Language/Egyptian-arabic/Grammar/Plurals
Hi Egyptian Arabic learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on plurals in Egyptian Arabic grammar. Plurals are an essential part of any language, and in Egyptian Arabic, they can be formed in different ways. Plurals may take different forms depending on gender, case, and word type, which may be tricky to grasp at first. But don't worry! We will explain everything.
With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: Adjectives, How to use the modal verb Must, Verb To Be & Regular Verbs.
Overview[edit | edit source]
In Egyptian Arabic, there are two types of plurals: sound and broken. The sound plural means that the plural form is formed by adding a suffix at the end of the word. The broken plural, on the other hand, means that the plural is formed by changing the internal structure of the word.
In general, masculine words are either sound or broken, while feminine words are always sound. There are many exceptions, which we will discuss in detail in the following sections.
To improve your Egyptian Arabic Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Sound Plurals[edit | edit source]
Sound plurals in Egyptian Arabic are formed by adding a suffix at the end of the word. Most masculine nouns ending in a vowel take the suffix "-in" in the plural, while most masculine nouns ending in a consonant take the suffix "-e". Here are some examples:
| Egyptian Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| كِتاب | kitāb | book |
| كِتَـابِـين | kitābayn | two books |
| بَيْت | bayt | house |
| بُيُوت | buyūt | houses |
| مَدْرَسَـة | madrasa | school |
| مَدَارِس | madāris | schools |
Note that the sound plural is used with masculine nouns only. Feminine nouns, on the other hand, have a fixed sound plural, which is "-āt". Here are some examples:
| Egyptian Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| جَدِيدَة | Jadīda | new (fem.) |
| جَدَائِدْ | Jadā'id | new (fem. plural) |
Broken Plurals[edit | edit source]
Broken plurals in Egyptian Arabic are formed by changing the internal structure of the word. There are many patterns for the broken plural, and learning them can be overwhelming. However, some patterns are more common than others. Here are some examples of common broken plurals:
| Pattern | Examples | Translation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| فُعُول | كَتَّاب (kattāb) | writers | مُدَلِّك (mudallik) | masseurs | |
| أفْعَال | كَلِمَة (kalima) | words | حَرَف (harf) | letters | |
| عُضُوف | شَارِع (sharī') | streets | جِسْر (jisr) | bridges |
Note that the broken plural is used with some masculine nouns and all feminine nouns. Also, keep in mind that there are many exceptions to these patterns.
Here is a dialogue to see plurals in context:
- Person 1: عندك كام جنيه؟ (ʿandak kām genēh?) - Do you have how many pounds?
- Person 2: عندي كتب كتير (ʿandī kutub katīr) - I have many books.
Irregular Plurals[edit | edit source]
Irregular plurals in Egyptian Arabic are plural forms that do not follow any specific pattern. They must be memorized as vocabulary. Some examples are:
| Egyptian Arabic | English | |
|---|---|---|
| صَابُون | soabon | soaps |
| بَنَادِق | banadeq | guns |
| قُطِط | qotta | cats |
| بُرْج | burj | towers |
Here is another dialogue to see irregular plurals in context:
- Person 1: شو رأيك بهذه البُرُج؟ (shu rayyak bihathih al-buruj?) - What do you think of these towers?
- Person 2: جميلة جداً! هذولا البُرْج عمرهم مئة سنة. (jameela jiddan! hawla al-burj ʿumruhom miʾa sanah) - Very beautiful! These towers are 100 years old.
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
In this lesson, we have learned about plurals in Egyptian Arabic grammar. We have seen that plurals can be formed in different ways, depending on gender, case, and word type. We have reviewed the sound and broken plurals and seen a few examples of irregular plurals. Don't be overwhelmed if you find it difficult to remember all the plural forms. With time and practice, you will get used to them.
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Sources[edit | edit source]
Impressive work on finishing this lesson! Explore these additional pages to enhance your understanding: Verbs to speak, Possession, Pronouns & Reflexive Pronouns.
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Give your Opinion
- Adjectives
- Indefinite and definite articles
- Nouns
- Phrases for everyday life
- How to Use Be
- Prepositions
- Future Tense
- Possession