DAY 10 - THE NUMBER SINGULAR, DUAL AND PLURAL

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

          وُزَرَاءُ  from  وَزِيْرٌ  (A minister)

          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

          عُلُمَاءٌ  from  عَالِمٌ  (A scholar)

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)

          أَحِبَّاءُ  from حَبِيْبٌ (Loving)

          أَقْرِبَاءُ from قَرِيْبٌ (Relative)

          أَغْنِيَاءُ from غَنِيٌّ (Rich)

8.                 Formation of Broken plurals (أَلْمُكَسَّرُ ٲَلْجَمَعُ) on the pattern of   فُعْلَانٌ

          فُرْسَانٌ from فَارِسٌ (Horse Rider)

          بُلْدَانٌ from بَلَدٌ  (Country)

          قُضْبَانٌ from قَضِيْبٌ (Branch of a tree)          

9.                 Formation of Broken plurals (أَلْمُكَسَّرُ ٲَلْجَمَعُ) on the pattern of   فَعَالِلُ

          عَنَاصِرُ from عُنْصُرٌ (Element)

          زَلَازِلُ from زَلْزَلَةٌ  (Earthquake)

          كَوَاكِبُ from كَوْكَبٌ (star)

          جَوَاهِرُ from جَوْهِرٌ (precious stone)