Grammar

plural

dual

number

singular

Sound plural

broken plural

Feminine
sound plural

Masculine
sound plural

The root letter concept

95% of all Arabic words

have 3 root letters
4


The root letter concept
We will codify these 3 root letters

The root letter concept

What if a word has more than 3 letters ?

32

4 32

In each these three words:

3 letters will be the root

letters

The remaining 1, 2 or 3 will be extra

letters
7

Step 1: Identify the extra letters

The extra letters are
usually:
End

Middle

Beginning

Step 1: Identify the extra letters

The extra letters are
usually:
End

Middle

Beginning

Root letters

Step 1: Identify the extra letters

The extra letters are
usually:
End

Middle

Beginning

10

Step 1: Identify the extra letters

The extra letters are
usually:
End

Middle

Beginning

Root letters
11

Step 1: Identify the extra letters

The extra letters are
usually:
End

Middle

Beginning

12

Step 1: Identify the extra letters

The extra letters are
usually:
End

Middle

Beginning

Root letters
13

Step 1: Identify the extra letters

The extra letters are
usually:
End

Middle

Beginning

General Rule:
If there are only 3
letters those are
normally the root
letters

Root letters
14

Step 1: Identify the extra letters

The extra letters are
usually:
End

Middle

Beginning

General Rule:
If there are only 3
letters those are
normally the root
letters

Root letters
15

Step 1: Identify the extra letters

The extra letters are
usually:
End

Middle

Beginning

16

Step 1: Identify the extra letters

The extra letters are
usually:
End

Middle

Beginning

Root letters
17

Exercise: Identify the extra letters and root letters

End

Root:

Middle

Beginning

18

Root letters

Meaning

goods
clay
a boy
a poet
a man
a
messenger

a ritual
a witness
a fruit(s)
a heart

Root letters

.11

.12

.13

.14

.15

.16

.17

.18

.19

.20

Meaning

a disease
a book
a reward
a river
a matter
an action
a tongue
a path
a mosque

a scholar

.1

.2

.3

.4

.5

.6

.7

.8

.9

.10

Look up the following words add

page number and meaning

20

So what about
??
Sound Plural

House - Houses
Broken Plural
Mouse - Mice

number

plural

dual

Sound plural

singular

broken plural

No pattern

Feminine
sound plural

Masculine
sound plural

How to find plurals

1. Identify the root letters
2. Find the word in the dictionary
3. Look next to the word for the pl.
-n = sound masculine plural

e.g. /

-t = sound feminine plural

e.g.

pl. Arabic word + transliteration = broken plural

e.g. rajul pl. rijl

NB: One word can have many broken plurals or a

mixture of sound and broken plurals