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### Dual Relative Pronouns in the Nominative

In Arabic, relative pronouns (words like "who", "which", or "that") must agree with the noun they describe in gender and number. When referring to exactly two people or things, you must use the dual relative pronouns.

If the noun being described is in the nominative case (for example, if it is the subject of the sentence), we use اللذان for masculine pairs and اللتان for feminine pairs. Notice that both end in the standard dual nominative suffix ان.

{{item:1134316}}

{{item:1134318}}

When talking about two sisters or any feminine pair, the feminine dual relative pronoun is required.

{{item:1134322}}

{{item:1134323}}

### Declension for Accusative and Genitive Cases

While singular and plural relative pronouns in Arabic are fixed and never change their endings, **dual relative pronouns decline for case**, just like regular dual nouns.

When the noun they refer to is in the accusative case (like a direct object) or the genitive case (like the object of a preposition), the ending changes from ان to ين.

| Gender | Nominative | Accusative / Genitive |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | اللذان | اللذين |
| Feminine | اللتان | اللتين |

Let's look at the masculine accusative and genitive forms in action. In the first sentence below, the brothers are the direct object of the verb (accusative). In the second, they follow a preposition (genitive). In both scenarios, the pronoun becomes اللذين.

{{item:1134325}}

{{item:1134327}}

The exact same rule applies to the feminine dual pronoun. It shifts from اللتان to اللتين when the noun it modifies is in the accusative or genitive case.

{{item:1134329}}

{{item:1134330}}

Dual relative pronouns (اللذان / اللتان)

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
brother (full)	شقيقshaqîq
the two who (m. dual nom.)	اللذانalladhâni
to share with each other	تشاركtashâraka
The two brothers who shared the room are twins.	الشقيقان اللذان تشاركا الغرفة توأم.ash-shaqîqâni lladhâni tashârakâ al-ghurfata taw'amun
bond	رابطةrâbita
Where are the two brothers who have a strong bond?	أين الشقيقان اللذان عندهما رابطة قوية؟ayna ash-shaqîqâni alladhâni 'indahumâ râbiṭatun qawiyyah
sister (full)	شقيقةshaqîqah
the two who (f. dual nom.)	اللتانallatâni
features	ملامحmalâmih
The two sisters who share the same features are beautiful.	الشقيقتان اللتان تتشاركان الملامح جميلتان.ash-shaqîqatâni llatâni tatashârakâni l-malâmiḥa jamîlatân
The two sisters who played together are very happy.	الشقيقتان اللتان لعبتا معا سعيدتان جدا.ash-shaqeeqatâni allatâni laibatâ maan saeedatâni jiddan.
the two who (m. dual acc./gen.)	اللذينalladhayni
I saw the two brothers who share the work.	رأيت الشقيقين اللذين يتشاركان العمل.ra'aytu ash-shaqîqayni alladhayni yatashârakâni al-'amala.
jealousy	غيرةghayra
I looked at the two brothers who hide the jealousy between them.	نظرت إلى الشقيقين اللذين يخفيان الغيرة بينهما.nazartu ilâ ash-shaqîqayni alladhayni yukhfiyâni al-ghayrata baynahumâ
the two who (f. dual acc./gen.)	اللتينallatayni
I knew the two sisters whose features changed.	عرفت الشقيقتين اللتين تغيرت ملامحهما.'araftu ash-shaqîqatayni allatayni taghayyarat malâmihuhumâ.
We talked about the two sisters who feel jealous.	تحدثنا عن الشقيقتين اللتين تشعران بالغيرة.tahaddathnâ 'ani ash-shaqîqatayni allatayni tash'urâni bil-ghayra.
Tariq's brother helped the two sisters who felt jealous.	ساعد أخو طارق الشقيقتين اللتين شعرتا بالغيرة.sâ'ada akhû târiqi ash-shaqîqatayni al-latayni sha'aratâ bil-ghayrah.
The two brothers who share the same features have a strong bond.	الشقيقان اللذان يتشاركان الملامح بينهما رابطة قوية.ash-shaqîqâni lladhâni yatashârakâni al-malâmiha baynahumâ râbitatun qawiyyatun
The two sisters who do not feel jealousy are best friends.	الشقيقتان اللتان لا تشعران بالغيرة هما أفضل صديقتين.ash-shaqîqatâni allatâni lâ tash'urâni bil-ghayrati humâ afdalu sadîqatayni
You must respect the two brothers who work together silently.	عليك أن تحترم الشقيقين اللذين يعملان معا صامتين.'alayka an tahtarima ash-shaqîqayni alladhayni ya'malâni ma'an sâmitayn