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When emphasizing "both" of two items, Arabic uses specific dual quantifiers. When these quantifiers take an attached pronoun (meaning "both of them"), they behave like dual nouns. Their endings change to match the case (nominative, accusative, or genitive) and the gender of the nouns they emphasize.

### Nominative Case

When referring to nouns in the nominative case (such as subjects), the quantifiers use an **ا** (alif) before the attached pronoun.

- For masculine nouns, use **كلاهما**
- For feminine nouns, use **كلتاهما**

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### Accusative and Genitive Cases

When the emphasized nouns are in the accusative case (such as direct objects) or the genitive case (such as after a preposition), the quantifier's ending changes from an **ا** (alif) to a **ي** (ya).

- For masculine nouns, use **كليهما**
- For feminine nouns, use **كلتيهما**

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Because the dual endings for the accusative and genitive cases are identical, you use these exact same forms when the emphasized nouns follow a preposition.

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### Summary

Here is a quick reference for the forms when attaching the third-person dual pronoun (هما) to mean "both of them":

| Gender | Nominative | Accusative / Genitive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Masculine | كلاهما | كليهما |
| Feminine | كلتاهما | كلتيهما |

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Dual quantifiers with pronouns (كلاهما / كلتاهما)

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
provider	مزودmuzawwid
The two providers are both excellent.	المزودان كلاهما ممتازان.al-muzawwidâni kilâhumâ mumtâzâni.
tender	مناقصةmunâqasah
both of them	كلتاهماkiltâhumâ
The two tenders are both ready now.	المناقصتان كلتاهما جاهزتان الآن.al-munâqaṣatâni kiltâhumâ jâhizatâni al-âna
to evaluate	قيمqayyama
bid	عطاءatâ'
The manager evaluated both bids.	قيم المدير العطاءين كليهما.qayyama al-mudîru al-'aTâ'ayni kilayhimâ
specification	مواصفةmuwâsafah
technical	تقنيtaqniyy
I read both technical specifications.	قرأت المواصفتين التقنيتين كلتيهما.qara'tu al-muwâsafatayni at-taqniyyatayni kiltayhimâ
duration	مدةmuddah
commitment	التزامiltizâm
We talked with both providers about the duration of the commitment.	تحدثنا مع المزودين كليهما عن مدة الالتزام.tahaddathnâ ma'a al-muzawwidayni kilayhimâ 'an muddati al-iltizâm
Do not agree, Fatima, unless you have evaluated both tenders, for the matter is serious.	لا توافقي يا فاطمة إلا إذا قيمت المناقصتين كلتيهما، فالأمر خطير.lâ tuwâfiqî yâ fâṭimatu illâ idhâ qayyamti al-munâqaṣatayni kiltayhimâ, fal-amru khaṭîrun
Please, send both technical bids.	من فضلك، أرسل العطاءين التقنيين كليهما.min fadlika, arsili l-'atâ'ayni t-tiqniyyayni kilayhimâ
The duration and the commitment are both clear in this bid.	المدة والالتزام كلاهما واضحان في هذا العطاء.al-muddatu wal-iltizâmu kilâhumâ wâdihâni fî hâdhal-'atâ'.
If both providers agree to the specifications, then we will start the project.	إذا وافق المزودان كلاهما على المواصفات، فسنبدأ المشروع.idhâ wâfaqa al-muzawwidâni kilâhumâ ala al-muwâsafâti, fasanabda'u al-mashrûa.
Please, Maryam, evaluate both tenders before the meeting.	لو سمحت يا مريم، قيمي المناقصتين كلتيهما قبل الاجتماع.law samahti yâ maryamu, qayyimî al-munâqasatayni kiltayhimâ qabla al-ijtimâ'i.
preliminary	مبدئيmabda'iyy
competitive	تنافسيtanâfusî
commission	عمولة'umoola
The provider submitted a preliminary price and a competitive bid.	قدم المزود سعرا مبدئيا وعطاء تنافسيا.qaddama al-muzawwidu si'ran mubda'iyyan wa'atâ'an tanâfusiyyan.
The commission in both bids is competitive.	العمولة في العطاءين كليهما تنافسية.al-'umûlatu fî al-'atâ'ayni kilayhimâ tanâfusiyyah.
This is only a preliminary opinion, and the commission is unclear.	هذا رأي مبدئي فقط، والعمولة غير واضحة.hâdhâ ra'yun mabda'iyyun faqat, wal'umûlatu ghayru wâdihatin.

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