Rules and Practical Exercises for Demonstrative Phrases

Read the bilingual lesson for Rules and Practical Exercises for Demonstrative Phrases and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. Definition and Written Distinction of the Demonstrative Phrase

● In this section, we will study the second important kind of incomplete phrase: the demonstrative phrase. ● We will learn how a demonstrative joined with the noun it points to forms an incomplete expression. ● We will compare the written and semantic differences between a demonstrative phrase and a nominal sentence. ● We will study the effect of adding al- to the noun pointed to and solve more than fifteen practical exercises.

2. Definition and Parts of a Demonstrative Phrase

● Definition of a demonstrative phrase: ○ An incomplete phrase that uses a demonstrative to point to a noun is called a demonstrative phrase. ● It has two basic parts: 1. Demonstrative: The word used to point, such as هٰذَا. 2. Noun pointed to: The noun being pointed to, such as الْوَلَدُ. ● Basic rule: In a demonstrative phrase, the noun pointed to is definite with al-: ○ Arabic order = demonstrative + noun pointed to (with al-) ○ For example: هٰذَا الْوَلَدُ (this boy)

3. The Fine Difference between a Demonstrative Phrase and a Complete Nominal Sentence

● Adding or omitting al- on the noun pointed to creates an important difference in meaning: 1. Demonstrative phrase (incomplete): When the noun pointed to has al-, the meaning remains incomplete: ■ هٰذَا الْوَلَدُ -> this boy (an incomplete expression). ■ تِلْكَ الْبِنْتُ -> that girl. 2. Nominal sentence (complete): When al- is absent and the predicate is indefinite, it becomes a complete sentence: ■ هٰذَا وَلَدٌ -> This is a boy. ■ تِلْكَ بِنْتٌ -> That is a girl.

4. Practical Arabic Translation Exercise

● Study the spelling and case endings of the following phrases. Every noun pointed to has al-: ○ This man: -> هٰذَا الرَّجُلُ (الرَّجُلُ is the noun pointed to and has al-.) ○ That boy: -> ذٰلِكَ الْوَلَدُ | That girl: -> تِلْكَ الْبِنْتُ. ○ These two male teachers: -> هٰذَانِ الْمُعَلِّمَانِ | Those two female teachers: -> تَانِكَ الْمُعَلِّمَتَانِ. ○ These boys: -> هٰؤُلَاءِ الْأَوْلَادُ | Those women: -> أُولٰئِكَ النِّسَاءُ. ○ This book: -> هٰذَا الْكِتَابُ | Those windows: -> تِلْكَ النَّوَافِذُ (non-rational plural). ○ These books: -> هٰذِهِ الْكُتُبُ (feminine singular demonstrative for a non-rational plural). ○ This city: -> هٰذَا الْبَلَدُ. ○ That righteous boy: -> ذٰلِكَ الْوَلَدُ الصَّالِحُ (الصَّالِحُ is the adjective of the noun pointed to.) ○ Those high mountains: -> تِلْكَ الْجِبَالُ الْعَالِيَةُ (الْجِبَالُ is a non-rational plural.) ○ This secure city: -> هٰذَا الْبَلَدُ الْأَمِينُ | This worldly life: -> هٰذِهِ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا.

5. Practice with Near Demonstratives

● Practise placing the suitable near demonstrative, هٰذَا, هٰذِهِ, هٰذَانِ, هَاتَانِ, or هٰؤُلَاءِ, in each blank: 1. __________ اَلْجِدَارُ (wall) -> هٰذَا اَلْجِدَارُ (masculine singular). 2. __________ اَلْكَلْبُ (dog) -> هٰذَا اَلْكَلْبُ. 3. __________ اَلسَّيَّارَةُ (car) -> هٰذِهِ اَلسَّيَّارَةُ (feminine singular). 4. __________ اَلْغُرْفَتَانِ (two rooms) -> هَاتَانِ اَلْغُرْفَتَانِ (feminine dual). 5. __________ اَلسُّرُرُ (beds) -> هٰذِهِ اَلسُّرُرُ (near feminine singular demonstrative for a non-rational plural). 6. __________ اَلْمُسْلِمُونَ (Muslims) -> هٰؤُلَاءِ اَلْمُسْلِمُونَ (rational plural). 7. __________ اَلْأَبْوَابُ (doors) -> هٰذِهِ اَلْأَبْوَابُ (non-rational plural). 8. __________ اَلْبَنَاتُ (girls) -> هٰؤُلَاءِ اَلْبَنَاتُ (rational plural). 9. __________ اَلْبَلَدُ الْأَمِينُ -> هٰذَا اَلْبَلَدُ الْأَمِينُ.

6. Practice with Far Demonstratives

● Practise placing the suitable far demonstrative, ذٰلِكَ, تِلْكَ, ذَانِكَ, تَانِكَ, or أُولٰئِكَ, in each blank: 1. __________ اَلنُّجُومُ (stars) -> تِلْكَ اَلنُّجُومُ (far demonstrative for a non-rational plural). 2. __________ اَلسَّيَّارَتَانِ (two cars) -> تَانِكَ اَلسَّيَّارَتَانِ (feminine dual). 3. __________ اَلْمُدَرِّسَاتُ (female teachers) -> أُولٰئِكَ اَلْمُدَرِّسَاتُ (rational plural). 4. __________ اَلدَّارُ (house) -> تِلْكَ اَلدَّارُ (دَارٌ is feminine by established Arabic usage, so تِلْكَ is used.) 5. __________ اَلْبُيُوتُ (houses) -> تِلْكَ اَلْبُيُوتُ (non-rational plural). 6. __________ اَلطَّالِبُ -> ذٰلِكَ اَلطَّالِبُ | __________ اَلطُّلَّابُ -> أُولٰئِكَ اَلطُّلَّابُ. 7. __________ اَلْمَسْجِدُ -> ذٰلِكَ اَلْمَسْجِدُ | __________ اَلْمَدْرَسَةُ -> تِلْكَ اَلْمَدْرَسَةُ. 8. __________ اَلْبِنْتُ -> تِلْكَ اَلْبِنْتُ.

Practice questions

Question 1

What is the main written and semantic difference between the Arabic phrase هٰذَا الرَّجُلُ and the sentence هٰذَا رَجُلٌ?

  • The first is incomplete because al- is present, while the second is a complete sentence because al- is absent
  • Both are exactly the same incomplete phrase
  • The first is a complete sentence, and the second is an incomplete phrase

Question 2

The Arabic noun اَلدَّارُ, 'the house,' is feminine by established usage. Which far demonstrative is suitable for it?

  • تِلْكَ
  • ذٰلِكَ
  • أُولٰئِكَ

Question 3

The most suitable near demonstrative for the non-rational plural noun pointed to اَلْأَبْوَابُ, 'the doors,' is هٰذِهِ.

  • True
  • False

Question 4

Match the following incomplete demonstrative phrases with their correct English translations:

Question 5

Sort the following items by structure into incomplete demonstrative phrases and complete nominal sentences:

Question 6

Translate "those high mountains" into Arabic, knowing that الْجِبَالُ, 'the mountains,' is a non-rational plural:

  • تِلْكَ الْجِبَالُ الْعَالِيَةُ
  • أُولٰئِكَ الْجِبَالُ الْعَالِيَةُ
  • تِلْكَ الْجِبَالُ الْعَالِيُّ

Question 7

Sort the words in the demonstrative phrase هٰذَا الْبَلَدُ, 'this city,' into their correct grammatical categories:

Question 8

Match the following rational and non-rational nouns pointed to with their correct near demonstratives:

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