Arabic Feminine Plural Nouns
Nouns
Number of Nouns
Plural Nouns (continued)
Feminine Plural Nouns
The feminine plural جَمْعُ الْمُؤَنَّثِ الْسَّاْلِمِ is the second type of the regular (suffixal) plural. It is quite more common than the masculine plural.
The primary use of the feminine plural is to pluralize nouns and adjectives with feminine markers in addition to some masculine derived nouns and masculine nouns referring to objects.
Feminine plural nouns have the following ending that is inflected for two cases and two states:
Feminine Plural Endings |
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Case |
Indefinite State |
Definite/Construct State |
Subject (Raf”) |
-aat(un) |
-aat(u) |
Object (Nasb & Jarr) |
-aat(in) |
-aat(i) |
The t of these endings is always pronounced, so it is an “open” t. Other nonstandard versions in Classical Arabic included a “tied” t (-aa(tun), -aa(tin), -aa(tu), and –aa(ti)) with pronunciation similar to that of the feminine -a(t).
When adding the feminine plural ending to nouns with additional -a(t), the -a(t) is removed.
Examples, click on the Arabic word to hear it:
Stem Noun: mu”allim مُعَلِّم = “teacher“ |
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One male teacher |
mu”allim(un) |
مُعَلِّمٌ |
One female teacher |
mu”allima(tun) |
مُعَلِّمَةٌ |
2< female teachers (subject) |
mu”allimaat(un) |
مُعَلِّمَاْتٌ |
2< female teachers (object) |
mu”allimaat(in) |
مُعَلِّمَاْتٍ |
The pronunciation and state inflection of the feminine plural ending is similar to that of singular nouns. On the other hand, the case inflection of the feminine plural ending is similar to that of the dual and masculine plural endings in that it involves only two cases (the nasb and jarr marking is identical).
Stem Noun: mu”allim مُعَلِّم = “teacher” |
||
Raf” (subject) Female teachers are here. |
mu”allimaat(un) |
مُعَلِّمَاْتٌ |
Nasb (object) I saw female teachers. |
mu”allimaat(in) |
مُعَلِّمَاْتٍ |
Jarr (possession/object of preposition) This is a female teachers’ class. I gave it to female teachers. |
mu”allimaat(in) |
مُعَلِّمَاْتٍ |
It looks like the feminine plural ending developed as follows:
-(a)atoona → -aatun
-(a)ateena → -aatin
The feminine plural ending is added to nouns with feminine markers whether they refer to female humans or not.
For example,
Feminine Plural |
Singular |
||
kalimaat(un) |
كَلِمَاْتٌ |
kalima(tun) a word (fem.) |
كَلِمَةٌ |
kalimaat(in) |
كَلِمَاْتٍ |
||
bawwaabaat(un) |
بَوَّاْبَاْتٌ |
bawwaaba(tun) a gate (fem.) |
بَوَّاْبَةٌ |
bawwaabaat(in) |
بَوَّاْبَاْتٍ |
||
muhaawalaat(un) |
مُحَاْوَلاْتٌ |
muhaawala(tun) an attempt (fem.) |
مُحَاْوَلَةٌ |
muhaawalaat(in) |
مُحَاْوَلاْتٍ |
||
musaa”adaat(un) |
مُسَاْعَدَاْتٌ |
musaa”ada(tun) a help (fem.) |
مُسَاْعَدَةٌ |
musaa”adaat(in) |
مُسَاْعَدَاْتٍ |
Nouns used as female names can take the feminine plural ending even if they are masculine themselves.
Feminine nouns without feminine markers are irregularly pluralized.
Examples:
Irregular Plural |
Singular |
||
huroob(un) |
حُرُوْبٌ |
harb(un) a war (fem.) |
حَرْبٌ |
niraan(un) |
نِيْرَاْنٌ |
naar(un) a fire (fem.) |
نَاْرٌ |
turuq(un) |
طُرُقٌ |
tareeq(un) a route/way (fem.) |
طَرِيْقٌ |
However, adjectives that modify feminine nouns without feminine having markers can take the feminine plural ending.
