Plurals in Moroccan Arabic – The Definitive Guide

In this lesson, we will talk about the plurals in Moroccan Arabic, how to form them, and some irregular forms.

Plurals in Moroccan Arabic

The Regular Plurals

To form the plural, we add the suffix “in” to the end of the masculine word, and “at” to the end of the feminine one.

For feminine:

Note: for words ending with “i” we add “y” before the suffix: banafsaji (purple, singular): banafsajiyin (purple, masculine, plural)

Adjectives

It’s common to use the masculine plural form of adjectives, for feminine as well.

Examples:

White refrigerators: tellajat bydin, you will rarely find someone saying “tellajat bydat”

Beautiful cars: tonobilat zwinin

Note: you can practice what you’ve learned here, and learn how to pronounce each of the words in our Memrise course here, don’t know how to use the platform or sign up? we’ve got you covered in this easy-to-follow tutorial here.

The Irregular Plural

Also called “the broken plural”, there are no rules for them, so I made this list to help you with some of them:

Note: As we have just seen in the previous section about the plural of adjectives, you can use the masculine plural for both masculine and feminine (m, f) yet I included the feminine form in case you wanted to use them anyway or were curious about them.

Moroccan Arabic Plurals Review Guide

Section 1: Regular Plural Formation

Masculine Nouns:

• Add the suffix “-in” to the singular form.
• Example: momettil (actor) becomes momettilin (actors).

Feminine Nouns:

• Add the suffix “-at” to the singular form.
• Example: momettila (actress) becomes momettilat (actresses).

Special Cases:

• Words ending in “-i” add a “-y” before the plural suffix.
• Example: banafsaji (purple) becomes banafsajiyin (purple, masculine plural).

Adjective Agreement:

• While feminine plural forms exist, it’s common to use the masculine plural form of adjectives for both genders.
• Example: tellajat bydin (white refrigerators) is more common than tellajat bydat.

Section 2: Irregular Plural Formation (“Broken Plurals”)

• Irregular plurals do not follow set patterns.
• Memorization is key for mastering them.
• Refer to the provided list for common examples of singular and plural forms.
• Example: ktab (book) becomes ktuba (books).

Section 3: Quiz

Instructions: Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each, drawing from the provided material.

1. Explain the basic rule for forming regular masculine plurals in Moroccan Arabic.
2. How do you form the regular plural of feminine nouns in Moroccan Arabic?
3. Provide an example of a Moroccan Arabic word ending in “-i” and its masculine plural form.
4. What is the common practice regarding adjective agreement with feminine plural nouns?
5. What is meant by the term “broken plural” in the context of Moroccan Arabic?
6. Give an example of a Moroccan Arabic word with a “broken plural” and its plural form.
7. Is it ever acceptable to use the feminine plural form of adjectives in Moroccan Arabic? Explain.
8. Translate the following phrases into Moroccan Arabic: “tall women,” “new books.”
9. Besides nouns, what other word class is discussed in relation to pluralization in the article?

Section 4: Answer Key

1. To form the regular masculine plural in Moroccan Arabic, add the suffix “-in” to the singular form of the noun.
2. Feminine nouns in Moroccan Arabic form their regular plural by adding the suffix “-at” to the singular form.
3. The word “banafsaji” (purple) becomes “banafsajiyin” in its masculine plural form, demonstrating the addition of “-y” before the plural suffix for words ending in “-i.”
4. Although feminine plural forms exist for adjectives, it’s standard practice to use the masculine plural form with feminine plural nouns.
5. “Broken plural” refers to irregular plural forms in Moroccan Arabic that do not adhere to a predictable pattern.
6. The word “rajul” (man) has the broken plural “rijaal” (men), showcasing the unpredictable nature of such plurals.
7. While less common, using the feminine plural form of adjectives is acceptable, particularly when emphasizing the feminine aspect or for stylistic reasons.
8. “Tall women” translates to “3yalat twal,” and “new books” translates to “kutub jdad.”
9. The article discusses the pluralization of adjectives in relation to their agreement with nouns.

Happy learning!

Oualid Cheddadi

Oualid Cheddadi is a language enthusiast who created Lingualid with the mission to inspire independent language learners worldwide, regardless of the language they are learning. The name “Lingualid” is derived from the Portuguese word for “language,” “língua,” and the last three letters of Oualid’s name, “Lid.”

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