INTRODUCTION
In English language, nouns are either
singular or plural. The same case is for Urdu (Pakistani) language. However, Arabic language is unique in that
sense. In Arabic, we have singular, dual and plural. The whole grammar is based
on these three number-nouns.
·
وَاحِد
or مَفْرَد (Singular)
Which is used for a singular person or thing or animal such as رَجُلٌ (a man or a male person)
·
تَثْنِيْة (Dual)
the noun which is used for two persons or things or animals such as رَجُلانِ (two men or two
male persons)
·
جَمْعَ (Plural)
the noun which is used for more than two persons or things or animals
such as رِجَالٌ (more than two men or two male persons)
Explanation
|
جَمْعَ (Plural)
|
تَثْنِيْة (Dual)
|
وَاحِد or مَفْرَد (Singular)
|
Status or
Case (حالت)
|
|
رِجَالٌ
|
رَجُلانِ
|
رَجُلٌ
|
مَرْفُوْعِي
|
|
رِجَالًا
|
رَجُلَيْنِ
|
رَجُلًا
|
مَنْصُوْبِي
|
|
رِجَالٍ
|
رَجُلَيْنِ
|
رَجُلٍ
|
مَجْرُوْرِي
|
Important note: In Dual ( تَثْنِيْة ), the word for مَنْصُوْبِي
and مَجْرُوْرِي status is same that
is رَجُلَيْنِ (two male persons)
Types
of Plural Words (جَمْعَ)
In Arabic language, the plural words
(جَمْعَ) are of two types:
1.
Whole Plural
words ٲَلْسَالِمُ ٲَلْجَمَعُ (or Complete
Plurals)
The plural word is made by adding
some letters in addition to the original singular word. It has two types:
1.
For masculine
words, the plural is made by dropping Tanween and adding:
a.
“انِ -ُ
: رفعي حالت
b.
“ينِ -ِ-
: نصبي حالت
c.
“ينِ -ِ- : جري حالت
|
جَمْعَ (Plural)
|
تَثْنِيْة (Dual)
|
وَاحِد or مَفْرَد (Singular)
|
Status or
Case (حالت)
|
|
مُسْلِمُوْنَ
|
مُسْلِمَانِ
|
مُسْلِمٌ
|
مَرْفُوْعِي
|
|
مُسْلِمِيْنَ
|
مُسْلِمَينِ
|
مُسْلِمًا
|
مَنْصُوْبِي
|
|
مُسْلِمِيْنَ
|
مُسْلِمَينِ
|
مُسْلِمٍ
|
مَجْرُوْرِي
|
Points to note
A.
For Duals, the
Mansoobi and Majroori status is same that is مُسْلِمَينِ
– the letter “Meem” has fatha (Zabar) and letter “Non” has kasra (Zair)
B.
For Plurals,
the Mansoobi and Majroori status is same that is مُسْلِمِيْنَ
– the letter “Meem” Has kasra (Zeir) and letter “Noon” has Fatha (Zabar).
2.
For feminine
words, the plural is made by adding:
a.
“اتٌ - َ : رفعي حالت
b.
“اتٍ - َ : نصبي حالت
c.
“اتٍ - َ : جري حالت
|
جَمْعَ (Plural)
|
تَثْنِيْة (Dual)
|
وَاحِد or مَفْرَد (Singular)
|
Status or
Case (حالت)
|
|
مُسْلِمَاتٌ
|
مُسْلِمَتَانِ
|
مُسْلِمَةٌ
|
مَرْفُوْعِي
|
|
مُسْلِمَاتٍ
|
مُسْلِمتَيْنِ
|
مُسْلِمَةً
|
مَنْصُوْبِي
|
|
مُسْلِمَاتٍ
|
مُسْلِمتَيْنِ
|
مُسْلِمَةٍ
|
مَجْرُوْرِي
|
2.
Broken Plurals (أَلْمُكَسَّرُ ٲَلْجَمَعُ )
The original Singular (وَاحِد ) word breaks and there is no absolute
rule of breaking. However, the following conditions may apply:
A.
