Demonstrative pronoun in Arabic | dual noun

In English, there are only two types of numbers, they are singular and plural, whereas, in Arabic, there are three types, they are singular, dual, and plural.

Dual in Arabic is called muthannaa (مُثَنَّى ).

How to inflect a singular noun to dual noun?

1. add ا (alif) at the end of singular noun and change the sign of the letter (the letter before ا ) to fat-ha.


2. add نِ after ا


Example :

singular noun ==> بَيْتٌ (bayt), means a house.

dual noun ==> بَيْتَانِ (baytaani), means two houses.

al-Muthanna ( الْمُثَنَّى )

Dual noun comprises two nouns, they are dual male noun and dual female noun.

Dual male noun ( الْمُثَنَّى الْمُذَكَّرُ  )  examples

I will mention singular male noun first, then dual male noun. I will write in Arabic first, then I will write the English translation.


1. Singular ==> وَلَدٌ (waladun), means boy or son.
Dual ==> وَلَدَانِ (waladaani), means two boys.


2. كِتَابٌ (kitaabun) ==> a book.
كِتَابَانِ (kitaabaani)  ==> two books.


3. قَمِيْصٌ ( qamiisun ) ==> a shirt.
قَمِيْصَانِ ( qamiisaani )  ==> two shirts.


4. مَكْتَبٌ (maktabun) ==> a desk.
مَكْتَبَانِ (maktabaani) ==> two desks.


5. قَلَمٌ (qalamun) ==> a pen.
قَلَمَانِ (qalamaani)  ==> two pens.

Dual female noun ( الْمُثَنَّى الْمُؤَنَّثُ) examples

1. قِطَّةٌ ( qițțatun ) ==> a cat.
قِطَّتَانِ ( qițțataani ) ==> two cats.


2. سَيَّارَةٌ (sayyaaratun) => a car.
سَيَّارَتَانِ (sayyaarataani) => two cars.


3. كُرَةٌ (kuratun) ==> a ball.
كُرَتَانِ (kurataani)  ==> two balls.


4. حُجْرَةٌ (hujratun) ==> a room.
حُجْرَتَانِ (hujrataani) ==> two rooms.


5. حَقِيْبَةٌ  (haqiibatun) ==> a bag.
حَقِيْبَتَانِ (haqiibataani)  ==> two bags.

Agreement between noun and adjective in Arabic

Nouns agree with adjectives in gender, number, case, definiteness.


Below are the examples:


a. If noun is male singular noun ==> adjective is male singular.

Example:

كِتَابٌ جَدِيْدٌ (kitaabun jadiidun), means a new book.

كِتَابٌ is male singular noun.

جَدِيْدٌ is male adjective adjective.



b. if noun is female singular noun ==> adjective is female singular.

Example:

سَيَّارَةٌ جَدِيْدَةٌ (sayyaaratun jadiidatun), means a new car.

سَيَّارَةٌ is female singular noun.

جَدِيْدَةٌ is female singular noun.


c. if noun is dual male noun ==> adjective is also dual male noun.

Example:

قَمِيْصَانِ جَدِيْدَانِ (qamiiṣaani jadiidaani), means two new shirts


d. if noun is dual female noun ==> adjective is also dual female noun.

Example:

كُرَتَانِ جَدِيْدَتَانِ  (kurataani jadiidataani), means two new balls.


etc.

Demonstrative pronoun for dual noun

Demonstrative pronoun for the object that is near the speaker ( اسم إشارة للقريب ) 

a. 
المُثَنَى الْمُذَكَّر  (al-muthannaa al-mudhakkar), means dual for male.


هَذَانِ  (haadhaani)


Sentence Examples:


- هَذَانِ وَلَدَانِ طَوِيْلاَنِ  (hadhaani waladaani țawiilaani), means These are two tall boys.

- هَذَانِ بَيْتَانِ جَمِيْلاَنِ (hadhaani baytaani jamiilaani), means These are two beautiful houses.


b.
المُثَنَّى الْمُؤَنَّثُ (al-muthannaa al-mu-annath), means dual for female.


هَتَانِ (haataani)


Sentence examples:

a. هَتَانِ سَيَّارَتَانِ قَدِيْمَتَانِ (haataani sayyarataani qadiimataani), means these are two old cars.

b. هَتَانِ حُجْرَتَانِ وَاسِعَتَانِ (haataani hujrataani waasi'ataani), means these are two large rooms.

Demonstrative pronoun for the object that is far from the speaker ( اسم إشارة للبَعِيْد ) 

a.
المُثَنَى الْمُذَكَّر  (al-muthannaa al-mudhakkar), means dual for male.

ذَانِكَ  (dhaanika)


Sentence examples:

 ذَانِكَ قَمِيْصَانِ أَخْضَرَانِ  (dhaanika qamiiṣaani akhḑaraani), means those are two green shirts.



b.
المُثَنَّى الْمُؤَنَّثُ (al-muthannaa al-mu-annath), means dual for female.

تَانِكَ (taanika)


Sentence examples:

تَانِكَ قِطَّتَانِ صَغِيْرَتَانِ (taanika qiṭataani ṣaghiirataani), means those are two small cats.