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Forming plural adjectives in Egyptian Arabic

Egyptian Arabic adjective plurals can be tricky. We analyze common patterns and show examples for both human and non-human nouns.

Last updated: 1 month

Previously, we had looked at the basics of forming and using adjectives in . We only focused on the singular form. Now, it is time to move on and check the plural.

Forming plurals is not so easy in Egyptian Arabic because you don’t hear them so often. But if you know two patterns, you can actually form the plurals of the most common adjectives.

The pattern fu3aal: ููุนุงู„

This pattern is pretty common and is used for many very basic adjectives.

Some examples.

translationsingularpronunciationpluralpronunciation
bigูƒูุจููŠุฑkibeerูƒูุจุงุฑkubaar
tallุทูŽูˆููŠู„TaweelุทูŽูˆุงู„Tuwaal
manyูƒูุชููŠุฑkiteerูƒูุชุงุฑkutaar
cheapุฑูุฎููŠุตri5eeSุฑูุฎุงุตru5aaS
farุจูุนููŠุฏbe3eedุจูุนุงุฏbu3aad
newุฌูุฏููŠุฏgideedุฌูุฏุงุฏgudaad
oldู‚ูŽุฏููŠู…‘adeemู‚ูุฏุงู…‘udaam
niceู„ูŽุทููŠูlaTeefู„ูุทุงูluTaaf
lightุฎูŽูููŠู5afeefุฎููุงู5ufaaf
heavyุชูู‚ููŠู„ti’eelุชูู‚ุงู„tu’aal

The ending “-een”: ูŠู†

Adjectives for human beings

That’s logic. You use a corrupted form of the standard plural ending of masculine sound plurals. It is always “-een” in Egyptian Arabic – no matter if the plural targets male or female human beings.

Some examples.

translationsingularpronunciationpluralpronunciaton
goodูƒูˆูŽูŠูู‘ูŠkwayyesูƒูˆูŽูŠู‘ูุณููŠู†kwayyiseen
badูˆูุญูุดwi7ishูˆูุญู’ุดููŠู†wi7sheen
quietู‡ุงุฏููŠhaadiู‡ุงุฏููŠูู†hadyeen
sweetุญูู„ููˆ7ilwุญูู„ู’ูˆููŠู†7ilween
terrificู‡ุงูŠูู„haayilู‡ุงูŠูู„ููŠู†hayleen

What we have checked so far are adjectives that are mainly used for human beings – thus, the usual ending for human plurals does make sense, of course. But that is not the end of the story! Sometimes, the ending ูŠู† is used for non-human nouns!

Adjectives for non-human (inanimate) nouns

Let’s go directly to the examples as it is quite obvious what we are dealing here.

translationsingularpronunciationpluralpronunciation
dryู†ุงุดููnaashefู†ุงุดููููŠู†nashfeen
expensiveุบุงู„ููŠ3’aaliุบุงู„ููŠูŠูู†3’alyeen
coldุจุงุฑูุฏbaaredุจุงุฑู’ุฏููŠู†bardeen

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