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### Pointing to Distant Groups with أولئك

In Arabic, when you want to point to a distant group of people ("those"), you use the demonstrative pronoun أولئك.

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Unlike singular and dual demonstrative pronouns, أولئك is gender-neutral. You can use it to point to a group of men, a group of women, or a mixed group, as long as they are human.

When أولئك is followed by a noun with the definite article (ال), it creates a phrase meaning "those [people]".

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### أولئك in Different Positions

Because أولئك has a fixed form, it never changes its spelling or pronunciation regardless of its role in the sentence. However, the regular plural noun that follows it will still change its ending depending on whether it is the subject (ending in ون) or the object (ending in ين).

Here it is used with the subject of the sentence:

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And here it is used with the object of a verb:

{{item:1120668}}

It can also be used in a possessive construction. Notice how the noun following أولئك takes the ين ending because it is being possessed:

{{item:1120675}}

### Talking About Performances

You can use أولئك alongside new vocabulary to describe what performers are doing at a festival (مهرجان) or with a band (فرقة).

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{{item:1120680}}

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Distant plural pointing (أولئك)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

interrogative

noun

numeral

particle

prefix

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

The definite article and locatives (الـ)

Basic noun gender (ة)

Sun and moon letters

Singular subject pronouns (أنا، أنت، هو، هي)

Indefinite nouns and nominal sentences (ـٌ)

Demonstrative pronouns for 'this' (هذا / هذه)

Separate prepositions (في، من، إلى، على)

Attributive adjectives

Predicative adjectives

Yes/No questions (هل، أ)

Basic questions (من، ما، أين)

Singular possessive pronouns (ـي، ـك، ـه، ـها)

Plural subject pronouns (نحن، أنتم، هم)

Plural possessive pronouns (ـنا، ـكم، ـهم)

Noun possession

Attached prepositions (بـ، لـ، كـ)

Pronouns with prepositions

Having and possessing (عند، لـ، مع)

Regular plural nouns (ـون، ـين، ـات)

Broken plurals

Dual nouns (ـان / ـين)

Plural and distant demonstratives (هؤلاء، ذلك، تلك)

Non-human plural agreement

Present tense singular verbs

Verbal sentences (VSO)

Present tense plural verbs

Topicalized sentences (SVO)

The indefinite accusative case (ـاً)

Verb object pronouns (-ني، -ك، -ه)

Present tense negation (لا)

Question words with verbs (متى، كيف...)

Adverbs of time and place

The future tense (سـ / سوف)

Intentions and desires (أن)

Negating states and possession (ليس)

Past tense singular suffixes

Past tense plural suffixes

Negating past events (ما)

Singular commands

Numbers 1 to 10

Number agreement for 1 and 2 (واحد، اثنان)

Asking how many (كم)

Numbers 3 to 10 (ثلاثة إلى عشرة)

Ordinal numbers 1 to 10 (الأول، الثاني)

Basic conjunctions (فـ، أو، لكن)

Ordering at a café (واحد، اثنان)

Food and drink with conjunctions (و، ف، أو، لكن)

There is and there are (هناك / ليس هناك)

Direct address (يا)

Giving reasons (لأنّ)

Relative pronouns (الذي / التي)

Quantifiers (كل / بعض)

The past tense of 'to be' (كان)

Past possession

Numbers 11 to 19 and tens to 80

Telling time (الساعة)

This book vs this is a book (هذا الكتاب، هذا كتاب)

Greetings (مرحبا، السلام عليكم)

How are you? and goodbye (كيف حالك، مع السلامة)

Nationalities (مصري، مصرية)

Roots and patterns (كتب، كتاب، مكتب)

Politeness (من فضلك، آسف)

Complex possession chains

Colors and traits (أفعل / فعلاء)

Plural colors and traits (فُعْل)

Comparative adjectives (أفعل من)

Superlative adjectives (أفعل)

Adverbs of manner (ـاً)

The nominative case (ـُ)

The genitive case (ـِ)

The accusative case (ـَ)

Dual noun cases (ـان / ـين)

Masculine plurals and 'the best of' (أفضل النجارين)

Emphasizing sentences (إنّ)

Connecting clauses (أنّ)

Reporting speech (قال إنّ)

Expressing contrast (لكنّ)

Comparison and probability (كأنّ, لعلّ)

Plural relative pronouns (الذين, اللواتي)

Past habits (كان + present)

Ongoing actions (ما زال)

Masculine plurals online (مبرمجون، مؤثرون)

Perfective past (قد)

Probability (قد)

The subjunctive mood (أن)

Expressing purpose (لـ)

Question	Answer
those	أولئكulâ'ika
artist	فنانfannân
Those artists are famous.	أولئك الفنانون مشهورون.ulâ'ika alfannânûna mash'hûrûna
dancer	راقصrâqiS
festival	مهرجانmihrajân
We are watching those dancers at the festival.	نحن نشاهد أولئك الراقصين في المهرجان.naḥnu nushâhidu ulâ'ika r-râqiṣîna fî l-mihrajân
to play (music)	عزف'azafa
What are those artists playing?	ماذا يعزف أولئك الفنانون؟mâdhâ ya'zifu ulâ'ika al-fannânûn?
to sing	غنىghannâ
song	أغنيةughniya
Those artists are singing a beautiful song.	أولئك الفنانون يغنون أغنية جميلة.ulâ'ika al-fannânûna yughannûna ughniyatan jamîlatan
voice / sound	صوتsawt
The voice of those artists is very beautiful.	صوت أولئك الفنانين جميل جدا.sawtu ulâ'ika al-fannânîna jamîlun jiddan
to dance	رقصraqasa
Why are those dancers dancing in the street?	لماذا يرقص أولئك الراقصون في الشارع؟limâdhâ yarqusu ulâ'ika r-râqisûna fi sh-shâri'i
band	فرقةfirqa
The band plays music at the festival.	الفرقة تعزف الموسيقى في المهرجان.al-firqatu ta'zifu al-musiqâ fi al-mihrajân
Those artists sing with the band.	أولئك الفنانون يغنون مع الفرقة.ulâ'ika al-fannânûna yughannûna ma'a al-firqati
I heard a new song on the radio.	سمعت أغنية جديدة في المذياع.sami'tu ughniyatan jadîdatan fil-midhyâ'i.
His voice is beautiful as if he is a famous artist.	صوته جميل كأنه فنان مشهور.sawtuhu jamîlun ka'annahu fannânun mash-hûrun
The dancers danced in front of the audience.	الراقصون رقصوا أمام الجمهور.ar-râqiṣûna raqaṣû amâma l-jumhûr
I want to sing a song with that band.	أريد أن أغني أغنية مع تلك الفرقة.urîdu an ughanniya ughniyatan ma'a tilka l-firqah
I do not know those dancers.	لا أعرف أولئك الراقصين.lâ a'rifu ulâ'ika r-râqisîn.
Those artists played at a wonderful party yesterday.	أولئك الفنانون عزفوا في حفلة رائعة أمس.ulâ'ika alfannânûna 'azafû fî haflatin râi'atin amsi