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### Describing Definite Nouns with Relative Pronouns

In Arabic, when you add a descriptive clause to a definite noun (like "the player **who** won" or "the prize **that** I received"), you use a relative pronoun. 

The relative pronoun must agree in gender with the noun it describes and is only used after *definite* nouns (usually starting with الـ).

### The Masculine Relative Pronoun: الذي

For masculine nouns, use the relative pronoun الذي (who / which / that).

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### The Feminine Relative Pronoun: التي

For feminine nouns, use the relative pronoun التي. This applies to both female people and grammatically feminine objects, which frequently end with a tied taa (ة).

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### Linking Objects: The Return Pronoun

In English, we say "The prize that the actor won." In Arabic, when the relative pronoun acts as the object of the descriptive clause, you must include a "return pronoun" attached to a verb or preposition inside the clause. It points back to the original noun. Think of it literally as saying: "The prize that the actor won **it**."

If the described noun is feminine, like جائزة (prize) or ميدالية (medal), you will see the feminine attached pronoun (ـها) used with the verb or preposition, such as in بها (with it).

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Similarly, if the clause describes the location or context of the event, attach a return pronoun to the preposition, like فيها (in it).

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Relative pronouns (الذي / التي)

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)

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)

Expressing purpose (لـ)

Question	Answer
player	لاعبlâ'ib
the one who / which (m)	الذيalladhî
to win	فازfâza
prize	جائزةjâ'iza
The player who won the prize is happy.	اللاعب الذي فاز بالجائزة سعيد.al-lâ'ibu alladhî fâza bil-jâ'izati sa'îd
the one who / which (f)	التيallatî
competition	مسابقةmusâbaqah
champion / hero	بطلbatal
The girl who won the competition is a champion.	البنت التي فازت بالمسابقة بطلة.albintu allatî fâzat bilmusâbaqati baṭalatun
actor	ممثلmumaththil
best / better	أفضلafdal
Where is the actor who got the best prize?	أين الممثل الذي حصل على أفضل جائزة؟ayna al-mumaththilu alladhî hasala alâ afdali jâ'izah
medal	ميداليةmîdâliya
I saw the actress who got the medal.	رأيت الممثلة التي حصلت على الميدالية.ra'aytu al-mumaththilata allati hasalat ala al-mîdâliyati
cup (goblet) / trophy	كأسka's
Our team is the team that won the cup.	فريقنا هو الفريق الذي فاز بالكأس.farîquna huwa alfarîqu alladhî fâza bilka'si
The player who won in the competition is excellent.	اللاعب الذي فاز في المسابقة ممتاز.allâ'ibu alladhî fâza fî al-musâbaqati mumtâzun
The prize that the actor won is large.	الجائزة التي فاز بها الممثل كبيرة.al-jâ'izatu allatî fâza bihâ al-mumaththilu kabîratun
The champion who won the cup is my brother.	البطل الذي فاز بالكأس أخي.albatalulladhi fâza bilka'si akhi
The medal that I won is the best medal.	الميدالية التي فزت بها هي أفضل ميدالية.al-mîdâliyatu allatî fuztu bihâ hiya afdalu mîdâliyah
The match that the player won is important.	المباراة التي فاز بها اللاعب مهمة.al-mubârâtu allatî fâza bihâ al-lâib muhimmah.
The prize that the champion received is the best prize.	الجائزة التي استلمها البطل هي أفضل جائزة.al-jâ'izatu allatî istalamahâ al-baṭalu hiya afḍalu jâ'izatin
Did you watch the competition in which the actor won a medal?	هل شاهدت المسابقة التي فاز فيها الممثل بميدالية؟hal shâhadta al-musâbaqata allatî fâza fîhâ al-mumaththilu bimîdâliyatin?