A1 · Iniciante Capítulo 9

Regular Plurals for People

5 Regras totais
55 exemplos
6 min
Regras neste capítulo Prática rápida

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!

O que você vai aprender

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.

Guia do capítulo

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.

Exemplos-chave (8)

1

`al-muhandisuun mashghuuluun.`

Os engenheiros estão ocupados.

Plural de pessoas: Professores e engenheiros (-uun, -aat)
2

`al-mu'allimaat latwiifaat jiddan.`

As professoras são muito gentis.

Plural de pessoas: Professores e engenheiros (-uun, -aat)
3

Al-mubarmijoon mashghooloon jiddan.

Os programadores estão muito ocupados.

Plurais em Árabe: Os Sufixos "-oon" e "-een" (Masculino São)
4

Kam 'adad al-mushtarikeen fi qanatik?

Quantos inscritos no seu canal?

Plurais em Árabe: Os Sufixos "-oon" e "-een" (Masculino São)
5

Al-muhandisūn ya'malūn hunā.

Os engenheiros estão trabalhando aqui.

Plurais em Árabe: Grupos de Homens (-ūn / -īn)
6

Qābaltu al-mubarmigīn fī al-mu'tamar.

Encontrei os programadores na conferência.

Plurais em Árabe: Grupos de Homens (-ūn / -īn)
7

Ana uhibb al-commentaat al-mudhika.

Eu amo os comentários engraçados.

O Plural 'Feliz': Feminino Regular (-aat)
8

Ha'ula' talibaat hakiyaat.

Estas são alunas inteligentes.

O Plural 'Feliz': Feminino Regular (-aat)

Dicas e truques (4)

⚠️

A Armadilha dos Não-Humanos

Nunca use -uun para coisas que não são pessoas! 'Casas bonitas' NÃO é buyuut jamiiluun. É buyuut jamiila (feminino singular). «كُتُب مَبْسوطَة»
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Plural de pessoas: Professores e engenheiros (-uun, -aat)
🎯

Procure o "Mu-"

Palavras que começam com Mu- (tipo 'Muhandis', 'Mudarris', 'Muslim', 'Mumathil') quase SEMPRE usam esse plural com som no final. É a aposta mais segura pra você! «المعلمون» (Os professores).
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Plurais em Árabe: Os Sufixos "-oon" e "-een" (Masculino São)
⚠️

A Armadilha do Limão

Nem toda palavra terminada em «ون» é plural. «ليمون» (limão) e «زيتون» (azeitona) são singulares. Não tente 'descascar' o «ون» delas! Por exemplo,
Eu amo limões.
(أنا أحب الليمون)
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Plurais em Árabe: Grupos de Homens (-ūn / -īn)
💡

O Plural 'Feliz'

Pense no plural 'Sonoro' como o plural 'Seguro'. Ele não 'quebra' a palavra. Se estiver na dúvida sobre o plural de uma palavra moderna, chute 'ـات'. Você vai acertar na maioria das vezes!
As fotos com muitas لايكات são populares.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: O Plural 'Feliz': Feminino Regular (-aat)

Vocabulário-chave (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)

Erros comuns

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

Wrong: مُدَرِّسَةات (mudarrisah-aat)
Correto: 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.
Correto: 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.
Correto: 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

Prática rápida (10)

Escolha a terminação correta para o sujeito.

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

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: oon (ون)
Como 'Os engenheiros' é o sujeito da frase (quem 'está' aqui), usamos a terminação de caso Nominativo -oon.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Plurais em Árabe: Os Sufixos "-oon" e "-een" (Masculino São)

Preencha a lacuna com o plural masculino correto de 'feliz' (`sa'iid`).

الأَصْدِقاءُ ___ جِدّاً.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: سَعيدونَ
Como 'amigos' (masculino/misto) são humanos, adicionamos -uun ao adjetivo.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Plural de pessoas: Professores e engenheiros (-uun, -aat)

Converta a palavra entre parênteses para o plural.

