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### The Dual Number

Arabic has a specific grammatical number for exactly *two* of something, called the dual. 

You form the dual by adding a suffix directly to the end of a singular noun. The default dual suffix is **ـان**.

Since paired body parts (like eyes, ears, and hands) are generally feminine in Arabic, adjectives describing them take the feminine dual suffix, **ـتان**.

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### The Dual After Prepositions

The dual suffix changes depending on its grammatical role.

While you use **ـان** (or **ـتان**) for the subject of a sentence, the suffix changes to **ـين** (or **ـتين**) whenever the noun comes after a preposition (like **بـ** "with" or **على** "on") or acts as the direct object of a verb.

Notice how the dual suffix and its matching adjective change in the following sentences:

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Dual nouns (ـان / ـين)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

interrogative

noun

numeral

particle

prefix

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

The definite article and locatives (الـ)

Basic noun gender (ة)

Sun and moon letters

Singular subject pronouns (أنا، أنت، هو، هي)

Indefinite nouns and nominal sentences (ـٌ)

Demonstrative pronouns for 'this' (هذا / هذه)

Separate prepositions (في، من، إلى، على)

Attributive adjectives

Predicative adjectives

Yes/No questions (هل، أ)

Basic questions (من، ما، أين)

Singular possessive pronouns (ـي، ـك، ـه، ـها)

Plural subject pronouns (نحن، أنتم، هم)

Plural possessive pronouns (ـنا، ـكم، ـهم)

Noun possession

Attached prepositions (بـ، لـ، كـ)

Pronouns with prepositions

Having and possessing (عند، لـ، مع)

Regular plural nouns (ـون، ـين، ـات)

Broken plurals

Plural and distant demonstratives (هؤلاء، ذلك، تلك)

Non-human plural agreement

Present tense singular verbs

Verbal sentences (VSO)

Present tense plural verbs

Topicalized sentences (SVO)

The indefinite accusative case (ـاً)

Verb object pronouns (-ني، -ك، -ه)

Present tense negation (لا)

Question words with verbs (متى، كيف...)

Adverbs of time and place

The future tense (سـ / سوف)

Intentions and desires (أن)

Negating states and possession (ليس)

Past tense singular suffixes

Past tense plural suffixes

Negating past events (ما)

Singular commands

Numbers 1 to 10

Number agreement for 1 and 2 (واحد، اثنان)

Asking how many (كم)

Numbers 3 to 10 (ثلاثة إلى عشرة)

Ordinal numbers 1 to 10 (الأول، الثاني)

Basic conjunctions (فـ، أو، لكن)

Ordering at a café (واحد، اثنان)

Food and drink with conjunctions (و، ف، أو، لكن)

There is and there are (هناك / ليس هناك)

Direct address (يا)

Giving reasons (لأنّ)

Relative pronouns (الذي / التي)

Quantifiers (كل / بعض)

The past tense of 'to be' (كان)

Past possession

Numbers 11 to 19 and tens to 80

Telling time (الساعة)

This book vs this is a book (هذا الكتاب، هذا كتاب)

Greetings (مرحبا، السلام عليكم)

How are you? and goodbye (كيف حالك، مع السلامة)

Nationalities (مصري، مصرية)

Roots and patterns (كتب، كتاب، مكتب)

Politeness (من فضلك، آسف)

Complex possession chains

Colors and traits (أفعل / فعلاء)

Plural colors and traits (فُعْل)

Comparative adjectives (أفعل من)

Superlative adjectives (أفعل)

Adverbs of manner (ـاً)

The nominative case (ـُ)

The genitive case (ـِ)

The accusative case (ـَ)

Dual noun cases (ـان / ـين)

Masculine plurals and 'the best of' (أفضل النجارين)

Emphasizing sentences (إنّ)

Connecting clauses (أنّ)

Reporting speech (قال إنّ)

Expressing contrast (لكنّ)

Comparison and probability (كأنّ, لعلّ)

Distant plural pointing (أولئك)

Plural relative pronouns (الذين, اللواتي)

Past habits (كان + present)

Ongoing actions (ما زال)

Masculine plurals online (مبرمجون، مؤثرون)

Perfective past (قد)

Probability (قد)

The subjunctive mood (أن)

Expressing purpose (لـ)

Question	Answer
eye	عين'ayn
The cat has two beautiful eyes.	للقط عينان جميلتان.lilqiṭṭi 'aynâni jamîlatân.
to look	نظرnazhara
The boy looked with two wide eyes.	نظر الولد بعينين واسعتين.nazara al-waladu bi-aynayni wasi-atayni
The doctor looked at a patient.	نظر الطبيب إلى مريض.nazhara at-tabîbu ilâ marîdin
ear	أذنudun
The dog has two long ears.	للكلب أذنان طويلتان.lilkalbi udhunâni tawîlatâni.
to hear	سمعsami'a
The lion heard with two big ears.	سمع الأسد بأذنين كبيرتين.samia al-asadu bi'udhunayni kabîratayni
The professor heard a story.	سمع الأستاذ قصة.sami'a al-ustâdhu qissatan
foot	قدمqadam
The woman has two small feet.	للمرأة قدمان صغيرتان.lilmar'ati qadamâni saghîratâni.
to stand	وقفwaqafa
The athletic man stood on two strong feet.	وقف الرجل الرياضي على قدمين قويتين.waqafa r-rajulu r-riyâdiyyu 'alâ qadamayni qawiyyatayni
The lion stood in front of a tree.	وقف الأسد أمام شجرة.waqafa al-asadu amâma shajaratin
leg	ساقsâq
The girl has two short legs.	للبنت ساقان قصيرتان.lilbinti sâqâni qasîratâni
to walk / to go, to move along (of a vehicle)	مشىmashâ
The man walked on two tired legs.	مشى الرجل على ساقين متعبتين.mashâ ar-rajulu 'alâ sâqayni mut'abatayn.
The student walked to a school.	مشى الطالب إلى مدرسة.mashâ aṭ-ṭâlibu ilâ madrasatin
hand	يدyad
The nurse has two clean hands.	الممرضة لها يدان نظيفتان.al-mumarridatu lahâ yadâni nadhîfatâni
He received the box with two hands.	استلم الصندوق بيدين.istalama assundûqa biyadayni.
arm	ذراعdhirâ'
I have two strong arms and two hands.	عندي ذراعان قويتان ويدان.3indi dhirâ3âni qawiyyatâni wa yadâni
He received the gift with two open arms.	استلم الهدية بذراعين مفتوحتين.istalama al-hadiyyata bidhirâ'ayni maftûhatayni
head	رأسra's
My hand is on my head.	يدي على رأسي.yadî 'alâ ra'sî.
This is the lion's head.	هذا رأس الأسد.hâdhâ ra'su al-asadi
The boy stood on his head!	وقف الولد على رأسه!waqafa al-waladu 'alâ ra'sihi!

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