Fa“laa'< feminine adjectives do not take the feminine plural ending but are pluralized irregularly through the structure fu“l(un). However, this is often breached and the feminine plural ending is often added to such adjectives.
Examples:
Plural |
Singular |
||
humr(un) |
حُمْرٌ |
hamraa'< red (fem.) |
حَمْرَاْء |
“umy(un) |
عُمْيٌ |
“amyaa'< blind (fem.) |
عَمْيَاْءُ |
Fa“laa feminine adjectives do not take the feminine plural ending but are pluralized irregularly through the structure fu“aalaa.
Examples:
Plural |
Singular |
||
“utaashaa |
عُطَاْشَىْ |
“atshaa thirsty (fem.) |
عَطْشَىْ |
sukaaraa |
سُكَاْرَىْ |
sakraa drunk (fem.) |
سَكْرَىْ |
Some basic feminine nouns, including ones with feminine markers, do not take the feminine plural ending or have altered figures when they take it.
Examples:
Plural |
Singular |
||
‘ummahaat(un) |
أُمَّهَاْتٌ |
‘umm(un) a mother (fem.) |
أُمٌّ |
‘ummahaat(in) |
أُمَّهَاْتٍ |
||
banaat(un) |
بَنَاْتٌ |
bint(un) a daughter/girl (fem.) |
بِنْتٌ |
banaat(in) |
بَنَاْتٍ |
||
‘akhawaat(un) |
أَخَوَاْتٌ |
‘ukht(un) a sister (fem.) |
أُخْتٌ |
‘akhawaat(in) |
أَخَوَاْتٍ |
||
sanawaat(un) |
سَنَوَاْتٌ |
sana(tun) a year (fem.) |
سَنَةٌ |
sanawaat(in) |
سَنَوَاْتٍ |
||
shifaah(un) |
شِفَاْهٌ |
shafa(tun) a lip (fem.) |
شَفَةٌ |
shiyaah(un) |
شِيَاْهٌ |
shaa(tun) shaah(un) shaa‘(un) a goat (masc./fem.) |
شَاْةٌ |
شَاْهٌ |
|||
شَاْءٌ |
|||
milal(un) |
مِلَلٌ |
milla(tun) a denomination (fem.) |
مِلَّةٌ |
The last three plurals are irregular plurals.
Etymologies
‘ummun (mother), bantun (daughter), ‘akhtun(sister).
Another word for “a daughter” in Standard Arabic is ‘ibna(tun) اِبْنَةٌ . A possible common ancestor of bantun and ‘ibnatun is bnatun.
The feminine plural ending is also added to masculine derived nouns that do not refer to male humans.
Many of these are verbal nouns, for example:
Feminine Plural |
Singular |
||
‘i“laanaat(un) |
إِعْلانَاْتٌ |
‘i“laan(un) an announcement (masc.) |
إِعْلانٌ |
‘i“laanaat(in) |
إِعْلانَاْتٍ |
||
‘ijtimaa“aat(un) |
اِجْتِمَاْعَاْتٌ |
‘ijtimaa“(un) a meeting (masc.) |
اِجْتِمَاْعٌ |
‘ijtimaa“aat(in) |
اِجْتِمَاْعَاْتٍ |
||
muqtarahaat(un) |
مُقْتَرَحَاْتٌ |
muqtarah(un) a proposition (masc.) |
مُقْتَرَحٌ |
muqtarahaat(in) |
مُقْتَرَحَاْتٍ |
||
mashroo“aat(un) |
مَشْرُوْعَاْتٌ |
mashroo“(un) a project (masc.) |
مَشْرُوْعٌ |
mashroo“aat(in) |
مَشْرُوْعَاْتٍ |
Masculine place and time nouns can also take the feminine plural ending:
Feminine Plural |
Singular |
||
mataaraat(un) |
مَطَاْرَاْتٌ |
mataar(un) an airport (masc.) |
مَطَاْرٌ |
mataaraat(in) |
مَطَاْرَاْتٍ |
||
maqarraat(un) |
مَقَرَّاْتٌ |
maqarr(un) a location, a residing place (masc.) |
مَقَرٌّ |
maqarraat(in) |
مَقَرَّاْتٍِ |
||
mamarraat(un) |
