Language/Tunisian-arabic/Grammar/Plurals
Hi Tunisian Arabic learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on the plural form of nouns and adjectives. Understanding plural nouns and adjectives is essential for basic communication in Tunisian Arabic. Plurals can be tricky, especially for those new to the language. But don't worry, with a bit of practice, you'll soon master it!
Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Future Tense, Pronouns, Past Tense & Statement Construction.
Plural rules[edit | edit source]
In Tunisian Arabic, there is no specific rule for plurals, but there are some common patterns that you can follow:
| Singular noun | Plural noun |
|---|---|
| كتاب kitāb | كتب kutub (books) |
| قلم qlam | اقلام aqlām (pens) |
| سجادة sajjāda | سجاد sajjād (carpets) |
Note that plurals in Tunisian Arabic are created by modifying the singular form of nouns (either in spelling or pronunciation).
For adjectives, the plural form is usually created by adding ين -(y)in or ات -at at the end of the adjective.
Examples:
| Singular adjective | Plural adjective |
|---|---|
| حلو ḥlū (sweet) | حلوين ḥlwīn (sweet, masc. pl.) / حلوات ḥlwāt (sweet, fem. pl.) |
| قصير qṣīr (short) | قصار qṣār (short, masc. pl.) / قصيرات qṣīrāt (short, fem. pl.) |
| كبير kbīr (big) | كبار kubbār (big, masc. pl.) / كبيرات kubbīrāt (big, fem. pl.) |
It is important to note that there are exceptions and irregular plural forms that must be memorized.
Sound-changing plural[edit | edit source]
A number of Tunisian Arabic nouns change their vowels in the plural form. The vowel change is shown in the table below:
| Singular noun | Plural noun |
|---|---|
| شمس chams (sun) | شمسات chmsāt |
| دنيا dunya (world) | ديار dyār |
| ميمون Mimoun (male name) | ممانين mmānīn |
Broken plural[edit | edit source]
The broken plural form in Tunisian Arabic is used for borrowed words from other languages, particularly French, such as مفتاح miftāḥ (key). Broken plurals for other nouns lose a vowel from the singular, like the word عبد ʿabd, which becomes أبيد ʾabīd (slaves).
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
To see the plural form of nouns and adjectives in context, let's listen to the following dialogue:
- Person 1: بابا، شريت هذيك الكتب كاملة. (Baba, shrit hādīk el-kutub kāmla.) - Dad, I bought all those books.
- Person 2: تتفرج وحدة وحدة ولا؟ (Ttfaraj wḥda wḥda wala?) - Are you going to watch them one by one or what?
In the dialogue, we can see the use of the plural form for الكتب el-kutub (books) and the singular form for وحدة wḥda (one).
Vocabulary[edit | edit source]
- كتاب kitāb - book
- قلم qlam - pen
- سجادة sajjāda - carpet
- حلو ḥlū - sweet
- قصير qṣīr - short
- كبير kbīr - big
- شمس chams - sun
- دنيا dunya - world
- ميمون Mimoun - male name
- أبيد ʾabīd - slaves
Practice[edit | edit source]
To practice constructing plural forms in Tunisian Arabic, try to turn these singular nouns and adjectives into the plural form:
- جدار (jedar - wall)
- جديد (jdid - new)
Further study[edit | edit source]
To improve your understanding of Tunisian Arabic Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!