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Lesson 17.2: Plural Pronouns (هُمْ / هُنَّ) Next

Lesson 17: Part 1 ▶ Part 2: Plural Pronouns (هُمْ / هُنَّ) Part 3 Dialogue Exercises Vocabulary

الضَّمَائِرُ الْجَمْعِيَّةُ الْمُنْفَصِلَةُ

Plural Pointer Words

You now know how to build plural nouns like مُسْلِمُونَ and مُسْلِمَاتٌ. Now we need pronouns and demonstratives to use them in full sentences! Look at these examples first.

هَؤُلَاءِ مُسْلِمُونَ

Haa'ulaa'i muslimoona

These are Muslims (male)

هَؤُلَاءِ مُسْلِمَاتٌ

Haa'ulaa'i muslimaatun

These are Muslims (female)

هُمْ طُلَّابٌ جُدُدٌ

Hum tullaabun judud

They (M) are new students

نَحْنُ مُعَلِّمُونَ

Nahnu mu'allimoona

We are teachers (male)

The Rule

When referring to a group of people, we use a special set of plural pronouns and demonstratives. There are 4 to learn. Notice that هَؤُلَاءِ works for both genders when pointing at humans.

The 4 Plural Pronouns

هَؤُلَاءِ

Haa-u-laa-i

These (Human M+F)

Used when POINTING at a group that is right here. Works for both male and female humans.

هُمْ

Hum

They (Masculine)

Used to refer to a group of males (or mixed group) not present or already mentioned.

هُنَّ

Hun-na

They (Feminine)

Used to refer to an all-female group not present or already mentioned.

نَحْنُ

Nah-nu

First person plural — used by the speaker and their group. Works for both genders.

Practice Lab — Tap to Reveal

Using the plural nouns from Lesson 17.1, build full sentences with the correct plural pronoun. Tap to check!

هَؤُلَاءِ مُسْلِمُونَ
Haa'ulaa'i muslimoona

? + مُسْلِمُونَ

These are Muslims (M) — pointing

Tap to reveal pronoun

هُنَّ طَالِبَاتٌ
Hunna taalibaat

? + طَالِبَاتٌ

They (F) are students

Tap to reveal pronoun

نَحْنُ مُعَلِّمُونَ
Nahnu mu'allimoona

? + مُعَلِّمُونَ

We are teachers (M)

Tap to reveal pronoun

هُنَّ صَالِحَاتٌ
Hunna saalihaat

? + صَالِحَاتٌ

They (F) are pious

Tap to reveal pronoun

هُمْ طُلَّابٌ
Hum tullaab

? + طُلَّابٌ

They (M) are students

Tap to reveal pronoun

نَحْنُ مُعَلِّمَاتٌ
Nahnu mu'allimaatun

? + مُعَلِّمَاتٌ

We are teachers (F)

Tap to reveal pronoun