The Dual(المثنّى)
Dual Subject Pronouns:
You already learned the Singular Subject Pronouns. The next set of subject pronouns, to be introduced here, will be the Dual Subject pronouns.Unlike in English, Arabic pays special attention to when there are two of something, this is called the Dual or المثنّى (almuthanna). The Subject Pronouns are for use when talking either to or about two people.
Dual Nouns:
All nouns receive a special ending if there are two of them. When there are two of a noun, ان - (aan) is added to the end of the noun to indicate that it is dual.
If the noun ends in a taa marbuuta ة, the taa marbuuta changes to a taa ت and then the ending is added.
Here are some example sentences using dual pronouns and nouns:
(In the second example above, it could mean "They (two) are fathers" or "They (two) are parents" but without context we don't know whether the two being talked about are a) a man and a woman, or b) two men.)
Dual Adjectives:
Adjectives are put into the dual the very same way that nouns are put into the dual:
If Masculine: add ان - (aan) If Feminine: change the ة to ت and then add ان - (aan)
Here are some sentences using dual subject pronouns, nouns and adjectives:
You already learned the Singular Subject Pronouns. The next set of subject pronouns, to be introduced here, will be the Dual Subject pronouns.Unlike in English, Arabic pays special attention to when there are two of something, this is called the Dual or المثنّى (almuthanna). The Subject Pronouns are for use when talking either to or about two people.
| Dual | Transcription | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | x | x | There is no specific 1st person dual form "we two". They simply use the word for "we." |
| 2nd Person | انتما | antumaa | You two |
| 3rd Person | هما | humaa | They two |
Dual Nouns:
All nouns receive a special ending if there are two of them. When there are two of a noun, ان - (aan) is added to the end of the noun to indicate that it is dual.
| Aِrabic Singular Noun | + Dual Ending - ان | Dual | Arabic Singular Noun | + Dual Ending - ان | Dual | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| كتاب | +-ان | كتابان | رجل | +-ان | رجلان | |
| kitaab | -aan | kitaabaan | rajal | -an | rajalaan |
If the noun ends in a taa marbuuta ة, the taa marbuuta changes to a taa ت and then the ending is added.
| Aِrabic Singul ar Noun | Chang e ة to ت | + Dual Ending ان- | Dual | Arabic Singular Noun | Chang e ة to ت | + Dual Ending ان- | Dual | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| فتاة | ت-ة | -ان + | فتاتان | طاولة | ت-ة | - ان + | طاولتان | |
| fataat | a -> t | -an | fataata an | Taawila | a -> t | -an | Taawilata an |
Here are some example sentences using dual pronouns and nouns:
| Arabic | Transcription | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| أنتما اختان ؟ | antumaa akhtaan? | Are you two (two) sisters? |
| .هما والدان | humaa waalidaan. | They (two) are (two) parents/fathers. |
| .هما صديقتان | humaa Sodiiqataan. | They two are (two. fem.) friends. |
(In the second example above, it could mean "They (two) are fathers" or "They (two) are parents" but without context we don't know whether the two being talked about are a) a man and a woman, or b) two men.)
Dual Adjectives:
Adjectives are put into the dual the very same way that nouns are put into the dual:
If Masculine: add ان - (aan) If Feminine: change the ة to ت and then add ان - (aan)
| Aِrabic Singular Adjective (masc) | + Dual Ending -ان | Dual | Arabic Singular Adjective (fem) | Change ة to ت | + Dual Ending ان- | Dual | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| جيمل | +-ان | جيملان | جيملة | ت-ة | +-ان | جيملتان | |
| jamiil | -an | jamiilaan | jamiila | a -> t | -an | jamiilata an |
Here are some sentences using dual subject pronouns, nouns and adjectives:
| Arabic | Transcription | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| .أنتما اختان جيّدتان | antumaa akhtaan jayyidataan. | You (two) are good sisters. |
| .هما والدان جديدان | humaa waalidaan jadiidaan. | They (two) are (two) parents/fathers. |
| هما صديقتان .وحشتان | humaa Sodiiqataan waHashataan. | They (two) are bad friends. |
|
Related Links: Arabic People and Family Members(أشخا ص و افراد العائلة) Office Vocabulary(مفردات المكتب) |