In addition to singular and plural forms, Arabic nouns and adjectives also have dual (الْمُثَنَّى) forms, which refer to exactly two people or things. Dual forms are produced by adding انِ or يْنِ to the singular forms, regardless of gender.
انِ is added to the singular form if it is in the nominative case:
أَكَلَ
الرَّجُلانِ
The two men ate.
أَتَتِ
الْبِنْتانِ
The two girls came.
يْنِ is added in the accusative and genitive cases:
رَأَيْتُ
الرَّجُلّيْنِ
I saw the two men.
كَلَّمْتُ
الإمْرَأَتَيْنِ
I spoke to the two women.
مَرَرْتُ
بالرَّجُلَيْنِ
I passed by the two men.
سَأَلْتُ
عَنِ
الطَّالِبَتَيْنِ
I asked about the two female students.
See also: