As you know, in English there are two cases for demonstrative pronouns:
to point to the near object
- "This" is used to point to the near (singular) object.
- "These" is used to point towards the near (plural) objects.
to point to the distant object
- "That" is used for the distant (singular) object.
- "Those" is used for the distant (plural) objects.
And in Arabic, demonstrative pronouns (ŰŁŰłÙÙ Ű§ŰĄÙ Ű§Ùۄێۧ۱ÙŰ©) are used in the same way as English demonstratives.
However, Arabic has many more demonstratives than English due to the masculine (ۧÙÙ Ù۰ÙÙÙÙ۱) and feminine (ۧÙÙ ÙŰ€ÙÙÙŰ«) differentiation, and due to the dual case.
And it is very important in Arabic to make sure that the demonstrative pronoun agrees with the noun it refers to in number, gender and case.
So, in Arabic we find 10 demonstrative pronouns, compared to only 4 in English.
Here are all the demonstrative pronouns in Arabic:
Secondly Demonstrative pronouns (near) (ŰŁÙŰłÙÙ ÙŰ§ŰĄÙ Ű§ÙŰ„ÙŰŽÙۧ۱ÙŰ©Ù (ÙÙÙÙÙÙ۱ÙÙŰš
Arabic |
Gender |
Number |
English |
|
1 |
ÙÙÙÙ°Ű°Ùۧ |
Masculine |
Singular |
This |
Examples:
This is a man. .ÙÙÙÙ°Ű°Ùۧ ۱ÙŰŹÙÙÙ
This is my friend. .ÙÙÙÙ°Ű°Ùۧ Ű”ÙŰŻÙÙÙÙ
This is the book. .ÙÙÙÙ°Ű°Ùۧ ÙÙÙ Ű§ÙÙÙŰȘÙۧۚÙ
Arabic |
Gender |
Number |
English |
|
2 |
ÙÙÙÙ°Ű°ÙÙÙ |
Feminine |
Singular |
This |
Examples:
This is my mom. .ÙÙÙÙ°Ű°ÙÙÙ ŰŁÙÙ ÙÙÙ
This is the new car. . ÙÙÙÙ°Ű°ÙÙÙ ÙÙÙÙ Ű§ÙŰłÙÙÙÙÙۧ۱ÙŰ©Ù Ű§ÙŰŹÙŰŻÙÙŰŻÙŰ©Ù
This is the girl. .ÙÙÙÙ°Ű°ÙÙÙ ÙÙÙÙ Ű§ÙŰšÙÙÙŰȘÙ
Arabic |
Gender |
Number |
English |
|
3 |
ÙÙÙÙ°Ű°ÙۧÙÙ / ÙÙÙÙ°Ű°ÙÙÙÙ |
Masculine |
Dual |
These two |
Examples:
These are two Muslims. .ÙÙÙÙ°Ű°ÙۧÙÙ Ù ÙŰłÙÙÙÙ ÙۧÙ
These are two boys. .ÙÙÙÙ°Ű°ÙۧÙÙ ÙÙÙÙŰŻÙۧÙ
I read these two books. .ÙÙ۱ÙŰŁÙŰȘÙ ÙÙ۰ÙÙÙÙ Ű§ÙÙÙŰȘÙۧۚÙÙÙÙ
Arabic |
Gender |
Number |
English |
|
4 |
ÙÙÙۧŰȘÙۧÙÙ / ÙÙÙۧŰȘÙÙÙÙ |
Feminine |
Dual |
These two |
Examples:
These are two Muslims. .ÙÙÙۧŰȘÙۧÙÙ Ù ÙŰłÙÙÙÙ ÙŰȘÙۧÙ
These are two teachers. .ÙÙÙۧŰȘÙۧÙÙ Ù ÙŰčÙÙÙÙÙ ÙŰȘÙۧÙÙ
This milk from these two cows. .ÙÙ۰Ùۧ ۧÙŰÙÙÙÙŰšÙ Ù ÙÙ ÙÙÙۧŰȘÙÙÙÙ Ű§ÙŰšÙÙÙ۱ÙŰȘÙÙÙÙ
Arabic |
Gender |
Number |
English |
|
5 |
ÙÙÙÙ°Ű€ÙÙŰ§ŰĄÙ |
Masculine / Feminine |
Plural |
These |
Examples:
These are men. . ÙÙÙÙ°Ű€ÙÙŰ§ŰĄÙ Ű±ÙŰŹÙۧÙÙ
These are my children. .ÙÙÙÙ°Ű€ÙÙŰ§ŰĄÙ ŰŁÙÙÙÙۧۯÙÙ
These students are in the school. .ÙÙÙÙ°Ű€ÙÙŰ§ŰĄÙ Ű§ÙŰ·ÙÙÙÙÙŰ§ŰšÙ ÙÙÙ Ű§ÙÙ ÙŰŻÙ۱ÙŰłÙŰ©
But with the plural of irrational nouns (masculine and feminine), we must use ‘this’ (ÙÙÙÙ°Ű°ÙÙÙ), instead of ‘these’ (ÙÙÙÙ°Ű€ÙÙۧۥÙ).
Examples:
Those are dogs. .ÙÙ۰ÙÙÙ ÙÙÙۧۚÙ
These are my books. .ÙÙ۰ÙÙÙ ÙÙŰȘÙŰšÙÙ
Do you like those flowers? ÙÙÙÙ ŰȘÙŰÙŰšÙÙ ÙÙ۰ÙÙÙ Ű§ÙŰČÙÙÙÙ۱Ű
- (ÙÙÙÙ°Ű€ÙÙۧۥÙ) is likewise allowed for irrational (nouns), but this is rare.
Secondly Demonstrative pronouns (distant ) (ŰŁÙŰłÙÙ ÙŰ§ŰĄÙ Ű§ÙŰ„ÙŰŽÙۧ۱ÙŰ©Ù (ÙÙÙÙŰšÙŰčÙÙŰŻÙ
Arabic |
Gender |
Number |
English |
|
6 |
۰ÙÙÙÙÙ |
Masculine |
Singular |
That |
Examples:
That shirt looks great. .۰ÙÙÙÙÙ Ű§ÙÙÙÙ ÙÙŰ”Ù ÙÙŰšÙŰŻÙÙ ŰŹÙÙ ÙÙÙÙۧ
I don't like that movie. .Ùۧ ŰŁÙŰÙŰšÙÙ Ű°ÙÙÙÙÙ Ű§ÙÙÙÙÙÙ
Arabic |
Gender |
Number |
English |
|
7 |
ŰȘÙÙÙÙÙ |
Feminine |
Singular |
That |
Examples:
That is a ship. .ŰȘÙÙÙÙÙ ŰłÙÙÙÙÙÙŰ©Ù
That is a fast car. .ŰȘÙÙÙÙÙ ŰłÙÙÙÙۧ۱ÙŰ©Ù ŰłÙ۱ÙÙŰčÙŰ©Ù
Arabic |
Gender |
Number |
English |
|
8 |
۰ÙۧÙÙÙÙ |
Masculine |
Dual |
Those two |
Examples:
Those are two stars. .۰ÙۧÙÙÙÙ ÙÙŰŹÙÙ ÙۧÙ
Those two books are good. .۰ÙۧÙÙÙÙ Ű§ÙÙÙŰȘÙۧۚÙۧÙÙ ŰŹÙÙÙÙŰŻÙۧÙ
Arabic |
Gender |
Number |
English |
|
9 |
ŰȘÙۧÙÙÙÙ |
Feminine |
Dual |
Those two |
Examples:
Those are two planes. .ŰȘÙۧÙÙÙÙ Ű·ÙۧۊÙ۱ÙŰȘÙۧÙ
Those are two mountains. .ŰȘÙۧÙÙÙÙ ŰŹÙŰšÙÙۧÙ
Arabic |
Gender |
Number |
English |
|
10 |
ŰŁÙŰ€ÙÙÙÙ°ŰŠÙÙÙ |
Masculine / Feminine |
Plural |
Those |
Examples:
Those are the guests. .ŰŁÙÙÙÙÙÙÙ°ŰŠÙÙÙ Ű§Ù۶ÙÙÙÙÙÙÙ
Those are smart students. .ŰŁÙÙÙÙÙÙÙ°ŰŠÙÙÙ Ű·ÙÙÙÙŰ§ŰšÙ ŰŁŰ°ÙÙÙÙۧۥÙ
But with the plural of irrational nouns (masculine and feminine), we must use ‘that’ (ŰȘÙÙÙÙÙ) instead of ‘those’ (ŰŁÙŰ€ÙÙÙÙ°ŰŠÙÙÙ).
Those trees. .ŰȘÙÙÙÙÙ Ű§ÙŰŁŰŽÙŰŹÙۧ۱
Those books. .ŰȘÙÙÙÙÙ Ű§ÙÙÙŰȘÙŰš
(ŰȘÙÙÙÙÙ) is likewise allowed for plural rational nouns, as we can see in the Qur'an (ŰȘÙÙÙÙ Ű§Ù۱ÙÙŰłÙÙÙ those messengers), but this is rare.
If you have questions, feel free to write it to me or in the comments section!
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