In Arabic, adjectives (الصفة or النعت) must agree with the noun they describe in four properties: definiteness, gender, number, and case. This agreement system is one of the hallmarks of Arabic grammar and differs significantly from English, where adjectives do not change form.
The Four Agreements
- Definiteness: If the noun has ال, the adjective must also have ال. If the noun has tanween, the adjective must also have tanween. الكِتَابُ الكَبِيرُ (the big book) vs. كِتَابٌ كَبِيرٌ (a big book).
- Gender: Masculine nouns take masculine adjectives; feminine nouns take feminine adjectives. طَالِبٌ ذَكِيٌّ (a smart student, masc.) vs. طَالِبَةٌ ذَكِيَّةٌ (a smart student, fem.).
- Number: Singular, dual, and plural nouns require matching adjective forms. الطُّلَّابُ المُجْتَهِدُونَ (the hardworking students).
- Case: The adjective takes the same case ending as the noun it describes. رَأَيْتُ الطَّالِبَ الذَّكِيَّ (I saw the smart student — both accusative).
The Non-Human Plural Rule
One of the most important exceptions in Arabic adjective agreement: non-human plurals are treated as feminine singular for adjective agreement. This means:
- الكُتُبُ الجَدِيدَةُ (The new books — not الجَدِيدَاتُ or الجُدُدُ).
- البُيُوتُ الكَبِيرَةُ (The big houses).
- الأَقْلَامُ الطَّوِيلَةُ (The long pens).
This rule applies universally to all non-human plurals and is one of the most frequently tested concepts in Arabic grammar. Human plurals, on the other hand, follow normal plural agreement: الرِّجَالُ الطِّوَالُ (the tall men — full masculine plural agreement).
Adjective placement in Arabic is always after the noun it describes, which is the opposite of English. Mastering adjective agreement takes practice, but since the rules are consistent, it becomes intuitive with regular reading and exercise.