Arabic: An Essential Grammar

13.4 The final syllable ِن .../...ni/ of the dual masculine and feminine is

elided when the word is in the

id

̇

a ̄fah construction, e.g.

(a) Dual (nom. masc.)

(b) Dual (acc. and gen. masc.)

(c) Dual (nom. fem.)

(d) Dual (acc. and gen. fem.)

13.5 When a singular feminine noun ends with .. َ.ـاء, /...a ̄

/, the final

hamzah ء /

/ is replaced by wa ̄w (^) و before dual endings, e.g.
(There is more about hamzah as a final radical .. َ.ـاء in chapter 20.)
طـاِل ِبَّ ِكـ َتـا َبا ل (not ...طَّ ِكـ َتا َبا ِن ل
kita ̄ba ̄ t
̇
-t
̇
a ̄libi kita ̄ba ̄ni t
̇
-t
̇
a...)
the (two) books of the student
طاِل ِبَّ ِكـ َتا َب ِي ل (not ...طَّ ِكـ َتا َبـ ْي ِن ل
kita ̄bayi t
̇
-t
̇
a ̄libi kita ̄bayni t
̇
-t
̇
a...)
the (two) books of the student
ل َم َتا ْلـ َم ْد َر َس ِةَُّم َع ُم َعِّل َم ٌة) sing.) (not: ...ُم َعِّل َم َتا ِن ْلـ
mu

allimata ̄ l-madrasati (mu

allimatun)
the (two) teachers (f.) of the school
mu

allimata ̄ni l-...)
ُم َعِّل َم َت ِي ْلـ َم ْد َر َس ِة (not: ...ُم َعِّل َم َت ْي ِن ْلـ
mu

allimatayi l-madrasati
the (two) teachers (f.) of the school
mu

allimatayni l-...)
Singular Dual (nom.)
َح ْم َرا ُء َح ْم َرا َوا ِن (not:َح ْم َرا َءا ِن
h
̇
amra ̄


u, re d h
̇
amra ̄wa ̄ni h
̇
amra ̄


a ̄ni)
Dual (acc. and gen.)
َح ْم َرا َو ْيـ ِن (not:َح ْم َرا َء ْي ِن
h
̇
amra ̄wayni h
̇
amra ̄


ayni)
Number
71