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هذه مدرسة.

هذه مدرسة.
This is a school.

Breakdown of هذه مدرسة.

هذه
this
مدرسة
school
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Questions & Answers about هذه مدرسة.

How do I pronounce هذه مدرسة?

A common pronunciation is:

  • هذه = hādhihi (often simplified in careful speech to something like hāði-hi)
  • مدرسة = madrasa(h)

With full case endings (formal, fully vowelled reading):

  • هذه مدرسةٌ = hādhihi madrasatun
    In pause (at the end of the sentence), the final -un is not pronounced, and ة is typically heard as -a(h): madrasa(h).
Why isn’t there a word for is in the sentence?

In Modern Standard Arabic, the present-tense verb to be is usually not stated. This is a verbless (nominal) sentence:

  • هذه = the subject (مبتدأ)
  • مدرسة = the predicate (خبر)

So هذه مدرسة literally works as This (is) a school.

Why is it هذه and not هذا?

Because مدرسة (school) is grammatically feminine in Arabic, and the demonstrative must match:

  • هذا = this (masculine singular)
  • هذه = this (feminine singular)

Since مدرسة is feminine, you say هذه مدرسة.

How do I know that مدرسة is feminine?

Many feminine nouns end with ة (taa marbūṭa), as in مدرسة. This ending is a strong clue that the noun is feminine (though there are exceptions in Arabic overall).

What is the ة at the end of مدرسة, and how is it pronounced?

ة is called taa marbūṭa. Its pronunciation depends on context:

  • When pausing (end of an utterance): usually -a(h) → madrasa(h)
  • When linking to the next word in connected speech (or with grammar endings): it can sound like t
    Example in an iḍāfa (possession): مدرسةُ البنين (madrasatu l-banīn) = the boys’ school
Why is مدرسة indefinite here (no ال)?

Because the meaning is a school (indefinite), not the school (definite). In Arabic:

  • مدرسة = a school
  • المدرسة = the school

So هذه مدرسة is typically This is a school (introducing/identifying something as a school).

What would change if I said هذه المدرسة?

هذه المدرسة makes المدرسة definite:

  • It often means This is the school (a specific, known school), or This school depending on context. Grammatically, you now have a demonstrative + definite noun phrase.
Should there be tanwīn (nunation) on مدرسة?

In fully vowelled MSA, yes, the predicate is typically marked as indefinite with tanwīn:

  • هذه مدرسةٌ (hādhihi madrasatun)

In normal unvowelled writing, the tanwīn is usually not shown:

  • هذه مدرسة (same sentence, just without short vowels/ending marks)

Also, when you stop at the end, the -un is not pronounced anyway.

What is the grammatical role of each word?
  • هذه: demonstrative pronoun, feminine singular; functions as the subject (مبتدأ)
  • مدرسة: noun; functions as the predicate (خبر) describing/identifying the subject

This is a standard subject–predicate nominal sentence pattern in Arabic.

Can I switch the word order and say مدرسة هذه?

In MSA, the most neutral order is هذه مدرسة.
A reversed order like مدرسةٌ هذه can exist in more literary/stylistic contexts for emphasis, but it’s not the typical beginner pattern. For everyday straightforward identification, stick to هذه مدرسة.

Why does ذ in هذه sound unfamiliar—what is it exactly?

The letter ذ (dhāl) is pronounced like the th in this (voiced), not like the th in think (voiceless).
So هذه contains that voiced th sound.

If I want to say That is a school, what would I use instead of هذه?

Use the feminine singular that:

  • تلك مدرسةٌ (fully vowelled)
  • تلك مدرسة (unvowelled)

تلك matches feminine singular nouns like مدرسة.