The Plural Demonstrative Pronoun in Arabic: هَؤُلاءِ

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

This lesson continues the study of Arabic demonstrative pronouns. We have already seen the singular forms هَذَا, which means “this” or “this is” for a masculine singular noun, and هَذِهِ, which means “this” or “this is” for a feminine singular noun.

With هَؤُلاءِ, we now move to the 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”, “this one” and “these ones”.

In Arabic, demonstrative pronouns change according to gender and number. Arabic uses one form for the masculine singular, another form for the feminine singular and a specific form for the near plural.

Here are the forms compared in this lesson:

• هَذَا: this, this one, this is, for the masculine singular;
• هَذِهِ: this, this one, this is, for the feminine singular;
• هَؤُلاءِ: these, these ones, these are, for the near plural.

What Does هَؤُلاءِ Mean in Arabic?

The demonstrative pronoun هَؤُلاءِ means “these”, “these ones” or “these are”. It is used to refer to a nearby plural group.

Example with a masculine plural:

هَؤُلاءِ مُدَرِّسُونَ

These are teachers.

Example with a feminine plural:

هَؤُلاءِ طَالِبَاتٌ

These are female students.

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

When Should You Use هَؤُلاءِ?

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

For example, it can be used with:

• teachers;
• female students;
• engineers;
• colleagues;
• hardworking people;
• family members.

Example:

هَؤُلاءِ زُمَلَاءُ

These are colleagues.

Remember that هَؤُلاءِ refers to a nearby plural. For distant forms, Arabic uses other demonstrative pronouns.

The Difference Between هَذَا, هَذِهِ and هَؤُلاءِ

The difference between these three demonstrative pronouns depends on number and gender.

Students should therefore observe the person or group being referred to. If you are speaking about one masculine person, use هَذَا. If you are speaking about one feminine person, use هَذِهِ. If you are speaking about several people, use هَؤُلاءِ.

Summary Table of Near Demonstrative Pronouns

Examples with هَؤُلاءِ for Masculine and Feminine Plurals

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

These examples show that هَؤُلاءِ remains the same for masculine and feminine plurals. The words that follow indicate whether the group is masculine or feminine.

Arabic Grammar Points to Remember

The demonstrative pronoun هَؤُلاءِ has several important characteristics.

• It is used for the near 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 always ends with a kasra in its full form: هَؤُلاءِ.

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

Practice Exercise with هَؤُلاءِ

Transform the following singular sentences into plural sentences using هَؤُلاءِ.

1. هَذَا مُدَرِّسٌ: this is a teacher.
2. هَذِهِ طَالِبَةٌ: this is a female student.
3. هَذَا مُهَنْدِسٌ: this is an engineer.
4. هَذِهِ زَوْجَةٌ: this is a wife.

Answers:

1. هَؤُلاءِ مُدَرِّسُونَ: these are teachers.
2. هَؤُلاءِ طَالِبَاتٌ: these are female students.
3. هَؤُلاءِ مُهَنْدِسُونَ: these are engineers.
4. هَؤُلاءِ زَوْجَاتٌ: these are wives.

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 plural demonstrative pronoun هَؤُلاءِ. 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 near plural demonstrative pronoun in Arabic: هَؤُلاءِ. It means “these”, “these ones” or “these are”, and it is used to refer to several nearby people.

We saw that هَؤُلاءِ can be used with a masculine or feminine plural group. We also compared it with هَذَا and هَذِهِ.

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.