Lesson 18 – الدَّرْسُ الثَّامِنَ عَشَرَ

The Dual - الْمُثَنَّى  

• 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:

• طَالِبٌ will become طَالِبَانِ 
• الطَّالِبُ will become الطَّالِبَانِ 

• 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:

•  طَالِبَةٌ will become طَالِبَتَانِ 
• الطَّالِبَةُ will become الطَّالِبَتَانِ 

• 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:

• مَعَ مُدَرِّسٍ will become مَعَ مُدَرِّسَيْنِ
• عِنْدَ الْمُدَرِّسِ will become عِنْدَ الْمُدَرِّسَيْنِ

• 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:

• فِي حَقِيبَةٍ will become فِي حَقِيبَتَيْنِ
• فَوْقَ الشَّجَرَةِ will become فَوْقَ الشَّجَرَتَيْنِ 
• Let’s look at some more examples for a better understanding of the rule: