In an Arabic nominal sentence, the predicate matches the subject in gender and number. The pattern is easy with singular nouns, but dual and plural subjects need a second look.
This lesson follows connecting subject and predicate meaning. The verbal version of this skill appears in repairing a recurring agreement error.
What does agreement look like?
The table shows the same predicate idea, “diligent”, with four kinds of subject.
| Subject | Predicate | Note |
|---|---|---|
| الطالبُ (the male student) | مجتهدٌ | masculine singular |
| الطالبةُ (the female student) | مجتهدةٌ | feminine singular |
| الطالبانِ (the two male students) | مجتهدانِ | dual |
| الطلابُ (the students) | مجتهدونَ | human masculine plural |
Notice that the predicate changes its ending each time, even though the meaning stays the same.
Worked example: non-human plural
Take الكتبُ (the books). Books are things, not people, so the plural behaves like a feminine singular. The predicate becomes مفيدةٌ.
So the correct sentence is الكتبُ مفيدةٌ (the books are useful).
The same rule applies to other non-human plurals. الأقلامُ جديدةٌ (the pens are new) and الأشجارُ عاليةٌ (the trees are tall) both follow it.
The mistake that costs marks
Students see a plural subject and switch to a plural predicate automatically, writing الكتبُ مفيدون. This form is reserved for plural people, so it marks the error.
| Sentence | Why | |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong | الكتبُ مفيدون | human plural ending on a thing |
| Right | الكتبُ مفيدةٌ | non-human plural takes feminine singular |
The fix is to ask one question before choosing the ending: is the subject a person or a thing? People get the plural ending, things get the feminine singular.
Check yourself
Correct each sentence and give the reason.
- المعلمتانِ مجتهدٌ.
- الأقلامُ جديدون.
- الطالبةُ مجتهدٌ.
Answer
- المعلمتانِ مجتهدتانِ. The subject is a feminine dual, so the predicate must also be a feminine dual.
- الأقلامُ جديدةٌ. Pens are things, so the plural takes a feminine singular predicate.
- الطالبةُ مجتهدةٌ. The subject is feminine, so the predicate takes the feminine ending.
What to study next
Agreement also appears once your sentences grow longer. Continue with expanding a simple sentence without changing its core meaning, then test yourself on the nominal sentence practice set.
If you want a teacher to hear your plurals and correct them straight away, see online one-to-one Arabic tuition.