Asking "What" and Masculine "This"
In Arabic, demonstrative pronouns like "this" must match the gender of the noun they point to. For masculine nouns, use هذا.
To ask "What is this?", combine it with the question word ما. Because Arabic does not use words for "is" or "are" in the present tense, placing "this" directly next to an indefinite noun forms a complete equation.
| What is this? This is a pen. | ما هذا؟ هذا قلم.mâ hâdhâ? hâdhâ qalamun. |
You can also use this structure in yes/no questions:
| Is this a notebook? No, this is a chair. | هل هذا دفتر؟ لا، هذا كرسي.hal hâdhâ daftar? lâ, hâdhâ kursiy. |
Feminine "This"
For feminine nouns—which typically end with the feminine marker ة—use the feminine pronoun هذه.
| What is this? This is a bag. | ما هذه؟ هذه حقيبة.mâ hâdhihi? hâdhihi haqîbah. |
| Is this a board? No, this is a table. | هل هذه سبورة؟ لا، هذه طاولة.hal hâdhihi sabbûrah? lâ, hâdhihi tâwilah. |
Building Longer Sentences
You can expand these sentences by describing the nouns with adjectives, or by connecting phrases with و (and). Remember that adjectives must always match the gender of the noun they describe.
| This is a big desk and this is a new board. | هذا مكتب كبير وهذه سبورة جديدة.hâdhâ maktabun kabîrun wa hâdhihi sabbûratun jadîdatun. |
| This is a paper, and this is a big book. | هذه ورقة، وهذا كتاب كبير.hâdhihi waraqatun, wa hâdhâ kitâbun kabîrun |
You can also naturally contrast masculine and feminine objects in conversation:
| Is this a chair? No, this is a table. | هل هذا كرسي؟ لا، هذه طاولة.hal hâdhâ kursiyyun? lâ, hâdhihi tâwilatun. |