16.2 The demonstrative pronouns can be used both independently (as
nouns) and adjectivally in Arabic:
Note: In the adjectival construction the noun must be preceded by the definite
article.
16.3 When a demonstrative pronoun is used as the subject in a
nominal sentence where the predicate is a noun made definite by the
article َأْلـ...
al-, a third-person personal pronoun must be inserted
between the subject and predicate to serve as a copula ‘is, are’, e.g.
that, that one
singular dual plural
masc. fem. masc. fem. masc. and fem.
Nom.
ِ
ذِلك
ا
ُأول ِئ َك َتا ِن َك َذا ِن َك ِتْل َك َذا َك
d
̄
a ̄lika or d
̄
a ̄ka tilka d
̄
a ̄nika ta ̄nika
u ̄la ̄
ika
that (one) those two those (ones)
Acc.
ِ
ذِلك
ا
ُأول ِئ َك َت ْي ِن َك َذ ْي ِن َك ِتْل َك َذا َك
and d
̄
a ̄lika or d
̄
a ̄ka tilka d
̄
aynika taynika
u ̄la ̄
ika
gen. that (one) those two those (ones)
Note: Regarding the spelling rules for the hamzah in ه ُؤلا ِء
ا
and ُأو َلا ِئ َك, see chapter 20.
Independently Adjectivally
ه َذا َقَل ٌم
ا
ه َذا ْل َقَل ُم َق ِصي ٌر
ا
ha ̄d
̄
a ̄ qalamun. ha ̄d
̄
a ̄ l-qalamu qas
̇
ı
- run.
This (is) a pen. This pen (is) short (small).
ذِل َك ِح َصا ٌن
ا
ذِل َك ْلـ ِح َصا ُن َس ِري ٌع
ا
d
̄
a ̄lika his
̇
a ̄nun. d
̄
a ̄lika l-his
̇
a ̄nu sarı
un.
That (is) a horse (stallion). That horse (is) fast.
ه َذا ُه َو ْل َقَل ُم
ا
ه ِذ ِه ِه َي ْل ِب ْن ُت
ا
ل ُمو َنَّه ُؤ َلا ِء ُه ُم ْلـ ُم َع
ا
ha ̄d
̄
a ̄ huwa l-qalamu. ha ̄d
̄
i-hi hiya l-bintu. ha ̄
ula ̄
i humu l-mu
allimu ̄na.
This is the pen. This is the girl. These are the teachers.
99
Demon-
strative,
reflexive
and
reciprocal
pronouns