The Dual Form Overview

Arabic has a separate form to show the number ‘two’. To convert a single-noun to dual or muthannā, ‘āni’ is added for nominal, and ‘ayni for genitive and accusative cases.

قَلَمٌ pen ← قَلَمَانِ / قَلَمَينِ two pens

وَلَدٌ boy ← وَلَدَانِ / وَلَدَينِ  two boys

كِتَابٌ book ← كِتَابَانِ / كِتَابَينِ two books

More examples:

هَذَينِ كِتَابَينِ

These two books

رفَعَ الوَلَدُ يَدَيهِ 

The boy raised his two hands

مُحَمَّدٌ وَأَحمَدُ سَيُغَادِرَانِ غَدًا إن شاء الله 

Muhammad and Ahmad will leave tomorrow, insha’ Allah.

هُما صَاحِبَانِ لِي

Those two are my friends

قَرَأتُ القِصَّتَيّنِ 

I read the two stories

سَلَمتُ عَلَى الشَيخَيّنِ 

I greeted both the scholars 

هَاتَانِ السَيَّارَتَانِ جَدِيدَتَانِ 

Those two cars are new

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