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يوسف أول طالب من باريس.

يوسف أول طالب من باريس.yûsufu awwalu tâlibin min bârîsa
Yusuf is the first student from Paris.
From Lesson 143:Basic diptotes·Arabic (Modern Standard)

Questions & Answers about يوسف أول طالب من باريس.

Why doesn't the name يوسف take a tanween (double vowel) at the end?
يوسف (Yusuf) is a non-Arabic name (originally Hebrew). Most foreign proper nouns in Arabic are diptotes, meaning they are blocked from taking a tanween. Therefore, it is pronounced Yūsufu, never Yūsufun.
Why is the word for first (أول) also missing a tanween?
The word أول (first) follows a specific sound pattern in Arabic (the af'al pattern, often used for colors and superlatives). Adjectives on this pattern are also diptotes, so it is pronounced awwalu without a tanween.
Why is طالب in the genitive case (ending with a double kasra) here?
The phrase أول طالب acts like an idaafa (a possessive construction), structurally meaning 'the first of a student'. Because of this grammatical relationship, the second word طالب must be in the genitive case. Since it is a regular Arabic noun, it takes the standard double kasra (Tālibin).
After the preposition من (from), shouldn't باريس end with a kasra?
Normally, yes! But باريس (Paris) is a non-Arabic place name, which makes it a diptote. The most important rule of diptotes is that in the genitive case (like when they follow a preposition), they take a fatha instead of a kasra. So we say min Bārīsa, never min Bārīsi.

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