A2 Noun Gender 11 min read Medium

Arabic Broken Plurals: Specialized Patterns (مفاعل، فعائل)

Mastering these patterns allows you to pluralize specialized nouns and apply correct feminine singular agreement for non-human groups.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Broken plurals change the internal structure of a word instead of adding a suffix, following specific rhythmic patterns like 'مفاعل'.

  • Pattern 'مفاعل' (mafā‘il) is used for four-letter words like 'مساجد' (mosques).
  • Pattern 'فعائل' (fa‘ā’il) is used for words with a long vowel, like 'رسائل' (letters).
  • Broken plurals are treated as feminine singular for adjective agreement.
Singular Root + Internal Vowel Shift = Broken Plural Pattern

Overview

In Arabic, forming plurals is not always as simple as adding an "-s" like in English. While Arabic has regular, or "sound" plurals (جَمْع سَالِم - jamʿ sālim), the majority of nouns form their plural through an internal transformation. This system is known as the broken plural (جَمْع تَكْسِير - jamʿ taksīr), a name that perfectly describes the process: the singular form of the word is metaphorically "broken" and its root consonants are recast into a new template, or pattern (وَزْن - wazn).

This may sound unpredictable, but it is a core feature of Arabic's elegant root-and-pattern system. For a beginner, mastering these patterns is a significant step toward fluency. This guide focuses on two of the most common and useful broken plural patterns: مَفَاعِل (mafāʿil) and فَعَائِل (faʿāʾil).

These patterns are not random; they consistently apply to specific types of nouns, particularly those denoting places, tools, and four-letter words with a long vowel. Recognizing them is essential for navigating modern life in Arabic, from reading a list of مَطَاعِم (maṭāʿim - restaurants) on a delivery app to sorting through رَسَائِل (rasāʾil - messages) in your inbox.

How This Grammar Works

To understand broken plurals, you must first understand that most Arabic words are built on a three-consonant root (جِذْر - jidhr). This root carries a core meaning. For example, the root ك-ت-ب (k-t-b) relates to the concept of "writing." These root letters are then inserted into various patterns (وَزْن - wazn) of vowels and other consonants to create a family of related words.
The singular word for "office" or "desk," مَكْتَب (maktab), is formed by placing our k-t-b root into the مَفْعَل (mafʿal) pattern, which often denotes a place.
To make this word plural, you do not add a suffix. Instead, you take the same three root letters (k-t-b) and pour them into a plural pattern. For مَكْتَب (maktab), the plural pattern is مَفَاعِل (mafāʿil).
The root letters stretch and rearrange to fit this new mold, creating مَكَاتِب (makātib). The structure of the singular is broken to create the plural.
  • Singular Pattern: ma + Root1 + a + Root2 + a + Root3 (مَفْعَل)
  • Singular Word: ma + K + a + T + a + B = مَكْتَب (maktab)
  • Plural Pattern: ma + Root1 + ā + Root2 + i + Root3 (مَفَاعِل)
  • Plural Word: ma + K + ā + T + i + B = مَكَاتِب (makātib)
The same principle applies to the فَعَائِل (faʿāʾil) pattern. This pattern is very common for feminine nouns that have a long vowel before the final consonant. Consider the word رِسَالَة (risāla - message), from the root ر-س-ل (r-s-l) related to sending.
To make it plural, the root letters are inserted into the فَعَائِل (faʿāʾil) pattern, yielding رَسَائِل (rasāʾil). The ة (tāʾ marbūṭa) is dropped, and the long vowel of the singular transforms into a ء (hamza) in the plural. This internal shift is the defining feature of the broken plural system.

