Mastering she/her pronouns and gender pronouns in Arabic is a challenging topic for non-native speakers. Unlike many other languages, Arabic assigns distinct pronouns for masculinity and femininity based on context, making it a broad and intricate subject. The usage of gender pronouns mainly depends on identifying the case of the word being referred to, while the rules of masculinity and femininity are not always consistent. Many linguists note that determining whether a word is masculine or feminine often relies on exposure to native usage.
As a result, many non-native speakers struggle with accurately using gender-specific pronouns. This guide helps beginners distinguish the different types of gender pronouns in Arabic and use the correct forms when referring to various noun cases. To enhance understanding, the guide includes numerous examples of the cases provided. Additionally, comparisons are provided to clarify differences, making them easier to understand. Keep reading to explore more!
What Are Gender Pronouns In Arabic ضمائر الجنس?
Gender pronouns in Arabic refer to the words used to indicate whether someone or something is masculine or feminine in speech in most cases with little ones neutral. Arabic pronouns are categorized–by gender–into female (she/her), male (he/him), and neutral pronouns used for both genders.
Additionally, since “sex” and “gender” align in natural disposition and Arabic usage, the rules for gender pronouns reflect the inherent identity of the word.
1. Female (she/her) pronouns ضمائر التأنيث:
The pronouns used in Arabic to refer to females include separated nominative pronouns such as أنتِ (ʾanti): You, هي (hiya): She, separated accusative pronouns such as إياها (ʾiyyāhā): Her, and connected accusative and genitive pronouns such as نون النسوة (Nūn an-niswah): (Nūn of women): they (feminine plural).
2. Male (he/him) pronouns ضمائر التذكير:
Among the gender pronouns used in Arabic are male pronouns. They are used to refer to males and include separated nominative pronouns such as أنتَ (ʾanta): You, هو (huwa): He, separated accusative pronouns such as إياه (ʾiyyāhu): Him, and connected accusative and genitive pronouns such as هاء الغيبة (hāʾ al-ghaybah): Hāʾ of male third-person.
3. Neutral pronouns used for both:
The pronouns used in Arabic to refer to both males and females are usually the first-person pronouns such as أنا (ʾanā): I, and the pronouns used for the dual form in all their grammatical cases. They include separated nominative pronouns such as هما (humā): They (dual), separated accusative pronouns such as إياهما (ʾiyyāhumā): Them (dual), and connected accusative and genitive pronouns such as ياء المتكلم (yāʾ al-mutakallim): Yaʾ of object pronoun (singular): Me.
Let’s discuss each one of the gender pronouns in detail:
Female (She / Her) Pronouns In Arabic ضمائر التأنيث
Female pronouns in Arabic are used when addressing feminine nouns—rational or non-rational. Once the femininity of the Arabic word is determined, select the appropriate pronoun from the following list to use in context. Female pronouns are categorized based on reference, grammatical state, and number as follows:
1. أنتِ (ʾAnti): You (Feminine Singular)
The separated nominative female second-person pronoun أنتِ (ʾanti) refers to a singular feminine noun and acts as the subject in an Arabic sentence.
Example: أنتِ فتاة مهذبة – You are a polite girl.
2. أنتنَّ (ʾAntunna): You (Feminine Plural)
The separated nominative female second-person pronoun أنتنَّ (ʾantunna) refers to plural feminine nouns and serves as the subject in an Arabic sentence.
Example: أنتنَّ فتيات مهذبات – You are polite girls.
3. هي (Hiya): She (Feminine Singular)
The separated nominative female third-person pronoun هي (hiya) refers to a singular feminine noun and functions as the subject in an Arabic sentence.
Example: “إِنْ هِىَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا ٱلدُّنْيَا”– It [i.e., life] is not but our worldly life.
Note: In this example, the Arabic word حياتنا (our life) is feminine, so it is referred to by هي, even though the English translation uses “it” instead of “she.”
4. هنَّ (Hunna): They (Feminine Plural)
The separated nominative female third-person pronoun هنَّ (hunna) refers to plural feminine nouns and functions as the subject in an Arabic sentence.
Example: “هُنَّ أُمُّ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ” – [They are the foundation of the Book].
