Arabic Plural Verbs: You all & They (ـون / ـن)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
To make a verb plural for 'you all' or 'they', add the suffix -uun for masculine or -na for feminine.
- For masculine 'you all' (antum) and 'they' (hum), add the suffix ـون (-uun) to the root.
- For feminine 'you all' (antunna) and 'they' (hunna), add the suffix ـن (-na) to the root.
- Always ensure the verb root is in the present tense form before adding these plural endings.
Overview
In Arabic, verbs are not static words; they are dynamic, changing their form to agree with the subject in person, gender, and number. This principle, known as agreement or concordance (المُطَابَقَة), is a cornerstone of the language's grammar. While English uses a single form for "they" or "you" in the present tense (e.g., "they write," "you write"), Arabic requires a more precise verb form that specifies exactly who is performing the action.
This guide focuses on the plural forms of the present tense, known in Arabic as المُضَارِع (Al-Mudāri'). This tense describes actions happening now, habitually, or in the near future. We will explore the conjugations for the 2nd person plural ("you all") and the 3rd person plural ("they").
These forms are essential for moving beyond simple, first-person sentences and describing the actions of groups.
At the core of this lesson are two critical suffixes: ـُونَ (-ūna) and ـنَ (-na). The ـُونَ ending is used for masculine and mixed-gender groups, while the ـنَ ending is reserved exclusively for all-female groups. A foundational rule in Arabic is that a group containing even one male member is treated as grammatically masculine.
Understanding this distinction is the first step to mastering group descriptions and narrating events with grammatical precision.
How This Grammar Works
ك-ت-ب (k-t-b) is associated with the concept of 'writing'.- 1Prefixes (حُرُوفُ المُضَارَعَة): These single letters at the beginning of the verb indicate the person. For the plural forms we are studying, the prefixes are:
تَـ(ta-) for the 2nd person (you all - أَنْتُمْ / أَنْتُنَّ).يَـ(ya-) for the 3rd person (they - هُمْ / هُنَّ).
- 1Stem: This is the verb's root combined with a specific short vowel pattern. For the most common type of verb (Form I), this vowel can be
u,a, ori. For example, with the rootك-ت-ب, the stem isـكْتُبـ(-ktub-) as inيَكْتُبُ(yaktubu, he writes). With the rootذ-هـ-ب(dh-h-b), the stem isـذْهَبـ(-dhab-) as inيَذْهَبُ(yadhhabu, he goes).
- 1Suffixes (الضَمَائِرُ المُتَّصِلَة): These endings are not just grammatical markers; they function as attached subject pronouns. They signal both the number (plural) and the gender of the subject.
ـُونَ(-ūna): This suffix denotes a masculine or mixed-gender plural subject. Theو(wāw) itself is the pronoun, while theن(nūn) is a marker indicating the verb is in the indicative mood (i.e., it's a statement of fact). For instance, inيَكْتُبُونَ(yaktubūna), theوsignifies 'they'.ـنَ(-na): This suffix, called نُونُ النِسْوَة (nūn an-niswa, the 'nūn of women'), denotes a feminine plural subject. Unlike the masculine suffix, this entireـنَis the pronoun itself. It is also grammatically "stronger" and affects the verb stem differently, as we will see.
Formation Pattern
هُوَ or "he" form) and modify it by adding the appropriate prefix and suffix. Let's use the root د-ر-س (d-r-s, to study), whose singular form is يَدْرُسُ (yadrusu).
ـُونَ Suffix
ـُونَ suffix.
يَدْرُسُ (yadrusu - he studies).
ـدْرُس (-drus)
يَـ and suffix ـُونَ -> يَدْرُسُونَ (yadrusūna).
تَـ and suffix ـُونَ -> تَدْرُسُونَ (tadrusūna).
تَدْرُسُونَ (tadrusūna) | You all (m.) study |
يَدْرُسُونَ (yadrusūna) | They (m.) study |
يَعْمَلُ (yaʿmalu, he works) -> يَعْمَلُونَ (yaʿmalūna, they work).
يَجْلِسُ (yajlisu, he sits) -> تَجْلِسُونَ (tajlisūna, you all sit).
ـنَ Suffix
ـنَ (nūn an-niswa) suffix. Before adding ـنَ, the last consonant of the root takes a sukūn (ـْ), indicating it has no vowel.
