Darija Plurals
Three Types of Plurals
Darija nouns form plurals in three ways. The sound (regular) plural adds an ending, while the broken plural reshapes the word internally. A third group, feminine nouns, often takes '-at'.
Unlike English where you mostly add 's', Darija requires you to learn the plural along with each noun, since broken plurals are unpredictable. The good news is that frequent words become automatic quickly.
Regular Plurals with -in
Many adjectives and nouns referring to people add '-in' to form the plural. 'Mzyan' (good/handsome) becomes 'mzyanin', 'kbir' (big) becomes 'kbar' in the broken form but 'sghir' (small) can become 'sghar'.
The '-in' ending is especially reliable for describing groups of people: 'mghariba' (Moroccans), 'farhanin' (happy ones). It is the closest thing Darija has to a default plural rule.
Feminine Plurals with -at
Feminine nouns ending in 'a' usually swap it for '-at'. 'Tobis' aside, 'bnt' (girl) is irregular, but 'mra' patterns differently; a clearer example is 'sa3a' (hour) becoming 's3at' (hours) and 'kelma' (word) becoming 'kelmat' (words).
This '-at' ending also appears on many borrowed words, making it a useful default when you are unsure of a feminine noun's plural.
Broken Plurals
The trickiest type is the broken plural, where the internal vowels of the word change. 'Dar' (house) becomes 'dyour' (houses), 'ktab' (book) becomes 'ktoub' (books), and 'bab' (door) becomes 'biban' (doors).
There is no single rule for broken plurals, so they must be memorized individually. However, patterns do exist, and after learning a few dozen common ones, you start to predict new ones intuitively.
Plurals of People and Family
Family and people words often have their own irregular plurals. 'Weld' (boy/son) becomes 'wlad' (boys/sons), 'bnt' (girl/daughter) becomes 'bnat' (girls/daughters), and 'rajel' (man) becomes 'rjal' (men).
These are among the highest-frequency words you will use, so memorizing them early pays off in nearly every conversation about family or groups.
Tips for Learning Plurals
The most efficient method is to always learn a noun together with its plural, just as you learn its gender. Treat 'dar / dyour' as a single vocabulary item rather than two separate words.
Flashcards that show both forms, plus listening to native speakers, build your instinct for which pattern a new word is likely to follow. Over time, broken plurals stop feeling random.
| English | Darija | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| House / Houses | dar / dyour | ุฏุงุฑ / ุฏููุฑ |
| Book / Books | ktab / ktoub | ูุชุงุจ / ูุชูุจ |
| Boy / Boys | weld / wlad | ููุฏ / ููุงุฏ |
| Girl / Girls | bnt / bnat | ุจูุช / ุจูุงุช |
| Word / Words | kelma / kelmat | ููู ุฉ / ููู ุงุช |
| Good ones | mzyanin | ู ุฒูุงููู |
Examples
FAQ
Is there a simple rule for Darija plurals?
There is no single rule. Regular plurals add -in or -at, but many common nouns use irregular 'broken' plurals that change internal vowels and must be memorized.
What is a broken plural?
A broken plural changes the word's internal vowels rather than adding an ending, like 'dar' (house) becoming 'dyour' (houses).
How should I learn plurals efficiently?
Always learn each noun together with its plural form as a single unit, the way you learn its gender, so the pair becomes automatic.
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