Na't and Man'ut for Beginners: The Ultimate Guide to Arabic Adjectives (With Examples & Quiz)

📚 Arabic Adjectives Made Simple: Your Ultimate Guide to نعت and منعوت

If you're learning Arabic and wondering how to describe things like "a big house" or "a smart student," then understanding Na‘t (نَعْت) and Man‘ūt (مَنْعُوت) is a must. 

These two elements form the foundation of how adjectives work in Arabic. Unlike English, where the adjective comes first, Arabic flips the order — and that’s just the beginning. 

In this beginner-friendly guide, we’ll break down the concept of Na‘t and Man‘ūt step by step, using clear examples, simple explanations, and an interactive quiz to test your understanding. 

By the end, you'll be able to confidently describe people, places, and things in Arabic just like a native speaker.

📌 1. What is نعت ومنعوت?

In Arabic:

• منعوت is a noun — the thing or person you are describing.
• نعت is an adjective — the word that describes the noun.

So, in English grammar, this is just like saying “adjective and noun.”

But in Arabic, it’s called منعوت (noun) and نعت (adjective).

Let me repeat the basic concept.

Imagine you want to describe something in Arabic. You need two main parts:

• Man'ut (مَنْعُوت): This is the thing you're describing (a noun).

Think: House, book, girl, car, teacher.

• Na't (نَعْت): This is the description of the thing (an adjective).

Think: Big, new, beautiful, red, tall.

📌 2. Word Order (Structure)

In English, we say:

big house (adjective → noun)

In Arabic, the order is reversed:

بيتٌ كبيرٌ

So the noun (منعوت) comes first, and the adjective (نعت) comes after.

Remember the golden rule: Order Matters!

• In Arabic: You say the Man'ut (thing) FIRST, then the Na't (description).
• In English: You usually say the Adjective (description) FIRST, then the Noun (thing).

📌 3. Rules: The نعت Must Match the منعوت

The adjective (نعت) must agree with the noun (منعوت) in 4 things:

✅ Gender  (masculine or feminine)

• If the noun is masculine, the adjective is masculine.
• If the noun is feminine, the adjective usually gets a ـة (taa' marbuta) at the end.

Examples: 

بَيْتٌ كَبِيرٌ (big house) 

سَيَّارَةٌ كَبِيرَةٌ (big car) 

✅ Number (singular, dual, or plural)

• If the noun is singular, the adjective is singular.
• If the noun is dual, the adjective becomes dual (ends in ـَانِ or ـَيْنِ).
• If the noun is plural, the adjective becomes plural. Sound feminine plurals end in ـَاتٌ. Sound masculine plurals often end in ـُونَ / ـِينَ.

Examples:

رِجَالٌ طَيِّبُونَ (good men)

بِنْتَانِ جَمِيلَتَانِ (two beautiful girls)

✅ Case (nominative, accusative, or genitive)

Nouns and adjectives change their endings slightly depending on their job in the sentence (Subject? Object? After "of"?). This is called case (إعراب - I'raab).

The Na't always has the same case ending as the Man'ut it describes (Nominative ـٌ/ـُ, Accusative ـً/ـَ, Genitive ـٍ/ـِ).

Examples:

بيتٌ كبيرٌ (nominative)

رَأَيْتُ بَيْتًا كَبِيرًا (accusative)

✅ Definiteness (definite or indefinite)

• If the noun is indefinite (general, like "a house"), the adjective is also indefinite (no ال).
• If the noun is definite (specific, like "the house" - has ال), the adjective must also be definite (has ال).

Examples:

البيتُ الكبيرُ = the big house

بيتٌ كبيرٌ = a big house

So the نعت copies the endings and style of the منعوت.

📌 4. Simple Examples (with Explanation)

بيتٌ كبيرٌ (a big house)

Both words are masculine, indefinite, singular, nominative. 

سيارةٌ جديدةٌ (a new car)

Both are feminine, indefinite, singular, nominative. 