يَدْرُسُ (yadrusu).
د-ر-س. The last letter is س.
ـدْرُسْـ (-drus-).
يَـ and suffix ـنَ -> يَدْرُسْنَ (yadrusna).
تَـ and suffix ـنَ -> تَدْرُسْنَ (tadrusna).
sukūn on the final root consonant is consistent for all sound verbs.
تَدْرُسْنَ (tadrusna) | You all (f.) study |
يَدْرُسْنَ (yadrusna) | They (f.) study |
يَفْهَمُ (yafhamu, he understands) -> يَفْهَمْنَ (yafhamna, they (f.) understand).
تَرْجِعُ (tarjiʿu, you (s.m.) return) -> تَرْجِعْنَ (tarjiʿna, you all (f.) return).
ـنَ suffix is a key phonological rule that ensures a smooth transition and distinguishes it clearly from the masculine form.
When To Use It
- Describing Group Activities: This is the most common usage, whether you're observing people or reporting on events. In a news report, you might read:
المُهَنْدِسُونَ يَبْنُونَ جِسْرًا جَدِيدًا.(Al-muhandisūna yabnūna jisran jadīdan. - The engineers are building a new bridge). When talking about your family, you might say:إِخْوَتِي يُشَاهِدُونَ التِلْفَازَ.('Ikhwatī yushāhidūna at-tilfāz. - My brothers are watching television).
- Directly Addressing a Group: When speaking to friends, colleagues, or students, the 2nd person plural is essential. You might ask your study group:
مَاذَا تَقْرَؤُونَ؟(Mādhā taqra'ūna? - What are you all reading?). In a professional setting, a manager might instruct her team:أَنْتُنَّ تَعْمَلْنَ بِجِدٍّ وَأَنَا أُقَدِّرُ ذَلِكَ.('Antunna taʿmalna bi-jiddin wa 'anā 'uqaddiru dhālika. - You all (f.) are working hard, and I appreciate that).
- Discussing Habits and General Truths: These forms are used to describe what groups of people do habitually. For example:
الإِيطَالِيُّونَ يَأْكُلُونَ المَعْكَرُونَةَ كَثِيرًا.(Al-'Īṭāliyyūna ya'kulūna al-maʿkarūnata kathīran. - Italians eat a lot of pasta). This form allows you to make general statements about cultures or populations.
- Formal and Academic Writing: In essays, reports, and emails, these verbs are the backbone of discussing theories, research, and corporate actions.
البَاحِثُونَ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ النَتَائِجَ إِيجَابِيَّةٌ.(Al-bāḥithūna yaqūlūna 'inna an-natā'ija 'ījābiyyatun. - The researchers say that the results are positive).
Common Mistakes
- 1Forgetting Plural Agreement (Subject-Verb): A very common error is using a singular verb with a plural subject, especially when the subject comes first. The verb must agree with the subject's number.
- Incorrect:
الطَّالِبَاتُ تَجْلِسُ فِي الفَصْلِ. - Correct:
الطَّالِبَاتُ يَجْلِسْنَ فِي الفَصْلِ.(Aṭ-ṭālibātu yajlisna fī al-faṣl. - The female students are sitting in the classroom). Remember to also use the correct 3rd-person prefixيـhere, notتـ.
- 1Using Masculine
ـُونَfor All-Female Groups: English speakers are not accustomed to grammatical gender for verbs, making this a frequent oversight. Theـنَending is not optional.
- Incorrect:
المُمَرِّضَاتُ يُسَاعِدُونَ المَرْضَى. - Correct:
المُمَرِّضَاتُ يُسَاعِدْنَ المَرْضَى.(Al-mumarrisḍātu yusāʿidna al-marḍā. - The nurses (f.) are helping the patients).
- 1Confusing 2nd Person (
تَـ) and 3rd Person (يَـ) Prefixes: Mixing these up changes the meaning from talking about a group to talking to them. Context is everything.
- Scenario: You see your friends across the street and want to tell your companion what they are doing.
- Incorrect:
اُنْظُرْ، هُمْ يَتَكَلَّمُونَ مَعَ المُدِيرِ.(Wait, this is actually correct: Look, they are talking with the manager.) - Let's try again. Scenario: You are asking your friends a question directly.
