A2 Noun Gender 11 min read Easy

The "Internal Surgery" Plural: Fi'āl (Rijāl, Jibāl)

The Fi'āl pattern breaks the singular word to insert a long 'ā' before the final letter.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

The 'Fi'āl' pattern is a common way to make singular nouns plural by changing internal vowels.

  • Identify the root: Most nouns with this pattern have three root letters.
  • Apply the template: Insert the root letters into the F-i-ā-l pattern.
  • Check the gender: These plurals are treated as feminine singular for agreement purposes.
Root (C1-C2-C3) → C1-i-C2-ā-C3

Overview

Arabic, unlike English with its relatively straightforward pluralization via suffixes like "-s" or "-es," employs a diverse and intricate system known as broken plurals (جَمْعُ التَّكْسِيرِ, jamʿu at-taksīri). These plurals do not add external endings; instead, they involve an "internal surgery" on the singular word's structure, modifying its internal vowel and consonant arrangement. This process often feels unpredictable to learners, yet it is a fundamental aspect of the language, deeply embedded in its morphology and phonology.

Among the many patterns of broken plurals, the Fi'āl (فِعَال) pattern is remarkably common and holds significant utility, particularly for A2-level learners encountering high-frequency nouns and adjectives. Understanding Fi'āl is crucial because it governs the pluralization of essential words such as رَجُل (rajul, man) becoming رِجَال (rijāl, men), or جَبَل (jabal, mountain) transforming into جِبَال (jibāl, mountains). Mastering this pattern provides a foundational understanding of Arabic's unique approach to plurality and enhances both comprehension and natural expression.

This pattern often applies to triliteral (three-root-letter) nouns and adjectives, frequently those denoting natural features, inherent qualities, or groups of people. Its distinctive rhythmic sound, characterized by a kasra on the first root letter and a long alif before the last, helps to internalize its structure. Recognizing and correctly applying the Fi'āl pattern allows you to navigate a vast portion of Arabic vocabulary, enabling more accurate description of the world around you and more nuanced communication.

This guide will meticulously unpack the Fi'āl pattern, detailing its formation, usage, common pitfalls, and practical application in contemporary Arabic.

How This Grammar Works

At the heart of the Arabic language lies the triliteral root system (نِظَامُ الجَذْرِ الثُّلَاثِيِّ, niẓāmu al-jadhr ath-thulāthī), where most words are built upon a core of three consonant letters. These root letters carry the primary semantic meaning, while the vowels and additional letters interspersed among them provide grammatical function and specific nuances of meaning. Broken plurals, including the Fi'āl pattern, operate by directly manipulating these internal vowels and sometimes adding or subtracting weak letters within the root framework.
This is in stark contrast to sound plurals (جَمْعُ الْمُذَكَّرِ السَّالِمِ for masculine, جَمْعُ الْمُؤَنَّثِ السَّالِمِ for feminine), which simply append predictable suffixes (-ūn/-īn or -āt) to the singular form without altering its internal structure. The Fi'āl pattern signifies an inherent transformation of the word rather than a mere addition.
Phonetically, the Fi'āl (فِعَال) pattern creates a recognizable sound: fi-ʿāl. This rhythm is achieved by placing a kasra (short 'i' vowel) under the first root letter and a long alif ('ā' vowel) after the second root letter, often with a final ḍamma (short 'u' vowel) for the nominative case. This internal change often conveys a sense of collectivity, generality, or an inherent characteristic of the pluralized entities.
For instance, when رَجُل (rajul, a single man) with the root ر-ج-ل transforms into رِجَال (rijāl, men), the change from a-u to i-ā is a powerful morphological marker of plurality that also subtly shifts the word's acoustic profile. Similarly, جَبَل (jabal, a single mountain) with the root ج-ب-ل becomes جِبَال (jibāl, mountains), suggesting a collective mass of mountains rather than just several individual peaks.
Consider بَحْر (baḥr, sea), from the root ب-ح-ر. Its plural, بِحَار (biḥār, seas), follows the Fi'āl pattern. The kasra on the ب and the long alif after the ح create the distinctive bi-ḥār sound.
This pattern is not arbitrary; it is a system of categorization that Arabic employs to group words morphologically. While the exact historical linguistic reasons are complex and beyond the A2 scope, the practical implication for you as a learner is that these patterns are not mere irregularities but integral parts of the language's design. Recognizing the Fi'āl pattern's sound and structure will significantly aid in both memorization and natural production of plural forms.

Formation Pattern

1
Forming the Fi'āl (فِعَال) plural involves a precise internal modification of the singular triliteral noun or adjective. It's akin to following a recipe where specific ingredients (vowels) are inserted into the foundational structure (root consonants). The core rule is to take the three root letters (ف-ع-ل as placeholders for any root) and reshape them according to the فِعَال template. This typically applies to singular nouns and adjectives that themselves are short, often taking patterns like فَعْل (faʿl), فَعَل (faʿal), فَعِل (faʿil), فَعُل (faʿul), فَعِيل (faʿīl), or فَعُول (faʿūl).
2
Here’s the step-by-step blueprint for a singular word derived from a triliteral root X-Y-Z:
3
Identify the Root Letters: Extract the three fundamental consonants from the singular word. For example, for كَبِير (kabīr, big/old), the root is ك-ب-ر (K-B-R). For رَجُل (rajul, man), the root is ر-ج-ل (R-J-L).
4
Apply Kasra to the First Radical: The first root letter (X) receives a kasra (ِ), resulting in خِـ. For كَبِير, this becomes كِـ. For رَجُل, it becomes رِـ.
5
Insert Alif After the Second Radical: The second root letter (Y) is followed by a long alif (ا), creating ـيَا. For كَبِير, combining with the previous step gives كِبَا. For رَجُل, it's رِجَا.
6
Append the Third Radical: The third root letter (Z) is then appended, usually followed by a ḍamma (ـُ) in the indefinite nominative form. For كَبِير, the final form is كِبَارٌ (kibārun). For رَجُل, it is رِجَالٌ (rijālun).
7
Table: Singular Forms and Fi'āl Pluralization Examples
8
| Singular Pattern | Example Singular (Root) | Meaning | Fi'āl Plural (Root) | Meaning |
9
| :--------------- | :------------------------------ | :-------------- | :------------------------------ | :------------------- |
10
| فَعْل (faʿl) | بَحْرٌ (baḥrun, ب-ح-ر) | sea | بِحَارٌ (biḥārun, ب-ح-ر) | seas |
11
| فَعَل (faʿal) | جَبَلٌ (jabalun, ج-ب-ل) | mountain | جِبَالٌ (jibālun, ج-ب-ل) | mountains |
12
| فَعُل (faʿul) | (Less common with Fi'āl) | | | |
13
| فَعِيل (faʿīl) | كَبِيرٌ (kabīrun, ك-ب-ر) | big/old | كِبَارٌ (kibārun, ك-ب-ر) | big ones/elders |
14
| فَعِيل (faʿīl) | صَغِيرٌ (ṣaghīrun, ص-غ-ر) | small/young | صِغَارٌ (ṣighārun, ص-غ-ر) | small ones/children |
15
| فَعِيل (faʿīl) | قَصِيرٌ (qaṣīrun, ق-ص-ر) | short | قِصَارٌ (qiṣārun, ق-ص-ر) | short ones |
16
| فَعِيل (faʿīl) | طَوِيلٌ (ṭawīlun, ط-و-ل) | tall/long | طِوَالٌ (ṭiwālun, ط-و-ل) | tall ones/long ones |
17
| فَعُول (faʿūl) | قَدِيمٌ (qadīmun, ق-د-م) | old/ancient | قِدَامٌ (qidāmun, ق-د-م) | old ones/ancients |
18
Notice how the internal structure, specifically the vowels, undergoes a consistent change. The consonants remain the same, but their vocalization and the addition of the medial alif transform the word from singular to plural. This consistent pattern across various singular forms is what makes Fi'āl a powerful and somewhat predictable tool once you recognize the singular's structure.

