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Welcome to Lesson 24 of the Latinum Institute Arabic course for English speakers. Today we will focus on the third person plural pronouns هم (hum) "they" (masculine/mixed) and هنّ (hunna) "they" (feminine). These pronouns are fundamental to Arabic communication and demonstrate the language's gender distinction even in plural forms.
For the complete course index and additional lessons, please visit: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
FAQ Schema: Q: What does هم mean in Arabic? A: هم (hum) means "they" in Arabic when referring to a group of males or a mixed-gender group. For groups that are entirely female, Arabic uses هنّ (hunna). These can function as independent pronouns or be attached as suffixes to verbs, nouns, and prepositions.
In this lesson, we will explore how these third person plural pronouns function in various contexts - as subjects, objects, and possessive markers. You'll see how Arabic maintains gender distinction in the plural, unlike English which uses a single "they" for all groups. The pronouns appear both as independent words and as attached suffixes, showing the rich morphological system of Arabic.
Key Takeaways: -
هم (hum) refers to masculine or mixed groups -
هنّ (hunna) refers to exclusively feminine groups -
Both can stand alone or attach as suffixes -
Verb conjugations change based on gender of "they" -
Essential for describing groups and collective actions
24.1a هم (hum) they-MASC يعملون (yaʿmalūn) they-work في (fī) in المصنع (al-maṣnaʿ) the-factory كل (kull) every يوم (yawm) day
24.1b hum (hum) they-MASC yaʿmalūn (yaʿ-ma-lūn) they-work fī (fī) in al-maṣnaʿ (al-maṣ-naʿ) the-factory kull (kull) every yawm (yawm) day
24.2a رأيت (raʾaytu) I-saw هم (hum) them-MASC في (fī) in السوق (as-sūq) the-market أمس (ams) yesterday
24.2b raʾaytu (ra-ʾay-tu) I-saw hum (hum) them-MASC fī (fī) in as-sūq (as-sūq) the-market ams (ams) yesterday
24.3a هنّ (hunna) they-FEM طالبات (ṭālibāt) students-FEM مجتهدات (mujtahidāt) diligent-FEM في (fī) in الجامعة (al-jāmiʿa) the-university
24.3b hunna (hun-na) they-FEM ṭālibāt (ṭā-li-bāt) students-FEM mujtahidāt (muj-ta-hi-dāt) diligent-FEM fī (fī) in al-jāmiʿa (al-jā-mi-ʿa) the-university
24.4a كتبهم (kutubuhum) books-their-MASC على (ʿalā) on الطاولة (aṭ-ṭāwila) the-table هناك (hunāk) there
24.4b kutubuhum (ku-tu-bu-hum) books-their-MASC ʿalā (ʿa-lā) on aṭ-ṭāwila (aṭ-ṭā-wi-la) the-table hunāk (hu-nāk) there
24.5a سألتهنّ (saʾaltuhunna) I-asked-them-FEM عن (ʿan) about الدرس (ad-dars) the-lesson الجديد (al-jadīd) the-new
24.5b saʾaltuhunna (sa-ʾal-tu-hun-na) I-asked-them-FEM ʿan (ʿan) about ad-dars (ad-dars) the-lesson al-jadīd (al-ja-dīd) the-new
24.6a هم (hum) they-MASC لا (lā) not يعرفون (yaʿrifūn) they-know الطريق (aṭ-ṭarīq) the-way إلى (ilā) to هنا (hunā) here
24.6b hum (hum) they-MASC lā (lā) not yaʿrifūn (yaʿ-ri-fūn) they-know aṭ-ṭarīq (aṭ-ṭa-rīq) the-way ilā (i-lā) to hunā (hu-nā) here
24.7a بيوتهنّ (buyūtuhunna) houses-their-FEM قريبة (qarība) near من (min) from المدرسة (al-madrasa) the-school
24.7b buyūtuhunna (bu-yū-tu-hun-na) houses-their-FEM qarība (qa-rī-ba) near min (min) from al-madrasa (al-mad-ra-sa) the-school