- Incorrect:
مَاذَا يَشْرَبُونَ؟(Mādhā yashrabūna? - What are they drinking?). This asks about a third party. - Correct:
مَاذَا تَشْرَبُونَ؟(Mādhā tashrabūna? - What are you all drinking?). This correctly addresses the group you are with.
- 1The Verb-Subject Word Order Rule: This is a more advanced but critical rule for formal Arabic (MSA). When the verb comes before its explicit plural subject, the verb often remains in the singular masculine form. The number is understood from the noun that follows.
- Sentence style 1 (Subject-Verb):
الأَوْلَادُ يَلْعَبُونَ فِي الحَدِيقَةِ.(Al-'awlādu yalʿabūna fī al-ḥadīqah.) Here, the verb agrees in plural. - Sentence style 2 (Verb-Subject):
يَلْعَبُ الأَوْلَادُ فِي الحَدِيقَةِ.(Yalʿabu al-'awlādu fī al-ḥadīqah.) Here, the verb is singular masculine even though the subjectالأَوْلَادُis plural.
Real Conversations
In daily life, these verb forms appear everywhere, though often with slight dialectal modifications. Understanding the MSA foundation makes it easy to recognize them.
On Social Media & Texting (Levantine Dialect Focus):
In many spoken dialects, the final ن of the ـُونَ suffix is dropped. The feminine plural ـنَ is also often replaced by the masculine form.
- A friend texts a group chat: شو بتعملوا الليلة؟ بدكم نطلع؟
- Shū btaʿmilu l-layle? Biddkum niṭlaʿ?
- Translation: "What are you all doing tonight? Do you all want to go out?" Here بتعملوا (btaʿmilu) is the dialect version of تَعْمَلُونَ (taʿmalūna).
- Commenting on a photo of a sports team:
- ما شاء الله، بيلعبوا كتير منيح.
- Mā shā' Allāh, byilʿabū ktīr mnīḥ.
- Translation: "Wow, they play very well." The form بيلعبوا (byilʿabū) corresponds to يَلْعَبُونَ (yalʿabūna).
In a University or Professional Setting (MSA):
Formal environments adhere more closely to Modern Standard Arabic.
- During a Q&A session after a presentation:
- Presenter: هَلْ لَدَيْكُمْ أَيُّ أَسْئِلَةٍ حَوْلَ مَا قَدَّمْتُهُ؟ (Hal ladaykum 'ayyu 'as'ilatin ḥawla mā qaddamtuh? - Do you all have any questions about what I presented?)
- Audience Member: نَعَمْ، زُمَلَائِي وَأَنَا لَا نَفْهَمُ كَيْفَ وَصَلْتُمْ إِلَى هَذِهِ النَتِيجَةِ. هُمْ يَعْتَقِدُونَ أَنَّ الحِسَابَاتِ غَيْرُ دَقِيقَةٍ. (Naʿam, zumalā'ī wa 'anā lā nafhamu kayfa waṣaltum 'ilā hādhihi an-natījah. Hum yaʿtaqidūna 'anna al-ḥisābāti ghayru daqīqah. - Yes, my colleagues and I do not understand how you reached this conclusion. They think that the calculations are not accurate.) Note the use of يَعْتَقِدُونَ (they think).
This contrast between dialect and MSA is important. The core structure (يـ + stem + ـوا or تـ + stem + ـوا) remains recognizable, even when the MSA endings are simplified in speech.
Quick FAQ
ـُونَ?Yes. In both Standard Arabic and the vast majority of dialects, the rule is absolute. The presence of a single male referent in a group grammatically requires the masculine plural form. It is a fundamental principle of grammatical agreement in the language.
ن on ـُونَ can disappear. When and why?Excellent question. The final ن on ـُونَ (and its dual counterpart ـَانِ) is known as نُونُ الإِعْرَاب (nūn al-'iʿrāb), or the "nūn of mood/case." It exists only when the verb is in the default Indicative mood (مَرْفُوع). It is dropped when the verb enters the Subjunctive mood (مَنْصُوب) or the Jussive mood (مَجْزُوم), which are triggered by certain particles.
