Bahasa Arab Dasar #3 - Isim Mufrod, Mutsanna, dan Jama'

Singular, Dual, and Plural Nouns in Arabic

Arabic nouns (ism) are classified by number: singular (mufrad), dual (mutsanna), and plural (jamʿ).

1. Singular (mufrad)

A singular noun refers to one person or thing. Examples include:

• muslimun — one Muslim man
• muslimatun — one Muslim woman
• kitābun — one book
• qalamun — one pen

Dictionary entries are commonly given in the singular form.

2. Dual (mutsanna)

A dual noun refers to exactly two people or things. It is formed from the singular by adding a dual ending:

• -āni (written with alif and nūn): muslimāni — two Muslim men; kitābāni — two books
• -ayni (written with yāʾ and nūn): muslimayni; kitābayni

For feminine nouns, an example is muslimatāni — two Muslim women. The lesson notes that when to use the different dual endings will be covered later.

3. Plural (jamʿ)

A plural generally refers to three or more. The lesson describes three types.

Sound masculine plural (jamʿ mudhakkar sālim)

This plural is typically used for rational male people. It is formed with -ūna or -īna.

• muslimūna / muslimīna — Muslim men or Muslims
• muʾminūna / muʾminīna — believers
• mudarrisūna / mudarrisīna — teachers

Sound feminine plural (jamʿ muʾannath sālim)

This plural is commonly used for feminine nouns and female people. It is formed with -āt, with endings such as -ātun or -ātin.

• muslimātun / muslimātin — Muslim women
• muʾminātun — female believers
• mudarrisātun — female teachers

Broken plural (jamʿ taksīr)

A broken plural is formed by changing the noun’s internal pattern rather than attaching one consistent suffix. It can be used for masculine or feminine nouns, and for rational or non-rational beings.

• kitābun → kutubun — book → books
• qalamun → aqlāmun — pen → pens
• faṣlun → fuṣūlun — class → classes
• ṭālibun → ṭullābun — student → students
• madrasatun → madārisu — school → schools
• miftāḥun → mafātīḥu — key → keys

Broken plurals follow different patterns rather than a single formula. The lesson also notes that madāris and mafātīḥ do not take tanwīn because they belong to a noun category that will be discussed later.

Examples Comparing Gender and Number

The lesson uses muslim to illustrate the categories:

• One Muslim man: muslimun
• Two Muslim men: muslimāni
• Muslim men or Muslims: muslimūna
• One Muslim woman: muslimatun
• Two Muslim women: muslimatāni
• Muslim women: muslimātun

The lesson also contrasts qalamun (“pen”), treated as masculine because it lacks the feminine marker tāʾ marbūṭa, with madrasatun (“school”), which has that marker and is treated as feminine.

Speakers and Sources

• One presenter or instructor explains the Arabic grammar lesson; the subtitles do not provide the presenter’s name.
• The examples and grammatical terms are teaching material, not separate speakers or cited sources.