Lesson 55 – الدَّرْسُ الخامِسُ وَالْخَمْسُونَ

The dual -  الْمُثَنَّى

Introduction - مُقَدِّمَةٌ

• In Arabic a word is written differently depending on whether it is in singular, dual (two of something) or plural (more than two).

• This is lesson fifty five of our free Arabic language course. This Arabic course with images and audios will help you learn Arabic.
• In this lesson we will learn the dual (المُثَنَّى /al muthannā/) In-Shā'- Allâh (God willing). The dual is a declinable noun which shows two of something and takes a different form in masculine or feminine.
• It is formed by adding Alif and Nuun (انِ /āni) or Yā' and Nuun (ينِ /yni)to the ending of a word in singular form, e.g.: (please read from right to left)

• In this lesson we will also learn how we can change the noun from singular (one of something) into dual form (two of something), and the conditions under which a noun can be changed into dual.
• We will also learn the declension of the dual. For example, we will understand whether the dual is changed by the vowel endings (đammah, fatħah, or kasrah) or if it has its own forms in declension.
• The following table shows you the difference between the declension of the singular and the dual forms of a word:

• We will also learn that when another noun is annexed to the dual, the Nuun in the end of the dual is omitted, e.g.: