Exploring the Arabic Noun: الاِسْمُ
Nouns (اَلْإِسْمُ) in Arabic can be categorized into two types:
النَّكِرَةُ – Indefinite
المَعْرِفَةُ – definite
1. Indefinite nouns - أَسْمَاءُ النَّكِرَةُ
These refer to general names assigned to both living and non-living entities (common nouns). Indefinite nouns typically end with nunnation. (Tanween – تَنْوِين)
Examples:
رَجُلٌ – man
اِمْرَأَةٌ – woman
سَمَكٌ – fish
مَاءٌ – water
مُلْكٌ – kingdom
عَذَابٌ- punishment
2. Definite nouns - الأَسْماءُ المَعْرِفَة
Definite nouns are specific names attributed to a particular person, place, or object.
Example:
نُوْحٌ – Noah
حَامِدٌ – Hamid
أَحْمَدُ – Ahmed
إِبْراهِيْمُ – Ibrahim
Key Features of Nouns
بَيْتٌ – a house
كُرْسِيٌّ – a chair
قَلَمٌ – a pen
كِتَابٌ – un crayon
رَسُولٌ – un messager
Nunnation (tanween) is dropped under two circumstances: The indefinite noun can be made definite by adding a prefix.
اَلْ
اَلْ +بِنْتٌ = اَلْبِنْتُ
The + girl = The girl
اَلْ + نَبَأٌ = النَّبَأُ
The + news = The news
اَلْ + فَاكِهَةٌ = اَلْفَاكِهَةُ
The + fruit = The fruit
اَلْ + مَالِكٌ = اَلْمَالِكُ
The + ruler = The ruler
اِلْ + فِضَّةٌ = اَلفِضَّةُ
The + silver = The silver
اَلْ + يَوْمٌ = اَلْيَوْمُ
The + day = The day
نَارٌ + اَللَّهُ = نَارُ اللَّهِ
Fire + Allah = Fire of Allah
رَسُولٌ + اَللّهُ = رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ
Messenger + Allah = Messenger of Allah
أَصْحَابٌ + اَلْقُبُورُ = أَصْحَابُ الْقُبُورِ
People + the grave = People of the grave
كِتَابٌ + كُمْ = كِتَابُكُم
Book + you = Your book (plural)
بَيْتٌ + كَ = بَيْتُكَ
House + your = Your house (singular)
3. Cases of Nouns in Arabic
A. Nominative case - اَلْمَرْفُوع / حَالَةُ الرَّفْعِ
In the nominative case, when the noun acts as the subject (performer of the verb) of the sentence, it carries a dammah:
_ُ
or tanween dammah :
-ٌ
The noun with dammah will be in the nominative case.
Examples:
قَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ
Noah Said (71:21)
وَانشَقَّ الْقَمَرُ
And the moon was split (54:1)
B. Accusative case - حَالَةُ النَّصَبِ/الْمَنْصُوبُ
In the accusative case, when the noun serves as the object of the sentence, it takes on a fatha:
-َ
or tanwin fatha:
-ً
In this instance, the noun assumes the accusative form.
Examples:
جَعَلَ اللَّـهُ الْكَعْبَةَ
Allah has made the Kaaba (5:97)
وَضَرَبَ اللَّـهُ مَثَلًا
And Allah sets forth an example (66:11)
فَبَعَثَ اللَّـهُ غُرَابًا
“Then Allah sent a crow” (5:31)
C. Genitive case - الْمَجْرُورُ / حَالَةُ الْجارِّ
In the genitive case, when a noun is preceded by a preposition, it carries a kasrah:
-ِ
or tanween kasrah:
-ٍ
In this context, the noun adopts the genitive form.
Examples:
مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
“From the evil of that which He has created” (113:2)
فَهُوَ فِي عِيشَةٍ رَّاضِيَةٍ
“then he will lead a life of pleasure” (101:7)
عَلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
“On the straight path” (36:4)
D. Exceptions nouns
Some nouns such as:
زَيْنَبُ, مَرْيَمُ, فِرْعَوْنُ, أَحْمَدُ, إِبْرَاهِيممُ
are exceptions to the general rule and thus don’t carry nunnation (tanween) or kasrah, even in the genitive case:
-ِ
In the genitive case, it is indicated by a fatha:
-َ
Examples:
اذْهَبْ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ
Go to Fir’awn; he has certainly rebelled” (79:17)
وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْكِتَابِ مَرْيَمَ
“And mention in the book (about) Maryam.” (19:16)
Typically, non-Arabic names and names exceeding three letters don’t carry nunnation (tanween).
Similarly, nouns used as adjectives for colors are free from nunnation (tanween).
Examples:
أَحْضَرُ – green
أَسْوَدُ – black
أَصْفَرُ – yellow
أَحْمَرُ – red
أَبْيَضُ – white
الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ الشَّجَرِ الْأَخْضَرِ نَارًا
“He it is who made the fire for you from the green trees” (36:80)
حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ
“You can distinguish the white thread” (2:187)
Conclusion
This Arabic lesson has concluded. Insha’Allah, our next topic will focus on the Dual in Arabic.
The Al-dirassa Institute provides an opportunity to learn Arabic effortlessly under the guidance of qualified teachers. If interested, we invite you to get in touch with us.
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