In this verse, “they” refers to a prior phrase in the same verse, i.e., “آيَـٰتٌۭ مُّحْكَمَـٰتٌ” (precise verses), which is a feminine plural noun, and the pronoun هنَّ (they) serves as the subject.
| Female pronoun | Characteristics | Function/Usage in Arabic | Exercises |
| أنتِ (ʾanti) | separated nominative female second-person pronoun | You (feminine singular) | أنتِ مسلمة – You are a Muslim girl. |
| أنتنَّ (ʾantunna) | separated nominative female second-person pronoun | You (feminine plural) | أنتنّ مجتهدات – You are hard-learners. |
| هي (hiya) | separated nominative female third-person pronoun | She (feminine singular) | هي تحب القرآن – She loves the Quran. |
| هنَّ (hunna) | separated nominative female third-person pronoun | They (feminine plural) | هنّ يتعلمن العربية – They learn Arabic. |
5. إياكِ (ʾIyyāki): You (Feminine Singular)
The separated accusative female second-person pronoun إياكِ (ʾiyyāki) refers to a singular feminine noun and functions as the object in an Arabic sentence when the object is placed at the beginning for emphasis–or any rhetorical or grammatical purpose. Otherwise, the connected accusative pronoun ـكِ is attached to the verb and serves as the object in its default position.
Example: إياكِ أحب [You, I love]. Here, إياكِ comes at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis, while the standard basic structure would be: أحبكِ [I love you].
6. إياكنَّ (ʾIyyākunna): You (Feminine Plural)
The separated accusative female second-person pronoun إياكنَّ (ʾiyyākunna) refers to plural feminine nouns and functions as the object when placed at the beginning of the sentence for rhetorical purposes. In the default case, the accusative connected accusative pronoun ـكنَّ is used.
Example: إياكنَّ أسمع [You, I listen to]. In this case, إياكنَّ adds extra meaning intended by the speaker. The basic sentence would be: أسمعكنَّ [I listen to you].
7. إياها (ʾIyyāhā): Her (Feminine Singular)
The separated accusative female third-person pronoun إياها (ʾiyyāhā) refers to a singular feminine noun and functions as an object coming at the beginning of an Arabic sentence. Instead, the connected accusative pronoun ـها is used in this context.
Example: إياها أرى [Her, I see]. Here, إياها is placed at the beginning for a rhetorical purpose. The standard case would be: أراها [I see her].
8. إياهنَّ (ʾIyyāhunna): Them (Feminine Plural)
The separated accusative female third-person pronoun إياهنَّ (ʾiyyāhunna) refers to plural feminine nouns and functions as the object when placed at the beginning of the sentence. Otherwise, the connected pronoun ـهنَّ is attached to the verb.
Example: إياهنَّ أعني [Them, I mean]. Here, إياهنَّ emphasizes the object by placing it at the beginning. The standard sentence would be: أعنيهنَّ [I mean them].
| Female pronoun | Characteristics | Function/Usage in Arabic | Exercises |
| إياكِ (ʾiyyāki) | separated accusative female second-person pronoun | You (accusative, feminine, singular) | إياكِ أسمع – ( You, I hear.) |
| إياكنَّ (ʾiyyākunna) | separated accusative female second-person pronoun | You (accusative, feminine, plural) | إياكن أُكرم – (You I honor.) |
| إياها (ʾiyyāhā) | separated accusative female third-person pronoun | Her (accusative, feminine, singular) | إياها أحب – (Her, I love.) |
| إياهنَّ (ʾiyyāhunna) | separated accusative female third-person pronoun | Them (accusative, feminine, plural) | إياهن رأيتُ – (Them, I saw.) |
9. هاء الغيبة (Hāʾ al-ghaybah): Her/Them
The هاء الغيبة (hāʾ al-ghaybah) is a connected pronoun used to refer to the female third-person. Hāʾ for females has two forms, i.e. ـها for singular (her) & ـهنَّ for plural (their) two. Also, it has two grammatical cases for each form:
- Accusative Pronoun: The connected hāʾ functions as the object of a verb. For example, أحبها (I love her)= Singular & أسمعهنَّ (I listen to them)= plural. You can also refer to the previously mentioned separated pronouns إياكِ (ʾiyyāki) and إياكنَّ (ʾiyyākunna) for further clarification on how these pronouns function as objects in Arabic sentences.
