Demonstrative Pronouns
هذا/هذه (this m/f), ذلك/تلك (that m/f)
Can use demonstratives to point out and identify things
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
هٰذا كِتاب
This is a book
هٰذا الكِتاب
this book
هٰذِهِ مَدْرَسَة
This is a school
ذٰلِكَ الرَّجُل
that man
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
أسماء الإشارة — Demonstratives
Arabic demonstratives agree in gender with the noun they point to:
| Masculine | Feminine | |
|---|---|---|
| Near (this) | هٰذا hādhā | هٰذِهِ hādhihi |
| Far (that) | ذٰلِكَ dhālika | تِلْكَ tilka |
Structure with nouns: demonstrative + ال-noun: هذا الكِتاب (this book), هذه المَدينَة (this city). Without ال, it becomes a sentence: هذا كِتاب = 'This is a book'.
Key difference: هذا الكتاب = this book (one phrase). هذا كتاب = This is a book (full sentence).
Common Error Patterns
Used masculine demonstrative with feminine noun or vice versa
هذا/ذلك for masculine, هذه/تلك for feminine
Confused phrase (هذا الكتاب) with sentence (هذا كتاب)
With ال = phrase ('this book'). Without ال = sentence ('This is a book')
هٰذا كِتاب
This is a book
hādhā kitāb — no ال on كتاب = full sentence 'This is a book'.
هٰذا الكِتاب
this book
hādhā al-kitāb — WITH ال = phrase 'this book' (not a sentence).
هٰذِهِ مَدْرَسَة
This is a school
hādhihi madrasa — feminine هذه because مدرسة ends in ة.
ذٰلِكَ الرَّجُل
that man
dhālika ar-rajul — ذلك for distant masculine. Solar assimilation on ر.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises