A1 · Débutant Chapitre 9

Regular Plurals for People

5 Règles totales
55 exemples
6 min
Règles dans ce chapitre Pratique rapide

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the 'Sound Plural' to talk about groups of people with ease.

  • Identify the suffixes that transform singular nouns into plurals.
  • Distinguish between masculine and feminine plural endings.
  • Apply the correct plural form based on the person's role or gender.
Keep the root, change the ending, double the fun!

Ce que tu vas apprendre

Hey awesome learner! Ready to talk about groups of people in Arabic like a native? This chapter is just for you! We're going to learn how to easily pluralize people, from teachers and engineers to your new friends. You won't have to worry anymore about how to say 'several teachers' or 'a group of students'. In this chapter, you'll get familiar with 'sound plurals' – don't worry, the name might sound a bit complex, but the concept itself is super easy! What does that mean? It means the root of the word stays intact, and you just add a small ending to it. For example, you'll learn to use the suffixes '-uun' (or '-oon') and '-een' for masculine groups (whether they are all men or mixed groups). Imagine wanting to say 'the teachers arrived' or 'I saw the engineers'. And for feminine groups, it's even simpler! With a straightforward '-aat' ending, you can easily make any feminine noun plural. Like 'female teachers' or 'our friends'. See how easy it is? By the end of this chapter, you'll clearly understand when to use '-uun', when to use '-een', and when to use '-aat'. The result? You'll confidently be able to talk about groups of people at parties, in class, or even when discussing your relatives, without making any grammar mistakes! So, let's dive in, learn lots of new words, and use them with complete confidence!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Convert masculine singular professions into plurals using -uun and -een.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: Form feminine plurals for people by replacing the Taa Marbuta with -aat.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to: Recognize whether a group is masculine, feminine, or mixed based on the plural suffix used.

Guide du chapitre

Overview

Hey awesome learner! Welcome to a super important and incredibly useful chapter in your Arabic grammar A1 journey. Ever wondered how to talk about groups of people in Arabic, like the teachers or my friends?
This guide is your key! We're diving into Arabic plurals specifically for people, making your conversations much more natural and precise. Mastering Arabic plural endings at this stage is crucial for building a solid foundation in the language.
In Arabic, nouns can be singular (one), dual (two), or plural (three or more). For people, we often use what are called sound plurals. Don't let the name intimidate you – it just means the original word (the root) stays mostly intact, and we simply add a specific ending. This makes learning Arabic plurals for people surprisingly straightforward.
You'll discover how to confidently use the sound masculine plural endings like -uun (ـون) and -een (ـين) for groups of men or mixed groups, and the wonderfully consistent sound feminine plural ending -aat (ـات) for groups of women. By the end of this chapter, you’ll be able to express yourself clearly, whether you're talking about professors, doctors, or new acquaintances. Get ready to elevate your Arabic language learning to the next level!

How This Grammar Works

This chapter focuses on sound plurals because they are regular and predictable – a true gift for A1 Arabic learners! We'll explore two main types: the Sound Masculine Plural and the Sound Feminine Plural.
First, let's tackle the Sound Masculine Plural. This is used for groups of men, or mixed groups where the masculine form dominates (which is common in Arabic). You'll learn the rule topics "Arabic Plurals: The '-oon' and '-een' Suffixes and Arabic Plurals: Groups of Men." The endings are -uun (ـون) and -een (ـين).
The choice between them depends on the noun's grammatical role in the sentence (its case). For A1 Arabic, think of it simply:
* Use -uun (ـون) when the group is the *subject* of the sentence, performing the action. For example:
* المُدَرِّسُونَ في الصف. (Al-mudarrisūna fī al-ṣaff.) – The teachers are in the class. (Here, teachers are the subject.)
* المُهَنْدِسُونَ يعملون. (Al-muhandisūna ya'malūna.) – The engineers are working.
* Use -een (ـين) when the group is the *object* of the verb or comes *after a preposition* (like 'to', 'from', 'with'). For example:
* رأيتُ المُدَرِّسِينَ. (Ra'aytu al-mudarrisīna.) – I saw the teachers. (Here, teachers are the object.)
* سلّمتُ على المُهَنْدِسِينَ. (Sallamtu ‘alā al-muhandisīna.) – I greeted the engineers.
Next, we have the Sound Feminine Plural, covered by "The 'Happy' Plural: Sound Feminine (-aat) and The 'Copy-Paste' Plural: Sound Feminine (-aat)." This one is delightfully consistent! For most feminine nouns referring to people, you simply remove the final تَاء مَرْبُوطَة (tā marbūṭah) (ـة) if present, and add -aat (ـات). This ending is used regardless of the noun's grammatical role.
For example:
* طَالِبَة (ṭālibah - female student) becomes طَالِبَات (ṭālibāt - female students).
* مُدَرِّسَة (mudarrisah - female teacher) becomes مُدَرِّسَات (mudarrisāt - female teachers).
* صَدِيقَة (ṣadīqah - female friend) becomes صَدِيقَات (ṣadīqāt - female friends).
This makes pluralizing groups of women incredibly straightforward in Arabic grammar.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: رأيتُ المُدَرِّسُونَ. (Ra'aytu al-mudarrisūna.)
✓ Correct: رأيتُ المُدَرِّسِينَ. (Ra'aytu al-mudarrisīna.)
*Explanation:* The word teachers here is the object of the verb saw (رأيتُ). For the sound masculine plural, when the noun is an object or follows a preposition, you must use the -een ending (ـين), not the -uun ending (ـون) which is for subjects.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: هؤلاء طالبةات. (Hā'ulā'i ṭālibah-āt.)
✓ Correct: هؤلاء طَالِبَات. (Hā'ulā'i ṭālibāt.)
*Explanation:* When forming the sound feminine plural with -aat (ـات), if the singular noun ends with a تَاء مَرْبُوطَة (tā marbūṭah - ة), you must remove it before adding the -aat ending. You don't keep both the ة and add ات.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: المهندساتُ يعملون. (Al-muhandisātu ya'malūna.)
✓ Correct: المهندساتُ يعملْنَ. (Al-muhandisātu ya'malna.)
*Explanation:* While the plural noun engineers (feminine) is correct, the verb form "ya'malūna
is for masculine plural. For feminine plural subjects, the verb must also take the corresponding feminine plural form, which is
ya'malna" (يعملْنَ). This shows agreement is crucial in Arabic grammar.

Real Conversations

A

A

هل هؤلاء مُدَرِّسُونَ جدد؟ (Hal hā'ulā'i mudarrisūna judud?)

(Are these new teachers (masculine)?)

B

B

نعم، إنهم مُدَرِّسُونَ ممتازون. (Na'am, innahum mudarrisūna mumtāzūn.)

(Yes, they are excellent teachers.)

A

A

أين الطَّالِبَات؟ (Ayna al-ṭālibāt?)

(Where are the female students?)

B

B

الطَّالِبَات في المكتبة. (Al-ṭālibāt fī al-maktabah.)

(The female students are in the library.)

A

A

قابلتُ مُهَنْدِسِينَ كثيرين اليوم. (Qābaltu muhandisīna kathīrīn al-yawm.)

(I met many engineers today.)

B

B

وهل رأيتَ مُهَنْدِسَات؟ (Wa hal ra'ayta muhandisāt?)

(And did you see any female engineers?)

Quick FAQ

Q

Why are there two endings for masculine plurals in Arabic grammar (-uun and -een)?

The two endings, -uun (ـون) and -een (ـين), indicate the grammatical case of the noun. -uun is used when the noun is the subject of the sentence, while -een is used when it's the object or comes after a preposition. This is a fundamental aspect of Arabic plural endings explained for A1 learners.

Q

Can I use -aat for any feminine word in Arabic plurals?

The -aat ending (ـات) is primarily used for forming the sound feminine plural for nouns referring to people and some non-human feminine nouns. However, not *all* feminine nouns use this pattern; some have irregular (broken) plurals. For people, it's very reliable.

Q

Are there other types of plurals in Arabic besides the ones ending in -uun, -een, and -aat?

Yes, Arabic has another major category called broken plurals. These don't follow a simple suffix rule; instead, the internal structure of the word changes. We'll cover these in later chapters, but for A1 Arabic, focusing on the sound plurals for people is the best start.

Q

Does this rule for Arabic plurals for objects apply to non-people words too?

The sound masculine plural (-uun/-een) is strictly for rational beings (people). The sound feminine plural (-aat) can apply to some non-human feminine nouns (like سيارة - car, سيارات - cars), but for most non-human nouns, especially masculine ones, Arabic uses broken plurals.

Cultural Context

These sound plurals are incredibly common in everyday Arabic speech across all regions. Whether you're in Cairo, Riyadh, or Amman, referring to teachers (مُدَرِّسُونَ/مُدَرِّسِينَ) or female students (طَالِبَات) will immediately be understood. Mastering these Arabic plural endings not only makes your grammar correct but also ensures clarity in communication about groups of people, which is a frequent need in social interactions.
They are a cornerstone of clear expression in the Arabic-speaking world.

Exemples clés (8)

1

`al-muhandisuun mashghuuluun.`

Les ingénieurs sont occupés.

Le pluriel des personnes : Enseignants & ingénieurs (-uun, -aat)
2

`al-mu'allimaat latwiifaat jiddan.`

Les professeures sont très gentilles.

Le pluriel des personnes : Enseignants & ingénieurs (-uun, -aat)
3

Al-mubarmijoon mashghooloon jiddan.

Les programmeurs sont très occupés.

Pluriels Arabes : Les Suffixes "-oon" et "-een" (Masculin Régulier)
4

Kam 'adad al-mushtarikeen fi qanatik?

Combien d'abonnés sur ta chaîne ?

Pluriels Arabes : Les Suffixes "-oon" et "-een" (Masculin Régulier)
5

Al-muhandisūn ya'malūn hunā.

Les ingénieurs travaillent ici.

Pluriels en Arabe : Groupes d'Hommes (-ūn / -īn)
6

Qābaltu al-mubarmigīn fī al-mu'tamar.

J'ai rencontré les programmeurs à la conférence.

Pluriels en Arabe : Groupes d'Hommes (-ūn / -īn)
7

Ana uhibb al-commentaat al-mudhika.

J'adore les commentaires drôles.

Le Pluriel 'Heureux' : Féminin Sain (-aat)
8

Ha'ula' talibaat hakiyaat.

Ce sont des étudiantes intelligentes.

Le Pluriel 'Heureux' : Féminin Sain (-aat)

Conseils et astuces (4)

⚠️

Attention aux non-humains !

N'utilise jamais « -uun » pour des choses qui ne sont pas humaines ! Pour dire 'de belles maisons', ce n'est PAS buyuut jamiiluun. C'est plutôt buyuut jamiila (féminin singulier), comme si c'était 'elle'.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le pluriel des personnes : Enseignants & ingénieurs (-uun, -aat)
🎯

Cherche les mots en "Mou-"

Les mots qui commencent par Mou- (comme Muhandis, Mudarris, Muslim) utilisent presque TOUJOURS ce pluriel sonore ! C'est le plus sûr. Par exemple, Les ingénieurs est «المهندسون».
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Pluriels Arabes : Les Suffixes "-oon" et "-een" (Masculin Régulier)
⚠️

Le piège du 'Citron' !

Attention ! Tous les mots qui finissent en «ون» ne sont pas des pluriels. Par exemple, Laymūn (citron) ou Zaytūn (olive) sont des mots singuliers. Ne tente pas de leur enlever le «ون» ! «أحب الليمون.»
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Pluriels en Arabe : Groupes d'Hommes (-ūn / -īn)
💡

Le pluriel "facile"!

Pense au pluriel sonore comme au pluriel sûr. Il ne casse pas le mot. Si tu dois deviner le pluriel d'un mot moderne, devine -aat. Tu auras raison 90% du temps! «أحب اللايكات» (J'aime les 'likes').
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le Pluriel 'Heureux' : Féminin Sain (-aat)

Vocabulaire clé (8)

مُدَرِّس teacher (masculine) مُدَرِّسَة teacher (feminine) مُهَنْدِس engineer (masculine) مُهَنْدِسَة engineer (feminine) مُصَمِّم designer مُوَظَّف employee طالِبَة student (feminine) لاعِب player/athlete

Real-World Preview

Briefcase

At a Professional Conference

Review Summary

  • Root + [Suffix]
  • Noun + ونَ (-uun) / ينَ (-een)
  • [Noun - ة] + ات (-aat)

Erreurs courantes

You must remove the Taa Marbuta (ة) before adding the feminine plural ending -aat. Don't let them clash!

Wrong: مُدَرِّسَةات (mudarrisah-aat)
Correct: مُدَرِّسات (mudarrisāt)

The -aat ending is strictly for feminine nouns or specific non-human plurals. For men, always use the masculine sound plural.

Wrong: Using -aat for a group of men.
Correct: Using -uun/-een for a group of men.

At A1 level, remember they both mean 'plural'. -uun is usually for the subject, and -een is for objects or after prepositions (like 'in' or 'with').

Wrong: Confusing -uun and -een as different words.
Correct: Treating them as case variations of the same plural.

Next Steps

You're doing amazing! Mastering plurals is a huge step toward fluency. Keep practicing those endings!

Label photos of your friends or colleagues using the correct plural form.

Listen to an Arabic news intro and try to spot words ending in -uun or -aat.

Continue to: The Logic of Broken Plurals

Pratique rapide (10)

Corrige l'erreur dans cette phrase : 'Les joueurs sont rapides'

Find and fix the mistake:

اللاعبين سريعون.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: اللاعبون سريعون.
Le sujet d'une phrase en arabe doit se terminer par «ون» pour le pluriel masculin sain.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Pluriels en Arabe : Groupes d'Hommes (-ūn / -īn)

Choisis la phrase correcte pour 'J'ai parlé avec les ingénieurs'

Choose the grammatically correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: تكلمت مع المهندسين
Après la préposition 'مع' (avec), on doit utiliser la terminaison «ين».