- Indicative:
هُمْ يَذْهَبُونَ.(They go.) - Subjunctive (after
أَنْ- to/that):هُمْ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَذْهَبُوا.(They want to go.) - Jussive (after
لَمْ- did not):هُمْ لَمْ يَذْهَبُوا.(They did not go.)
ـنَ of the feminine plural (يَذْهَبْنَ) never drops. It is part of the pronoun itself and is unaffected by mood. This makes it grammatically stable.تَكْتُبْنَ (you all write, f.) and يَكْتُبْنَ (they write, f.)?The verb forms themselves are pronounced identically. The only difference is the prefix: تـ (ta-) for the 2nd person ("you all") and يـ (ya-) for the 3rd person ("they"). In a spoken or written sentence, the meaning is made clear by the context or by the use of explicit pronouns like أَنْتُنَّ and هُنَّ.
هُمْ, أَنْتُمْ, etc.?They are often optional. Because the verb ending itself contains the subject pronoun, تَكْتُبُونَ is a complete sentence meaning, "You all are writing." Using the explicit pronoun (أَنْتُمْ تَكْتُبُونَ) adds emphasis or clarifies the subject if there's potential for ambiguity, much like vocally stressing "YOU all" in English.
The dual follows a similar prefix system but uses a different suffix: ـَانِ (-āni). For example, هُمَا يَكْتُبَانِ (humā yaktubāni - they two write). The plural forms ـُونَ and ـنَ are used exclusively for groups of three or more.
Present Tense Plural Conjugation
| Pronoun | Prefix | Root | Suffix | Full Verb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Hum (They m)
|
ي
|
كتب
|
ون
|
يكتبون
|
|
Antum (You all m)
|
ت
|
كتب
|
ون
|
تكتبون
|
|
Hunna (They f)
|
ي
|
كتب
|
ن
|
يكتبن
|
|
Antunna (You all f)
|
ت
|
كتب
|
ن
|
تكتبن
|
Meanings
These suffixes indicate that the subject of the verb is a group of three or more people.
Masculine Plural
Used for groups of men or mixed-gender groups.
“هم يذهبون”
“أنتم تلعبون”
Feminine Plural
Used exclusively for groups of women.
“هن يكتبن”
“أنتن تدرسن”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Prefix + Root + Suffix
|
يكتبون
|
|
Negative
|
la + Prefix + Root + Suffix
|
لا يكتبون
|
|
Question
|
Hal + Prefix + Root + Suffix
|
هل يكتبون؟
|
|
Short Answer (Yes)
|
Na'am + Verb
|
نعم، يكتبون
|
|
Short Answer (No)
|
La + Verb
|
لا، لا يكتبون
|
|
Feminine Plural
|
Prefix + Root + na
|
يكتبن
|
Formality Spectrum
هم يأكلون الطعام. (Dining)
هم يأكلون. (Dining)
عم يأكلوا. (Dining)
قاعدين بياكلوا. (Dining)
Plural Verb Suffixes
Masculine
- ـون uun
Feminine
- ـن na
Examples by Level
هم يكتبون
They are writing
أنتم تلعبون
You all are playing
هن يقرأن
They (f) are reading
أنتن تدرسن
You all (f) are studying
هل هم يعملون هنا؟
Do they work here?
أنتن لا تفهمن الدرس.
You all (f) don't understand the lesson.
هم يذهبون إلى البيت.
They are going home.
هل أنتن تسكنّ في دبي؟
Do you all (f) live in Dubai?
الطلاب يكتبون واجباتهم بجد.
The students are writing their homework diligently.
الموظفات يعملن في الشركة.
The female employees are working at the company.
لماذا لا تشربون القهوة؟
Why aren't you all drinking coffee?
هنّ يطبخن طعاماً لذيذاً.
They (f) are cooking delicious food.
يجب أن يدرسوا بجد للنجاح.
They must study hard to succeed.
هل تظنّون أننا سنصل في الوقت؟
Do you all think we will arrive on time?
النساء يجتمعن كل يوم.
The women gather every day.
هم لا يعرفون الحقيقة.
They don't know the truth.
يأملون أن تتحسن الظروف قريباً.
They hope that conditions will improve soon.
يجب أن يلتزمن بالقوانين.
They (f) must adhere to the laws.
هل تعتقدون أن هذا ممكن؟
Do you all believe this is possible?
هنّ يمثلن الجيل الجديد.