- Genitive Pronoun: The connected genitive hāʾ for the female third-person occurs when it follows a preposition or a noun that indicates possession. For example, منها – منهنّ (from her – from them). Another example is, مدرستها – مدرستهنّ (her school – their school).
Following is a comparison for the different forms of هاء الغيبة in Arabic:
| Pronoun of هاء الغيبة | Usage by number | Characteristics | Function/Usage in Arabic | Exercises |
| Connected third-person pronoun (her/him) with different forms and usages | Singular = her/him | Coming in the form of (ـه) for masculine use, and in the form of (ـها) for feminine one. | Functions as accusative or genitive (prepostional or possessive phrase). | رأيتُه – ( I saw him) = singular, masculine, accusative هذه الهدية لها – (this present is for her.) = singular, feminine, genitive |
| Dual = them/their | Gender-neutral pronoun coming in the form of (هما). | سلمتُ عليهما – (I greeted them both) = dual, accusative, neutral | ||
| Plural = them/their | Coming in the form of (ـهم) for masculine use, and in the form of (ـهنّ) for feminine one. | سلام عليهم – (peace be upon them.) = plural, masculine, genitive قابلتُهنَ – (I met them) = plural, feminine, accusative |
10. كاف الخطاب (Kāf al-khiṭāb): You
The كاف الخطاب (kāf al-khiṭāb) is a connected pronoun referring to the female second-person. It has two forms: ـكِ for singular (you) and ـكنَّ for plural (you all).
- Accusative Pronoun: Functions as the object of a verb. For example, أحبكِ (I love you) – singular, and أسمعكنَّ (I listen to you all) – plural.
- Genitive Pronoun: Follows a preposition or a possessive noun. For example, منكِ – منكنَّ (from you – from you all), and كتابكِ – كتابكنَّ (your book – your book all).
Following is a comparison for the different forms of كاف الخطاب in Arabic:
| Pronoun of كاف الخطاب | Usage by number | Characteristics | Function/Usage in Arabic | Exercises |
| Connected second-person pronoun (you) with different forms and usages | Singular | Coming with fatha for masculine use (ـكَ) and kasra for feminine (ـكِ) | Functions as accusative or genitive (prepostional or possessive phrase). | رأيتُكَ – ( I saw you) = singular, masculine, accusative هذه الهدية لكِ – (this present is for you.) = singular, feminine, genitive |
| Dual | Neutral pronoun coming in the form of (كما). | سلمتُ عليكما – (I greeted you both) = dual, accusative, neutral | ||
| Plural | Coming in the form of (كم) for masculine use, and in the form of (كنّ) for feminine one. | السلام عليكم – (peace be upon you.) = plural, masculine, genitive قابلتُكنَ – (I met you) = plural, feminine, accusative |
11. تاء المخاطبة (Tāʾ al-mukhaṭabah): You (Feminine Singular)
The تاء المخاطبة (tāʾ al-mukhaṭabah) is a nominative voweled suffix pronoun addressing the female second-person as the singular subject of a past verb. It has two forms:
- Singular: Tāʾ is attached to verbs to indicate the subject is singular female. For example, كتبتِ (You wrote). Note: there is a different tāʾ(non-voweled) that comes attached to some Arabic verbs to identify femininity with no grammatical role.
- Plural: The voweled tāʾ is attached to verbs to indicate the subject is plural female. For example, كتبتن (You all wrote). The last Nūn coming after our Tāʾ here in the example is for feminity.
12. ياء المخاطبة (Yāʾ al-mukhaṭabah): You (Feminine Singular)
The ياء المخاطبة (yāʾ al-mukhaṭabah) is a nominative voweled suffix pronoun addressing the female second-person as the singular subject of an imperative or present verb. For example:
- Yāʾconnected to Imperative verb: “يَـٰمَرْيَمُ ٱقْنُتِى لِرَبِّكِ” [O Mary! Be devout to your Lord.]
- Yāʾconnected to present verb: “مَاذَا تَأْمُرِينَ” [decide what orders to give us.]