أحب الـ___ (لايك) على بوستاتي. (Eu amo as curtidas nas minhas postagens)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: لايكات
Palavras estrangeiras (empréstimos) costumam usar o Plural Feminino Sonoro (-aat). 'Like' vira 'Laykaat'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: O Plural 'Feliz': Feminino Regular (-aat)

Corrija o erro nesta frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

عندي ثلاث سيارة في البيت.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: عندي ثلاث سيارات في البيت.
Com o número três, precisamos da forma plural. 'Sayyara' vira 'Sayyaraat'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: O Plural 'Feliz': Feminino Regular (-aat)

Qual frase descreve um grupo de engenheiras corretamente?

Escolha a frase correta:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: المُهَنْدِساتُ مَشْغولاتٌ.
Usamos o final -aat para grupos de mulheres.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Plural de pessoas: Professores e engenheiros (-uun, -aat)

Qual frase mostra a concordância correta do adjetivo?

Traduza: 'The busy employees'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Al-muwazzafoon mashghooloon (الموظفون مشغولون)
Em árabe, o adjetivo deve concordar com o substantivo em número. Substantivo plural = adjetivo plural.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Plurais em Árabe: Os Sufixos "-oon" e "-een" (Masculino São)

Escolha a frase gramaticalmente correta:

Choose the grammatically correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: تكلمت مع المهندسين
Depois da preposição 'مع' (com), devemos usar a terminação «ين».

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Plurais em Árabe: Grupos de Homens (-ūn / -īn)

Encontre o erro na terminação do caso.

Find and fix the mistake:

Eu vi os professores: Ra'aytu al-mu'allimoon.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ra'aytu al-mu'allimeen
Como você 'viu' os professores, eles são o objeto da ação. Objetos usam o sufixo -een, não -oon.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Plurais em Árabe: Os Sufixos "-oon" e "-een" (Masculino São)

Converta a palavra para o plural

أنا أحب ___ (سيارة).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: السياراتِ
Usamos 'ات' para carros. Como objeto de 'amar', deve estar no acusativo. Lembre-se, o Plural Feminino Sonoro usa Kasra (i) no acusativo, nunca Fatha (a).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: O Plural "Copiar-Colar": Feminino Som (-aat)

Selecione a forma plural correta para 'Professora' (feminino).

هؤلاء ___ ممتازات (Estas são professoras excelentes).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: مدرسات
Como o adjetivo 'mumtazaat' é plural feminino, precisamos do substantivo plural feminino 'mudarrisaat'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: O Plural 'Feliz': Feminino Regular (-aat)

Score: /10

Perguntas comuns (6)

Sim! Em árabe, se um grupo tiver pelo menos um homem, todo o grupo é tratado com o plural masculino -uun. Por exemplo, mudarribuun (treinadores) pode se referir a um grupo de homens e mulheres.
Parece muito estranho para falantes nativos, quase como se você estivesse dando características humanas aos objetos. Sempre use adjetivos femininos singulares para plurais não humanos, como kutub kabiira (livros grandes). «كُتُب مَبْسوطَة»
Porque livros não são pessoas! Em árabe, plurais não-humanos são tratados gramaticalmente como 'ela' (feminino singular). Então, 'livros' (كتب - kutub) seriam descritos como 'Jameelah' (bonita, fem. sing.), e não com uma terminação plural de pessoas.
Gramaticalmente, o plural masculino 'vence'. Você usa '-oon'. É uma regra antiga, mas vale no árabe formal. Na vida real, o contexto é mais importante, mas formalmente, sempre 'Mu'allimoon'.
Não, só para substantivos masculinos que se referem a pessoas (e alguns adjetivos). Objetos como 'livros' ou 'casas' usam plurais 'quebrados'. Por exemplo,
Os livros são novos.
(الكتب جديدة)
Use «ون» para o sujeito da frase (quem faz a ação). Use «ين» quando a palavra é um objeto ou vem depois de uma preposição como 'em' ou 'com'. Exemplo:
Eu vi os jogadores.
(رأيت اللاعبين)
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Doubling Up: The Dual Form
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The Logic of Broken Plurals
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