الطالبُ الذكيُّ (the smart student)

Both are masculine, definite, singular, nominative. 

📌 5. A Tip to Remember!

Think of نعت as the "shadow" of the منعوت — wherever the منعوت goes (in terms of gender, number, case, definiteness), the نعت follows it exactly!

🟣 6. Summary

You now have a solid foundation for understanding na't and man'ut. 

Remember the core concept: a na't (adjective) is the shadow of the man'ut (noun), always following it in gender, number, case, and definiteness. 

The order is also crucial—the noun always comes first, followed by its adjective. 

These rules may seem like a lot to remember at first, but with a little practice, they’ll become second nature. 

Keep practicing with the examples and the quiz, and you'll soon be building your own descriptive sentences in no time.

📝 Quiz: Na‘t and Man‘ūt (نعت ومنعوت) 

Choose the correct answer!

1. What does "منعوت" refer to in Arabic grammar?

A. An adjective

B. A verb

C. A noun being described

D. A sentence

2. What does "نعت" refer to in Arabic grammar?

A. A noun

B. An adjective

C. A preposition

D. A verb

3. What is the correct order in Arabic?

A. نعت + منعوت

B. Verb + نعت

C. منعوت + نعت

D. نعت + فعل

4. Which pair shows correct agreement?

A. بيتٌ كبيرةٌ

B. سيارةٌ كبيرٌ

C. ولدٌ صغيرٌ

D. بنتٌ جديدٌ

5. Which of the following is not a rule for نعت agreement?

A. Gender

B. Number

C. Tense

D. Case

6. Choose the correct نعت for the منعوت: كتابٌ (a book)

A. صغيرةٌ

B. جديدٌ

C. قديمين

D. الجميلةُ

7. What is the English meaning of: سيارةٌ جميلةٌ?

A. The beautiful car

B. A beautiful car

C. The big house

D. A new book

8. Which one is fully definite?

A. طالبٌ مجتهدٌ

B. الطالبُ مجتهدٌ

C. الطالبُ المجتهدُ

D. طالبٌ المجتهدُ

9. What is the نعت in this phrase: بنتٌ جميلةٌ?

A. بنتٌ

B. جميلةٌ

C. بنت

D. None

10. Which one shows correct نعت-منعوت pair for dual feminine?

A. بنتانِ جميلانِ

B. بنتينِ جميلتينِ

C. بنتانِ جميلتينِ

D. بنتانِ جميلتانِ

11. What is the correct word order in Arabic?

A. Adjective first, then noun

B. Noun first, then adjective

C. Verb first, then adjective

D. Adjective first, then verb

12. Which pair shows correct agreement?

A. بِنْتٌ صَغِيرٌ (bintun ṣagheerun)

B. كِتَابٌ جَدِيدَةٌ (kitaabun jadeedatun)

C. مُدَرِّسَاتٌ ذَكِيَّاتٌ (mudarrisaatun thakiyyatun)

D. سَيَّارَةٌ كَبِيرٌ (sayyaaratun kabeerun)

13. What is the English meaning of "قَمِيصٌ أَبْيَضُ"?

A. The white shirt

B. A white shirt

C. The big house

D. A new book

14. What is the نعت in "حَقِيبَةٌ ثَقِيلَةٌ"?

A. حَقِيبَةٌ (haqeeabatun)

B. ثَقِيلَةٌ (thaqeelatun)

C. حَقِيبَة (haqeeabah)

D. None

15. Which shows the correct dual feminine نعت/مَنْعُوت pair?

A. طَالِبَتَانِ مُجْتَهِدَاتٌ (Taalibataani mujtahidaatun)

B. طَالِبَتَانِ مُجْتَهِدَانِ (Taalibataani mujtahidaani)

C. طَالِبَتَيْنِ مُجْتَهِدَتَيْنِ (Taalibatayni mujtahidatayni)

D. طَالِبَتَانِ مُجْتَهِدَتَانِ (Taalibataani mujtahidataan)

16. Which of the following phrases has the correct na't and man'ut order?

A. جميلٌ بيتٌ

B. سيارةٌ جديدٌ

C. كبيرٌ ولدٌ

D. ولدٌ كبيرٌ

17. What is the correct translation of: كتابانِ جديدانِ?

A. The two new books

B. A new book

C. Two new books

D. The new book

18. In the phrase الطالبُ المجتهدُ (the hardworking student), what is the منعوت?

A. الطالبُ

B. المجتهدُ

C. الطالب

D. None

19. Choose the correct na't for the plural man'ut: سياراتٌ (cars)

A. جديدٌ

B. جديدتانِ

C. جديدةٌ

D. جديداتٌ

20. Which phrase shows correct agreement for a dual, feminine, and definite pair?

A. المعلمتانِ الجديدتانِ

B. المعلمتانِ جديدتانِ

C. المعلمتانِ جديدانِ

D. المعلمةُ الجديدتانِ

Answers

1. What does "منعوت" refer to in Arabic grammar?

A. An adjective

B. A verb

C. A noun being described

D. A sentence

✅ Correct Answer: C

Explanation: "منعوت" is the noun that is being described by an adjective (نعت).

2. What does "نعت" refer to in Arabic grammar?

A. A noun

B. An adjective

C. A preposition

D. A verb

✅ Correct Answer: B

Explanation: "نعت" means the adjective that describes the noun (منعوت).

3. What is the correct order in Arabic?

A. نعت + منعوت

B. Verb + نعت

C. منعوت + نعت

D. نعت + فعل

✅ Correct Answer: C

Explanation: In Arabic, the noun (منعوت) comes first, then the adjective (نعت).

4. Which pair shows correct agreement?

A. بيتٌ كبيرةٌ

B. سيارةٌ كبيرٌ

C. ولدٌ صغيرٌ

D. بنتٌ جديدٌ

✅ Correct Answer: C

Explanation: ولدٌ (boy) and صغيرٌ (small) are both masculine, singular, and indefinite.

5. Which of the following is not a rule for نعت agreement?

A. Gender

B. Number

C. Tense

D. Case

✅ Correct Answer: C

Explanation: Tense applies to verbs, not to adjectives. نعت must match منعوت in gender, number, case, and definiteness.

6. Choose the correct نعت for the منعوت: كتابٌ (a book)

A. صغيرةٌ

B. جديدٌ

C. قديمين

D. الجميلةُ

✅ Correct Answer: B

Explanation: "كتابٌ" is masculine singular, so "جديدٌ" is the matching adjective.

7. What is the English meaning of: سيارةٌ جميلةٌ?

A. The beautiful car

B. A beautiful car

C. The big house

D. A new book

✅ Correct Answer: B

Explanation: سيارة = car (feminine), جميلة = beautiful → both are indefinite, so: "a beautiful car".

8. Which one is fully definite?

A. طالبٌ مجتهدٌ

B. الطالبُ مجتهدٌ

C. الطالبُ المجتهدُ

D. طالبٌ المجتهدُ

✅ Correct Answer: C

Explanation: Both words are definite (with "ال"), so it means "the hardworking student."

9. What is the نعت in this phrase: بنتٌ جميلةٌ?

A. بنتٌ

B. جميلةٌ

C. بنت

D. None

✅ Correct Answer: B

Explanation: جميلةٌ is the adjective (نعت) describing بنتٌ.

10. Which one shows correct نعت-منعوت pair for dual feminine?

A. بنتانِ جميلانِ

B. بنتينِ جميلتينِ

C. بنتانِ جميلتينِ

D. بنتانِ جميلتانِ

✅ Correct Answer: D

Explanation: Both بنتانِ and جميلتانِ are dual, feminine, and nominative.

11. What is the correct word order in Arabic?

A. Adjective first, then noun

B. Noun first, then adjective

C. Verb first, then adjective

D. Adjective first, then verb

✅ Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Arabic places the noun (مَنْعُوت) before the adjective (نَعْت), like "وَلَدٌ طَوِيلٌ" (boy tall).

12. Which pair shows correct agreement?

A. بِنْتٌ صَغِيرٌ (bintun ṣagheerun)

B. كِتَابٌ جَدِيدَةٌ (kitaabun jadeedatun)

C. مُدَرِّسَاتٌ ذَكِيَّاتٌ (mudarrisaatun thakiyyatun)

D. سَيَّارَةٌ كَبِيرٌ (sayyaaratun kabeerun)

✅ Correct Answer: C

Explanation: مُدَرِّسَاتٌ (female teachers) and ذَكِيَّاتٌ (intelligent) agree in gender (feminine), number (plural), and definiteness (indefinite).

13. What is the English meaning of "قَمِيصٌ أَبْيَضُ"?

A. The white shirt

B. A white shirt

C. The big house

D. A new book

✅ Correct Answer: B

Explanation: قَمِيصٌ (shirt) is masculine indefinite, and أَبْيَضُ (white) agrees. No "ال" = "a white shirt".

14. What is the نعت in "حَقِيبَةٌ ثَقِيلَةٌ"?

A. حَقِيبَةٌ (haqeeabatun)

B. ثَقِيلَةٌ (thaqeelatun)

C. حَقِيبَة (haqeeabah)

D. None

✅ Correct Answer: B

Explanation: ثَقِيلَةٌ (heavy) is the adjective describing the noun "حَقِيبَةٌ" (bag).

15. Which shows the correct dual feminine نعت/مَنْعُوت pair?

A. طَالِبَتَانِ مُجْتَهِدَاتٌ (Taalibataani mujtahidaatun)

B. طَالِبَتَانِ مُجْتَهِدَانِ (Taalibataani mujtahidaani)

C. طَالِبَتَيْنِ مُجْتَهِدَتَيْنِ (Taalibatayni mujtahidatayni)

D. طَالِبَتَانِ مُجْتَهِدَتَانِ (Taalibataani mujtahidataan)

✅ Correct Answer: D

Explanation: طَالِبَتَانِ (two female students) and مُجْتَهِدَتَانِ (two hardworking) are dual feminine nominative (ـَانِ ending).

16. Which of the following phrases has the correct na't and man'ut order?

A. جميلٌ بيتٌ

B. سيارةٌ جديدٌ

C. كبيرٌ ولدٌ

D. ولدٌ كبيرٌ

✅ Correct Answer: D

Explanation: The man'ut (noun) comes first, followed by the na't (adjective). ولدٌ is the noun and كبيرٌ is the adjective.

17. What is the correct translation of: كتابانِ جديدانِ?

A. The two new books

B. A new book

C. Two new books

D. The new book

✅ Correct Answer: C

Explanation: كتابانِ (two books) and جديدانِ (two new) are both dual and indefinite, so the translation is "two new books."

18. In the phrase الطالبُ المجتهدُ (the hardworking student), what is the منعوت?

A. الطالبُ

B. المجتهدُ

C. الطالب

D. None

✅ Correct Answer: A

Explanation: الطالبُ is the noun that is being described, making it the منعوت.

19. Choose the correct na't for the plural man'ut: سياراتٌ (cars)

A. جديدٌ

B. جديدتانِ

C. جديدةٌ

D. جديداتٌ

✅ Correct Answer: C

Explanation: سياراتٌ is a non-human plural noun. In Arabic, non-human plurals are treated as feminine singular, so the adjective must also be feminine singular, جديدةٌ.

20. Which phrase shows correct agreement for a dual, feminine, and definite pair?

A. المعلمتانِ الجديدتانِ

B. المعلمتانِ جديدتانِ

C. المعلمتانِ جديدانِ

D. المعلمةُ الجديدتانِ

✅ Correct Answer: A

Explanation: المعلمتانِ (the two teachers) is dual, feminine, and definite. The na't must match in all three aspects: الجديدتانِ is also dual, feminine, and definite.