The Distant Plural Demonstrative Pronoun in Arabic: أُولَـٰئِكَ

In this Arabic lesson, we will study an important point in Arabic grammar: the distant plural demonstrative pronoun in Arabic أُولَـٰئِكَ. This word is used to say “those”, “those ones” or “those are” when referring to several distant people.

This lesson continues the study of Arabic demonstrative pronouns. We have already seen near and distant singular forms, such as هَذَا, هَذِهِ, ذَلِكَ and تِلْكَ. We have also studied the near plural form هَؤُلاءِ. In this lesson, we will learn how to use أُولَـٰئِكَ for the distant plural.

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 basic Arabic sentence structure.

Understanding Arabic Demonstrative Pronouns

A demonstrative pronoun is used to point to or identify a person, an object or a group. In English, we use words such as “this”, “these”, “that”, “those”, “this one” and “those ones”.

In Arabic, demonstrative pronouns change according to three elements:

• gender: masculine or feminine;
• number: singular, dual or plural;
• distance: near or distant.

In this lesson, we focus on the distant plural form: أُولَـٰئِكَ.

What Does أُولَـٰئِكَ Mean in Arabic?

The demonstrative pronoun أُولَـٰئِكَ means “those”, “those ones” or “those are”. It is used to refer to a distant plural group.

Example with a masculine plural:

أُولَـٰئِكَ آبَاءٌ

Those are fathers.

Example with a feminine plural:

أُولَـٰئِكَ أُمَّهَاتٌ

Those are mothers.

The same form أُولَـٰئِكَ is used for a masculine or feminine group when speaking about distant people.

When Should You Use أُولَـٰئِكَ?

Use أُولَـٰئِكَ to refer to several distant people. This form is mainly used for human beings or rational beings.

For example, it can be used with:

• fathers;
• mothers;
• men;
• girls;
• pilgrims;
• female nurses;
• students.

Example:

مَنْ أُولَـٰئِكَ الرِّجَالُ؟

Who are those men?

The Difference Between هَؤُلاءِ and أُولَـٰئِكَ

The difference between هَؤُلاءِ and أُولَـٰئِكَ is mainly based on distance.

Use هَؤُلاءِ for a nearby group and أُولَـٰئِكَ for a distant group.

The Difference Between ذَلِكَ, تِلْكَ and أُولَـٰئِكَ

The pronouns ذَلِكَ, تِلْكَ and أُولَـٰئِكَ are all used to refer to something distant, but they are not used with the same gender and number.

Summary Table of Distant Demonstrative Pronouns

Examples with أُولَـٰئِكَ for Masculine and Feminine Plurals

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

Arabic Grammar Points to Remember

The demonstrative pronoun أُولَـٰئِكَ has several important characteristics.

• It is used for the distant plural.
• It can refer to a masculine or feminine group.
• It is mainly used for human beings or rational beings.
• It is indeclinable: its form does not change according to its function in the sentence.
• It ends with a fatha in its full form: أُولَـٰئِكَ.

This stability is important for Arabic reading and beginner Arabic grammar. Students should learn to recognize أُولَـٰئِكَ as a distant plural demonstrative pronoun.

Practice Exercise with أُولَـٰئِكَ

Transform the following singular sentences into distant plural sentences using أُولَـٰئِكَ.

1. ذَلِكَ أَبٌ: that is a father.
2. تِلْكَ أُمٌّ: that is a mother.
3. ذَلِكَ حَاجٌّ: that is a pilgrim.
4. تِلْكَ مُمَرِّضَةٌ: that is a female nurse.

Answers:

1. أُولَـٰئِكَ آبَاءٌ: those are fathers.
2. أُولَـٰئِكَ أُمَّهَاتٌ: those are mothers.
3. أُولَـٰئِكَ حُجَّاجٌ: those are pilgrims.
4. أُولَـٰئِكَ مُمَرِّضَاتٌ: those are female nurses.

Learning Arabic Grammar with a Clear Method

Demonstrative pronouns are essential for anyone who wants to learn Arabic online. They help students point to people, build simple sentences and understand texts in Modern Standard Arabic or Arabic reading lessons.

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;
• singular and plural forms;
• nominal 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 forms 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 distant plural demonstrative pronoun أُولَـٰئِكَ. 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 distant plural demonstrative pronoun in Arabic: أُولَـٰئِكَ. It means “those”, “those ones” or “those are”, and it is used to refer to several distant people.

We saw that أُولَـٰئِكَ can be used with a masculine or feminine plural group. We also compared it with هَؤُلاءِ, ذَلِكَ and تِلْكَ.

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