il / indho

Irregular Noun Plurals

Level 2

Il denotes an eye or a spring/source; its plural distinguishes these meanings.

How It Works

Learn singular il with definite isha. For bodily eyes, the plural is indho, definite indhaha. For springs or sources, it is ilo, definite ilaha. These forms distinguish meanings and are not freely interchangeable.

The bodily plural cannot be formed by simply attaching an ordinary ending to the visible singular. Once learned, it participates in wider noun patterns. Simple unfocused definite subject indhuhu follows -aha → -uhu, and its ordinary predicate takes plural agreement. Compare il weyn, “a large eye,” with Indhuhu waa yaryar yihiin, “The eyes are small.” The singular article alternation and changed plural stem are separate facts. Preserve ordinary spelling: tone accents are omitted, and the digraph dh is not doubled.

Examples (3)

  1. il weyn

    a large eye

    Singular noun-phrase fragment.

  2. Indhuhu waa yaryar yihiin.

    The eyes are small.

    Bodily plural with a changed stem and plural agreement.

  3. Waxaan sawiray ilo biyo ah.

    I drew water sources.

    The source meaning uses ilo; ah links an indefinite noun modifier.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

il / indhoLevel 2Irregular Noun Plurals

Learn This First

Use regular plural patterns as a contrast for lexically irregular plural forms.