Nouns Ending in Weak Letters
Arabic nouns ending in weak letters are classified as Manqūs (ending in -ī), Maqṣūr (ending in -ā), or Mamdūd (ending in -ā’). Each type handles the three case endings differently.
How It Works
Understanding these nouns is essential to become proficient in I'rāb (case declension).
1. Al-Manqūṣ (Defective Nouns)
Criteria: Must end in a fixed, non-doubled yā’ preceded by a kasra (e.g., القاضي).
- In the Nominative and Genitive, if indefinite, the yā’ is deleted and replaced by Tanwīn al-‘Iwaḍ (e.g., قاضٍ). The case ending is 'estimated' (muqaddara).
- Retention: The yā’ is retained if the noun has the definite article (القاضي), is in the Accusative (قاضياً), or is the first part of an Iḍāfa (possessive construction), such as قاضي المدينة.
- Accusative Case: Unlike the other cases, the fatḥa is visible (ẓāhira) on the yā’ in the accusative (e.g., رأيتُ قاضِيَاً).
- Dual: The yā’ is retained (or restored if deleted) before the dual endings (e.g., قاضيان).
- Plural: In the Sound Masculine Plural, the yā’ is deleted. The preceding letter takes a ḍamma before -ūn (القاضون) and a kasra before -īn.
2. Al-Maqṣūr (Shortened Nouns)
Criteria: Ends in a fixed alif (e.g., الفتى, العصا).
- All case endings are estimated (muqaddara). Indefinite forms take tanwīn al-fatḥ regardless of case (فتىً).
- Dual: If the alif is the third letter, it returns to its origin. If written as 'ا', its origin is wāw (عصوان); if written as 'ى', its origin is yā’ (فتيان). If it is the fourth letter or beyond, it always becomes a yā’ (مستشفيان).
- Sound Masculine Plural: The alif is deleted, and the preceding letter must retain a fatḥa (مصطفون).
3. Al-Mamdūd (Extended Nouns)
Criteria: Ends in an alif zā'ida followed by a hamza (e.g., صحراء).
- Diptote Status: Nouns where the hamza is for femininity (حمراء) or for pluralization (أصدقاء) are Mamnū‘ min al-Ṣarf (Diptotes).
- Dual and Plural: Rules depend on the hamza type:
- If original, it stays (قرّاء becomes قرّاءان / قرّاؤون).
- If for femininity or pluralization, it becomes a wāw (صحراء becomes صحراوان / صحراوات).
- If converted from a root letter (wāw or yā’), it can either remain a hamza or turn into a wāw (سماء becomes سماءان or سماوان).
Examples (5)
- جاءَ قاضٍ إلى المَحْكَمَةِ.
A judge came to the court.
Word by Word: Came a-judge to the-court.
Here, 'qāḍin' is a Manqūs noun in the nominative case. Because it is indefinite, the final yā’ is dropped and replaced by tanwīn.
- رأيتُ القاضِيَ في المَكْتَبِ.
I saw the judge in the office.
Word by Word: I-saw the-judge in the-office.
In the accusative case (as the object), the yā’ of a Manqūs noun is visible and carries a fatḥa.
- ذَهَبَ الفَتَى إلى المُسْتَشْفَى.
The young man went to the hospital.
Word by Word: Went the-youth to the-hospital.
Both 'al-fatā' and 'al-mustashfā' are Maqṣūr nouns. Their endings do not change even though one is the subject and one follows a preposition.
- هذهِ صَحْراءُ واسِعَةٌ.
This is a vast desert.
Word by Word: This desert vast.
'Ṣaḥrā’' is a Mamdūd noun. Note that it is also a diptote (mamnū‘ min al-ṣarf), so it does not take tanwīn.
- السَّماواتُ والأَرْضُ.
The heavens and the earth.
Word by Word: The-heavens and the-earth.
In the plural of the Mamdūd noun 'samā’' (sky), the hamza can turn into a wāw.
Common Mistakes
Writing dots under the Alif Maqṣūrah.
المستشفيالمستشفىIn MSA, the Alif Maqṣūrah (ى) does not have dots. Adding dots makes it a yā’ (ي), which changes the pronunciation and grammatical category.
Dropping the yā’ of a Manqūs noun in the accusative case.
رأيتُ قاضٍرأيتُ قاضِياًThe yā’ is only dropped in the nominative and genitive cases when indefinite. In the accusative, it must return and show the fatḥa.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand Nouns Ending in Weak Letters (Manqus, Maqsur, and Mamdud), you must first be comfortable with the basic Arabic case system (I'rab). These nouns are 'irregular' because their final letters (Alif, Ya, or Hamza) prevent standard vowels from appearing normally. You also need to understand how indefinite endings (Tanwin) interact with these letters, particularly how the 'ya' in Manqus nouns is dropped in certain grammatical states.
- The Indefinite Ending
The 'Manqus' noun (like al-Qadi) has a unique behavior where it loses its final 'ya' specifically when it is indefinite and carries nunation.
Level 1 - Endings That Cannot Be Written
This pattern is the primary application of 'estimated' or 'hidden' case endings, where the vowel cannot appear on the weak letter at the end of the word.
Level 5
Related Patterns
- The Case and Mood Endings
These noun categories are defined by how they interact with the system of case endings.
Foundations - Nouns That Refuse Nunation
Many Mamdūd and Maqṣūr nouns (like colors or feminine adjectives) are also diptotes.
Level 3 - Long Vowels
These nouns are categorized based on the long vowel sounds at the end of the word.
Foundations - ـانTwo of Something
Mamdūd nouns have specific rules for how the hamza changes when becoming dual.
Level 1
Practice Nouns Ending in Weak Letters in Bubblegum
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