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Lesson 9.2: Far Demonstratives (ذَلِكَ / تِلْكَ) Next
Lesson 9: Part 1 ▶ Part 2: Far Demonstratives (ذَلِكَ / تِلْكَ) Part 3 Dialogue Exercises Vocabulary
اِسْمُ الإِشَارَةِ البَعِيدَة

When It's Far Away...

You just learned to say "This is..." for things close to you. But what about pointing at something far away? Look at these examples first — you'll spot the pattern instantly.

بَيْتٌ M
NEAR
هَذَا بَيْتٌ
This is a house
FAR
ذَلِكَ بَيْتٌ
That is a house
كِتَابٌ M
NEAR
هَذَا كِتَابٌ
This is a book
FAR
ذَلِكَ كِتَابٌ
That is a book
سَيَّارَةٌ F
NEAR
هَذِهِ سَيَّارَةٌ
This is a car
FAR
تِلْكَ سَيَّارَةٌ
That is a car
سَاعَةٌ F
NEAR
هَذِهِ سَاعَةٌ
This is a clock
FAR
تِلْكَ سَاعَةٌ
That is a clock

The Rule

Did you spot it? When something is far, we simply swap the pointer word. The noun and its ending never change.

The Complete Pointer System

NEAR + MASCULINE
هَذَا
Ha-dha
"This is" (M)
NEAR + FEMININE
هَذِهِ
Haa-dhi-hi
"This is" (F)
FAR + MASCULINE
ذَلِكَ
Dhaa-li-ka
"That is" (M)
FAR + FEMININE
تِلْكَ
Til-ka
"That is" (F)

Practice Lab — Pick the Right Pointer!

Tap each card to reveal the correct far demonstrative. Remember to check the gender of the noun!

ذَلِكَ قَلَمٌ
Dhaalika qalamun — That is a pen
قَلَمٌ
A pen M
Tap to reveal "That is..."
ذَلِكَ مَسْجِدٌ
Dhaalika masjidun — That is a mosque
مَسْجِدٌ
A mosque M
Tap to reveal "That is..."
تِلْكَ مَدْرَسَةٌ
Tilka madrasatun — That is a school
مَدْرَسَةٌ
A school F
Tap to reveal "That is..."
ذَلِكَ بَابٌ
Dhaalika baabun — That is a door
بَابٌ
A door M
Tap to reveal "That is..."
تِلْكَ صُورَةٌ
Tilka sooratun — That is a picture
صُورَةٌ
A picture F
Tap to reveal "That is..."
ذَلِكَ بَيْتٌ
Dhaalika baytun — That is a house
بَيْتٌ
A house M
Tap to reveal "That is..."

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