Formation Pattern

1
While there are over thirty broken plural patterns, مَفَاعِل (mafāʿil) and فَعَائِل (faʿāʾil) are two of the most predictable. They are typically used for nouns with four or more letters in their singular form.
2
1. The مَفَاعِل (mafāʿil) Pattern
3
This pattern is the default plural for singular nouns that have four consonants (or three consonants where one is doubled). It is especially common for nouns of place and instrument that begin with مَـ (ma-) or مِـ (mi-), as well as foreign loanwords.
4
| Singular Form (Example) | Singular Word | Plural Pattern | Plural Word | Meaning |
5
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
6
| مَفْعَل (mafʿal) | مَطْعَم (maṭʿam) | مَفَاعِل (mafāʿil) | مَطَاعِم (maṭāʿim) | Restaurants |
7
| مَفْعِل (mafʿil) | مَنْزِل (manzil) | مَفَاعِل (mafāʿil) | مَنَازِل (manāzil) | Houses |
8
| مِفْعَل (mifʿal) | مِصْعَد (miṣʿad) | مَفَاعِل (mafāʿil) | مَصَاعِد (maṣāʿid) | Elevators |
9
| فُنْدُق (funduq) | فُنْدُق (funduq) | فَعَالِق (faʿāliq) | فَنَادِق (fanādiq) | Hotels |
10
| مَتْجَر (matjar) | مَتْجَر (matjar) | مَفَاعِل (mafāʿil) | مَتَاجِر (matājir) | Stores |
11
2. The فَعَائِل (faʿāʾil) Pattern
12
This pattern is consistently used for singular feminine nouns that have four letters and feature a long vowel (ā or ī) as the second-to-last letter, before the final ـة (tāʾ marbūṭa). When forming the plural, the ـة is dropped and this long vowel becomes a hamza (ء) seated on a ya tooth (ئ), known as a hamza ʿalā nabira.
13
| Singular Form (Example) | Singular Word | Plural Pattern | Plural Word | Meaning |
14
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
15
| فَعِيلَة (faʿīla) | حَقِيبَة (ḥaqība) | فَعَائِل (faʿāʾil) | حَقَائِب (ḥaqāʾib) | Bags |
16
| فَعَالَة (faʿāla) | رِسَالَة (risāla) | فَعَائِل (faʿāʾil) | رَسَائِل (rasāʾil) | Messages |
17
| فَعِيلَة (faʿīla) | جَزِيرَة (jazīra) | فَعَائِل (faʿāʾil) | جَزَائِر (jazāʾir) | Islands |
18
| وَظِيفَة (waẓīfa) | وَظِيفَة (waẓīfa) | فَعَائِل (faʿāʾil) | وَظَائِف (waẓāʾif) | Jobs, Duties |
19
| عَجُوز (ʿajūz) | عَجُوز (ʿajūz) | فَعَائِل (faʿāʾil) | عَجَائِز (ʿajāʾiz) | Old women |
20
The appearance of the hamza (ء) is a predictable phonetic rule. In the فَعَائِل (faʿāʾil) pattern, the first alif (ا) is inserted. When this new alif meets the long vowel from the singular word (like the ī in ḥaqība), the original long vowel gives way and becomes a glottal stop, written as hamza. It sits on a ئ because the preceding vowel sound is a short i (kasra).

Gender & Agreement

One of the most important and initially counter-intuitive rules in Arabic grammar concerns plural agreement. All non-human plurals, regardless of their singular form's gender, are treated grammatically as feminine singular. This principle applies to all broken plurals, including the patterns مَفَاعِل and فَعَائِل when they refer to inanimate objects, concepts, or animals.
This means that any adjectives, demonstrative pronouns (this/that), or verbs describing a non-human plural must be in their feminine singular form. Let’s observe this with the masculine singular noun مَكْتَب (maktab, office).
  • Singular (Masc.): هٰذَا مَكْتَبٌ جَدِيدٌ. (hādhā maktabun jadīdun.)
  • This is a new office.
  • Plural (Treated as Fem. Sing.): هٰذِهِ مَكَاتِبُ جَدِيدَةٌ. (hādhihi makātibu jadīdatun.)
  • These are new offices.
Notice how the demonstrative pronoun changes from the masculine هٰذَا (hādhā) to the feminine هٰذِهِ (hādhihi), and the adjective "new" changes from جَدِيد (jadīd) to جَدِيدَة (jadīda). The same applies to plurals from feminine singular nouns, like حَقِيبَة (ḥaqība, bag).
  • Singular (Fem.): هٰذِهِ حَقِيبَةٌ ثَقِيلَةٌ. (hādhihi ḥaqībatun thaqīlatun.)
  • This is a heavy bag.
  • Plural (Treated as Fem. Sing.): هٰذِهِ حَقَائِبُ ثَقِيلَةٌ. (hādhihi ḥaqāʾibu thaqīlatun.)
  • These are heavy bags.
The rationale behind this rule is a form of grammatical simplification. Instead of requiring plural agreement for countless types of inanimate objects, the language defaults to a single, consistent form. This rule does not apply to human plurals.
A plural of humans, like عَجَائِز (ʿajāʾiz - old women), would take standard feminine plural agreement.

When To Use It

These plural patterns are not relics of classical poetry; they are fundamental to modern, everyday Arabic. You will encounter them constantly in digital communication, professional settings, and while navigating any Arabic-speaking city.
  • Digital and Media Contexts:
  • Checking your رَسَائِل (rasāʾil - messages) on WhatsApp or email.
  • Scrolling through نَتَائِج (natāʾij - results, from نَتِيجَة) of a Google search.
  • Reading news headlines about حَوَادِث (ḥawādith - accidents, from حَادِثَة).
  • Urban and Commercial Environments:
  • Choosing from a list of مَطَاعِم (maṭāʿim - restaurants) on an app.
  • Booking rooms in فَنَادِق (fanādiq - hotels).
  • Shopping in different مَتَاجِر (matājir - stores).
  • Visiting مَتَاحِف (matāḥif - museums, from مَتْحَف).
  • Professional and Academic Life:
  • Working in مَكَاتِب (makātib - offices).
  • Fulfilling one's وَظَائِف (waẓāʾif - duties).
  • Studying different مَنَاهِج (manāhij - curricula, from مَنْهَج).
  • Consulting مَصَادِر (maṣādir - sources, from مَصْدَر).
Mastering these patterns allows you to move from describing a single item to discussing groups of items fluidly and accurately, a skill that immediately elevates your functional ability in the language.

Common Mistakes

As you learn to use these patterns, you are likely to encounter a few common pitfalls. Being aware of them is the first step to avoiding them.
  1. 1Over-applying the Sound Plural: The most frequent error is defaulting to the regular feminine sound plural ending ـَات (-āt) for words that require a broken plural. This can sometimes result in a word that doesn't exist, but other times it can create a different word entirely.
  • Incorrect: maktabāt to mean "offices." The word مَكْتَبَات (maktabāt) is a real word, but it means libraries or bookstores, not offices. The correct plural for office is مَكَاتِب (makātib).
  • Incorrect: ḥaqība-āt. While a listener might understand your intent through context, this form is grammatically incorrect and immediately marks the speaker as a learner.
  1. 1Incorrect Plural Agreement: Forgetting the non-human plural rule is extremely common. Learners often try to make the adjective plural to match the noun, as one would in English.
  • Incorrect: المَكَاتِب جُدُد. (al-makātib judud.) The adjective جُدُد (judud) is a plural form of جَدِيد, but it can only be used for humans.
  • Correct: المَكَاتِب جَدِيدَة. (al-makātib jadīda.) The adjective must be feminine singular.
  1. 1Confusing مَفَاعِل (mafāʿil) with مَفَاعِيل (mafāʿīl): This is a more advanced error. While the mafāʿil pattern is for 4-letter singulars, singular nouns with 5 letters (often with a long vowel before the final root letter) typically take the pattern مَفَاعِيل (mafāʿīl). For example, مِفْتَاح (miftāḥ - key) becomes مَفَاتِيح (mafātīḥ - keys), not mafātiḥ.
  1. 1Forgetting or Misspelling the hamza (ء): In the فَعَائِل (faʿāʾil) pattern, the hamza is not optional. Forgetting it (e.g., writing rasā'il without the ء) or writing it on the wrong seat (e.g., on an alif - أ) is a common spelling mistake. Remember: the hamza (ء) replaces the original long vowel and is written on a ئ (nabira) because it follows a kasra vowel sound.

Common Collocations

Learning words in chunks and common phrases (collocations) helps you sound more natural. Here are how mafāʿil and faʿāʾil plurals appear in everyday contexts:
  • قَائِمَةُ المَطَاعِم (qāʾimat al-maṭāʿim) - The list of restaurants
  • صُنْدُوقُ الرَّسَائِلِ الوَارِدَة (ṣundūq ar-rasāʾil al-wārida) - Email inbox (lit. "box of incoming messages")
  • حَجْزُ الفَنَادِق (ḥajz al-fanādiq) - Hotel reservations
  • حَقَائِبُ اليَد (ḥaqāʾib al-yad) - Handbags
  • مَكَاتِبُ بَرِيد (makātib barīd) - Post offices
  • نَتَائِجُ البَحْث (natāʾij al-baḥth) - Search results
  • عَرَبَاتُ الحَقَائِب (ʿarabāt al-ḥaqāʾib) - Luggage carts
  • مَوَاقِفُ السَّيَّارَات (mawāqif as-sayyārāt) - Car parks (from مَوْقِف)

Real Conversations

Let's see how these words function in brief, realistic exchanges.

S

Scenario 1

Planning to meet up via text.

- Ali: أَهْلًا. أَيْنَ تُرِيدُ أَنْ نَأْكُل؟ لَدَيَّ قَائِمَةُ مَطَاعِمَ إِيطَالِيَّةٍ.

(Ahlan. Ayna turīdu an naʾkul? Ladayya qāʾimatu maṭāʿima īṭāliyya.)

Hi. Where do you want to eat? I have a list of Italian restaurants.*

- Fatima: مُمْتَاز. تَحَقَّقْ مِنْ رَسَائِلِكَ، أَرْسَلْتُ لَكَ أَفْضَلَ الوَاجِبَاتِ عِنْدَهُمْ.

(Mumtāz. Taḥaqqaq min rasāʾilika, arsaltu laka afḍal al-wājibāt ʿindahum.)

Excellent. Check your messages, I sent you the best dishes they have.*

S

Scenario 2

At the airport.

- Tourist: عَفْوًا، هَلْ كُلُّ الحَقَائِبِ هُنَا؟ حَقِيبَتِي لَيْسَتْ مَوْجُودَةً.

(ʿAfwan, hal kullu al-ḥaqāʾibi hunā? Ḥaqībatī laysat mawjūda.)

Excuse me, are all the bags here? My bag isn't here.*

- Agent: لَا، هٰذِهِ رِحْلَةُ بَارِيس فَقَط. حَقَائِبُ رِحْلَةِ لَنْدَن عَلَى السَّيْرِ المُجَاوِرِ.

(Lā, hādhihi riḥlatu Bārīs faqaṭ. Ḥaqāʾibu riḥlati Landan ʿalā as-sayr al-mujāwir.)

No, this is only the Paris flight. The London flight's bags are on the next carousel.*

Quick FAQ

Q: Why are they called "Broken" plurals?

The technical term is جَمْعُ التَّكْسِير (jamʿ at-taksīr), from the root for "to shatter." This is because the internal phonetic structure of the singular word is "broken" and re-formed, unlike "sound" plurals (جَمْع سَالِم - jamʿ sālim) which remain intact and simply add a suffix.

Q: Do I have to memorize every single broken plural?

Initially, you will learn many plurals as individual vocabulary items. However, as you progress, you will develop an intuitive feel for the patterns (أَوْزَان - awzān). You'll start to recognize that a singular noun of a certain structure (e.g., مَفْعَل) will almost always have a corresponding plural pattern (مَفَاعِل).

Q: What is the most important rule for these plurals?

Without a doubt, the agreement rule. Treating a group of non-human items, like مَكَاتِب (offices), as a single feminine entity (هِيَ) for grammatical purposes is the most critical concept. Mastering this unlocks correct sentence structure for a vast number of situations.

Q: Are the patterns مَفَاعِل and فَعَائِل 100% predictable?

They are highly predictable but not absolute. Arabic has a rich history, and exceptions exist. Some words may have more than one accepted plural, and modern loanwords sometimes defy traditional patterns. However, for the noun types discussed here, these two patterns are your most reliable guide.

