Breakdown of أريد ثلاث تفاحات من فضلك.
أرادarâda
to want
ثلاثةthalâtha
three
من فضلكmin fadlika
please
تفاحةtuffâḥa
apple (one)
Questions & Answers about أريد ثلاث تفاحات من فضلك.
Why is the number for three written as ثلاث (masculine) instead of ثلاثة (feminine)?
In Arabic, numbers from 3 to 10 have reverse gender agreement with the noun they count. You look at the singular form of the noun, which is تفاحة (feminine). Because the singular noun is feminine, the number must take the masculine form ثلاث (without the taa marbuuta).
Why is the word for apples (تفاحات) in the plural form here? Don't some numbers take singular nouns?
Yes, numbers from 11 onwards take a singular noun. However, for numbers 3 through 10, the counted noun must be plural and in the genitive case. Therefore, we use the regular feminine plural تفاحات.
Could I just use the general word for apples (تفاح) instead of تفاحات?
Not when counting specific numbers. تفاح is a collective noun used for apples in general, such as when stating you like apples. When you count exact individual items, you must use the plural of the specific unit noun, which is تفاحات.
What form of the verb is أريد (I want), and why does its prefix use a u vowel?
It is the present tense of the Form IV verb أراد (to want). A key feature of Form IV verbs is that their present tense prefix always takes a damma vowel (u). That is why it is pronounced urīdu rather than starting with an a sound like most basic Form I verbs.
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