Some letter are
added
B.
Some letter are
deleted
C.
Sometime there
is no addition or deletion but harkat (A’rabs) are changed.
There is no special technique or
method to make Broken plurals (أَلْمُكَسَّرُ ٲَلْجَمَعُ). Some thumb rules are given below:
1.
Formation of Broken plurals (أَلْمُكَسَّرُ ٲَلْجَمَعُ) on the pattern of أَفْعَالٌ
أَوْلَادٌ
from وَلَدٌ (son)
أَفْرَاسٌ
from فَرَسٌ (horse)
أَشْرَافٌ
from شَرَفٌ (noble person)
أَمْطَارٌ
from مَطَرٌ (rain)
أَوْقَاتٌ
from وَقَتٌ (time)
2.
Formation of Broken plurals (أَلْمُكَسَّرُ ٲَلْجَمَعُ) on the pattern
of فُعُوْلٌ
مُلُوْكٌ
from مَلِكٌ
(King)
أَسُوْدٌ
from أَسَدٌ (Lion)
حُقُوْق
from حَقٌ
(the real word is حَقْقٌ) right
قُلُوْبٌ
from قَلْبٌ (heart)
شُهُوْدٌ
from شَاهِدٌ (witness)
3.
Formation of Broken plurals (أَلْمُكَسَّرُ ٲَلْجَمَعُ) on the pattern
of فُعَالٌ
رِجَالٌ from رَجُلٌ
(a man or a person)
بِلَادٌ from بَلَدٌ
( A country)
كُبَارٌ from كَبِيْرٌ (An
elder)
كِلَابٌ
from كَلْبٌ (A dog)
صُغَارٌ
from صَغِيْرٌ (A younger person)
4.
Formation of Broken plurals (أَلْمُكَسَّرُ ٲَلْجَمَعُ) on the pattern of فُعُلٌ
كُتُبٌ from كِتَابٌ (A Book)
صُحُفٌ
from صَحِيْفَةٌ (A Heavenly Book)
رُسُلٌ from رَسُوْلٌ (A Prophet)
مُدُنٌ from
مَدِيْنَةٌ (A city)
طُرُقٌ from طَرِيْقَةٌ
(A road or street)
5.
Formation of Broken plurals (أَلْمُكَسَّرُ ٲَلْجَمَعُ) on the pattern of أَفْعُلٌ
أَشْهُرٌ
from شَهْرٌ (A
Month)
أَنْفُسٌ
from نَفْسسٌ (A soul or a person)
أَرْجُلٌ
from رِجْلٌ (A
Foot)
أَعْيُنٌ
from عَيْنٌ (An eye)
أَبْحُرٌ from بْحْرٌ (A Sea)
6.
Formation of Broken plurals (أَلْمُكَسَّرُ ٲَلْجَمَعُ) on the pattern
of فُعَلَاءُ
أُمَرَاءُ
from أَمِيْرٌ (A rich man)
أَلْسُّفَهَاءُ from
أَلْسَّفِيْهُ (The foolish man)
Surah: Baqrah, Ayah: 13
شُعَرَاءٌ
from شَاعِرٌ
(A poet) Surah: Shura’a, Ayah: 224
7.
Formation
of Broken plurals (أَلْمُكَسَّرُ ٲَلْجَمَعُ) on the pattern of أَفْعِلَاءُ
This is for those singular words which are based on “فَعِيْلٌ”
pattern:
أَصْدِقَاءُ from
صَدِيْقٌ (Friend)
أَنْبِيَاءُ from نَبِيٌ (Prophet)
8.
Formation
of Broken plurals (أَلْمُكَسَّرُ ٲَلْجَمَعُ) on the pattern of فُعْلَانٌ
فُرْسَانٌ from فَارِسٌ
(Horse Rider)
بُلْدَانٌ from بَلَدٌ (Country)
9.
Formation of Broken plurals (أَلْمُكَسَّرُ ٲَلْجَمَعُ) on the pattern
of فَعَالِلُ
عَنَاصِرُ from عُنْصُرٌ
(Element)