Q: Why does the hamza (ء) appear in the فَعَائِل pattern?

The hamza is a predictable phonetic consequence, not a random addition. It is what the original long vowel from the singular noun (like the ī in ḥaqība) transforms into when it collides with the alif (ā) of the plural pattern. It’s a key part of the word's new structure.

Broken Plural Patterns

Pattern Singular Plural Meaning
مفاعل
مسجد
مساجد
Mosque
مفاعل
مكتب
مكاتب
Office
فعائل
رسالة
رسائل
Letter
فعائل
صحيفة
صحائف
Newspaper
مفاعل
دفتر
دفاتر
Notebook
فعائل
سحابة
سحائب
Cloud

Meanings

Broken plurals are non-suffix plurals where the singular word's root letters are redistributed into a specific rhythmic template.

1

The Mafā‘il Pattern

Used for many four-letter nouns.

“مكتب -> مكاتب”

“مسجد -> مساجد”

2

The Fa‘ā’il Pattern

Used for nouns containing a long vowel (usually 'ā').

“رسالة -> رسائل”

“سحابة -> سحائب”

Reference Table

Reference table for Arabic Broken Plurals: Specialized Patterns (مفاعل، فعائل)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Noun + Pattern
هذه مساجد
Negative
ليس + Noun
ليست مساجد
Question
هل + Noun
هل هذه مساجد؟
Agreement
Noun + Fem. Sing. Adj.
مساجد كبيرة
Genitive
Pattern (no tanwin)
في مساجدَ
Definite
Al + Pattern
المساجد

Formality Spectrum

Formal
المكاتبُ مغلقةٌ.

المكاتبُ مغلقةٌ. (Workplace communication)

Neutral
المكاتبُ مقفلةٌ.

المكاتبُ مقفلةٌ. (Workplace communication)

Informal
المكاتبُ مسكرة.

المكاتبُ مسكرة. (Workplace communication)

Slang
المكاتب قفلت.

المكاتب قفلت. (Workplace communication)

Broken Plural Roots

Root

Singular

  • مسجد Mosque

Plural

  • مساجد Mosques

Sound vs Broken

Sound
معلمون Teachers
Broken
مساجد Mosques

Plural Decision Tree

1

Is it a person?

YES
Use Sound Plural
NO
Use Broken Plural Pattern

Common Patterns

🏢

مفاعل

  • • مساجد
  • • مكاتب
  • • دفاتر
✉️

فعائل

  • • رسائل
  • • صحائف
  • • سحائب
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Examples by Level

1

هذه مساجد.

These are mosques.

2

عندي رسائل.

I have letters.

3

هذه مكاتب.

These are offices.

4

تلك دفاتر.

Those are notebooks.

1

المساجدُ كبيرةٌ.

The mosques are large.

2

قرأتُ رسائلَ كثيرةً.

I read many letters.

3

هذه المكاتبُ نظيفةٌ.

These offices are clean.

4

اشتريتُ دفاترَ جديدةً.

I bought new notebooks.

1

ذهبتُ إلى مساجدَ قديمةٍ.

I went to old mosques.

2

وصلتني رسائلُ من أصدقائي.

Letters arrived from my friends.

3

نظمتُ المكاتبَ في الشركةِ.

I organized the offices in the company.

4

كتبتُ في دفاترَ متنوعةٍ.

I wrote in various notebooks.

1

تتميزُ هذه المساجدُ بعمارةٍ فريدةٍ.

These mosques are distinguished by unique architecture.

2

تتضمنُ الرسائلُ معلوماتٍ هامةً.

The letters contain important information.

3

توزعت المكاتبُ في الطابقِ الثاني.

The offices were distributed on the second floor.

4

تعدُّ هذه الدفاترُ مرجعاً للطلابِ.

These notebooks are considered a reference for students.

1

تُعدُّ تلك المساجدُ تحفاً معماريةً.

Those mosques are considered architectural masterpieces.

2

تحتوي الرسائلُ على دلالاتٍ تاريخيةٍ.