مَمَرَّاْتٌ |
mamarr(un) a passageway (masc.) |
مَمَرٌّ |
mamarraat(in) |
مَمَرَّاْتٍ |
Masculine agent nouns with an augmentative -a(t) are pluralized by the feminine plural ending:
Feminine Plural |
Singular |
||
“allaamaat(un) |
عَلاَّمَاْتٌ |
“allaama(tun) an erudite (masc.) |
عَلاَّمَةٌ |
“allaamaat(in) |
عَلاَّمَاْتٍ |
||
rahhaalaat(un) |
رَحَّاْلاْتٌ |
rahhaala(tun) an experienced traveler (masc.) |
رَحَّاْلَةٌ |
rahhaalaat(in) |
رَحَّاْلاْتٍ |
Some masculine nouns that refer to objects and have too many letters (five or more) or assume complex structures are pluralized via the feminine plural instead of the irregular plural.
Examples,
Feminine Plural |
Singular |
||
hammaamaat(un) |
حَمَّاْمَاْتٌ |
hammaam(un) a bath (masc.) |
حَمَّاْمٌ |
hammaamaat(in) |
حَمَّاْمَاْتٍ |
||
‘istablaat(un) |
إِصْطَبْلاتٌ |
‘istabl(un) a stable (masc.) |
إِصْطَبْلٌ |
‘istablaat(in) |
إِصْطَبْلاتٍ |
||
tilifōnaat(un) |
تِلِفونَاْتٌ |
tilifōn(un) a telephone (masc.) |
تِلِفونٌ |
tilifōnaat(in) |
تِلِفونَاْتٍ |
The feminine plural ending can sometimes be added to collective nouns (irregular plural nouns) as an augmentative suffix.
Examples,
Feminine Plural |
Singular |
||
rijaalaat(un) |
رِجَاْلاتٌ |
rijaal(un) men (masc.) |
رِجَاْلٌ |
rijaalaat(in) |
رِجَاْلاتٍ |
||
buyootaat(un) |
بُيُوْتَاْتٌ |
buyoot(un) houses, families (masc.) |
بُيُوْتٌ |
buyootaat(in) |
بُيُوْتَاْتٍ |
When -aatun / -aatin is added to “men” the meaning becomes “prominent men:” and when it is added to “families” the meaning becomes “prominent families.”
The irregular plurals can also take the dual and masculine plural endings as augmentative suffixes, but all these are rare cases.
۩Summary
The feminine plural ending is added to:
-
Feminine nouns (and adjectives) with feminine markers (-a(t), -aa'<, & -aa).
-
Feminine adjectives without feminine markers (q.v.)
-
Nouns used as female names regardless of their gender.
-
Nouns with non-feminine (augmentative) suffixes -a(t), -aa'<, or -aa.
-
Arbitrarily, some masculine derived nouns (mostly verbal nouns).
-
Some nouns referring to objects and which have too many letters or are too complex to fit into an irregular plural structure.
-
Few irregular plural nouns as an augmentative suffix.
Irregular nouns
For description of irregular noun types, you may click here
I. Shortened Nouns
Shortened nouns are nouns that end with a long A vowel (-aa ـا / ـى ).
۩ Shortened Nouns With Three Letters
The weak ‘alif of the ending will be changed back to its origin (either w or y) when attaching the feminine plural ending. This form of ‘alif : ـاwill be changed back to w, and this one: ـى will be changed back to y. The short A vowel preceding the weak ‘alif will remain intact.
–aa→ -aW–fem. plu. ending
–aa→ –aY–fem. plu. ending
Endings of Triliteral Shortened Nouns |
|||||
Singular |
Feminine Plural |
||||
Subject |
Object |
||||
-aa |
ـَاْ |
-awaat(un) |
ـَوَاْتٌ |
-awaat(in) |
ـَوَاْتٍ |
-aa |
ـَىْ |
-ayaat(un) |
ـَيَاْتٌ |
-ayaat(in) |
ـَيَاْتٍ |
۩ Shortened Nouns With More Than Three Letters
The weak ‘alif will be always changed to y when attaching the feminine plural ending, regardless of its origin.
–aa→ –aY–fem. plu. ending
Endings of Triliteral Shortened Nouns |
|||||
Singular |
Feminine Plural |
||||
Subject |
Object |
||||
-aa |
ـَاْ |
-ayaat(un) |
ـَيَاْتٌ |
-ayaat(in) |
ـَيَاْتٍ |
-aa |
ـَىْ |
A final weak ‘alif of any Arabic word with more than three letters takes this figure ـى regardless of its true origin. This suits well the rules of declension. However, there is one exception, which is when the letter preceding the final weak ‘alif in such words is y ; in that case, the ‘alif takes the figure ـاeven though the rules still stand.
Examples:
Feminine Plural |
Singular |
||
shathawaat(un) |
شَذَوَاْتٌ |
shathaa female name (fem.) |
شَذَاْ |
shathawaat(in) |
شَذَوَاْتٍ |
||
hudayaat(un) |
هُدَيَاْتٌ |
hudaa female name (fem.) |
هُدَىْ |
hudayaat(in) |
هُدَيَاْتٍ |
||
thikrayaat(un) |
ذِكْرَيَاْتٌ |
thikraa reminiscence (fem.) |
ذِكْرَىْ |
thikrayaat(in) |
ذِكْرَيَاْتٍ |
||
dunyayaat(un) |
دُنْيَيَاْتٌ |
dunyaa lowest/nearest (fem.) |
دُنْيَاْ |
dunyayaat(in) |
دُنْيَيَاْتٍ |
||
mustashfayaat(un) |
مُسْتَشْفَيَاْتٌ |
mustashfaa hospital (masc.) |
مُسْتَشْفَىْ |
mustashfayaat(in) |
مُسْتَشْفَيَاْتٍ |
II. Extended Nouns
Extended nouns are nouns that end with a long A vowel followed by a terminal glottal stop or hamza(t) (-aa'< ـَاْء ).
۩ Extended Nouns With Four Letters or Fewer
In extended nouns with four letters or fewer, the final hamza(t) ء is always an original letter. When attaching the dual ending, the ء will be changed back to its origin (w or y) if the ء itself is not the origin.
-aa‘<→ –aa‘–fem. plu. ending
-aa‘<→ –aaW–fem. plu. ending
-aa‘<→ –aaY–fem. plu. ending
Endings of Extended Nouns With Four Letters or Fewer |
|||||
Singular |
Feminine Plural |
||||
Subject |
Object |
||||
-aa‘< |
ـَاْء |
-aa‘aat(un) |
ـَاْءَاْتٌ |
-aa‘aat(in) |
ـَاْءَاْتٍ |
-aa‘< |
ـَاْء |
-aawaat(un) |
ـَاْوَاْتٌ |
-aawaat(in) |
ـَاْوَاْتٍ |
-aa‘< |
ـَاْء |
-aayaat(un) |
ـَاْيَاْتٌ |
-aayaat(in) |
ـَاْيَاْتٍ |
Unlike the shortened ‘alif whose figure denotes its origin, the origin of the hamza(t) of anextended ‘alif cannot be told from its written figure.
It is possible, though not ideal, to keep the hamza(t) of theextended ‘alif always without change when attaching the feminine plural ending. This is typical of Modern Standard Arabic.
