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Arabic has the following demonstrative pronouns/adjectives (this, that, these, those), these words agree with the noun they apply to in number (as in english) but also in gender:

• here, masculine, singular: This - (hādhā) هذا
• here, feminine, singular: This - (hādhihi) هذه
• there, masculine, singular: That - (dhālika) ذلك
• there, feminine, singular: That - (tilka) تلك

• here, masculine & feminine, plural: These - (hā'ulā'i) هؤلَاء
• there, masculine & feminine, plural: Those - ('ulā'ika) اولائك

"this/these" also has a dual form which also has to agree in gender with the noun it applies to. "that/those" technically also has a dual form but it is very rarely used, so it will be omitted:

• here, masculine, dual, nominative: These (two) - (hādhāni) هذان
• here, feminine, dual, nominative: These (two) - (hātāni) هتان
• here, masculine, dual, genitive & accusative: These (two) - (hādhayni) هذين
• here, feminine, dual, genitive & accusative: These (two) - (hātayni) هتين

demonstrative adjective

There are two diffent construction, used in two different case (that means they are not interchangeable) If the noun can take the article, than the construction is demonstrative + article + noun:

let's some usage examples now: (note that the a of the article is between bracket, since it's not pronounced)

Masculine, singular:

• Nominative: This book - (hādhā (a)l-kitābu) هذا الكتاب
• Nominative: That book - (dhālika (a)l-kitābu) ذلك الكتاب
• Genitive: This book - (hādhā (a)-lkitābi) هذا الكتاب
• Genitive: That book - (dhālika (a)-lkitābi) ذلك الكتاب
• Accusative: This book - (hādhā (a)-lkitāba) هذا الكتاب
• Accusative: That book - (dhālika (a)-lkitāba) ذلك الكتاب

Feminine, singular:

• Nominative: This queen - (hādhihi (a)-lmalikatu) هذه الملكة
• Nominative: That queen - (tilka (a)-lmalikatu) تلك الملكة
• Genitive: This queen - (hādhihi (a)l-malikati) هذه الملكة
• Genitive: That queen - (tilka (a)l-malikati) تلك الملكة
• Accusative: This queen - (hādhihi (a)l-malikata) هذه الملكة
• Accusative: That queen - (tilka (a)-lmalikata) تلك الملكة

But what happens when the noun cannot take the article, and when does it happen?

it can happen

1. if it's a proper noun: this John
2. if it's in a construct case: this book of John's (*this John's book)
3. or, similar to the preceding, if it's modified by a possessive pronoun: this book of mine (*this my book)

In this case, the demonstrative follows the pronouns: let's look at some examples:

• this book of yours(m) book of you(m) this : (kitābuka hādhā)‮كتابك هذا‬
• that queen of ours queen of ours that:(malikatanā tilka)‮ملكتنا تلك‬

• that book of the boy book of the boy that ‮كتاب الولد ذلك‬
• this queen of the Egypt queen of Egypt this ‮ملكة مصر هذ‬

• this Mohammed: ‮محمد هذا‬

An important note: the determinative is so strictly bound to the nouns that it breaks the rule that there cannot be anything between the two parts of the construct state:

the book of this queen is translated by

kitābu tilka (a)l-malikati: ‮كتاب تلك الملكة‬

Demonstrative pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns are used, in simple sententences, this way

• (hādhā kitābun) هذا كتاب
• this is a book

Note now that a construction like the following

• (hādhā al-kitābu) ‮هذا الكتاب‬

can both mean this book or that is the book. Notice that this book has no meaning, alone. But even if the meaning it's clear from the contest, a sentence like this is the book is normally written and said with what is called a 'separating[?] pronouns'

* (hādhā huwa al-kitābu) ‮هذا هو الكتاب‬

this -he- is the book

or

• (hādhihi hiya al-malikatu) ‮هذه هي الملكة‬

this -she- is the queen

More to come

• this is a nice book
• this book is nice
• this is the nice book

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