The letters contain historical implications.

3

تتطلبُ المكاتبُ الإداريةُ تنظيماً دقيقاً.

Administrative offices require precise organization.

4

تُصنفُ الدفاترُ ضمنَ الأدواتِ المكتبيةِ.

Notebooks are classified among office supplies.

1

تتجلى عظمةُ المساجدِ في تفاصيلِها.

The greatness of the mosques is manifested in their details.

2

تُشكلُ الرسائلُ المتبادلةُ مادةً خصبةً للبحثِ.

The exchanged letters form fertile material for research.

3

تُدارُ المكاتبُ وفقَ معاييرَ عالميةٍ.

The offices are managed according to global standards.

4

تُحفظُ الدفاترُ في أرشيفِ المكتبةِ.

The notebooks are kept in the library archive.

Easily Confused

Arabic Broken Plurals: Specialized Patterns (مفاعل، فعائل) vs Sound Plural vs Broken Plural

Learners don't know when to use which.

Arabic Broken Plurals: Specialized Patterns (مفاعل، فعائل) vs Feminine Singular Agreement

Learners use plural adjectives for broken plurals.

Arabic Broken Plurals: Specialized Patterns (مفاعل، فعائل) vs Diptote vs Triptote

Learners add tanwin to diptotes.

Common Mistakes

✗

مسجدون

✓

مساجد

Adding sound plural suffix to a broken plural noun.
✗

مساجد كبار

✓

مساجد كبيرة

Using plural adjective instead of feminine singular.
✗

مساجدٍ

✓

مساجدَ

Using tanwin on a diptote noun.
✗

رسالات

✓

رسائل

Using sound plural for a word that requires broken plural.

Sentence Patterns

هذه ___ كبيرة.

رأيت ___ كثيرة.

في ___ معلومات مهمة.

تلك ___ جميلة.

Real World Usage

Social Media very common

وصلتني رسائل كثيرة.

Texting constant

وين المكاتب؟

Job Interview common

نظمنا المكاتب.

Travel common

هذه مساجد تاريخية.

Food Delivery occasional

طلبت دفاتر.

Academic Writing very common

تتضمن الصحائف أخباراً.

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💡

Memorize the Rhythm

Don't memorize letters; memorize the rhythm of the word.
⚠️

Watch the Adjectives

Always use feminine singular adjectives for broken plurals.
🎯

Diptote Rule

Remember that 'مفاعل' patterns don't take tanwin.
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Context Matters

Use these patterns to sound like a native speaker.

Smart Tips

Always use feminine singular adjectives.

مساجد كبار → مساجد كبيرة

Try the 'مفاعل' pattern.

مسجدون → مساجد

Try the 'فعائل' pattern.

رسالات → رسائل

Check if the noun is a diptote.

في مساجدٍ → في مساجدَ

Pronunciation

ma-FĀ-il

Rhythmic Stress

The stress usually falls on the long vowel in the pattern.

Declarative

هذه مساجدُ.

Falling intonation at the end.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember 'Mafā‘il' as 'My-Fat-Al' (My fat owl) — a big, broken, heavy bird.

Visual Association

Imagine a mosque (مسجد) breaking into pieces and reassembling into the shape of the word 'مساجد'.

Rhyme

For the plural of the mosque, just change the middle, don't be a boss, use 'مساجد' and avoid the loss.

Story

I walked into a mosque (مسجد) and saw many mosques (مساجد). I wrote a letter (رسالة) and sent many letters (رسائل). The patterns are the rhythm of the city.

Word Web

مساجدمكاتبدفاتررسائلصحائفسحائب

Challenge

Find 5 inanimate objects in your room, look up their singular form, and try to guess their broken plural pattern.

Cultural Notes

In spoken Levantine, broken plurals are used, but sometimes simplified.

Egyptian Arabic often uses broken plurals identically to MSA.

Formal usage is preferred in business contexts.

Broken plurals are a Semitic feature, evolving from internal vowel changes.

