Why Do Some Arabic Nouns Have Two Plurals? The Minor and Major Plural Explained

In Arabic grammar, a special form of plurals, known as the minor plural (جَمْع الْقِلّة), is used to refer to a limited number of items, typically between three and ten.

This article clarifies the distinction between the minor plural and the more common major plural (جَمْع الْكَثْرة), explaining why words like أَشْهُر and شُهُور are both correct plural forms of month (شَهْر) but convey different quantities.

So, let’s start our discussion:

➤ What is the difference between أَشْهُر and شُهُور which are both translated as months? There is a fine difference!

The appropriate form depends on the number to which it refers. In our case, it depends on the number of months. Watch out: What we’re discussing here is more theoretical, as in practice, people mix it up all the time. However, if you know the rules, why not use the correct form?

Note: The original meaning of the word شَهْر is: the new moon when it appears.

Rules for the minor and major plural in Arabic

The rules for the minor and major plural in Arabic are simple:

• The form فُعُول is used for big numbers and is called جَمْع الْكَثْرة (major plural) – jamʿ al-kathra. This is the standard pattern.
• The form أَفْعُل is used for small numbers (3 to 10) and is called جَمْع الْقِلّة (minor plural) – jamʿ al-qilla.

Examples of the minor and major plural

Let’s see some examples of the minor and major plural in Arabic:

Let us now place both plural forms – minor and major – side by side:

NOTICE that there are several patterns for the جَمْع الْقِلّة (for things that are between 3 and 10 in number). You will find them in the book Arabic for Nerds 1.

Arabic broken plurals – despite their bad reputation – are actually not difficult. It is possible to put all major forms and rules on a single poster, a blanket or a shower curtain!

You can quickly check singular and plural forms and learn about the most important features of each pattern. For each pattern, there is an example. Every word is fully vowelled.

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