Understanding the Use of Ism Mausul (الَّذِي) in Arabic for Beginners
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Unlocking the "Connector": A Guide to Ism Mausul (الَّذِي)
Welcome to your guide for Durusul Lughah Book 1 Lesson 9. One essential concept for English speakers who are learning Arabic from this book is the relative pronoun (اسم موصول, Ism Mausul).
In this article, we will dive into the use of الَّذِي (Alladhī), a relative pronoun that is used to refer to masculine singular subjects (مفرد مذكر, mufrad mudzakkar). We will explain its function, provide examples, and help you understand how to use it in everyday sentences.
Arabic Text in Durusul Lughah al-Arabiyyah Book 1 Lesson 9
What is Isim Maushul (الَّذِي)?
Isim Maushul (الَّذِي) is a relative pronoun in Arabic that means "who," "which," or "that". It is used to connect a noun with a relative clause, providing more information about that noun.
English vs. Arabic
A relative pronoun is a word that connects two pieces of information. In English, we use words like:
- Who → for people (The student who is studying)
- Which/That → for things (The book that is on the desk)
In Arabic, for a singular, masculine noun (this includes male humans and grammatically masculine objects!), this word is الَّذِي (alladhi). It simply means "the one who" or "the one that".
In Arabic, Ism Mausul is very important because it allows us to provide more details about a person, thing, or animal without repeating the noun. It plays the role of the word "who" or "which" in English.
For example:
• الطَّالِبُ الَّذِي خَرَجَ مِنَ الْفَصْلِ الْآنَ مِنْ إِنْدُونِيسِيَا
The student who just left the classroom is from Indonesia.
(In this sentence, الَّذِي refers to the masculine noun الطَّالِبُ (the student)).
Why is الَّذِي Important in Arabic?
The word الَّذِي is critical for linking different parts of a sentence. It allows us to create a relative clause that gives us more information about a noun. It acts as a connector between the noun and the additional information.
الَّذِي is particularly useful because:
- It helps avoid repetition. Instead of saying the same noun twice, we can replace it with الَّذِي and avoid redundancy.
- It creates clear and detailed sentences.
Let’s See It in Action: Examples from Durusul Lughah book 1 lesson 9B
الطَّالِبُ الَّذِي خَرَجَ مِنَ الْفَصْلِ الْآنَ مِنْ إِنْدُونِيسِيَا
The student who just left the classroom is from Indonesia.
الْكِتَابُ الَّذِي عَلَى الْمَكْتَبِ لِلْمُدَرِّسِ
The book on the desk belongs to the teacher.
(The book that is on the desk belongs to the teacher).
لِمَنْ هَذَا الْقَلَمُ الْجَمِيلُ الَّذِي عَلَى الْمَكْتَبِ؟
Whose beautiful pen is this on the desk?
الْبَيْتُ الْكَبِيرُ الَّذِي فِي ذَلِكَ الشَّارِعِ لِلْوَزِيرِ
The big house on that street belongs to the minister.
(The big house which is on that street belongs to the minister).
السَّرِيرُ الَّذِي فِي غُرْفَةِ خَالِدٍ مَكْسُورٌ
The bed in Khalid’s room is broken.
(The bed which is in Khalid's room is broken).
Do you see the pattern? الَّذِي points back to the noun before it (الطَّالِبُ, الْكِتَابُ, السَّرِيرُ, and so on) and introduces the description that follows.
Key Lessons from the Examples: What to Pay Attention To
1. The word الَّذِي is used only for masculine singular nouns (in Arabic, this is called Mufrad Mudzakkar مفرَد مُذَكَّر).
- Masculine People: الطَّالِبُ (the male student) → الطَّالِبُ الَّذِي...
- Grammatically Masculine Objects: الْكِتَابُ (the book), السَّرِيرُ (the bed) → These are treated as "he" in Arabic grammar, so we also use الَّذِي.
2. Relative pronoun "الَّذِي" handles both human being and non-human (object/thing/animal), if it refers to human being it is translated as "who", and if it refers to animal or thing "that/which".
3. Sentence structure
Example 1
1. A simple sentence: The book is new.
The book: الكِتَابُ
new: جَدِيدٌ
The book is new: الكِتَابُ جَدِيدٌ
- الكِتَابُ : mubtada'
- جَدِيدٌ : khabar
2. A longer (descriptive) sentence): The book that is on the desk is new.
The book: الكِتَابُ
that: الَّذِي
on the desk: عَلَى المَكْتَبِ
new: جَدِيدٌ
The book on the desk is new: الكِتَابُ الَّذِي عَلَى المَكْتَبِ جَدِيدٌ
- الكِتَابُ: mubtada'
- الَّذِي: ism mausul
- عَلَى المَكْتَبِ: relative clause/descriptive clause (silah mausul)
- جَدِيدٌ: khabar
Additional notes:
Remember the agreement:
- الكِتَابُ:masculine singular noun.
