Broken Plural ( ‫ج ْم ُع ال َّت ْكسِ ْي ِر‬ 

َ )

Arabic plural nouns are three forms: Sound Masculine Plural ‫الس الِم‬ َّ ‫ َج ْم ُع ال ُم َذ َّك ِر‬,
Sound Feminine Plural ‫السالِم‬ ِ ‫ َج ْم ُع ال ُم َؤ َّن‬, and Broken Plural ‫ َج ْم ُع ال َّت ْكسِ ْير‬. The first two
َّ ‫ث‬
are regular because their formation entail adding a suffix (i.e. ‫ون‬ and ‫ات‬,
respectively) to the end of the singular without a change in the form and
diacritics of the singular. In this lecture, you will learn about broken plurals. A
good many broken plurals are based on hearing; however, the majority are
rule-based. Since there are many rules, only the most common patterns will
be highlighted in this lecture.
 ٍ ‫ َج ْم ُع تَ ْك ِس‬, literally "plural of
Broken plurals are known as Jamu Taksirin (‫ير‬
breaking") in Arabic grammar.

Definitions: ‫ جمع التكسير‬the broken plural /jamʿ taksīr/; a word that is pluralized by
changing the noun’s structure

This type of plural is called broken because its singular is not kept sound (i.e. it is
broken). The brokenness that the singular undergoes is a change diacritical
marks, al-Harakat, adding a letter, or dropping a letter. Take the word ‫ ِكتَاب‬ ‘book’.
Its plural is ‫ ُكتُب‬ in which the three root letters ‫ ب‬+ ‫ ت‬+ ‫ك‬ of the singular are kept;
however, the alif is dropped and the Harakat changes
from kasrah and fatHah in ‫ ِكتَاب‬ to DHammah and DHammah in ‫ ُكتُب‬.

‫ِكتَاب‬ kitabun ‘book’ ‫ُكتُب‬ kutubun

‫َسفِينَة‬ safīnah ‘ship’ ‫ُسفُن‬ sufunun

‫َسبِيل‬ sabīl ‘path’ ‫ُسبُل‬ subulun

‫أَ َساس‬ ʾasās ‘foundation’ ‫أُسُس‬ ususun

‫َرسُول‬ rasūl ‘messenger’ ‫ُرسُل‬ rusulun

‫ُغرْ فَة‬ ġurfah ‘room’ ‫ُغ َرف‬ ġurafun

‫شق‬
‫َشقَّة‬ šaqqah ‘apartment’ ‫ُ َق‬ šuqaq
‫ق‬
‫قِطّة‬ qiṭṭah ‘cat’ ‫ِطَط‬ qiṭaṭ

‫ِه ّر‬ hirr ‘cat’ ‫ِه َر َرة‬ hirarah

‫قَ ْلب‬ qalb ‘heart’ ‫قُلُوب‬ qulūbun

‫عِلْم‬ ʿilm ‘science’ ‫عُلُوم‬ ʿulūmun

‫جُحْ ر‬ juḥr ‘hole’ ‫ُجحُور‬ juḥūrun

‫ك َْلب‬ kalb ‘dog’ ‫ِكاَل ب‬ kilābun

‫ِظ ّل‬ ẓill ‘shadow’ ‫ِظاَل ل‬ ẓilālun

ُ
‫رمْح‬ rumḥ ‘spear’ ‫ِرمَاح‬ rimāḥun

‫َج َمل‬ jamal ‘camel’ ‫ِج َمال‬ jimālun

‫َرجُل‬ rajul ‘man’ ‫ِر َجال‬ rijālun
ْ
‫يََوم‬ yawm ‘day’ ‫َأيَّام‬ ʾayyāmun

‫ِج ْنس‬ jins ‘kind, type’ ‫أَجْ نَاس‬ ʾajnās

‫غ‬
‫لُ ْز‬ luḡz ‘mystery’ ‫َألْغ َاز‬ ʾalḡaz

‫َسبَب‬ sabab ‘cause’ ‫أَ ْسبَاب‬ ʾasbāb

‫ُع ُمر‬ ʿumur ‘lifespan’ ‫أَ ْع َمار‬ ʾaʿmār

‫عَمُود‬ ʿamūd ‘pole’ ‫أَ ْع ِمدَة‬ ʾaʿmidah ’

