zhè liǎng gè rén shì xiōngdì.

Chinese uses this basic order:

demonstrative + number + measure word + noun

So:

• 这 = this / these
• 两 = two
• 个 = measure word
• 人 = person / people

Put together, 这两个人 literally looks like this two [measure word] person, but in natural English it means these two people.

So the pattern is:

• 这个人 = this person
• 这两个人 = these two people
• 那三个人 = those three people

This is a very common question.

In Mandarin, 两 is usually used for two when it comes before a measure word or noun:

• 两个人 = two people
• 两本书 = two books
• 两杯茶 = two cups of tea

二 is more often used for:

• counting numbers
• phone numbers
• math
• fixed expressions
• numbering things in order

Examples:

• 一，二，三
• 二号
• 二月
• 二十

So 两个人 is the normal way to say two people.

个 is a measure word (also called a classifier).

In Chinese, when you use a number with a noun, you usually need a measure word in between. English does not usually do this, but Chinese does.

So:

• 两个人 = two people
• literally: two + measure word + person

For people, 个 is a very common and general measure word. It is not the only one, but it is the most basic and widely used one for beginners.

Other examples:

• 一个人 = one person
• 三个人 = three people

Here it means these in natural English.

Chinese does not always mark singular/plural the same way English does. 这 by itself is basically this, but when it is followed by a number greater than one, the whole phrase becomes plural in meaning:

• 这个人 = this person
• 这两个人 = these two people

So 这 itself does not change form, but the whole phrase tells you whether it is singular or plural.

Chinese nouns usually do not change form for plural the way English nouns do.

So:

• 人 can mean person or people, depending on context.
• 两个人 already clearly means more than one person, so no extra plural marker is needed.

As for 们:

• 们 is a plural marker used mainly with pronouns and some nouns for people
• but it is not normally used after numbers and measure words

So:

• 我们 = we / us
• 他们 = they / them

But:

• 两个人 = correct
• 两个人们 = incorrect

是 is the verb to be when connecting one noun phrase to another noun phrase.

In this sentence:

• 这两个人 = the subject
• 是 = are
• 兄弟 = brothers

So the structure is:

A 是 B = A is/are B

Even though English has am / is / are, Chinese uses the same form 是 for all persons and numbers:

• 我是学生。 = I am a student.
• 他是老师。 = He is a teacher.
• 他们是兄弟。 = They are brothers.

Not in this sentence.

When a noun phrase is being linked to another noun phrase, 是 is normally needed.

So:

• 这两个人是兄弟。 = correct
• 这两个人兄弟。 = not natural / incorrect as a standard sentence

Learners sometimes want to drop 是 because Chinese often omits to be before adjectives, but that is a different pattern.

For example:

• 他很高。 = He is tall.
  Here you do not use 是.

But with nouns:

• 他是老师。 = He is a teacher.
  Here you do use 是.

In this sentence, 兄弟 means brothers.

It refers to male siblings. The word historically contains:

• 兄 = older brother
• 弟 = younger brother

But when combined as 兄弟, it often means brothers in general.

So 这两个人是兄弟。 means the two people are male siblings.

A useful note: in some contexts, 兄弟 can also be used more loosely for bros, buddies, or very close male friends, but in a clear sentence like this, the normal meaning is brothers.

No, not normally.

兄弟 specifically refers to male siblings, or a group of brothers.

If you want to talk about siblings more generally, Chinese uses other expressions, such as:

• 兄弟姐妹 = brothers and sisters / siblings
• 姐妹 = sisters
• 兄妹 = older brother and younger sister
• 姐弟 = older sister and younger brother

So this sentence does not mean These two people are siblings in a gender-neutral sense. It specifically means they are brothers.

Great observation.

The dictionary form is zhè, which is what you see written here. But in natural speech, when 这 comes before a measure word, many speakers pronounce it more like zhèi:

• 这本书
• 这个人
• 这两个人

So in careful written pinyin you may see zhè, but in everyday speech zhèi is very common before classifiers.

Both of these are connected to the same word 这.

Not always.

In careful citation form, it is gè. But in connected speech, 个 is very often pronounced with a neutral tone:

• 一个人 → often sounds like yí ge rén
• 两个人 → often sounds like liǎng ge rén
• 这两个人 → often sounds like zhèi liǎng ge rén

So learners should recognize both:

• dictionary-style: gè
• natural speech: often a lighter ge

Both are possible in English, but the Chinese sentence explicitly includes 人, meaning people.

So a very direct translation is:

• These two people are brothers.

A more natural English translation in many situations could be:

• These two are brothers.

Chinese often keeps nouns where English might leave them out. Including 人 makes the phrase very clear and complete.

It is a normal and correct sentence.

A native speaker might also say other versions depending on context, for example:

• 这两个人是兄弟。 = These two people are brothers.
• 他们是兄弟。 = They are brothers.
• 这俩人是兄弟。 = These two are brothers.
  This is more colloquial spoken Mandarin.

But the sentence you have is standard, clear, and very good for learning the grammar pattern.