Examples:
Feminine Plural |
Singular |
||
samaawaat(un) |
سَمَاْوَاْتٌ |
samaa‘< heaven (fem.) |
سَمَاْء |
samaa‘aat(un) |
سَمَاْءَاْتٌ |
||
samaawaat(in) |
سَمَاْوَاْتٍ |
||
samaa‘aat(in) |
سَمَاْءَاْتٍ |
||
wafaayaat(un) |
وَفَاْيَاْتٌ |
wafaa‘< female name |
وَفَاْء |
wafaa‘aat(un) |
وَفَاْءَاْتٌ |
||
wafaayaat(in) |
وَفَاْيَاْتٍ |
||
wafaa‘aat(in) |
وَفَاْءَاْتٍ |
۩ Extended Nouns With More Than Four Letters
In extended nouns with more than four letters,there is a chance that thehamza(t) ء of the extended ‘alifis an additional letter (i.e. the extended ‘alif is a suffix).
If the hamza(t) is an original letter, it will be changed back to its origin (w , y, or kept ‘ ) when adding the feminine plural suffix.
-aa‘<→ –aa‘–fem. plu. ending
-aa‘<→ –aaW–fem. plu. ending
-aa‘<→ –aaY–fem. plu. ending
However, it is possible to always keep the hamza(t) unchanged when attaching the feminine plural ending. This is typical of Modern Standard Arabic.
Examples:
Feminine Plural |
Singular |
||
‘inshaa‘aat(un) |
إِنْشَاْءَاْتٌ |
‘inshaa‘< construction (masc.) |
إِنْشَاْء |
‘inshaa‘aat(in) |
إِنْشَاْءَاْتٍ |
||
‘ihdaayaat(un) |
اِهْدَاْيَاْتٌ |
‘ihdaa‘< gifting (masc.) |
اِهْدَاْء |
‘ihdaa‘aat(un) |
اِهْدَاْءَاْتٌ |
||
‘ihdaayaat(in) |
اِهْدَاْيَاْتٍ |
||
‘ihdaa‘aat(in) |
اِهْدَاْءَاْتٍ |
||
‘i”tidaawaat(un) |
اِعْتِدَاْوَاْتٌ |
‘i”tidaa‘< assault/aggression (masc.) |
اِعْتِدَاْء |
‘i”tidaa‘aat(un) |
اِعْتِدَاْءَاْتٌ |
||
‘i”tidaawaat(in) |
اِعْتِدَاْوَاْتٍ |
||
‘i”tidaa‘aat(in) |
اِعْتِدَاْءَاْتٍ |
When the-aa'< is a feminine marker, the hamza(t) is always turned into w when attaching the feminine plural ending.
-aa‘<→ –aaW–fem. plu. ending
Feminine Plural |
Singular |
||
khadraawaat(un) |
خَضْرَاْوَاْتٌ |
khadraa‘< green (fem.) |
خَضْرَاْء |
khadraawaat(in) |
خَضْرَاْوَاْتٍ |
||
shaqraawaat(un) |
شَقْرَاْوَاْتٌ |
shaqraa‘< blonde (fem.) |
شَقْرَاْء |
shaqraawaat(in) |
شَقْرَاْوَاْتٍ |
||
moomiyaawaat(un) |
مُوْمِيَاْوَاْتٌ |
moomiyaa‘< mummy (fem.) |
مُوْمِيَاْء |
moomiyaawaat(in) |
مُوْمِيَاْوَاْتٍ |
In the language of the Koran, which is the source of Standard Arabic, fa“laa'< adjectives are never pluralized regularly but always through the irregular structure fu“l(un).
III. Defective Nouns
Defective nouns are nouns that end with a long I vowel (-iy ـِيْ ) whose terminal y belongs to the root.
Defective nouns take the feminine plural ending just as regular nouns.
