Lesson 18 – الدَّرْسُ الثَّامِنَ عَشَرَ

The Dual - الْمُثَنَّى  

  • We are still in lesson eighteen of our free Arabic language course. This Arabic course with images and audios will help you learn Arabic.
  • In Arabic, nouns fall into three categories namely
    • Singular - which relates to a single noun
    • Dual - which indicates two of something
    • Plural - which indicates more than two of something
  • In order to change a singular Arabic noun to the Dual the following steps are involved:
    • Nominative Case:
      • To change a singular masculine noun to the case of dual the following changes occur:
        • The last letter of the word has its vowel replaced with a single /fatħah/ (i.e. replacing /the đammah/ or /dammatain/)
        • The suffix of انِ is added to the word.

See some examples below:

      • To change a singular feminine noun with nominative case to the Dual, the following changes occur:
        • The last letter ة /tā’ marbūŧah/ is changed to the letter ت  
        • The last letter (which is now) ت has its vowel replaced with a single fatħah  (i.e. replacing /the đammaħ/ or /dammatain/),
        • The suffix of انِ is added to the word.

See some examples below:

    • Genitive and Accusative Case:
      • To change a singular masculine noun with accusative or genitive case to the Dual:
        • A single /fatħah/ is added on the last letter instead of the accusative case with a /fatħah/ or genitive case with a kasrah/
        • The suffix /Ya’-Nūn/ يْنِ i.e., a Ya’ with /Sukūn/ and /Nūn/ with a /Kasrah/ is added.

See some examples below:

      • To change a singular feminine noun with accusative or genitive case to the Dual:
        • The last letter ة /tā’ marbūŧah/ is changed to the letter ت
        • A single fatħah is added on the last letter instead of the accusative case with a /fatħah/ or genitive case with a /kasrah/
        • The suffix /Ya’-Nūn/ يْنِ i.e., a /Ya’/ with /Sukūn/ and /Nūn/ with a /Kasrah/ is added.

See some examples below:

Picture

English

Arabic

Madinaharabic.com lesson image

A brother in the house

Two brothers in the house

أَخٌ فِي الْبَيْتِ.

أَخَوَانِ فِي الْبَيْتِ.

Madinaharabic.com lesson image

Two daughters with a teacher

Two daughters with two teachers

بِنْتَانِ مَعَ مُدَرِّسَةٍ.

بِنْتَانِ مَعَ مُدَرِّسَتَيْنِ.

Madinaharabic.com lesson image

A book in the bag

Two books in the two bags

كِتَابٌ فِي الْحَقِيبَةِ.

كِتَابَانِ فِي الْحَقِيبَتَيْنِ.