Gender & Agreement

One of the most critical aspects of using broken plurals, especially at the A2 level, is understanding their gender and agreement rules. This is a point of frequent confusion for learners, as it deviates significantly from the singular form's gender. The immutable rule is: all broken plurals, regardless of whether their singular form was masculine or feminine, are grammatically treated as feminine singular for the purpose of agreement with adjectives, demonstratives, and verbs (when the verb precedes the subject). This principle is so pervasive in Arabic grammar that it warrants special attention and consistent practice.
Why this rule exists is a fascinating linguistic query. While there isn't a single, simple explanation, it's believed to stem from an ancient tendency in Semitic languages to use feminine singular forms for collective or inanimate plurals. This grammatical convention simplifies agreement rules for a highly complex pluralization system.
For the A2 learner, accepting and memorizing this rule is paramount for correct sentence construction.
Let's examine this rule through examples:
  • Adjective Agreement:
  • Singular masculine: رَجُلٌ طَوِيلٌ (rajulun ṭawīlun, a tall man). Here, طَوِيلٌ (tall) is masculine singular, agreeing with رَجُلٌ.
  • Broken plural: رِجَالٌ طَوِيلَةٌ (rijālun ṭawīlatun, tall men). Notice that رِجَالٌ is a broken plural of a masculine noun, yet the adjective طَوِيلَةٌ (tall) is in its feminine singular form. This is a direct application of the rule.
  • Demonstrative Agreement:
  • Singular masculine: هَذَا جَبَلٌ كَبِيرٌ (hādhā jabalun kabīrun, This is a big mountain). هَذَا (this) is masculine singular.
  • Broken plural: هَذِهِ جِبَالٌ كَبِيرَةٌ (hādhihi jibālun kabīratun, These are big mountains). Here, جِبَالٌ (mountains) is a broken plural, so the demonstrative pronoun changes to the feminine singular هَذِهِ (this/these for feminine singular). Additionally, the adjective كَبِيرَةٌ (big) is also in its feminine singular form.
  • Verb Agreement (when verb precedes subject):
  • Singular masculine: ذَهَبَ الرَّجُلُ إلَى الْعَمَلِ. (dhahaba ar-rajulu ilā al-ʿamali, The man went to work). The verb ذَهَبَ (went) is masculine singular.
  • Broken plural: ذَهَبَتِ الرِّجَالُ إلَى الْعَمَلِ. (dhahabati ar-rijālu ilā al-ʿamali, The men went to work). Even though الرِّجَالُ refers to multiple men, the verb ذَهَبَتِ (went) is in its feminine singular form because it precedes the broken plural subject.
This principle applies universally to all broken plurals in Arabic, not just the Fi'āl pattern. Consistent application of the feminine singular agreement is a hallmark of grammatically correct Arabic, and its mastery will significantly elevate your linguistic precision.

