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Arabic Learning Notes

Noun Patterns

Patterns, instruments, and how suffixes shift meaning.

4 Sections English + 中文 Grammar + Practice

Noun Patterns Menu

A quick reference menu for nouns built from the root ك-ت-ب.

Noun Type	Pattern	Function	Example	Translation
Active Participle	فَاعِل	Doer	كَاتِب	Writer
Passive Participle	مَفْعُول	Receiver	مَكْتُوب	Written / Letter
Noun of Place	مَفْعَل	Location	مَكْتَب	Office / Desk
Instrument (Strong)	مِفْعَال	Strong tool	مِكْتَاب	Typewriter
Instrument (Standard)	مِفْعَل	Handheld tool	مِصْعَد	Elevator
Instrument (“Cute”)	مِفْعَلَة	Small tool	مِلْعَقَة	Spoon
Modern Machinery	فَعَّالَة	Modern machine	سَيَّارَة	Car
Comparative	أَفْعَل	More/most	أَكْتَب	More prolific
Verbal Noun	Varies	Abstract concept	كِتَابَة	Writing
Irregular	فِعْلَة	Craft/profession/state	رِحْلَة / حِكْمَة	Trip / Wisdom
Diminutive	فُعَيْل	Smaller/cute form	بحيرة	Lake (small sea)

Noun Type: Active Participle
Pattern: فَاعِل
Function: Doer
Example: كَاتِب
Translation: Writer

Noun Type: Passive Participle
Pattern: مَفْعُول
Function: Receiver
Example: مَكْتُوب
Translation: Written / Letter

Noun Type: Noun of Place
Pattern: مَفْعَل
Function: Location
Example: مَكْتَب
Translation: Office / Desk

Noun Type: Instrument (Strong)
Pattern: مِفْعَال
Function: Strong tool
Example: مِكْتَاب
Translation: Typewriter

Noun Type: Instrument (Standard)
Pattern: مِفْعَل
Function: Handheld tool
Example: مِصْعَد
Translation: Elevator

Noun Type: Instrument (“Cute”)
Pattern: مِفْعَلَة
Function: Small tool
Example: مِلْعَقَة
Translation: Spoon

Noun Type: Modern Machinery
Pattern: فَعَّالَة
Function: Modern machine
Example: سَيَّارَة
Translation: Car

Noun Type: Comparative
Pattern: أَفْعَل
Function: More/most
Example: أَكْتَب
Translation: More prolific

Noun Type: Verbal Noun
Pattern: Varies
Function: Abstract concept
Example: كِتَابَة
Translation: Writing

Noun Type: Irregular
Pattern: فِعْلَة
Function: Craft/profession/state
Example: رِحْلَة / حِكْمَة
Translation: Trip / Wisdom

Noun Type: Diminutive
Pattern: فُعَيْل
Function: Smaller/cute form
Example: بحيرة
Translation: Lake (small sea)

The Case of فعال

Distinguishing professional intensity vs. simple nouns.

Professional Pattern (فَعَّال)

Shadda signals profession or intensity.

طَيَّار — Pilot
خَبَّاز — Baker
غَفَّار — All-Forgiving

Simple Pattern (فَعَال)

Used for general nouns or masdars.

سَلَام — Peace
نَجَاح — Success
ذَهَاب — Departure

Meanings of Adding ة

Not just gender—adds category shifts like machinery, institutions, and instances.

Function	Logical Shift	Example	Meaning
Gender	Masculine → Feminine	طالبة	Female student
Mechanical	Person → Machine	سَيَّارَة	Car
Institutional	Small place → Organization	مَكْتَبَة	Library
Unit Noun	Collective → Individual	شَجَرَة	One tree
Instance	Action → One-time event	نَظْرَة	A glance
Hyperbole	Scholar → Great master	عَلَّامَة	Great polymath

Function: Gender
Logical Shift: Masculine → Feminine
Example: طالبة
Meaning: Female student

Function: Mechanical
Logical Shift: Person → Machine
Example: سَيَّارَة
Meaning: Car

Function: Institutional
Logical Shift: Small place → Organization
Example: مَكْتَبَة
Meaning: Library

Function: Unit Noun
Logical Shift: Collective → Individual
Example: شَجَرَة
Meaning: One tree

Function: Instance
Logical Shift: Action → One-time event
Example: نَظْرَة
Meaning: A glance

Function: Hyperbole
Logical Shift: Scholar → Great master
Example: عَلَّامَة
Meaning: Great polymath

Instrument Nouns (اسم الآلة)

Four patterns that cover classical tools and modern machinery.

Strong Tool — مِفْعَال

مِفْتَاح — Key
مِنْشَار — Saw
مِصْبَاح — Lamp
مِيزَان — Scale

Standard Tool — مِفْعَل

مِصْعَد — Elevator
مِجْهَر — Microscope
مِشْرَط — Scalpel
مِقْوَد — Steering wheel

“Cute” Tool — مِفْعَلَة

مِكْنَسَة — Broom/Vacuum
مِلْعَقَة — Spoon
مِطْرَقَة — Hammer
مِحْفَظَة — Wallet

Modern Machinery — فَعَّالَة

سَيَّارَة — Car
ثَلَّاجَة — Refrigerator
غَسَّالَة — Washing machine
سَمَّاعَة — Headphones
نَظَّارَة — Glasses