Types of Plural and the Sound Plural

Read the bilingual lesson for Types of Plural and the Sound Plural and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. What Will We Learn in This Level?

● In this section, we will be introduced to the types of plural in Arabic. ● We will learn the difference between a sound plural and a broken plural. ● We will learn how to form sound plurals of rational masculine nouns and feminine nouns ending in round tāʾ. ● We will complete the exercises and identify the sound plural of every word.

2. Definition and Types of the Plural

What is a plural? ● In Arabic grammar, a noun that refers to three or more things or persons is called a plural. ● Arabic has two main types of plural: ○ sound plural: all the letters of the singular noun remain intact in their original order, and additional letters are added at the end. ○ broken plural: the pattern of the letters in the singular noun changes.

3. Rule for Forming the Masculine Sound Plural

● Rule for forming the masculine sound plural of rational masculine nouns and adjectives: ○ Remove the tanwīn from the final letter of the singular noun and give it ḍammah. ○ Add ـُونَ at the end. ○ Example: مُسْلِمٌ (Muslim) → مُسْلِمُونَ (many Muslims) ○ Example: كَافِرٌ (disbeliever) → كَافِرُونَ (many disbelievers)

4. Rule for Forming the Feminine Sound Plural

● In many feminine forms ending in ة, replace ة with ـَاتٌ. ● Examples: ○ مُسْلِمَةٌ → مُسْلِمَاتٌ ○ جَنَّةٌ → جَنَّاتٌ

5. Exercise Four — Forming the Masculine Sound Plural (Part One)

● Practice forming masculine sound plurals from singular nouns and learn their meanings: Singular Meaning Masculine plural Meaning مُؤْمِنٌ believer مُؤْمِنُونَ believers عَابِدٌ worshipper عَابِدُونَ worshippers صَادِقٌ truthful person صَادِقُونَ truthful people قَائِمٌ one who stands قَائِمُونَ people who stand صَالِحٌ righteous person صَالِحُونَ righteous people ظَالِمٌ wrongdoer ظَالِمُونَ wrongdoers خَاشِعٌ humble person خَاشِعُونَ humble people تَائِبٌ one who repents تَائِبُونَ people who repent مُفْسِدٌ corrupter مُفْسِدُونَ people who spread corruption مُشْرِكٌ one who associates partners مُشْرِكُونَ polytheists

6. Exercise Four — Forming the Masculine Sound Plural (Part Two)

● Practice forming masculine sound plurals from singular nouns and learn their meanings: Singular Meaning Masculine plural Meaning مُنَافِقٌ hypocrite مُنَافِقُونَ hypocrites فَاسِقٌ disobedient person فَاسِقُونَ disobedient people كَاذِبٌ liar كَاذِبُونَ liars جَالِسٌ one who sits جَالِسُونَ people who sit طَالِحٌ bad person طَالِحُونَ bad people صَابِرٌ patient person صَابِرُونَ patient people حَافِظٌ one who protects حَافِظُونَ people who protect صَائِمٌ fasting person صَائِمُونَ fasting people مُصْلِحٌ reformer مُصْلِحُونَ reformers مُوَحِّدٌ one who believes in one God مُوَحِّدُونَ people of tawḥīd

7. Exercise Five — Forming the Feminine Sound Plural (Part One)

● Practice forming feminine sound plurals from singular nouns and learn their meanings: Singular Meaning Feminine plural Meaning مُؤْمِنَةٌ believing woman مُؤْمِنَاتٌ believing women مُشْرِكَةٌ polytheist woman مُشْرِكَاتٌ polytheist women عَابِدَةٌ female worshipper عَابِدَاتٌ female worshippers فَاسِقَةٌ disobedient woman فَاسِقَاتٌ disobedient women قَانِتَةٌ obedient woman قَانِتَاتٌ obedient women آيَةٌ sign/verse آيَاتٌ signs/Quranic verses كَلِمَةٌ kalimah/statement كَلِمَاتٌ statements/kalimahs حُجْرَةٌ room حُجْرَاتٌ rooms

8. Exercise Five — Forming the Feminine Sound Plural (Part Two)

● Practice forming feminine sound plurals from singular nouns and learn their meanings: Singular Meaning Feminine plural Meaning مُنَافِقَةٌ hypocrite woman مُنَافِقَاتٌ hypocrite women كَافِرَةٌ disbelieving woman كَافِرَاتٌ disbelieving women خَالِدَةٌ woman who remains forever خَالِدَاتٌ women who remain forever فَاجِرَةٌ sinful woman فَاجِرَاتٌ sinful women صَائِمَةٌ fasting woman صَائِمَاتٌ fasting women بَيِّنَةٌ clear proof بَيِّنَاتٌ clear proofs خُطْبَةٌ speech/sermon خُطُبَاتٌ speeches/sermons طَالِبَةٌ female student طَالِبَاتٌ female students

9. Level Summary

● A plural refers to three or more persons or things. ● The masculine sound plural of many rational masculine nouns and adjectives is formed by adding ـُونَ (ūna). ● The feminine sound plural of many feminine nouns ending in round tāʾ (ة) is formed by removing the round tāʾ and adding ـَاتٌ. ● We completed the sound plurals and meanings of all the rational masculine nouns and feminine nouns ending in round tāʾ in these exercises.

Practice questions

Question 1

What is the minimum number to which the Arabic "plural" applies?

  • Two or more
  • Three or more
  • Ten or more

Question 2

Sort the following examples into masculine sound plurals and feminine sound plurals:

Question 3

How is the sound plural of a rational masculine noun such as كَافِرٌ formed?

  • Give the final letter ḍammah and add ـُونَ
  • Remove the final letter and add ـَاتٌ
  • Add ال at the beginning

Question 4

Select the correct feminine sound plural of طَالِبَةٌ (one female student).

  • طَالِبَاتٌ
  • طَالِبُونَ
  • طَالِبَتَانِ

Question 5

The masculine sound plural rule applies equally to all masculine inanimate nouns in Arabic.

  • True
  • False

Question 6

What is the basic difference between a sound plural and a broken plural?

  • In a sound plural, the letters of the singular remain intact in their original order, while in a broken plural the pattern of the letters changes.
  • A sound plural is used only for two, and a broken plural only for one.
  • The letters of the singular must be removed in both.

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