-وں

Oblique Plurals in on

Level 2

A plural ending can show how the noun connects to the rest of the sentence.

How It Works

Read دو باغوں میں as in two gardens. باغوں is the oblique plural of باغ; the numeral دو stays unchanged.

Do not simply attach وں to every direct plural. With کتاب, the direct plural is کتابیں but the oblique plural is کتابوں, without keeping یں.

The final ں marks a nasal vowel. Direct address has a separate vocative pattern, so an address form is not a reason to remove ں from an ordinary postposition phrase.

Examples (4)

  1. ان باغوں میں بڑے درخت ہیں۔

    There are large trees in those gardens.

    باغوں precedes میں.

  2. میں نے بچوں سے بات کی۔

    I spoke with the children.

    بچوں is used before سے.

  3. ان کتابوں میں تصویریں ہیں۔

    There are pictures in those books.

    کتابیں has the oblique plural کتابوں.

  4. ان پھولوں کی خوشبو اچھی ہے۔

    The fragrance of those flowers is pleasant.

    The plural noun precedes the possessive linker کی.

How It Connects

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

-وںLevel 2Oblique Plurals in on

Learn This First

Recognize the oblique case function. Distinguish plural number from the singular case pattern.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.