In Arabic, any word that has meaning is called “kalimah,” and it is divided into three categories: noun, verb, and particles. In this lesson, we will learn about nouns in Arabic, including their types, functions, how to identify them, and examples.
What Is a Noun in Arabic?
The Arabic word for a noun is written as اِسْم (pronounced ism), and the plural is written as أسماء (asmaa). A noun is defined as a word that has a meaning on its own and does not have a tense. It’s important to note that in Arabic, ism covers more than just what we think of as “nouns” in English; it also includes pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs.
How To Identify a Noun in Arabic?
To identify a noun in Arabic grammar, you can classify it based on four criteria:
- Gender: Is the noun masculine or feminine?
- Plurality: Is the noun singular, dual, or plural?
- Derivation: Is the noun not derived, derived from a source, or derived from a gerund?
- Definiteness: Is the noun definite or indefinite?
Types of Nouns
There are two main types of nouns in Arabic:
- Definite
- Indefinite
Characteristics of Arabic Nouns
To use any Arabic noun correctly in a sentence or phrase, it’s important to understand certain characteristics of that noun. These characteristics are explained briefly below.
RELATED: Arabic Possessive Pronouns With Examples (Dhamir muttasil)
Gender in Arabic Nouns
Arabic nouns can be classified as either masculine (اَلْمُذَكَّرُ) or feminine (اَلْمُؤَنَّثُ). By default, a noun is considered masculine unless it has specific signs that make it feminine.
Feminine Nouns in Arabic
In Arabic, when a tā’ marbūṭa (ـة) is added to the end of a masculine noun, it becomes feminine. For example:
- ابنٌ (son) becomes ابنة (daughter).
- حسنٌ becomes حسنة.
- ملك (king) becomes ملكة (queen).
This rule often applies to adjectives as well.
In some cases, the presence of alif maqsūrah (ى) or alif mamdūdah (ـاء) at the end of a word indicates that it is feminine, such as:
- حسنى (a beautiful lady)
- زهراء (radiant)
There are also nouns that are feminine without any specific feminine ending. These are known as (مؤنث سِماعِي) – nouns that are recognized as feminine based on tradition. Examples include:
- Words that refer to women, like أم (mother) or عروس (bride).
- Names of countries, like الشام (Syria), مصر (Egypt), or الروم (The Roman Empire).
- Parts of the body that come in pairs, like hand, foot, ear, and eye.
Additionally, there are other nouns that are treated as feminine in Arabic, such as:
- أرض (earth)
- حرب (war)
- دار (house)
- خمر (wine)
- ريح (wind)
- سوق (market)
- شمس (sun)
- نار (fire)
- نفس (soul)
Even though some words end with tā’ marbūṭa (ة), they are masculine because they refer to males, such as:
- طَرَفة (name of a poet)
- خليفة (leader of the Muslims)
- علامة (a very learned scholar)
Just like adjectives must match their nouns in definiteness or indefiniteness, they must also match in gender.
Gender in Arabic Nouns: Masculine and Feminine
In Arabic, every noun is classified as either masculine (مذكر) or feminine (مؤنث). Understanding the gender of a noun is crucial because it affects the form of adjectives, verbs, and pronouns that relate to the noun.
Masculine Nouns (اسم مذكر)
- Definition: Generally, nouns that refer to male beings or objects that are considered grammatically masculine.
- Identification: Most masculine nouns do not have a specific ending, making them easier to identify.
Examples:
- رجل (rajul) – man
- قلم (qalam) – pen
- كتاب (kitāb) – book
- جبل (jabal) – mountain
In Sentences:
- هذا رجل طويل (hādhā rajul tawīl) – This is a tall man.
- قلمك جديد (qalamuka jadīd) – Your pen is new.
Feminine Nouns (اسم مؤنث)
- Definition: Nouns that refer to female beings or objects considered grammatically feminine.
- Identification: Feminine nouns often end with a “taa marbuta” (ة), but not always. There are also some nouns that are feminine by meaning, even if they don’t end in “ة”.
Examples:
- مدرسة (madrasa) – school
- شجرة (shajara) – tree
- شمس (shams) – sun (note: doesn’t end in “ة” but is still feminine)
In Sentences:
- هذه شجرة كبيرة (hādhihi shajara kabīra) – This is a big tree.
- المدرسة مغلقة (al-madrasa mughlaqa) – The school is closed.