13. نون النسوة (Nūn an-niswah): They (Feminine Plural)
Nūn an-niswah (Nūn of females) is a nominative non-voweled suffix that comes at the end of Arabic words serving as a female plural subject. For example, قُلْن – [They said]. Sometimes this Nūn of females has shaddah out of being merged with another Nūn (assertion Nūn) to stress the verb.
How to use the correct female pronoun?
To use female pronouns in their true Arabic context, non-native Arabic students should follow these essential tips:
1. Decide the State of the Word to Be Referred to with Guidance from Signs of Femininity
Although the main source of knowing the state of masculinity or femininity of a word depends on tracing Arabic legacy and usage, linguists identify three signs that help determine the state of femininity in some cases:
- The closed Tā’ (ة), such as in (مُعلِّمة – female teacher)
- The Alif Maqṣūra (ى) [the shortened alif], such as in (تقوى – fear of Allah)
- The Alif Mamdūda (اء) [the extended alif], such as in (سماء – sky)
These signs indicate that these nouns are feminine, and when referring to any of them, you should use she/her pronouns suitable to the context.
Note: These signs are merely guidance since there are exceptions where masculine nouns include these feminine signs. For example, (حمزة – Hamzah) is a male Arabic proper noun despite having a closed Tā’.
2. Choose the Correct Female Pronoun Matching the Context
After deciding to use a female pronoun, select the appropriate form based on the pronoun’s role in the sentence. To do this, ask yourself:
- Does the pronoun refer to the first, second, or third person?
- Is the pronoun in the grammatical case of nominative, accusative, or genitive?
- Does the pronoun refer to singular, dual, or plural?
3. Realize That Female Nouns in Arabic Include Inanimate Nouns
Femininity in Arabic is broader than referring to women. It is divided into:
- Literal Femininity: Any female noun that refers to a being with the biological function of female creatures, whether it has a sign of femininity or not in the word. For example, (دجاجة – hen), (هند – Hend: female Arabic proper name not including a sign of feminity in its word), and (امرأة – woman).
- Figurative Femininity: Any word regarded as feminine in Arabic tradition, even if it doesn’t relate to biological femininity. For example, (شمس – sun) and (شجرة – tree).
When referring to any noun in either category, use female pronouns.
By following these steps, you can minimize errors in using masculine and feminine pronouns in Arabic.
Male Pronouns In Arabic ضمائر التذكير
Male pronouns in Arabic are used when addressing masculine nouns—rational or non-rational. Since masculinity is the default in Arabic unless femininity is identified, choose the appropriate male pronoun from the following to use in your context if there is no indication of femininity or if the reference includes both genders. Male pronouns—like female ones—are categorized based on reference, grammatical state, and number as follows:
1. أنتَ (ʾAnta): You (Masculine Singular)
The separated nominative male second-person pronoun أنتَ (ʾanta) refers to a singular masculine noun and acts as the subject in an Arabic sentence.
Example: “إِنْ أَنتَ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ” – [You are only a warner.]
2. أنتم (ʾAntum): You (Masculine Plural)
The separated nominative male second-person pronoun أنتم (ʾantum) refers to a plural masculine form of the noun and serves as the subject in an Arabic sentence.
Example: “أَنتُمُ ٱلْفُقَرَآءُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ” – [You are those in need of Allāh.]
3. هو (Huwa): He (Masculine Singular)
The separated nominative male third-person pronoun هو (huwa) refers to a singular masculine noun and functions as the subject in an Arabic sentence.
Example: إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًۭا – He is not but a man who has invented a lie about Allāh. The word (huwa) refers to the male noun (رَجُلٌ – man) and serves as a serves as a subject in the sentence.
4. هم (Hum): They (Masculine Plural)
The separated nominative male third-person pronoun هم (hum) refers to the plural masculine form of the noun and functions as the subject in an Arabic sentence.
Example: “بَلْ هُمُ ٱلْيَوْمَ مُسْتَسْلِمُونَ” – [But they, that Day, are in surrender]. In this verse, هم (they) refers to a plural masculine form of noun as the subject.
| Male pronoun | Characteristics | Function/Usage in Arabic | Exercises |
| أنتَ (ʾanta) | separated nominative female second-person pronoun | You (feminine singular) | أنتَ مؤمن بالله – You believe in Allah. |
| أنتم (ʾantum) | separated nominative female second-person pronoun | You (feminine plural) | أنتم مخلصون – You are sincere. |
| هو (huwa) | separated nominative female third-person pronoun | She (feminine singular) | هو يحب القرآن – He loves the Quran. |
| هم (hum) | separated nominative female third-person pronoun | They (feminine plural) | هم يتعلمون العربية – They learn Arabic. |
5. إياكَ (ʾIyyāka): You (Masculine Singular)
The separated accusative pronoun إياكَ (ʾiyyāka) is a male second-person pronoun that refers to a singular masculine noun and functions as the object in an Arabic sentence when the object comes at the beginning for emphasis or other rhetorical or grammatical purposes. Otherwise, the connected accusative pronoun ـكَ is attached to the verb and serves as the object in its default position.
Example: إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ [You ˹alone˺ we worship]. Here, the object pronoun إياكَ is placed at the beginning of the sentence adding the meaning of “alone”. In the basic case other than the Quran, the sentence can be: َنعبدك [We worship You].
6. إياكم (ʾIyyākum): You (Masculine Plural)
The separated accusative male second-person pronoun إياكم (ʾiyyākum) refers to plural masculine nouns and serves as the object when placed at the beginning of the sentence for rhetorical emphasis. Otherwise, the connected accusative pronoun ـكم is used.
Example: “أَهَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِيَّاكُمْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْبُدُونَ” [‘Was it you these people worshipped?’]. Here, إياكم emphasizes the object, In the basic case other than the Quran, the sentence can be: أهؤلاء كانوا يعبدونكم [Were these people worshipping you?]
7. إياه (ʾIyyāhu): Him (Masculine Singular)
The separated accusative male third-person pronoun إياه (ʾiyyāhu) refers to a singular masculine noun and functions as the object when placed at the beginning of the sentence for a specific purpose. Otherwise, the connected pronoun ـه is used.
Example: إياه أرى [Him, I see]. Here, إياه appears at the beginning for emphasis, while the standard case would be: أراه [I see him].
8. إياهم (ʾIyyāhum): Them (Masculine Plural)
The separated accusative male third-person pronoun إياهم (ʾiyyāhum) refers to plural masculine nouns and functions as the object when placed at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis or rhetorical purposes. Otherwise, the connected pronoun ـهم is used.
Example: “نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ” – [We provide you and will likewise provide them with sustenance.] Here, إياهم is an accusative pronoun coordinated to the prior verb this way for grammatical and rhetorical reasons.
| Male pronoun | Characteristics | Function/Usage in Arabic | Exercises |
| إياكَ (ʾiyyāka) | separated accusative male second-person pronoun | You (accusative, masculine, singular) | إياكَ أعني – ( You, I mean.) |
| إياكم (ʾiyyākum) | separated accusative male second-person pronoun | You (accusative, masculine, plural) | إياكم أُكرم – (You I honor.) |
| إياه (ʾiyyāhu) | separated accusative male third-person pronoun | Him (accusative, masculine, singular) | إياه أطيع – (Her, I obey.) |
| إياهم (ʾiyyāhum) | separated accusative male third-person pronoun | Them (accusative, masculine, plural) | إياهم رأيتُ – (Them, I saw.) |
9. هاء الغيبة (Hāʾ al-ghaybah): Him/them
The هاء الغيبة (hāʾ al-ghaybah) is a suffix pronoun used to refer to the male third-person. It has different forms including: ـه for singular (him/his) and ـهم for plural (them/their). It also has two grammatical cases:
- Accusative Pronoun: Used as the object of a verb. For example, أحبه (I love him) for singular and أسمعهم (I listen to them) for plural.
- Genitive Pronoun: Occurs after a preposition or possessive noun. For example, منه – منهم (from him – from them), and كتابهم – كتابه (his book – their book).
10. كاف الخطاب (Kāf al-khiṭāb): You (Object, Masculine)
The كاف الخطاب (kāf al-khiṭāb) is a suffix pronoun used for referring to the male second-person. It has two forms for males: ـكَ for singular (you) and ـكم for plural (you all). Also, Kaf has two grammatical cases:
- Accusative Pronoun: Used as the object of a verb. For example, أحبّكَ (I love you) for singular and أسمعكم (I listen to you all) for plural.
- Genitive Pronoun: Occurs after a preposition or possessive noun. For example, منكم – منك (from you – from you all) and “وَفَعَلْتَ فَعْلَتَكَ” (you did your deed).
11. تاء المخاطب (Tāʾ al-mukhaṭab): You (Subject, Masculine)
The تاء المخاطب (tāʾ al-mukhaṭab) is a nominative suffix referring to the male second-person as the subject of a verb. It has two forms:
- Singular: كتبتَ (You wrote).
- Plural: كتبتم (You all wrote).
In summary, Arabic grammar has male-oriented pronouns as mentioned including separated pronouns such as, إياهم (ʾiyyāhum), هم (hum), أنتم (ʾantum), and أنتَ (ʾanta), and connected pronouns such as تاء المخاطب (tāʾ al-mukhaṭab) and كاف الخطاب (kāf al-khiṭāb).
Gender Neutral Pronouns In Arabic
Some pronouns in Arabic do not express gender directly. They are neutral for both males and females unless the context clarifies the gender. Below are examples and explanations of these pronouns:
1. أنا (ʾAnā): I
The separated pronoun أنا (ʾanā) is a nominative first-person pronoun referring to a singular person, male or female.
Example: I love the Quran.
Here, it is impossible to determine whether the speaker is male or female without further contextual signs.
2. نحن (Naḥnu): We
The separated pronoun نحن (naḥnu) is a nominative first-person plural pronoun, referring to groups of males, females, or both.
Example: “وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُخْلِصُونَ” – [And we are devoted to Him ˹alone˺.]
The pronoun does not clarify whether the group consists of males, females, or both unless inferred from context.
Note: نحن (naḥnu) can also refer to a singular entity in cases of majesty, such as in Allah’s saying:
“نَحۡنُ قَدَّرۡنَا بَيۡنَكُمُ ٱلۡمَوۡتَ” – [We have ordained death for ˹all of˺ you]. Although referring to Allah, نحن is used to signify glorification.
3. إياي (ʾIyyāya): Me
The separated accusative pronoun إياي (ʾiyyāya) is neutral and refers to a singular person (male or female), functioning as the object in an Arabic sentence. Usually, the pronoun إياي comes at the beginning for emphasis or other rhetorical or grammatical purposes. Otherwise, the accusative suffix first-person pronoun Yāʾ ـي) ياء المتكلم) is attached to the verb and serves as the object in its basic structure.
Example: “وَإِيَّـٰىَ فَٱتَّقُونِ” – [Fear [only] Me.]
In standard sentence structure, outside Quranic usage, إياي can be replaced by the suffix pronoun ـي (yāʾ al-mutakallim), as in: فاتقوني.
4. إيانا (ʾIyyānā): Us
The separated accusative pronoun إيانا (ʾiyyānā) is neutral and refers to plural groups of males, females, or both, functioning as the object in a sentence. Usually, the pronoun إيانا comes at the beginning for emphasis or other rhetorical or grammatical purposes. Otherwise, the accusative suffix first-person pronoun نا المفعولين (nā al-mafʿūlīn) is attached to the verb and serves as the object in its basic structure.
Example: “وَقَالَ شُرَكَآؤُهُم مَّا كُنتُمْ إِيَّانَا تَعْبُدُونَ” – [“It was not us that you worshipped!”]
Outside Quranic usage, this could be phrased as: ما كنتم تعبدوننا.
5. إياكما (ʾIyyākumā): You (Dual)
The accusative separated pronoun إياكما (ʾiyyākumā) is neutral and refers to two individuals (males, females, or both), functioning as the object in a sentence. Usually, the pronoun إياكما comes at the beginning for emphasis or other rhetorical or grammatical purposes. Otherwise, the accusative suffix second-person pronoun (ـكما) (كاف الخطاب) (kāf al-khiṭāb) is attached to the verb and serves as the object in its basic structure.