-iY → –iY–fem. plu. ending
Endings of Defective Nouns |
|||||
Singular |
Feminine Plural |
||||
Subject |
Object |
||||
–iy |
ـِيْ |
–iyaat(un) |
ـِيَاْتٌ |
–iyaat(in) |
ـِيَاْتٍ |
Examples:
Feminine Plural |
Singular |
||
qaadiyaat(un) |
قَاْضِيَاْتٌ |
qaadiya(tun) a finalizing/finalizer (fem.) → a judge (fem.) |
قَاْضِيَةٌ |
qaadiyaat(in) |
قَاْضِيَاْتٍ |
||
daa”iyaat(un) |
دَاْعِيَاْتٌ |
daa”iya(tun) Inviting/inviter (fem.) |
دَاْعِيَةٌ |
daa”iyaat(in) |
دَاْعِيَاْتٍ |
Extra Note: Man & Woman
The standard word for “a man” in Arabic is:
رَجُلٌ
rajul(un)
A man
This is an agent noun of the structure fa“ul(un); it literally means “a walker.”
Other words for “a man” in Standard Arabic include:
اِمْرُؤٌ/ مَرْءٌ
‘imru‘(un) / mar’(un)
A man
Etymology: mra‘un
In modern spoken Arabic, words of the root R J L are used standardly:
Man (“walker,” active participle) Used in Egypt and southern Levant with variable pronunciations (e.g. “raagil” in Lower Egyptian [Cairo]) |
raajil |
رَاْجِل |
Man (“very walker → very man” emphatic active participle) Used in Arabia, Levant, Iraq, etc. with variable pronunciations (e.g. “rejjaal” in Urban Syrian [Damascus]) |
rajjaal |
رَجَّاْل |
The standard classical word rajul(un) can still be heard today in some rare dialects with varying pronunciations (e.g. “rajil” in Palestinian Arabic).
The feminine form of this word, rajula(tun) رَجُلَةٌ = “a woman” was uncommon in Classical Arabic and it is not a standard word.
Rather, the standard word for “a woman” in formal Arabic is the feminine of ‘imru‘(un)/mar’(un):
اِمْرَأَةٌ/ مَرْأَةٌ
‘imra‘a(tun) / mar’a(tun)
A woman
Etymology: mra‘atun
This word is used in many modern dialects (e.g. Arabia, Northern Levant, Iraq) with variable pronunciations (most commonly, “mara“). Another word that is common in modern Arabia is “hurma” حُرْمَة (plural: “hareem” حَرِيْم).
Dialects that are derived mostly from classical Yemeni Arabic (Egyptian and South Levantine) use a non-Arabic word for “a woman”:
سِتّ
sitt
A woman
This is not an Arabic word but a word that is commonly found in South Semitic languages (e.g. Ethiopian languages). It appears that this word was also used in Old South Arabian languages (ancient Yemeni languages spoken before Arabic).
Anyway, this word has found its way into modern Egyptian, Palestinian, and Lebanese Arabic. The plural is sittaat سِتَّاْت . This word is used in other modern dialects as a word for a “grandmother.” This is found in dialects that started out as Yemeni-based dialects but deviated later (North Levantine).
The plural of rajul(un) is:
رِجَاْلٌ
rijaal(un)
Men
Note that rajul(un) cannot be regularly pluralized (cannot take –oona).
However, the words ‘imru‘(un),mar’(un), ‘imra‘a(tun), and mar’a(tun) cannot be pluralized at all.
This leaves the word for “a woman” without a plural. The plural word for “a woman” in Standard Arabic is:
نِسَاْءٌ
nisaa’(un)
Women
Another less common variant:
نِسْوَةٌ
niswa(tun)
Women
Both words do not have singulars (plurale tantum). These words are related to the following words:
A male human being |
‘ins(un) |
إِنْسٌ |
‘insaan(un) |
إِنْسَاْنٌ |
The roots ‘ N S and N S are apparently cognates and they mean “man, human.”
Etymologies
nsun → ‘insun (man/human)
nsaatun → nisaa’un (women)
The root N S / N SH is common in Semitic languages (e.g. Akkadian nishoo (people), Aramaic ‘anaash / ‘eesh (man), Hebrew ‘anōsh / ‘eesh (man)).