Conversation Starters

“

كم مسجداً في مدينتك؟

“

هل عندك رسائل كثيرة؟

“

أين المكاتب الجديدة؟

“

ماذا يوجد في هذه الدفاتر؟

Journal Prompts

Describe your office using broken plurals.
Write about the letters you received today.
List items in your bag using broken plurals.
Describe the architecture of local mosques.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Sign up free to see all tips

Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

هذه ___ كبيرة.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: مساجد
Correct broken plural pattern.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

هذه مساجد كبار.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: هذه مساجد كبيرة
Feminine singular agreement.
Choose the correct plural. Multiple Choice

ما هو جمع مسجد؟

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: مساجد
Standard broken plural.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: هذه مساجد كبيرة
Correct word order.
Translate to Arabic. Translation

I have letters.

Answer starts with: عند...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: عندي رسائل
Correct broken plural.
Match singular to plural. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: مساجد
Correct mapping.
Provide the plural. Conjugation Drill

مكتب

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: مكاتب
Correct pattern.
Is this true? True False Rule

Broken plurals take sound suffixes.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Broken plurals change internal structure.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

هذه ___ كبيرة.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: مساجد
Correct broken plural pattern.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

هذه مساجد كبار.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: هذه مساجد كبيرة
Feminine singular agreement.
Choose the correct plural. Multiple Choice

ما هو جمع مسجد؟

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: مساجد
Standard broken plural.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

كبيرة / هذه / مساجد

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: هذه مساجد كبيرة
Correct word order.
Translate to Arabic. Translation

I have letters.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: عندي رسائل
Correct broken plural.
Match singular to plural. Match Pairs

مسجد -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: مساجد
Correct mapping.
Provide the plural. Conjugation Drill

مكتب

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: مكاتب
Correct pattern.
Is this true? True False Rule

Broken plurals take sound suffixes.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Broken plurals change internal structure.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Translate to Arabic Translation

I have many questions.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: عندي أسئلة كثيرة.
Match the singular to its broken plural. Match Pairs

Match the following:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: مكتب - مكاتب, طبيب - أطباء, رسالة - رسائل, سؤال - أسئلة
Reorder the words to form a correct sentence. Sentence Reorder

جديدة / المطاعم / هذه / .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: هذه المطاعم جديدة.
Fill in the blank with the plural of 'tabīb' (doctor). Fill in the Blank

يعمل الـ___ في المستشفى.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: أطباء
Which plural pattern is used for 'maktab'? Multiple Choice

Pattern for 'maktab':

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: مفاعل (Mafā'il)
Fix the adjective agreement. Error Correction

المشاريع كبيرون.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: المشاريع كبيرة.
Translate 'Modern Offices' Translation

How do you say 'modern offices'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: مكاتب حديثة
Match the pattern to the meaning. Match Pairs

Match:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: مفاعل - Places/Tools, فعلاء - Human Professions, فعائل - Words with long vowels, أفعلة - Small groups/Items
What is the plural of 'haqība' (bag)? Multiple Choice

Plural of 'haqība':

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: حقائب
Fill in the blank: 'I have many colleagues.' Fill in the Blank

عندي ___ كثيرون.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: زملاء

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

Because the singular form is 'broken' and rearranged into a new pattern.

No, it will sound incorrect to native speakers.

No, only some nouns follow these patterns.

You must memorize the pattern for each noun.

Yes, they are used in all registers.

Native speakers will understand, but it will sound non-native.

Many of them are, yes.

Yes, dictionaries list the plural form for each noun.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

Sign up free to practice

In Other Languages

English partial

Irregular plurals (man/men)

Arabic patterns are highly systematic.

Spanish low

Suffixes (-s/-es)

Spanish lacks internal vowel-shifting plurals.

German moderate

Umlaut plurals (Mann/Männer)

Arabic patterns are more complex.

Japanese none

Reduplication or context

Arabic is strictly morphological.

Chinese none

Contextual

Arabic is highly inflectional.

Arabic high

Broken Plurals

It is the standard.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
The "Vowel Switch" Plural: fuʿalāʾ (فُعَلاء)
Next
Arabic Nouns with Multiple Plurals (Buyut vs. Abyat)

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