Interrogative Pronoun in Arabic: مَا and مَنْ

This material is fundamental lesson that you have to understand.

We are going to learn interrogative pronoun مَا (what) and مَنْ (who) in Arabic.

First, you have to notice carefully the pictures, then read the explanation below them.

Demonstrative pronoun

• هَذا (hadha) is ism isharah (demonstrative pronoun)
• hadha is used to pointing the following types of noun : singular, masculine, near distance
• The meaning of hadha is "this"
  

•  هَذا (hadha) can be used for both human and things
• Example for human :
• هَذَا طَالِبٌ (hadha taalibun) : This is a student.
• طَالِبٌ is human being, singular, masculine, and near distance.
• Example for things :
• هَذَا قَلَمٌ (hadha qalamun) : This is a pen.
•  قَلَمٌ is thing (non-human), singular, masculine, and near distance.

Interrogative pronoun مَا (maa)

• مَا (maa) is ism istifhaam (interrogative pronoun)
• مَا means "what"
• مَا is used to asking non-human or things
• Example :
• مَا هَذَا؟ هَذَا كِتَابٌ (maa hadha? hadha kitaabun) : What is this? This is a book.

Interrogative pronoun مَنْ (man)

•  مَنْ (man) is ism istifhaam (interrogative pronoun) which is used for asking human being.
• مَنْ (man) means "who"
• Example :
• مَنْ هَذَ؟ هَذَ مُحَمَّدٌ (man hadha? hadha muhammadun) : Who is this? This is Muhammad.

Summary of interrogative pronoun maa and man