‫ق‬
‫صَ ِديق‬ ṣadīq ‘friend’ ‫َأصْ ِد َاء‬ ʾaṣdiqāʾ
َ
‫سَعِيد‬ saʿīd ‘happy’ ‫سُعَداء‬ suʿadāʾ

‫كَاتِب‬ kātib ‘writer’ ‫ُكتَّاب‬ kuttāb

‫َجا ِهل‬ jāhil ‘ignorant’ ‫َجهَلَة‬ jahalah

‫سَاج ِد‬ sājid ‘prostrated’ ‫سَُج َّد‬ sujjad

‫قَ ئ‬
‫قَائِ َمة‬ qāʾimah ‘list’ ‫َوا ِم‬ qawāʾim
ُ َ
‫صَاروخ‬ ṣārūḫ ‘rocket’ ‫صَوا ِريخ‬ ṣawārīḫ ‘

‫ِر َسالَة‬ risāla ‘message’ ‫َر َسائِل‬ rasāʾil

‫َج ِزي َرة‬ jazīrah ‘island’ ‫َج َزائِر‬ jazāʾir

‫َد ْفتَر‬ daftar ‘notebook’ ‫َدفَاتِر‬ dafātir

ُ‫ف‬ ‫ف‬
‫ُ ن ْدق‬ funduq ‘hotel’ ‫َ ن َا ِدق‬ fanādiq

‫َم ْلبَس‬ malbas ‘apparel’ ‫َماَل بِس‬ malābis

‫مَسْج ِد‬ masjid ‘mosque’ ‫مَسَاج ِد‬ masājid

‫ِم ْنطَقَة‬ minṭaqah ‘area’ ‫مَ ن َاطِق‬ manāṭiq

ُ
‫صَ ن ْدوق‬ ṣandūq ‘box’ ‫صَ ن َا ِديق‬ ṣanādīq ‘
‫ف‬ ‫ف‬
‫ِم ْت َاح‬ miftāḥ ‘key’ ‫مَ َات ِيح‬ mafātīḥ ‘keys’

‫َم ْكتُوب‬ maktūb ‘message’ ‫َمكَاتِيب‬ makātīb

Similarly, in the word ‫قَ ْلب‬ ‘heart’, the three root letters are kept in the plural which
is ‫قُلُوْ ب‬. However, in the plural we can see that the Harakat on the first two letter
change from fatHah and sukuun to DHammah and DHammah. Besides, a letter is
added the singular, that is ‫و‬, hence ‫قُلُوب‬.

This kind of brokenness or change does not happen with the sound masculine and
feminine plurals. Take the word ‫ ُمهَ ْن ِد َسة‬/ ‫ ُمهَ ْندس‬ as an example. When changing them
into the plural form, no change happens to the diacritics of the singular, and no
addition or dropping of letters occurs except for the plural suffix,
hence ‫ ُمهَ ْن ِدسُوْ ن‬ and ‫ ُمهَ ْن ِد َسات‬.

Types of Broken Plurals:

There are two types of broken plurals: plural of a few ‫ َج ْم ُع القِلَّة‬, i.e. from three to ten,
and plural of many‫ج ْم ُع ال َك ْث َرة‬ ,
َ from three to infinity. The irregularity and
complexity of this type of plural, is resolved, to a great extent, by using the
morphological measure. Weighing the singular noun (see the Arabic
Morphological Measure) helps in forming it plural. For the plural of a few, there
are four main morphological patterns: ‫أ ْف ِعلَة‬ ,‫أَ ْف َعال‬ ,‫أَ ْفعُل‬, and ‫فِ ْعلَة‬. For the plural of
many, there are around twenty-five patterns, of which only the most common will
be explained.
Below are the patterns:

1. ‫فُعَّا ٌل‬

Examples:

ُ (plural) = student.
- ٌ‫( َطالِب‬singular) - ٌ‫طالَّب‬

- ‫( َعا ِم ٌل‬singular) - ‫( ُعمَّا ٌل‬plural) = worker

- ‫( َتا ِج ٌر‬singular) - ‫( ُتجَّ ا ٌر‬plural) = merchant.

2. ‫فِ َعا ٌل‬

Examples:

- ‫( َج َب ٌل‬singular) - ‫( ِج َبا ٌل‬plural) = mountain.

- ‫( َك ِب ْي ٌر‬singular) - ‫( ِك َبا ٌر‬plural) = big

- ‫( َر ُج ٌل‬singular) - ‫( ِر َجا ٌل‬plural) = man

3. ‫أَ ْف َعا ٌل‬

Examples:

- ‫( َقلَ ٌم‬singular) - ‫( أَ ْقالَ ٌم‬plural) = pen

- ‫ولَ ٌد‬ َ (singular) - ‫أَ ْوالَ ٌد‬  (plural) = child

- ‫( َز ْو ٌج‬singular) - ‫( أَ ْز َوا ٌج‬plural) = husband

4. ‫فُع ُْو ٌل‬

Examples:

- ٌ‫ضيْف‬
َ (singular) - ٌ‫ضي ُْوف‬
ُ (plural) = guest

- ٌ‫( َق ْلب‬singular) - ٌ‫( قُلُ ْوب‬plural) = heart

ٌ ‫( َبي‬singular) - ‫ت‬
- ‫ْت‬ ٌ ‫( ُبي ُْو‬plural) = house.

5. ‫فِعْ لَ ٌة‬

Examples:

- ‫( أَ ٌخ‬singular) - ٌ‫( إِ ْخ َوة‬plural) = brother

- ‫( َف ًتى‬singular) - ‫( فِ ْت َي ٌة‬plural) = youth

6. ‫فُ ُع ٌل‬ 

Examples:

- ٌ‫( ِك َتاب‬singular) - ٌ‫( ُك ُتب‬plural) = book

- ‫( َرس ُْو ٌل‬singular) - ‫( ُر ُس ٌل‬plural) = messenger

- ‫د‬Vٌ ‫( َج ِد ْي‬singular) - ‫( ُج ُد ٌد‬plural) = new

7. ‫ فُ َعالَ ُء‬ 

This patters has no tanwiin ( ِ‫) َم ْم ُن ْو ٌع م َِن الصَّرْ ف‬.

Examples:

- ‫( َفقِ ْي ٌر‬singular) - ‫( فُ َق َرا ُء‬plural) = poor

- ‫( َز ِم ْي ٌل‬singular) - ‫( ُز َمالَ ُء‬plural) = colleague

- ‫( َو ِز ِي ٌر‬singular) - ‫( وُ َز َرا ُء‬plural) = minister

8. ‫أَ ْف ِعالَ ُء‬ 

This patters has no tanwiin ( ِ‫) َم ْم ُن ْو ٌع م َِن الصَّرْ ف‬.

Examples:

- ٌّ‫( َغنِي‬singular) - ‫( أَ ْغ ِن َيا ُء‬plural) = rich

- ٌّ‫( َن ِبي‬singular) - ‫أَ ْن ِب َيا ُء‬  (plural) = prophet

- ٌ‫( َط ِبيْب‬singular) - ‫( أَطِ با ُء‬plural) = doctor

9. ‫َم َفاعِ ُل‬

This patters has no tanwiin ( ِ‫) َم ْم ُن ْو ٌع م َِن الصَّرْ ف‬.

Examples:

- ٌ‫( َم ْك َتب‬singular) - ُ‫( َم َكاتِب‬plural) = desk

- ‫( فُ ْن ُد ٌق‬singular) - ‫ِق‬
ٌ ‫( َف َناد‬plural) = hotel

- ‫( َمسْ ِج ٌد‬singular) - ‫( َم َسا ِج ُد‬plural) = masjid

10. ‫َم َفاعِ ْي ُل‬

This patters has no tanwiin ( ِ‫) َم ْم ُن ْو ٌع م َِن الصَّرْ ف‬.

Examples:

- ‫( ِم ْف َتا ٌح‬singular) - ‫ َم َفا ِت ْي ُح‬  (plural) = key

- ٌ‫( فِ ْن َجان‬singular) - ُ‫ ( َف َنا ِجيْن‬plural) = cup

- ‫ص ْن ُد ْو ٌق‬ ُ ‫ص َنا ِدي‬

ُ (singular) - ‫ْق‬ َ (plural) = box

11. ‫أَ ْف ِعلَ ٌة‬ 

Examples:

- ‫( س َُؤا ٌل‬singular) - ‫( أَسْ ِئلَ ٌة‬plural) = question

- ٌ‫( َج َواب‬singular) - ‫( أَجْ ِو َب ٌة‬plural) = answer

- ‫( َط َعا ٌم‬singular) - ‫( أَ ْط ِع َم ٌة‬plural) = food

12. ‫أَ ْف ُع ٌل‬

Examples:

- ‫( َش ْه ٌر‬singular) - ‫( أَ ْش ُه ٌر‬plural) = month

- ٌ‫( َن ْفس‬singular) - ٌ‫( أَ ْنفُس‬plural) = soul/self

- ‫( ِرجْ ٌل‬singular) - ‫( أَرْ ُج ٌل‬plural) = foot

13. ٌ‫فُعْ الَن‬

Examples:

َ ‫( قُ ْم‬plural) = shirt
- ٌ‫( َق ِميْص‬singular) - ٌ‫صان‬

- ‫( َبلَ ٌد‬singular) - ٌ‫( ب ُْلدَان‬plural) = country

Plural-of-a-few Patterns:

(1) Every singular noun that is weighed as ‫ َف ْعل‬, its ‘ain (‫)ع ْينُ ال َكلِ َمة‬ َ is not a weak
letter (i.e. ‫ ي‬، ‫ ا‬، ‫)و‬, its fa’a (‫ ) َفا ُء ال َكلِ َمة‬is not a waw  ‫و‬, and its second and third
letter isn’t a geminate (i.e. a letter with shaddah), its plural is weighed as ‫أَ ْف ُعل‬,
as in these examples:

‫س ُم‬
ْ ‫اال‬
ِ  Plural noun )broken( ‫س ُم ال ُم ْف َرد‬
ْ ‫اال‬
ِ  Singular noun
‫الج ْمع‬
َ
‫فَ ْعل‬
‫أَ ْف ُعل‬

‫أَ ْب ُحر‬ ’sea‘ ‫بَ ْحر‬

‫أَ ْن ُهر‬ ’river‘ ‫نَ ْهر‬
‫أَ ْنفُس‬ ’soul, self, person‘ ‫نَ ْفس‬
‫أَ ْحبُل‬ ’rope‘ ‫َح ْبل‬
ٍ ‫ أَ ْظ‬/ ‫أَ ْظبِي‬
‫ب‬ ’deer‘ ‫ظَ ْبي‬
(2) The following tri-consonantal nouns are weighed as ‫أَ ْف َعال‬:

(a) Nouns in which ‘ain (i.e. the ‘ain of the word ‫)ع ْينُ ال َكلِ َمة‬
َ is a weak letter (i.e.  ,‫ا‬
‫ي‬ ,‫و‬ ), as in these examples:

plural ‫الج ْمع‬
َ singular ‫ال ُم ْف َرد‬

‫أَ ْث َواب‬ ’garment‘ ‫ثَ ْوب‬

‫أَ ْبيَات‬ ’house‘  َ‫بَيْت‬

‫أَ ْب َواب‬ ’door‘ ‫بَاب‬

ْ َ‫أ‬
‫ص َوات‬ ’voice, sound‘ ‫ص ْوت‬
َ

‫أَ ْعيَاد‬ ’Eid‘ ‫ِع ْيد‬

(b) Nouns in which fa’a (i.e. the fa’a of the word ‫ ) َفا ُء ال َكلِ َمة‬is a waw  ‫و‬, as in
these examples:
 plural ‫الج ْمع‬
َ singular ‫ال ُم ْف َرد‬

‫أَ ْوقَات‬ ’time‘ ‫َو ْقت‬

َ ‫أَ ْو‬
‫صاف‬ ’description‘ ‫صف‬
ْ ‫َو‬

‫أَ ْوزَ ان‬ ’weight‘ ‫َو ْزن‬

(c) Nouns in which the last two letters form a geminate, as in these examples:

plural ‫الج ْمع‬
َ singular ‫ال ُم ْف َرد‬

‫أَ ْجدَاد‬ ’grandfather‘ ‫َج ّد‬

‫أَ ْع َمام‬ ’uncle‘ ‫َع ّم‬

‫أَ ْتالل‬ ’hill‘ ‫تَ ّل‬

(d) Nouns in which ‘ain (‫)ع ْينُ ال َكلِ َمة‬

َ has a diacritical mark other than sukuun, as
in these examples:

plural ‫الج ْمع‬
َ singular ‫ال ُم ْف َرد‬

‫أَعْالم‬ ’flag, great person‘ ‫َعلَم‬

‫أَ ْج َمال‬ ’camel‘ ‫َج َمل‬

‫أَ ْن َمار‬ ’tiger‘ ‫نَ ِمر‬

‫أَ ْكتَاف‬ ’shoulder‘ ‫َكتِف‬

‫أَ ْعنَاب‬ ’grape‘ ‫ِعنَب‬

‫أَ ْعنَاق‬ ’neck‘ ‫ُعنُق‬

(3) Four-letter noun in which the pre-final letter is ‫و‬ ,‫ا‬, or ‫ي‬ are weighed as ‫أَ ْف ِعلَة‬,
as in these examples:

plural ‫الج ْمع‬
َ singular ‫ال ُم ْف َرد‬

‫أَ ْط ِع َمة‬ ’food‘ ‫طَ َعام‬

‫أَ ْر ِغفَة‬ ’loaf‘ ‫َر ِغ ْيف‬

‫أَ ْع ِمدَة‬ ’post, pillar‘ ‫َع ُم ْود‬

Plural-of-many Patterns:

As indicated above for this type of plural there are around twenty-five patters.
Here, only the most commonly used patterns are highlighted.

(1) Every adjective that is weighed on the morphological measure

as ‫أَ ْف َعل‬ or ‫ َف ْعالء‬, its plural is morphologically weighed as ‫فُ ْعل‬, as in these
examples:

plural ‫الج ْمع‬
َ singular ‫ال ُم ْف َرد‬

‫ُح ْمر‬ ’red (masculine)‘ ‫أَ ْح َمر‬

‫ُح ْمر‬ ’red (feminine)‘ ‫َح ْم َراء‬

‫س ْمر‬
ُ ْ َ‫أ‬
.brown/tan” masc‘ ‫س َمر‬

‫س ْمر‬
ُ .brown/tan’ fem‘ ‫س ْم َراء‬
َ

ْ ‫ُخ‬
‫ضر‬ َ ‫أَ ْخ‬
ْ ‫ َخ‬/ ‫ضر‬
’green‘ ‫ض َراء‬

If the ‘ain of ‫أَ ْف َعل‬ is ‫ي‬ as in ‫أَ ْب َيض‬, the fa’a of the plural must

have kasrah (instead of DHammah), hence the plural of ‫أَ ْب َيض‬ and ‫ضاء‬ َ ‫ َب ْي‬ is ‫ب ْيض‬.
ِ
(2) Nouns that are weighed as ‫فُ ْعلَة‬ and adjectives that are weighed as ‫فُ ْعلَى‬,
their plural is morphologically weighed as ‫فُ َعل‬, as in these examples:
 plural ‫الج ْمع‬
َ singular ‫ال ُم ْف َرد‬

‫ُغ َرف‬ ’room‘ ‫ُغ ْرفَة‬

‫قُ َرى‬ ’village‘ ‫قَ ْريَة‬

‫ش َرف‬
ُ ’balcony‘ ‫ش ُْرفَة‬

‫ص َغر‬
ُ ’small‘ ‫ص ْغ َرى‬
ُ

‫ُكبَر‬ ’big‘ ‫ُك ْب َرى‬

(3) If a noun is weighed as ‫ف ِْعلَة‬, its plural is morphologically weighed as ‫ف َِعل‬, as
in these examples:

plural ‫الج ْمع‬
َ singular ‫ال ُم ْف َرد‬

‫قِطَع‬ ’a piece of sth‘ ‫قِ ْط َعة‬

‫لِ َحى‬ ’beard‘ ‫لِ ْحيَة‬

‫بِدَع‬ ’novelty, heresy‘ ‫بِ ْدعَة‬

(4) If a noun is a human masculine weighed as ‫ َفاعِ ل‬, its plural is
morphologically weighed as ‫ َف َعلَة‬, as in these examples:

plural ‫الج ْمع‬
َ singular ‫ال ُم ْف َرد‬

‫َكتَبَة‬ ’writer‘ ‫َكاتِب‬

‫س َح َرة‬
َ ’magician‘ ‫احر‬
ِ ‫س‬َ

‫قَتَلَة‬ ’killer‘ ‫قَاتِل‬

‫بَاعَة‬ ’seller‘ ‫بَائِع‬
(5) If an adjective indicates pain or an ordeal and is weighed as ‫ َف ِع ْيل‬, its plural
is morphologically weighed as ‫فُ ْعلَى‬, as in these examples:

plural ‫الج ْمع‬
َ singular ‫ال ُم ْف َرد‬

‫ضى‬
َ ‫َم ْر‬ ’sick‘ ‫َم ِر ْيض‬

‫َج ْر َحى‬ ’wounded‘ ‫َج ِر ْيح‬

ْ َ‫أ‬
‫س َرى‬ ِ َ‫أ‬
’captive‘ ‫س ْير‬

‫َم ْوتَى‬ ’dead‘ ‫َميِّت‬

(6) The plural of the following nouns and adjective is morphologically weighed
as ‫ف َِعال‬:

(a) Nouns and adjective the ‘ain of which is not ‫ي‬ and are weighed

as ‫ َف ْعل‬ or ‫ َف ْعلَة‬, as in these examples:

plural ‫الج ْمع‬
َ singular ‫ال ُم ْف َرد‬

‫ثِيَاب‬ ’robe‘ ‫ثَ ْوب‬

‫ص َعاب‬
ِ ’difficult‘ ‫ص ْعبَة‬
َ / ‫ص ْعب‬
َ

‫ض َخام‬
ِ ’huge‘ ‫ض ْخ َمة‬
َ / ‫ض ْخم‬
َ

(b) Nouns the laam of which is neither a weak letter nor a geminate (doubled
letter) and are weighed as ‫ َف َعل‬ or ‫ َف َعلَة‬, as in these examples:

plural ‫الج ْمع‬
َ singular ‫ال ُم ْف َرد‬

‫ِجبَال‬ ’mountain‘ ‫َجبَل‬

‫ِرقَاب‬ ’neck‘ ‫َرقَبَة‬

‫ثِ َمار‬ ’fruit‘ ‫ثَ َم َرة‬

(c) Nouns that are weighed as ‫ف ِْعل‬ or ‫فُ ْعل‬, as in these examples:

plural ‫الج ْمع‬
َ singular ‫ال ُم ْف َرد‬

‫ِذئِاب‬ ’wolf‘ ‫ِذئْب‬

‫ِظاَل ل‬ ’shadow‘ ‫ِظ ّل‬

‫ِر َماح‬ ’arrow‘ ‫ُر ْمح‬

(d) Adjectives the laam of which is not a weak letter and are weighed
as ‫ َف ِع ْيل‬ or ‫ َف ِع ْيلَة‬, as in these examples:

plural ‫الج ْمع‬
َ singular ‫ال ُم ْف َرد‬

‫ِك َرام‬ ’generous‘ ‫ َك ِر ْي َمة‬/ ‫َك ِر ْي َم‬

‫ِط َوال‬ ’tall‘ ‫ طَ ِو ْيلَة‬/ ‫طَ ِو ْيل‬

‫’ ِظ َراف‬humorous‘ ‫ ظَ ِر ْيفَة‬/ ‫ظَ ِر ْيف‬

‫ِعظَام‬ ’great‘ ‫ َع ِظ ْي َمة‬/ ‫َع ِظ ْيم‬

(e) Adjectives that are weighed as ‫ َف ْعلَى‬ ,‫ َف ْعاَل ن‬, or ‫ َف ْعاَل نة‬  and does not include a
weak letter, as in these examples:

plural ‫الج ْمع‬
َ singular ‫ال ُم ْف َرد‬

‫ِعطَاش‬ ’thirsty‘ ‫ َع ْطشَانَة‬، ‫َع ْطشَان‬

‫نِدَام‬ ’repenting‘ ‫ نَ ْد َمانَة‬، ‫نَ ْد َمان‬

‫ضاب‬
َ ‫ِغ‬ ْ ‫ َغ‬، ‫ضبَان‬
’angry‘ ‫ضبَانَة‬ ْ ‫َغ‬
(7) If nouns are weighed as ‫ف ِْعل‬ ,‫ َف ْعل‬, or ‫فُ ْعل‬, their plurals are morphologically
weighed as ‫فُ ُع ْول‬, as in these examples:

plural ‫الج ْمع‬
َ singular ‫ال ُم ْف َرد‬

‫قُلُوب‬ ’heart‘ ‫قَ ْلب‬

‫ُرؤُوس‬ ’head‘ ‫َر ْأس‬

‫ُعلُوم‬ ’science‘ ‫ِع ْلم‬

‫س ُج ْون‬
ُ ’prison‘ ‫س ْجن‬
ِ

‫ض ُروس‬
ُ ’teeth‘ ‫ض ْرس‬
ِ

‫ُجنُود‬ ’few soldiers‘ ‫ُج ْند‬

There are a few more types of broken plural; however, they are not commonly
used, and they best strategy to know them is memorization when
encountered.