They (f) represent the new generation.
يستطيعون التكيف مع أي وضع.
They are able to adapt to any situation.
هنّ يدركن أهمية هذا القرار.
They (f) realize the importance of this decision.
يتساءلون عن سبب التغيير.
They are wondering about the reason for the change.
أنتنّ تنجزن المهام بسرعة.
You all (f) complete the tasks quickly.
Easily Confused
Learners often use plural for two people.
Mixing up the suffixes.
Using masculine for all-female groups.
Common Mistakes
هو يكتبون
هم يكتبون
هم يكتب
هم يكتبون
هن يكتبون
هن يكتبن
هم يكتبن
هم يكتبون
هم يكتبونون
هم يكتبون
هم يكتبوا
هم يكتبون
هم يكتبن
هم يكتبون
هم يكتبون في البيت
هم يكتبون في البيت
هم يكتبونون
هم يكتبون
هن يكتبون
هن يكتبن
هم يكتبوا (in a non-jussive context)
هم يكتبون
هن يكتبون
هن يكتبن
هم يكتبون
هم يكتبون
هن يكتبن
هن يكتبن
Sentence Patterns
هم ___ الدرس.
هن ___ في المكتبة.
هل أنتم ___ القهوة؟
أنتن ___ إلى الموسيقى.
Real World Usage
رايحين؟
نحن نعمل بجد.
هم يشاركون الصور.
هل تسكنون هنا؟
يطلبون الطعام.
الطلاب يدرسون.
Check the subject
Don't mix genders
Listen for the 'n'
Dialect vs Standard
Smart Tips
Always check if the group is all-female.
Don't worry about the 'n' in casual speech.
Look for the suffix to identify the subject.
Use the masculine plural as a safe default.
Pronunciation
Suffix -uun
The 'uun' sound is long and nasal.
Suffix -na
The 'na' sound is short and crisp.
Question
هل يكتبون؟ ↗
Rising intonation at the end for questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'uun' as the 'u' in 'group' for masculine, and 'na' as 'n' for 'nisaa' (women) in Arabic.
Visual Association
Imagine a group of men standing in a 'U' shape (uun) and a group of women standing in a line (na).
Rhyme
For the boys add uun, for the girls add na, it's the plural rule, hip hip hooray!
Story
Ahmed and his friends are playing soccer. They are running (yarkud-uun). Meanwhile, Sarah and her sisters are sitting (tajlis-na) and watching the game. They all enjoy the day.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences about your friends using the plural verb form.
Cultural Notes
In many dialects, the 'n' is often dropped, and the masculine form is used for everyone.
More formal usage is common in media and official settings.
Similar to Levantine, the 'n' is often dropped in speech.
These suffixes are derived from Proto-Semitic plural markers.
Conversation Starters
ماذا يفعل أصدقاؤك الآن؟
هل أنتن تدرسن اللغة العربية؟
هل يذهبون إلى العمل كل يوم؟
كيف يمثلن النساء المجتمع؟
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
هم ___
هن ___
Find and fix the mistake:
هم تدرسن
هو يكتب
True or False?
نحن ___
Order?
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesهم ___
هن ___
Find and fix the mistake:
هم تدرسن
هو يكتب
True or False?
نحن ___
Order?
Hum -> ?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesThey (m) are drinking water.
You all (f) are listening:
هم ___ كرة القدم.
تشربون / ماذا / ؟
Match the pairs:
هم تدرسون.
هن ___ إلى المدرسة.
Select the correct form:
Are you all (m) watching Netflix?
يسكنون / في / المدينة / هم
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
Arabic uses different endings for gender and number.
In formal Arabic, yes. In dialects, it is often dropped.
Use the masculine plural.
No, past tense has its own set of suffixes.
It is for exactly two people, ending in -aan.
Yes, they are standard in all written Arabic.
Write sentences about your friends and family.
It is consistent and logical once you learn the patterns.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Ellos escriben
Arabic distinguishes gender in the plural.
Ils écrivent
Arabic suffixes are mandatory.
Sie schreiben
Arabic is highly inflected.
Karera wa kaku
Arabic requires conjugation.
Tāmen xiě
Arabic uses verb suffixes.
Biyiktibu
Standard Arabic keeps the 'n'.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Grammar Rules
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