In modern spoken Arabic, the following words are used for “men”:
Used in Arabia, Levant, Iraq, North Africa etc. with variable pronunciations |
rjaal |
رْجَاْل |
Used mostly in Egypt (“riggaala” in Lower Egypt [Cairo]) |
rajjaala |
رَجَّاْلة |
Other rare forms include rajaajeel (Eastern to Central Arabia).
The words for “women” include:
Found in most dialects |
niswaan |
نِسْوَاْن |
In Egypt |
sittaat |
سِتَّاْت |
Mostly in Arabia |
hareem |
حَرِيْم |
Extra Note: Modern Spoken Arabic
In modern spoken Arabic, the feminine plural declension is used similarly to Classical Arabic but without the terminal case/state inflected part:
-aat
However, some Arabian dialects preserve the state inflection; like Najdi Arabic (central Arabian Arabic):
Indefinite | -aaten |
Definite/construct | -aat |
Najdi dialect preserves the state inflection in singular nouns too; but it does not preserve any case inflection.
The feminine plural ending is overused in Syrian Arabic. It is added to many masculine nouns referring to objects and also to nouns referring to male humans in a way totally inadmissible in Classical Arabic.
For example,
Modern Urban Syrian |
Standard Arabic | |
‘ab father |
‘abbahaat fathers |
أَبٌ – آبَاْءٌ |
‘akh brother |
‘ekhwaat brothers |
أَخٌ – إِخْوَاْنٌ |
rfee'< male companion |
ref’aat male companions |
رَفِيْقٌ – رُفَقَاْءُ |
This is believed to be related to the Syriac substratum.
Since that the long A vowel is usually very changeable between the different dialects, the feminine plural ending will sound different from one place to the other. The spectrum of changeability extends between –ēt and-ōt, with these two themselves being very rare in the modern pronunciation.
Most commonly today, the long A will be pronounced either like the a in an American “man,” or “can;” or it will be pronounced similar to the a in “father.” The first pronunciation is typical of North Africa, southern Levant (Palestine and Lebanon), and northernmost Levant (northern Syria). These may be called the “E-regions.” The second pronunciation is heard mainly in western and central Syria, in the Persian Gulf region and in some parts of southern Arabia (the “O-region”). A “normal” long A is generally heard elsewhere.
Examples from other Semitic languages:
|
Subject |
Object |
Akkadian “years” |
shanaatum |
shanaatim |
Aramaic “queens” |
malkhaat |
|
Hebrew “daughters” |
ylaadōt |
In later western dialects of Aramaic (later dialects are called Syriac), the long A vowel becomes a long O like in Hebrew.
Exercise 1
Can you change the following singular nouns to feminine plural nouns in the subject case?
Friend (fem.) |
صَدِيْقَة |
Forum (masc.) |
مُنْتَدَىْ |
Female proper name |
لَمَىْ |
Gorgeous (fem. adj.) |
حَسْنَاْء |
Eliminating (elimination) (masc.) |
إِقْصَاْء |
Female proper name |
رَاْنِيَة |
Answers
Friends (fem.) |
صَدِيْقَاْتٌ |
Forums (fem.) |
مُنْتَدَيَاْتٌ |
Female proper name |
لَمَيَاْتٌ |
Gorgeous (fem. adj.) |
حَسْنَاْوَاْتٌ |
Eliminating (elimination) (fem.) |
إِقْصَاْءَاْتٌ |
Female proper name |
رَاْنِيَاْتٌ |
Exercise 2
Can you change the following feminine plural nouns to singular nouns?
Princesses (fem.) |
أَمِيْرَاْتٌ |
Female proper name |
رَنَوَاْتٌ |
Red (fem. adj.) |
حَمْرَاْوَاْتٌ |
Aggressions (fem.) |
اِعْتِدَاْءَاْتٌ |
Answers
Princess (fem.) |
أَمِيْرَةٌ |
Female proper name |
رَنَاْ |
Red (fem. adj.) |
حَمْرَاْء |
Aggression (masc.) |
اِعْتِدَاْء |