Special Cases:
- Nouns with Inherent Gender: Some nouns have an inherent gender, regardless of the object they describe. For example, شمس (shams – sun) is always feminine, and قمر (qamar – moon) is always masculine.
- Gendered Pairs: Some nouns have both masculine and feminine forms.
- Examples:
- ولد (walad) – boy / بنت (bint) – girl
- معلم (muʿallim) – male teacher / معلمة (muʿallima) – female teacher
- Examples:
Number
Arabic nouns are categorized into three groups based on number: singular (الْمُفْرَدُ), dual (الْمُثنَّى), and plural (اَلْجَمْعُ).
- Singular (مُفْرَد): Refers to one person or thing.
- Dual (مُثَنَّى): Refers to two people or things. The dual form is made by adding ـان to the singular noun.
- Plural (جَمْع): Refers to three or more people or things.
The plural can be formed in two ways:
- Sound Plural (الجَمْع السَّالِم): This is a regular plural formed by adding ـون for masculine nouns and ـات for feminine nouns.
- Broken Plural (جَمْع التَّكْسِير): This is an irregular plural that doesn’t follow a set pattern and can have various forms, so it’s not explained in detail here.
Number in Arabic Nouns: Singular, Dual, and Plural
Arabic nouns can express singularity, duality, or plurality.
Singular Nouns (مفرد)
- Definition: Refers to a single person, object, or idea.
Examples:
- ولد (walad) – boy
- كتاب (kitāb) – book
- بيت (bayt) – house
In Sentences:
- ولد يلعب في الحديقة (walad yalʿab fī al-ḥadīqa) – A boy is playing in the garden.
- لديّ كتاب جديد (ladayya kitāb jadīd) – I have a new book.
Dual Nouns (مثنى)
- Definition: Refers to two persons, objects, or ideas. Dual nouns usually end with “ان” (ān) in the nominative case and “ين” (ayn) in the accusative/genitive cases.
Examples:
- ولدان (waladān) – two boys
- كتابان (kitābān) – two books
In Sentences:
- لديّ كتابان (ladayya kitābān) – I have two books.
- رأيتُ ولدين (ra’aytu waladayn) – I saw two boys.
Note: The ending changes depending on the grammatical case:
- Nominative: -ان (ān)
- Accusative/Genitive: -ين (ayn)
Plural Nouns (جمع)
Arabic plurals can be regular (sound) or broken (irregular).
Regular (Sound) Plurals:
- Masculine Plural (جمع المذكر السالم): Ends with “ون” (ūn) in the nominative case and “ين” (īn) in the accusative/genitive cases.
- Example: معلمون (muʿallimūn) – male teachers
- Feminine Plural (جمع المؤنث السالم): Ends with “ات” (āt).
- Example: معلمات (muʿallimāt) – female teachers
In Sentences:
- المعلمون في الصف (al-muʿallimūn fī al-ṣaff) – The male teachers are in the class.
- المعلمات في المدرسة (al-muʿallimāt fī al-madrasa) – The female teachers are in the school.
Broken (Irregular) Plurals (جمع التكسير):
- Definition: Formed by altering the structure of the singular noun. These plurals do not follow a set pattern and must be memorized.
Examples:
- كتاب (kitāb) – book -> كتب (kutub) – books
- ولد (walad) – boy -> أولاد (awlād) – boys
- بيت (bayt) – house -> بيوت (buyūt) – houses
In Sentences:
- قرأت كتب كثيرة (qara’tu kutub kathīra) – I read many books.
- الأولاد يلعبون (al-awlād yalʿabūn) – The boys are playing.
Definiteness in Arabic Nouns: Definite and Indefinite
Arabic nouns can be definite (معرفة) or indefinite (نكرة). This distinction impacts how nouns are used in sentences and how they interact with adjectives.
Definite Nouns (معرفة)
- Definition: Refers to specific nouns, usually indicated by the definite article “ال” (al-), which means “the”.
Examples:
- الكتاب (al-kitāb) – the book
- المدرسة (al-madrasa) – the school
In Sentences:
- الكتاب على الطاولة (al-kitāb ʿalā al-ṭāwila) – The book is on the table.
- المدرسة مغلقة (al-madrasa mughlaqa) – The school is closed.
Indefinite Nouns (نكرة)
- Definition: Refers to general or non-specific nouns, without “ال”.
Examples:
- كتاب (kitāb) – a book
- مدرسة (madrasa) – a school
In Sentences:
- كتاب على الطاولة (kitāb ʿalā al-ṭāwila) – A book is on the table.