Example: إياكما أحب – [Both of you, I love.] This style usually has a rhetorical purpose.
Alternatively, it may be phrased as أحبكما.
6. أنتما (ʾAntumā): You (Dual)
The nominative pronoun أنتما (ʾantumā) is neutral and refers to two individuals (males, females, or both), functioning as the subject in a sentence.
Example: “أَنتُمَا وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَكُمَا ٱلْغَـٰلِبُونَ” – [You and those who follow you will ˹certainly˺ prevail.]
7. هما (Humā): They (Dual)
The pronoun هما (humā) is neutral and refers to two individuals (males, females, or both). It has three functions in Arabic grammar:
- Nominative: Refers to the subject when it comes as a separated nominative pronoun, as in: هما ذهبا إلى المدرسة – [They both went to school.]
- Accusative: Refers to the object, attached to a past form of the verb as in: أكرمتهما – [I honor them both.] In this case, it’s a connected pronoun and called هاء الغائب.
- Genitive: Refers to possession or a prepositional object, as in:
مدرستهما – [their school] – إليهما [for them both.]
8. إياهما (ʾIyyāhumā): Them Two
The accusative separated pronoun إياهما (ʾiyyāhumā) is neutral and refers to two individuals (males, females, or both), functioning as the object in a sentence. Usually, the pronoun إياهما comes at the beginning for emphasis or other rhetorical purposes. Otherwise, the accusative suffix second-person pronoun (ـهما), i.e., the dual form of third-person hāʾ pronoun هاء الغيبة (hāʾ al-ghaybah) is attached to the verb and serves as the object in its basic structure.
Example: إياهما أكرمت – [I honored both of them.]
Alternatively, it may be phrased as أكرمتهما.
9. تاء الفاعل (Tāʾ al-fāʿil): I (Subject Pronoun, Singular)
The connected suffix تاء الفاعل written as (ـتُ) is neutral and refers to a male or female speaker as the subject in a sentence.
Example: سلمتُ على أحمد – [I greeted Ahmad.]
10. نا (Nā): We/Us/Our
The suffix نا (nā) is neutral and has three grammatical forms:
- Nominative (Nā al-fāʿilīn): Refers to the subject attached to a past form of the verb, as in:
أكرمنا حفظة القرآن – [We honor the Quran memorizers.] - Accusative (Nā al-mafʿūlīn): Refers to the object, attached to a present or imperative form of the verb as in:
ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ – [Guide us to the straight path.] - Genitive: Refers to possession or a prepositional object, as in:
مدرستنا – [Our school] – إلينا [for us.]
11. ياء المتكلم (Yāʾ al-mutakallim): Me (Object Pronoun, Singular)
The suffix (ـي) known in Arabic grammar as ياء المتكلم is neutral and functions in two ways:
- Accusative: As the object of a verb, as in Allah’s Saying:
فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِى – [When You took me up.] - Genitive: As part of a possessive or prepositional phrase, as in:
كتابي – [My book.]
12. كاف الخطاب (Kāf al-khiṭāb): You (Dual)
The suffix (كما) as a dual form of كاف الخطاب is a second-person connected neutral pronoun and refers to two individuals (males, females, or both). It functions in two ways in Arabic grammar:
- Accusative: As the object of a verb.
- Genitive: As part of a possessive or prepositional phrase, such as:
كتابكما – [Your book (dual).]
To summarize, most first-person singular and most cases of dual pronouns in Arabic are gender-neutral, meaning they can refer to males, females, or both.
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Conclusion
The topic of she/her pronouns and gender pronouns in Arabic is rarely addressed as a distinct subject in native Arabic grammar books. Instead, pronouns are categorized by meaning, connection, and grammatical case. However, for non-native learners, discussing pronouns from this perspective is crucial for a deeper understanding of Arabic.
Renew your intention to learn Arabic for a more engaging and rewarding journey. Remember, learning Arabic is a communal obligation for the Muslim community and a vital means of understanding Islam. Trust in Allah, and may He facilitate your journey to mastering the language!
Reference
Mubarak, Mazen. من مسالك اللغة في التذكير والتأنيث. Arab Academy