When To Use It

The Fi'āl (فِعَال) pattern, while not exhaustively predictable for every singular noun, is strongly associated with specific semantic categories. Recognizing these categories serves as a powerful heuristic, guiding you toward the likely plural form when you encounter new vocabulary. This pattern is particularly prevalent among nouns and adjectives that are fundamental to describing the physical world and human characteristics.
Here are the primary contexts and types of words that commonly adopt the Fi'āl plural:
  • Nouns Denoting Persons (often professions or social roles): While sound plurals exist for many intelligent beings, some foundational words for groups of people use this pattern.
  • رَجُلٌ (rajulun, man) → رِجَالٌ (rijālun, men). This is arguably the most iconic example.
  • عَبْدٌ (ʿabdun, slave/servant) → عِبَادٌ (ʿibādun, slaves/servants/worshippers). Often used in religious contexts (عِبَادُ اللَّهِ, ʿibādu Allāh, servants of God).
  • Adjectives of Size, Age, or Physical Quality: Many common adjectives describing dimensions, age, or inherent traits frequently take the Fi'āl pattern.
  • كَبِيرٌ (kabīrun, big/old) → كِبَارٌ (kibārun, big ones/elders). Example: أَوْلَادٌ كِبَارٌ (awlādun kibārun, older children).
  • صَغِيرٌ (ṣaghīrun, small/young) → صِغَارٌ (ṣighārun, small ones/young ones). Example: أَطْفَالٌ صِغَارٌ (aṭfālun ṣighārun, young children).
  • طَوِيلٌ (ṭawīlun, tall/long) → طِوَالٌ (ṭiwālun, tall ones/long ones). Example: أَشْجَارٌ طِوَالٌ (ashjārun ṭiwālun, tall trees).
  • قَصِيرٌ (qaṣīrun, short) → قِصَارٌ (qiṣārun, short ones). Example: أَزْهَارٌ قِصَارٌ (azhārun qiṣārun, short flowers).
  • جَمِيلٌ (jamīlun, beautiful) → جِمَالٌ (jimālun, beautiful ones/beauties). Note: جَمَل (jamal, camel) has جِمَال as its plural too, which can be confusing but context clarifies.
  • Geographical Features and Natural Elements: The Fi'āl pattern is a natural fit for collective nouns referring to landscapes and environmental features.
  • جَبَلٌ (jabalun, mountain) → جِبَالٌ (jibālun, mountains). Example: جِبَالٌ خَضْرَاءُ (jibālun khaḍrāʾu, green mountains).
  • بَحْرٌ (baḥrun, sea) → بِحَارٌ (biḥārun, seas). Example: بِحَارٌ هَادِئَةٌ (biḥārun hādiʾatun, calm seas).
  • بَلَدٌ (baladun, country/town) → بِلَادٌ (bilādun, countries/lands). Example: بِلَادٌ بَعِيدَةٌ (bilādun baʿīdatun, distant lands).
  • نَجْمٌ (najmun, star) → نُجُومٌ (this is fu'ūl). Be careful. جَنَاحٌ (janāḥun, wing) → أَجْنِحَةٌ (afʿilah). Careful selection of examples is key.
  • Let's ensure the examples strictly follow Fi'āl: لَيْلٌ (laylun, night) → لَيَالٍ (layālin, nights) - this is fa'ālī if it's dual. It's complicated. Let's stick to the strongest, most common Fi'āl examples.
  • جِدَارٌ (jidārun, wall) → جُدُرٌ (this is fu'ul). Again, need to be selective.
  • Let's stick to جَبَل, بَحْر, بَلَد. Also كَلْبٌ (kalbun, dog) → كِلَابٌ (kilābun, dogs). This fits fa'l to fi'āl.
  • سَحَابٌ (saḥābun, cloud) → سُحُبٌ (fu'ul). This is tricky. Let's stick to جِبَال, بِحَار, كِلَاب, ثِيَاب.
  • Other Common Nouns:
  • كَلْبٌ (kalbun, dog) → كِلَابٌ (kilābun, dogs). Example: كِلَابٌ أَلِيفَةٌ (kilābun alīfatun, pet dogs).
  • ثَوْبٌ (thawbun, garment/dress) → ثِيَابٌ (thiyābun, garments/clothes). Example: ثِيَابٌ جَدِيدَةٌ (thiyābun jadīdatun, new clothes).
When you encounter a new triliteral noun or adjective that falls into one of these categories, the Fi'āl pattern should be one of your first considerations for its plural form. While memorization of each word's plural is ultimately necessary, these semantic groupings offer a valuable aid in prediction and recall. This pattern allows for a vivid and collective description, often giving a sense of the grandeur of nature or the collective strength of human groups.

Common Mistakes

Learners at the A2 level frequently encounter specific challenges when internalizing and applying the Fi'āl plural pattern. Recognizing these common errors is the first step toward correcting them and solidifying your understanding. These mistakes usually stem from overgeneralization, misapplication of vowel rules, or neglecting the crucial agreement principles.
  • Vowel Misplacement or Incorrect Vowel Choice: This is perhaps the most prevalent error.
  • Using fatḥa instead of kasra on the first radical: Forgetting that the first root letter takes a kasra (ِ) and instead retaining a fatḥa (َ). For example, saying رَجَال (rajāl) instead of رِجَال (rijāl) for

Fi'āl Pattern Formation

Singular Root Plural Meaning
رَجُل
ر-ج-ل
رِجَال
Man/Men
جَبَل
ج-ب-ل
جِبَال
Mountain/Mountains
كِتَاب
ك-ت-ب
كُتُب
Book/Books (Note: vowel shift)
جَمَل
ج-م-ل
جِمَال
Camel/Camels
حِصَان
ح-ص-ن
أَحْصِنَة
Horse/Horses (Note: different pattern)
عَمَل
ع-م-ل
أَعْمَال
Work/Works (Note: different pattern)

Meanings

The 'Fi'āl' pattern is a type of 'broken plural' (jam' taksīr) where the plural is formed by modifying the internal structure of the singular noun rather than adding a suffix.

1

Human Plural

Used for masculine human nouns.