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Pluriels en Arabe : Groupes d'Hommes (-ūn / -īn)

Trouve l'erreur dans cette phrase sur un groupe de professeurs (hommes).

Find and fix the mistake:

المُعَلِّمونَ لَطيفة.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: المُعَلِّمونَ لَطيفونَ.
L'adjectif doit correspondre au nom pluriel humain en genre et en nombre. « Latwiifuun » est le pluriel masculin.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le pluriel des personnes : Enseignants & ingénieurs (-uun, -aat)

Choisis la bonne terminaison pour le sujet.

The engineers (___) are here. (Al-muhandis___ huna).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: oon (ون)
Puisque 'Les ingénieurs' est le sujet de la phrase (ceux qui sont ici), nous utilisons la terminaison du cas nominatif -ون.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Pluriels Arabes : Les Suffixes "-oon" et "-een" (Masculin Régulier)

Choisis le pluriel correct pour 'Téléphone'

عندي ثلاثة ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: تليفونات
Les mots étrangers/empruntés prennent souvent la terminaison du pluriel féminin sain 'ات'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le pluriel "Copier-Coller" : Féminin régulier (-aat)

Transforme le mot entre parenthèses au pluriel.

أحب الـ___ (لايك) على بوستاتي. (J'aime les 'likes' sur mes posts)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: لايكات
Les mots empruntés comme 'like' prennent souvent le pluriel sonore féminin (-aat). C'est super courant! On dit «لايكات».

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le Pluriel 'Heureux' : Féminin Sain (-aat)

Complète la phrase avec le pluriel masculin correct de 'heureux' (`sa'iid`).

الأَصْدِقاءُ ___ جِدّاً.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: سَعيدونَ
Puisque les 'amis' (masculin/mixte) sont humains, on ajoute « -uun » à l'adjectif.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le pluriel des personnes : Enseignants & ingénieurs (-uun, -aat)

Choisis la forme plurielle correcte pour 'Professeur' (féminin).

هؤلاء ___ ممتازات (Ce sont d'excellentes professeurs).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: مدرسات
Puisque l'adjectif 'ممتازات' (excellentes) est au féminin pluriel, il nous faut le nom féminin pluriel 'مدرسات' (mudarrisaat).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le Pluriel 'Heureux' : Féminin Sain (-aat)

Convertis le mot singulier en pluriel (forme sujet)

The teachers (مدرس) are here: الـ___ هنا.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: مدرسون
Puisque les professeurs sont le sujet de la phrase, on ajoute la terminaison «ون» à «مدرس».

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Pluriels en Arabe : Groupes d'Hommes (-ūn / -īn)

Corrige l'accord de l'adjectif

Find and fix the mistake:

السيارات سريعون.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: السيارات سريعة.
Les pluriels non-humains (voitures) sont traités comme du féminin singulier. On utilise donc l'adjectif féminin singulier 'سريعة'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le pluriel "Copier-Coller" : Féminin régulier (-aat)

Score: /10

Questions fréquentes (6)

Oui ! En arabe, si un groupe a même un seul homme, on utilise le pluriel masculin « -uun » pour tout le groupe. Par exemple, « mudarribuun » (des coachs) peut désigner un groupe d'hommes et de femmes.
Ça sonne très bizarre aux oreilles des locuteurs natifs, comme si tu donnais une personnalité aux objets ! Utilise toujours des adjectifs au féminin singulier pour les pluriels non-humains, comme « kutub kabiira » (de grands livres).
Parce que les livres ne sont pas des personnes ! En arabe, les pluriels non-humains sont traités comme elle (féminin singulier). Donc, les livres (كتب) seraient décrits comme belle (جميلة), pas avec une terminaison de pluriel masculin.
Grammaticalement, le pluriel masculin l'emporte. Tu utilises -oon. C'est une vieille règle, mais elle est maintenue en arabe formel. Dans la vraie vie, le contexte est plus important.
Non, elle ne fonctionne que pour les noms masculins qui désignent des humains (et quelques adjectifs). Pour les objets comme 'livres' ou 'maisons', on utilise des pluriels brisés. Par exemple, «كتب» (livres) est le pluriel de «كتاب» (livre).
Utilise «ون» quand le mot est le sujet de la phrase (celui qui agit). Utilise «ين» quand le mot est l'objet de l'action ou qu'il vient après une préposition comme 'dans' ou 'avec'. Par exemple, «رأيتُ المدرسين» (J'ai vu les professeurs).
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Doubling Up: The Dual Form
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The Logic of Broken Plurals
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