- مدرسة مفتوحة (madrasa maftūḥa) – A school is open.
The Effect of Definiteness on Adjectives:
When a noun is definite, the adjective describing it must also be definite. Conversely, if the noun is indefinite, the adjective must be indefinite.
Examples:
- الكتاب الكبير (al-kitāb al-kabīr) – The big book
- كتاب كبير (kitāb kabīr) – A big book
100 Nouns In Arabic
Here is a table with 100 Arabic nouns and their meanings in English:
Arabic Noun | English Meaning |
---|---|
كتاب (kitāb) | Book |
مدرسة (madrasa) | School |
رجل (rajul) | Man |
امرأة (imra’a) | Woman |
بيت (bayt) | House |
سيارة (sayyāra) | Car |
شجرة (shajara) | Tree |
قمر (qamar) | Moon |
شمس (shams) | Sun |
طفل (ṭifl) | Child |
ولد (walad) | Boy |
بنت (bint) | Girl |
قلم (qalam) | Pen |
ساعة (sāʿa) | Clock/Watch |
طاولة (ṭāwila) | Table |
كرسي (kursī) | Chair |
ماء (mā’) | Water |
خبز (khubz) | Bread |
تفاحة (tuffāḥa) | Apple |
مدينة (madīna) | City |
قرية (qarya) | Village |
باب (bāb) | Door |
نافذة (nāfidha) | Window |
كلب (kalb) | Dog |
قطة (qiṭṭa) | Cat |
كتاب (kitāb) | Book |
صورة (ṣūra) | Picture |
وردة (warda) | Flower |
بحر (baḥr) | Sea |
جبل (jabal) | Mountain |
طريق (ṭarīq) | Road |
شارع (shāriʿ) | Street |
نهر (nahr) | River |
سماء (samā’) | Sky |
أرض (arḍ) | Earth |
نار (nār) | Fire |
ريح (rīḥ) | Wind |
عين (ʿayn) | Eye |
أذن (udhun) | Ear |
يد (yad) | Hand |
قدم (qadam) | Foot |
رأس (ra’s) | Head |
فم (fam) | Mouth |
قلب (qalb) | Heart |
رجل (rijl) | Leg |
جسم (jism) | Body |
عقل (ʿaql) | Mind |
كتاب (kitāb) | Book |
وقت (waqt) | Time |
يوم (yawm) | Day |
ليل (layl) | Night |
صباح (ṣabāḥ) | Morning |
مساء (masā’) | Evening |
صديق (ṣadīq) | Friend |
حب (ḥubb) | Love |
مال (māl) | Money |
سعادة (saʿāda) | Happiness |
سيارة (sayyāra) | Car |
طائرة (ṭā’ira) | Airplane |
قطار (qiṭār) | Train |
سفينة (safīna) | Ship |
فاكهة (fākihah) | Fruit |
خضار (khudār) | Vegetable |
لحم (laḥm) | Meat |
سمك (samak) | Fish |
أرز (aruzz) | Rice |
جبن (jubn) | Cheese |
طعام (ṭaʿām) | Food |
شاي (shāy) | Tea |
قهوة (qahwa) | Coffee |
عصير (ʿaṣīr) | Juice |
حليب (ḥalīb) | Milk |
ملح (milḥ) | Salt |
سكر (sukkar) | Sugar |
مدينة (madīna) | City |
بلد (balad) | Country |
شارع (shāriʿ) | Street |
سوق (sūq) | Market |
مطعم (maṭʿam) | Restaurant |
فندق (funduq) | Hotel |
مسجد (masjid) | Mosque |
كنيسة (kanīsa) | Church |
مستشفى (mustashfā) | Hospital |
مدرسة (madrasa) | School |
جامعة (jāmiʿa) | University |
مكتبة (maktaba) | Library |
غرفة (ghurfa) | Room |
مطبخ (maṭbakh) | Kitchen |
حمام (ḥammām) | Bathroom |
نوم (nawm) | Sleep |
علم (ʿilm) | Knowledge |
دين (dīn) | Religion |
إيمان (īmān) | Faith |
صلاة (ṣalāh) | Prayer |
صوم (ṣawm) | Fasting |
حج (ḥajj) | Pilgrimage |
زكاة (zakāh) | Charity |
قرآن (Qur’ān) | Quran |
حديث (ḥadīth) | Saying (of the Prophet SAW) |
This table covers a variety of commonly used Arabic nouns along with their English meanings.