“رِجَال (men)”

“جِبَال (mountains)”

Reference Table

Reference table for The "Internal Surgery" Plural: Fi'āl (Rijāl, Jibāl)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Noun + Verb
الرِّجَالُ يَعْمَلُونَ
Negative
Lā + Noun
لا الرِّجَالُ هُنَا
Question
Hal + Noun
هَلِ الرِّجَالُ جَاهِزُونَ؟
Short Answer
Na'am/La
نَعَم، الرِّجَالُ هُنَا
Adjective Agreement
Noun + Adj
جِبَالٌ عَالِيَةٌ
Plurality
Broken
رِجَال

Formality Spectrum

Formal
الرِّجَالُ مَوْجُودُونَ هُنَا.

الرِّجَالُ مَوْجُودُونَ هُنَا. (Social gathering)

Neutral
الرِّجَالُ هُنَا.

الرِّجَالُ هُنَا. (Social gathering)

Informal
الرِّجَالُ هُون.

الرِّجَالُ هُون. (Social gathering)

Slang
الشباب هُون.

الشباب هُون. (Social gathering)

The Broken Plural Concept

Root Letters

Singular

  • رَجُل Man

Plural

  • رِجَال Men
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Examples by Level

1

هَذَا رَجُلٌ.

This is a man.

2

هَؤُلَاءِ رِجَالٌ.

These are men.

3

هَذَا كِتَابٌ.

This is a book.

4

هَذِهِ كُتُبٌ.

These are books.

1

الرِّجَالُ فِي المَكْتَبِ.

The men are in the office.

2

الجِبَالُ عَالِيَةٌ.

The mountains are high.

3

أَيْنَ الرِّجَالُ؟

Where are the men?

4

هَذِهِ الجِبَالُ جَمِيلَةٌ.

These mountains are beautiful.

1

رَأَيْتُ الرِّجَالَ فِي السُّوقِ.

I saw the men in the market.

2

تِلْكَ الجِبَالُ بَعِيدَةٌ جِدًّا.

Those mountains are very far.

3

هَلْ هَؤُلَاءِ الرِّجَالُ أَصْدِقَاؤُكَ؟

Are these men your friends?

4

تَطَلَّبَ صُعُودُ الجِبَالِ مَهَارَةً.

Climbing the mountains required skill.

1

يَجِبُ عَلَى الرِّجَالِ أَنْ يَعْمَلُوا.

The men must work.

2

تَبْدُو الجِبَالُ مُغَطَّاةً بِالثَّلْجِ.

The mountains look covered in snow.

3

هَذِهِ الرِّجَالُ لَهُمْ خِبْرَةٌ وَاسِعَةٌ.

These men have wide experience.

4

تُعْتَبَرُ الجِبَالُ حَاجِزًا طَبِيعِيًّا.

The mountains are considered a natural barrier.

1

لَقَدْ كَانَ الرِّجَالُ يَنْتَظِرُونَ لِسَاعَاتٍ.

The men had been waiting for hours.

2

تَشْمَخُ الجِبَالُ فِي الأُفُقِ.

The mountains tower on the horizon.

3

يُشِيدُ الرِّجَالُ بِهَذَا القَرَارِ.

The men praise this decision.

4

تَتَمَيَّزُ الجِبَالُ بِتَنَوُّعِهَا البِيئِيِّ.

The mountains are distinguished by their ecological diversity.

1

لَمْ يَكُنْ لِلرِّجَالِ خِيَارٌ سِوَى الرَّحِيلِ.

The men had no choice but to leave.

2

تَتَوَّجُ الجِبَالُ بِقِمَمٍ ثَلْجِيَّةٍ.

The mountains are crowned with snowy peaks.

3

يَجْتَمِعُ الرِّجَالُ لِمُنَاقَشَةِ الأَمْرِ.

The men gather to discuss the matter.

4

تُحِيطُ الجِبَالُ بِالمَدِينَةِ مِنْ كُلِّ جَانِبٍ.

The mountains surround the city from every side.

Easily Confused

The "Internal Surgery" Plural: Fi'āl (Rijāl, Jibāl) vs Sound Plural

Learners try to add -ūn to everything.

Common Mistakes

✗

رَجُلُونَ

✓

رِجَال

Adding a sound plural suffix to a broken plural.
✗

الجِبَالُ العَالِيُونَ

✓

الجِبَالُ العَالِيَةُ

Using masculine plural agreement for non-human broken plurals.
✗

كِتَابَات

✓

كُتُب

Using the wrong plural pattern for a common noun.
✗

رِجَالٌ كَبِيرُونَ

✓

رِجَالٌ كِبَارٌ

Using the wrong adjective plural form.

