct predicates for the following non-rational plural nouns under their most suitable options:

Question 6

Arrange the given Arabic words in the correct order to make the sentence "The chairs are broken." using a feminine singular predicate:

Question 7

Sort the given Arabic words into their correct grammatical-order groups to make the sentence "The cars are beautiful."

Question 8

Select the words in the correct order to make the Arabic translation of "The rooms are clean."

  • اَلْغُرَفُ نَظِيفَةٌ
  • اَلْغُرَفُ نَظِيفٌ
  • اَلْغُرَفِ نَظِيفَةً

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