Arabic Vocabularies #2

مَا هَذِهِ ؟

• هَذِهِ شَوْكَةٌ

• هَذَا شَوْكَةٌ

Answer explanation

The similarities between the two demonstrative pronouns (هذا) and (هذه)  is that both are:

1- used to point to a singular object

2- used to point to close objects

 

While the difference between the two is that (هذا) is used to point to a masculine object while  (هذه) is used to point to a feminine object.

 

مَا هَذَا ؟

• هَذِهِ كِتَابٌ

• هَذَا كِتَابٌ

Answer explanation

In Arabic grammar, nouns, adjectives, and pronouns are separated into two genders: masculine and feminine. This rule is fundamental to the language and plays an important part in forming sentences.

مَا هَذِهِ ؟

• هَذِهِ خِزَانَةٌ

• هَذَا خِزَانَةٌ

مَا هَذَا ؟

• هَذِهِ مِصْبَاحٌ

• هَذَا مِصْبَاحٌ

Answer explanation

Masculine nouns usually end in a consonant. Feminine nouns usually end in a (ta marbuta) (ة). There are a few exceptions to this rule, such as the noun شَمْس (sun), which is feminine even though it ends in a consonant.

مَا هَذِهِ ؟

• هَذَا نَظَّارَةٌ

• هَذِهِ نَظَّارَةٌ