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### The Dual Quantifiers: Both (كلا / كلتا)

In Arabic, when you want to talk about "both" items or people in a pair, you use special dual quantifiers. There are separate forms for masculine and feminine nouns.

### Masculine: كلا

To say "both" for masculine nouns, use the word كلا. Grammar-wise, this word acts as the first part of an *idafa* (possessive) construction.

Because it forms an *idafa*, the dual noun that directly follows it must be definite (taking ال) and in the genitive case. For dual nouns, the genitive ending is ـين instead of the standard nominative ـان.

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Notice how the nouns "suggestions" and "alternatives" end in ـين because of the *idafa*, while the adjectives describing them at the end of the sentence use the regular nominative dual ending ـان.

### Feminine: كلتا

For feminine nouns, use the feminine equivalent كلتا. It follows the exact same *idafa* rules: the feminine noun that follows takes ال and the dual genitive ending ـين.

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### Prepositions and Cases

Because the noun following كلا or كلتا is firmly locked in the genitive case (ending in ـين) by the *idafa*, adding a preposition before the phrase doesn't change the ending of that noun. The words كلا and كلتا themselves also keep their exact same form.

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Dual quantifiers (كلا / كلتا)

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)

Distant plural pointing (أولئك)

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)

Question	Answer
both	كلاkilâ
suggestion	اقتراحiqtirâh
useful	مفيدmufîd
Both suggestions are useful.	كلا الاقتراحين مفيدان.kilâ al-iqtirâhayni mufîdâni.
both	كلتاkiltâ
advantage	ميزةmîza
similar	متشابهmutashâbih
Both advantages are similar.	كلتا الميزتين متشابهتان.kiltal-mîzatayni mutashâbihatân.
alternative	بديلbadîl
suitable	مناسبmunâsib
Is this alternative suitable?	هل هذا البديل مناسب؟hal hâdhâ l-badîlu munâsib?
rejected	مرفوضmarfûd
Both alternatives are rejected.	كلا البديلين مرفوضان.kilâ l-badîlayni marfûdâni
identical	متطابقmutatâbiq
Both copies are identical.	كلتا النسختين متطابقتان.kiltā n-nuskhatayni mutaṭābiqatāni
disadvantage	عيبayb
This is the disadvantage that I found.	هذا هو العيب الذي وجدته.hâdhâ huwa al-aybu alladhî wajadtuhu
There is a disadvantage in both projects.	هناك عيب في كلا المشروعين.hunâka 'aybun fî kilâ al-mashrû'ayn.
The advantage that you explained is useful.	الميزة التي شرحتها مفيدة.al-mîzatu allatî sharahtahâ mufîdah.
The two suggestions are similar.	الاقتراحان متشابهان.al-iqtirâhâni mutashâbihâni
Both advantages are very useful.	كلتا الميزتين مفيدتان جدا.kiltâ al-mîzatayni mufîdatâni jiddan.
Are both suggestions identical?	هل كلا الاقتراحين متطابقان؟hal kilal-iqtirâhayni mutatâbiqâni
Why is this suggestion rejected?	لماذا هذا الاقتراح مرفوض؟limâdhâ hâdha al-iqtirâhu marfûd?
I am going to both restaurants.	أنا ذاهب إلى كلا المطعمين.ana dhâhibun ilâ kilâ al-mataamayni
Both ideas are suitable.	كلتا الفكرتين مناسبة.kiltal fikratayni munâsiba

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