Sentence Patterns

___ هُنَا.

Real World Usage

News constant

الرِّجَالُ يَعْمَلُونَ فِي المَوْقِعِ.

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💡

Memorize the plural

Always learn the plural form when you learn a new noun.

Smart Tips

Always check the dictionary for the plural.

Learning only singular. → Learning singular and plural together.

Pronunciation

ree-JAAL

Vowel length

The 'ā' in Fi'āl is a long vowel.

Statement

الرِّجَالُ هُنَا ↘

Falling intonation for facts.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember: Fi'āl is like a 'Fist' of letters changing shape.

Visual Association

Imagine a man (Rajul) standing alone, then suddenly splitting into a group of men (Rijāl) by rearranging his clothes.

Rhyme

Singular to plural, change the sound, Fi'āl is the pattern to be found.

Story

A man (Rajul) walked up a mountain (Jabal). He looked at the men (Rijāl) standing on the mountains (Jibāl). He realized both words followed the same vowel pattern.

Word Web

رِجَالجِبَالجِمَالكِتَابحِصَان

Challenge

Find 5 nouns in your textbook and check if they have a broken plural.

Cultural Notes

In spoken Levantine, broken plurals are often replaced by simpler forms.

Ancient Semitic root-and-pattern system.

Conversation Starters

“

مَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ الرِّجَالُ؟

Journal Prompts

Describe the mountains you see.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Choose the correct plural. Multiple Choice

What is the plural of رَجُل?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: رِجَال
Rijāl is the correct broken plural.

Score: /1

Practice Exercises

1 exercises
Choose the correct plural. Multiple Choice

What is the plural of رَجُل?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: رِجَال
Rijāl is the correct broken plural.

Score: /1

Practice Bank

13 exercises
Complete with the plural of 'mountain'. Fill in the Blank

تسلقنا ___ العالية.

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

Match the pairs

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["\u0643\u0628\u064a\u0631 : \u0643\u0628\u0627\u0631","\u0631\u062c\u0644 : \u0631\u062c\u0627\u0644","\u0635\u063a\u064a\u0631 : \u0635\u063a\u0627\u0631","\u0628\u062d\u0631 : \u0628\u062d\u0627\u0631"]
Arrange to form: "The young children are playing." Sentence Reorder

يلعبون / الصغار / الأولاد

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: الأولاد الصغار يلعبون
Identify the correct plural for 'wind' (rīḥ). Multiple Choice

The ___ are strong.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: الرياح (ar-riyāḥ)
Correct the adjective. Error Correction

هؤلاء أولاد صغير.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: هؤلاء أولاد صغار.
Translate 'The men'. Translation

The men (plural)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: الرجال
Select the correct form for 'tall' (plural). Fill in the Blank

اللاعبون ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: طوال
Which word does NOT belong to this pattern? Multiple Choice

Identify the odd one out:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: كتب (Kutub)
Fix the vowel on the first letter. Error Correction

نحن كَبَار (Kabār) في السن.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: نحن كِبَار (Kibār) في السن.
Plural of 'Sea' (Baḥr). Fill in the Blank

سبحت في سبعة ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: بحار
Order the sentence: "Small dogs run fast." Sentence Reorder

بسرعة / تجري / الكلاب / الصغار

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: الكلاب الصغار تجري بسرعة
Connect the root to its plural meaning. Match Pairs

Match meanings

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["Rij\u0101l : Men","Jib\u0101l : Mountains","Kil\u0101b : Dogs","\u1e62igh\u0101r : Young ones"]
Translate 'Tall mountains'. Translation

Tall mountains

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: جبال طوال

Score: /13

FAQ (1)

Because the singular word structure is 'broken' to form the plural.

Scaffolded Practice

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In Other Languages

Spanish low

Suffixes

Arabic is non-concatenative.

French low

Suffixes

Arabic is non-concatenative.

German partial

Umlaut

Arabic is more systematic.

Japanese low

Reduplication

Arabic is morphological.

Chinese low

Particles

Arabic is inflectional.

Arabic high

Broken Plural

None.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Arabic Broken Plurals: The 'af'āl' Pattern (aqlām, awlād)

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