- الَّذِي: relative pronoun for masculine singular.
- جَدِيدٌ: masculine singular noun.
Example 2
1. simple sentence: The student is from Indonesia.
The student: الطَّالِبُ
from Indonesia: مِنْ إِنْدُونِيسِيَا
The student is from Indonesia: الطَّالِبُ مِنْ إِنْدُونِيسِيَا
- الطَّالِبُ: mubtada'
- مِنْ إِنْدُونِيسِيَا: khabar
2. A longer (descriptive sentence): The student who just left the classroom is from Indonesia.
The student: الطَّالِبُ
who: الَّذِي
left: خَرَجَ
from classroom: مِنَ الْفَصْلِ
from Indonesia: مِنْ إِنْدُونِيسِيَا
The student who just left the classroom is from Indonesia: الطَّالِبُ الَّذِي خَرَجَ مِنَ الْفَصْلِ مِنْ إِنْدُونِيسِيَا
- الطَّالِبُ: mubtada'
- الَّذِي: ism mausul
- خَرَجَ مِنَ الْفَصْلِ: relative clause/conjunctive/descriptive clause (silah mausul)
- مِنْ إِنْدُونِيسِيَا: khabar
Additional notes:
Remember the agreement:
- الطَّالِبُ: masculine singular noun.
- الَّذِي: relative pronoun for masculine singular.
- خَرَجَ: fi'l madi for masculine singular.
FAQ (Common Questions and Confusion for Beginners)
1. How do I know when to use الَّذِي?
You should use الَّذِي whenever you're describing a singular masculine subject in your sentence. It is used to provide more information about that noun.
Example:
• الْبَيْتُ الَّذِي فِي ذَلِكَ الشَّارِعِ لِلْوَزِيرِ
The big house on that street belongs to the minister.
(Here, الَّذِي describes the masculine subject الْبَيْتُ (the house).)
2. Can الَّذِي be used for plural subjects?
No, الَّذِي is only used for singular masculine subjects. For plural subjects, Arabic uses الَّذِينَ.
In this lesson, we focus on masculine singular relative pronoun "الَّذِي". We will study الَّذِينَ later.
3. What is the difference between الَّذِي and الَّتِي?
The difference is simple: الَّذِي is used for masculine singular nouns, and الَّتِي is used for feminine singular nouns.
Examples:
• الَّذِي for masculine:
الْكِتَابُ الَّذِي عَلَى الطَّاوِلَةِ
The book that is on the table.
(Here, الَّذِي refers to the masculine noun الْكِتَابُ (the book)).
• الَّتِي for feminine:
الْفَتَاةُ الَّتِي جَلَسَتْ فِي الزَّاوِيَةِ
The girl who sat in the corner.
(Here, الَّتِي refers to the feminine noun الْفَتَاةُ (the girl)).
In this lesson, we focus on masculine singular relative pronoun "الَّذِي". We will study الَّتِي later.
4. Does Arabic have different words for "who" (people) and "which" (things)?
This is a big difference from English. الَّذِي is used for both masculine people and masculine things. You translate it based on context.
5. How do I know if an object is "masculine" or "feminine" in Arabic?
This often needs to be memorized, but a common tip: many (not all!) objects ending with ة (ta marbuta) are feminine. Words like كِتَاب (book) and سَرِير (bed) do not end with ة, so they are grammatically masculine. There are some exceptions, but you will study them later.
6. Can I just translate sentences word-for-word from English?
Not quite! Arabic grammar has a different structure. Think of it as building with blocks: Noun + الَّذِي + Description. Practice with the patterns from Durusul Lughah Book 1, and it will become natural.
Conclusion
In summary, الَّذِي (Alladhī) is an essential relative pronoun used in Arabic to connect a noun with additional information about it. It is used specifically for singular masculine nouns, and it helps make sentences clearer and more detailed without redundancy.
When learning Arabic, it is crucial to understand how and when to use الَّذِي, as it is commonly used in everyday sentences. By understanding this concept and practicing with examples, you'll be able to enhance your Arabic fluency and build more complex sentences. Keep practicing, and soon you'll master الَّذِي and other relative pronouns in Arabic!
This article was created based on Durusul Lughah Book 1, Lesson 9, and aims to help English speakers who are just starting to learn Arabic.
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