The Feminine Relative Pronoun in Arabic: الَّتِي

In this Arabic lesson, we will study an important point in Arabic grammar: the feminine relative pronoun in Arabic, called الَّتِي. This word usually means “who”, “which” or “the one that” when it refers to a feminine noun.

This lesson continues the study of Arabic relative pronouns. We have already seen that the masculine singular relative pronoun is الَّذِي, which means “who”, “which” or “the one who”. Now, we will learn how to use الَّتِي with feminine nouns.

This topic is very useful for students learning Arabic for beginners, but also for those who want to improve their understanding of Modern Standard Arabic, Quranic Arabic and Arabic sentence structure. Relative pronouns help students build longer sentences and understand Arabic texts more clearly.

Understanding Arabic Relative Pronouns

A relative pronoun connects two parts of a sentence. In English, we often use words such as “who”, “which”, “that” or “the one who”. In Arabic, relative pronouns change according to the gender and number of the noun they refer to.

The noun that the relative pronoun refers to is called the antecedent. For example, in the sentence “the girl who went out”, the word “girl” is the antecedent, and “who” is the relative pronoun.

In Arabic, we say:

الْفَتَاةُ الَّتِي خَرَجَتْ

The young girl who went out.

The word الَّتِي refers here to الْفَتَاةُ, which is a feminine noun.

What Does the Relative Pronoun الَّتِي Mean?

The relative pronoun الَّتِي usually means “who”, “which” or “the one that”. It is used with a feminine singular noun, whether the noun refers to a person, an animal, an object or an abstract idea that is grammatically feminine in Arabic.

Example with a person:

هَذِهِ فَاطِمَةُ الَّتِي خَرَجَتْ

This is Fatimah who went out.

Example with a feminine object:

هَذِهِ النَّافِذَةُ الَّتِي فُتِحَتْ

This is the window that was opened.

In both sentences, الَّتِي refers to a feminine noun.

When Should You Use الَّتِي in Arabic?

Use الَّتِي when the antecedent is feminine singular. This can be a feminine name, a feminine noun or an object considered feminine in Arabic grammar.

For example:

• فَاطِمَةُ: Fatimah;
• الْفَتَاةُ: the young girl;
• السَّيَّارَةُ: the car;
• النَّافِذَةُ: the window;
• الْهِرَّةُ: the female cat.

In all these cases, الَّتِي can introduce additional information about the feminine noun.

The Difference Between الَّذِي and الَّتِي

The difference between الَّذِي and الَّتِي depends on the gender of the noun they refer to.

Students should always look at the noun before the relative pronoun. If the noun is masculine singular, use الَّذِي. If the noun is feminine singular, use الَّتِي.

Examples with the Relative Pronoun الَّتِي

Here are several examples to help you understand how to use الَّتِي in simple Arabic sentences.

These examples show that الَّتِي adds information about a feminine noun. This structure is common in Modern Standard Arabic, Arabic reading passages and Quranic Arabic contexts.

Summary Table: Masculine and Feminine

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most common mistake is using الَّذِي with a feminine noun or using الَّتِي with a masculine noun.

For example, do not say:

الْبِنْتُ الَّذِي خَرَجَ

Instead, say:

الْبِنْتُ الَّتِي خَرَجَتْ

The girl who went out.

Students should also pay attention to verb agreement. With a feminine singular subject, the verb often carries a feminine marker, as in خَرَجَتْ or ذَهَبَتْ.

Practice Exercise with الَّتِي

Complete the following sentences with الَّذِي or الَّتِي.

1. The girl who went out: الْبِنْتُ ___ خَرَجَتْ
2. The boy who is near the board: الْوَلَدُ ___ عِنْدَ السَّبُّورَةِ
3. The car that belongs to me: السَّيَّارَةُ ___ لِي
4. The pen that is on the desk: الْقَلَمُ ___ فَوْقَ الْمَكْتَبِ

Answers:

1. الْبِنْتُ الَّتِي خَرَجَتْ
2. الْوَلَدُ الَّذِي عِنْدَ السَّبُّورَةِ
3. السَّيَّارَةُ الَّتِي لِي
4. الْقَلَمُ الَّذِي فَوْقَ الْمَكْتَبِ

Learning Arabic Grammar with a Clear Method

Relative pronouns are important for anyone who wants to learn Arabic online, because they help students build richer sentences and understand Arabic texts more accurately.

For students learning Arabic for beginners, it is helpful to study step by step:

• the Arabic alphabet;
• Arabic reading and Arabic pronunciation;
• Arabic personal pronouns;
• Arabic demonstrative pronouns;
• Arabic relative pronouns;
• nominal and verbal sentences;
• the foundations of Arabic grammar.

If your goal is to understand religious texts or the Quran, a structured path in Quranic Arabic can help you recognize these structures in context. To read, write and understand Arabic in a broader setting, studying Modern Standard Arabic is also very useful.

Learn Arabic with a Teacher

This lesson helps you understand the feminine relative pronoun الَّتِي. However, mastering Arabic grammar requires regular practice, varied reading exercises and correction from an Arabic teacher.

Al-Dirassa offers online Arabic classes for adults and Arabic classes for kids, with personalized learning, structured progression and a free trial lesson.

Conclusion

In this lesson, we studied the feminine singular relative pronoun in Arabic: الَّتِي. It means “who”, “which” or “the one that” when it refers to a feminine noun.

We also saw the difference between الَّذِي and الَّتِي, along with several examples showing how they are used in simple Arabic sentences.

This grammar point is an important step in learning Arabic. However, to learn Arabic properly, students need a clear method, regular practice, varied reading and correction from a teacher. This is how they can make steady progress in Arabic for beginners, Modern Standard Arabic or Quranic Arabic.