24.8a أعطيتهم (aʿṭaytuhum) I-gave-them-MASC الكتب (al-kutub) the-books التي (allatī) which طلبوها (ṭalabūhā) they-requested-it
24.8b aʿṭaytuhum (aʿ-ṭay-tu-hum) I-gave-them-MASC al-kutub (al-ku-tub) the-books allatī (al-la-tī) which ṭalabūhā (ṭa-la-bū-hā) they-requested-it
24.9a هنّ (hunna) they-FEM يطبخن (yaṭbukhna) they-cook-FEM الطعام (aṭ-ṭaʿām) the-food للعائلة (li-l-ʿāʾila) for-the-family
24.9b hunna (hun-na) they-FEM yaṭbukhna (yaṭ-bukh-na) they-cook-FEM aṭ-ṭaʿām (aṭ-ṭa-ʿām) the-food li-l-ʿāʾila (li-l-ʿā-ʾi-la) for-the-family
24.10a معهم (maʿahum) with-them-MASC أموال (amwāl) money كثيرة (kathīra) much للسفر (li-s-safar) for-the-travel
24.10b maʿahum (ma-ʿa-hum) with-them-MASC amwāl (am-wāl) money kathīra (ka-thī-ra) much li-s-safar (li-s-sa-far) for-the-travel
24.11a هم (hum) they-MASC الذين (alladhīna) who-MASC فازوا (fāzū) they-won بالجائزة (bi-l-jāʾiza) with-the-prize
24.11b hum (hum) they-MASC alladhīna (al-la-dhī-na) who-MASC fāzū (fā-zū) they-won bi-l-jāʾiza (bi-l-jā-ʾi-za) with-the-prize
24.12a أخبرتهنّ (akhbartuhunna) I-informed-them-FEM بالخبر (bi-l-khabar) about-the-news السعيد (as-saʿīd) the-happy
24.12b akhbartuhunna (akh-bar-tu-hun-na) I-informed-them-FEM bi-l-khabar (bi-l-kha-bar) about-the-news as-saʿīd (as-sa-ʿīd) the-happy
24.13a منهم (minhum) from-them-MASC ثلاثة (thalātha) three أطباء (aṭibbāʾ) doctors ومهندسان (wa-muhandisān) and-engineers-two
24.13b minhum (min-hum) from-them-MASC thalātha (tha-lā-tha) three aṭibbāʾ (a-ṭib-bāʾ) doctors wa-muhandisān (wa-mu-han-di-sān) and-engineers-two
24.14a هنّ (hunna) they-FEM اللواتي (allawātī) who-FEM نظّمن (naẓẓamna) they-organized-FEM الحفلة (al-ḥafla) the-party
24.14b hunna (hun-na) they-FEM allawātī (al-la-wā-tī) who-FEM naẓẓamna (naẓ-ẓam-na) they-organized-FEM al-ḥafla (al-ḥaf-la) the-party
24.15a إليهم (ilayhim) to-them-MASC أرسلنا (arsalnā) we-sent الدعوة (ad-daʿwa) the-invitation بالبريد (bi-l-barīd) by-the-mail
24.15b ilayhim (i-lay-him) to-them-MASC arsalnā (ar-sal-nā) we-sent ad-daʿwa (ad-daʿ-wa) the-invitation bi-l-barīd (bi-l-ba-rīd) by-the-mail
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24.1 هم يعملون في المصنع كل يوم They work in the factory every day.
24.2 رأيتهم في السوق أمس I saw them in the market yesterday.
24.3 هنّ طالبات مجتهدات في الجامعة They are diligent students at the university.
24.4 كتبهم على الطاولة هناك Their books are on the table there.
24.5 سألتهنّ عن الدرس الجديد I asked them about the new lesson.
24.6 هم لا يعرفون الطريق إلى هنا They don't know the way here.
24.7 بيوتهنّ قريبة من المدرسة Their houses are near the school.
24.8 أعطيتهم الكتب التي طلبوها I gave them the books they requested.
24.9 هنّ يطبخن الطعام للعائلة They cook food for the family.
24.10 معهم أموال كثيرة للسفر They have a lot of money for travel.
24.11 هم الذين فازوا بالجائزة They are the ones who won the prize.
24.12 أخبرتهنّ بالخبر السعيد I informed them of the happy news.
24.13 منهم ثلاثة أطباء ومهندسان Among them are three doctors and two engineers.
24.14 هنّ اللواتي نظّمن الحفلة They are the ones who organized the party.
24.15 إليهم أرسلنا الدعوة بالبريد To them we sent the invitation by mail.
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24.1 هم يعملون في المصنع كل يوم
24.2 رأيتهم في السوق أمس
24.3 هنّ طالبات مجتهدات في الجامعة
24.4 كتبهم على الطاولة هناك
24.5 سألتهنّ عن الدرس الجديد
24.6 هم لا يعرفون الطريق إلى هنا
24.7 بيوتهنّ قريبة من المدرسة
24.8 أعطيتهم الكتب التي طلبوها
24.9 هنّ يطبخن الطعام للعائلة
24.10 معهم أموال كثيرة للسفر
24.11 هم الذين فازوا بالجائزة
24.12 أخبرتهنّ بالخبر السعيد
24.13 منهم ثلاثة أطباء ومهندسان
24.14 هنّ اللواتي نظّمن الحفلة
24.15 إليهم أرسلنا الدعوة بالبريد
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Grammar Rules for هم / هنّ (hum / hunna) "they"
Arabic distinguishes gender in third person plural pronouns, unlike English which uses a single "they" for all groups. This distinction extends throughout the grammatical system.
The Two Forms: -
هم (hum) - masculine plural or mixed gender groups -
هنّ (hunna) - exclusively feminine plural
Usage Patterns: -
As Independent Pronouns: Both can stand alone as the subject of a sentence: -
هم يدرسون (hum yadrusūn) - They (masc) study -
هنّ يدرسن (hunna yadrusna) - They (fem) study -
As Attached Object Pronouns: -
ـهم (-hum) for masculine: رأيتهم (raʾaytuhum) - I saw them -
ـهنّ (-hunna) for feminine: رأيتهنّ (raʾaytuhunna) - I saw them -
As Possessive Suffixes: -
ـهم (-hum): كتابهم (kitābuhum) - their book (masc) -
ـهنّ (-hunna): كتابهنّ (kitābuhunna) - their book (fem) -
With Prepositions: -
معهم (maʿahum) - with them (masc) -
معهنّ (maʿahunna) - with them (fem)
Verb Agreement: Verbs must agree with the gender of "they": -
Masculine: يفعلون (yafʿalūn) - they do -
Feminine: يفعلن (yafʿalna) - they do
Common Mistakes: -
Using wrong gender: English speakers often default to masculine هم for all groups. Remember: all-female groups require هنّ. -
Forgetting the shadda: The feminine هنّ has a doubled noon (shadda). Pronounce it clearly: hun-na, not hu-na. -
Verb agreement errors: The verb ending changes with gender: -
Masculine: ون- (-ūn) -
Feminine: ن- (-na) -
Mixed groups: Any group with even one male takes masculine هم and masculine verb agreement.
Comparison with English:
English "they" is gender-neutral and unchanging. Arabic "they" requires you to: -
Identify the gender composition of the group -
Choose the appropriate pronoun -
Maintain gender agreement in verbs and adjectives -
Use correct suffix forms when attached
Step-by-Step Guide: -
Identify the group's gender (all female = feminine; any males = masculine) -
Choose هم or هنّ accordingly -
Conjugate the verb with appropriate plural ending -
Make adjectives agree in gender and number -
Use consistent pronoun forms throughout
Relative Pronouns: -
الذين (alladhīna) - who/which (masc plural) -
اللواتي/اللاتي (allawātī/allātī) - who/which (fem plural)
Summary: The هم/هنّ distinction is fundamental to Arabic grammar. It affects not just the pronoun itself but verb conjugations, adjective agreement, and relative pronouns. Master this gender distinction to speak and write Arabic accurately.
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Cultural Significance of Plural Pronouns in Arabic Society
The gender distinction in Arabic plural pronouns reflects deep cultural patterns in Arab society regarding group identity and social organization. This grammatical feature is not merely linguistic but mirrors social realities and cultural values.
Gender-Conscious Language: Arabic's maintenance of gender in plural forms reflects a society that has traditionally recognized distinct roles and spaces for men and women. This extends to how groups are described and addressed in both formal and informal contexts.
Mixed Groups and Social Hierarchy: The rule that mixed groups take masculine pronouns and verb forms reflects historical patriarchal structures. Even one male in a group of females triggers masculine agreement, a grammatical pattern that has sparked discussion among modern Arabic linguists and feminists.
Professional Contexts: In modern professional settings, the use of هم vs هنّ can be significant. All-female professional teams (طبيبات، مهندسات، معلمات) are increasingly common and are properly referred to with feminine pronouns, marking their distinct identity.
Religious Significance: In Islamic texts, the distinction is carefully maintained. The Quran addresses "believing men and believing women" (المؤمنون والمؤمنات) separately in many verses, acknowledging both groups explicitly rather than using a generic masculine plural.
Educational Settings: In schools and universities across the Arab world, the pronoun distinction is practically important. Many educational institutions have gender-separated sections, making the هم/هنّ distinction a daily reality rather than just a grammatical rule.
Media and Public Discourse: Modern Arabic media carefully navigates these pronouns. News anchors will specify "هم وهنّ" (they masculine and they feminine) when addressing mixed audiences, showing linguistic inclusivity.
Regional Variations: While the formal distinction exists in all Arabic varieties, colloquial usage varies: -
Some dialects use هم (humma) for both genders in casual speech -
Others maintain the distinction strictly -
Urban educated speakers often code-switch based on context
Modern Debates: Contemporary discussions about gender-inclusive language in Arabic grapple with these pronouns. Some propose using both forms consistently (هم/هنّ) in formal documents, similar to "he/she" in English, while others argue for context-dependent usage.
Family and Kinship: In family contexts, the pronouns help specify which family members are being discussed. "They" could mean the brothers (هم), the sisters (هنّ), or the siblings collectively (هم for mixed).
Understanding these pronouns is essential not just for grammatical accuracy but for navigating Arab social contexts appropriately and respectfully.
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From "رحلات ابن بطوطة" (Riḥlāt Ibn Baṭṭūṭa) - "The Travels of Ibn Battuta" (14th century)
This excerpt describes Ibn Battuta's observations of different peoples during his extensive travels across the Islamic world.
رأيت (raʾaytu) I-saw هم (hum) them-MASC في (fī) in بلاد (bilād) lands الهند (al-Hind) the-India وهم (wa-hum) and-they-MASC قوم (qawm) people عجيبون (ʿajībūn) wondrous هنّ (hunna) they-FEM نساؤهم (nisāʾuhum) women-their يلبسن (yalbasna) they-wear-FEM الحرير (al-ḥarīr) the-silk الملون (al-mulawwan) the-colored وهم (wa-hum) and-they-MASC رجالهم (rijāluhum) men-their يتاجرون (yatājirūn) they-trade بالتوابل (bi-t-tawābil) in-the-spices منهم (minhum) from-them-MASC من (man) who يعبد (yaʿbud) he-worships الأصنام (al-aṣnām) the-idols ومنهم (wa-minhum) and-from-them-MASC من (man) who يؤمن (yuʾmin) he-believes بالله (bi-llāh) in-Allah لكنهم (lākinnahum) but-they-MASC جميعاً (jamīʿan) all كرماء (kuramāʾ) generous مع (maʿa) with الضيوف (aḍ-ḍuyūf) the-guests
raʾaytu (ra-ʾay-tu) I-saw hum (hum) them-MASC fī (fī) in bilād (bi-lād) lands al-Hind (al-Hind) the-India wa-hum (wa-hum) and-they-MASC qawm (qawm) people ʿajībūn (ʿa-jī-būn) wondrous hunna (hun-na) they-FEM nisāʾuhum (ni-sā-ʾu-hum) women-their yalbasna (yal-bas-na) they-wear-FEM al-ḥarīr (al-ḥa-rīr) the-silk al-mulawwan (al-mu-law-wan) the-colored wa-hum (wa-hum) and-they-MASC rijāluhum (ri-jā-lu-hum) men-their yatājirūn (ya-tā-ji-rūn) they-trade bi-t-tawābil (bi-t-ta-wā-bil) in-the-spices minhum (min-hum) from-them-MASC man (man) who yaʿbud (yaʿ-bud) he-worships al-aṣnām (al-aṣ-nām) the-idols wa-minhum (wa-min-hum) and-from-them-MASC man (man) who yuʾmin (yuʾ-min) he-believes bi-llāh (bi-l-lāh) in-Allah lākinnahum (lā-kin-na-hum) but-they-MASC jamīʿan (ja-mī-ʿan) all kuramāʾ (ku-ra-māʾ) generous maʿa (ma-ʿa) with aḍ-ḍuyūf (aḍ-ḍu-yūf) the-guests
رأيتهم في بلاد الهند وهم قوم عجيبون. هنّ نساؤهم يلبسن الحرير الملون، وهم رجالهم يتاجرون بالتوابل. منهم من يعبد الأصنام ومنهم من يؤمن بالله، لكنهم جميعاً كرماء مع الضيوف.
I saw them in the lands of India, and they are a wondrous people. Their women wear colored silk, and their men trade in spices. Among them are those who worship idols and among them are those who believe in Allah, but they are all generous with guests.
رأيتهم في بلاد الهند وهم قوم عجيبون. هنّ نساؤهم يلبسن الحرير الملون، وهم رجالهم يتاجرون بالتوابل. منهم من يعبد الأصنام ومنهم من يؤمن بالله، لكنهم جميعاً كرماء مع الضيوف.
This passage from Ibn Battuta's famous travelogue demonstrates the sophisticated use of plural pronouns to describe different groups within a society. The alternation between هم (for men/mixed groups) and هنّ (for women) creates a structured observation of Indian society as seen through 14th-century Arab eyes.
The text shows how pronouns organize ethnographic description. Ibn Battuta uses هم to refer to the people generally, then هنّ specifically for women, then back to هم for men, creating clear categorical distinctions. The construction منهم من (among them are those who) is a classical Arabic structure for describing diversity within groups.
The pronouns also carry cultural weight. By using these pronouns to categorize and describe, Ibn Battuta maintains his Arab-Islamic worldview while observing foreign customs. The final unifying statement - "they are all generous" - uses لكنهم to bridge religious differences through shared virtue.
This medieval travel writing established patterns still used in modern Arabic journalism and anthropological writing, where careful pronoun usage helps organize complex social descriptions.
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24.16a الأطفال (al-aṭfāl) the-children يلعبون (yalʿabūn) they-play في (fī) in الحديقة (al-ḥadīqa) the-garden وهم (wa-hum) and-they-MASC سعداء (suʿadāʾ) happy
24.16b al-aṭfāl (al-aṭ-fāl) the-children yalʿabūn (yal-ʿa-būn) they-play fī (fī) in al-ḥadīqa (al-ḥa-dī-qa) the-garden wa-hum (wa-hum) and-they-MASC suʿadāʾ (su-ʿa-dāʾ) happy
24.17a هم (hum) they-MASC ثلاثة (thalātha) three أولاد (awlād) boys وهنّ (wa-hunna) and-they-FEM أربع (arbaʿ) four بنات (banāt) girls
24.17b hum (hum) they-MASC thalātha (tha-lā-tha) three awlād (aw-lād) boys wa-hunna (wa-hun-na) and-they-FEM arbaʿ (ar-baʿ) four banāt (ba-nāt) girls
24.18a معهم (maʿahum) with-them-MASC كرة (kura) ball ملونة (mulawwana) colored يتقاذفونها (yataqādhafūnahā) they-throw-it-back-and-forth
24.18b maʿahum (ma-ʿa-hum) with-them-MASC kura (ku-ra) ball mulawwana (mu-law-wa-na) colored yataqādhafūnahā (ya-ta-qā-dha-fū-na-hā) they-throw-it-back-and-forth
24.19a البنات (al-banāt) the-girls هنّ (hunna) they-FEM يغنين (yughannīn) they-sing-FEM أغنية (ughniya) song جميلة (jamīla) beautiful
24.19b al-banāt (al-ba-nāt) the-girls hunna (hun-na) they-FEM yughannīn (yu-ghan-nīn) they-sing-FEM ughniya (ugh-ni-ya) song jamīla (ja-mī-la) beautiful
24.20a جاءت (jāʾat) came أمهاتهم (ummahātuhum) mothers-their ونادينهم (wa-nādaynahum) and-they-called-them-MASC للغداء (li-l-ghadāʾ) for-the-lunch
24.20b jāʾat (jā-ʾat) came ummahātuhum (um-ma-hā-tu-hum) mothers-their wa-nādaynahum (wa-nā-day-na-hum) and-they-called-them-MASC li-l-ghadāʾ (li-l-gha-dāʾ) for-the-lunch
24.21a لكنهم (lākinnahum) but-they-MASC يريدون (yurīdūn) they-want أن (an) to يستمروا (yastamrrū) they-continue باللعب (bi-l-laʿib) in-the-playing
24.21b lākinnahum (lā-kin-na-hum) but-they-MASC yurīdūn (yu-rī-dūn) they-want an (an) to yastamrrū (yas-ta-mir-rū) they-continue bi-l-laʿib (bi-l-la-ʿib) in-the-playing
24.22a قالت (qālat) said لهم (lahum) to-them-MASC الأمهات (al-ummahāt) the-mothers هيا (hayyā) come-on تعالوا (taʿālaw) come-PLURAL
24.22b qālat (qā-lat) said lahum (la-hum) to-them-MASC al-ummahāt (al-um-ma-hāt) the-mothers hayyā (hay-yā) come-on taʿālaw (ta-ʿā-law) come-PLURAL
24.23a هم (hum) they-MASC جائعون (jāʾiʿūn) hungry-MASC وهنّ (wa-hunna) and-they-FEM جائعات (jāʾiʿāt) hungry-FEM أيضاً (ayḍan) also
24.23b hum (hum) they-MASC jāʾiʿūn (jā-ʾi-ʿūn) hungry-MASC wa-hunna (wa-hun-na) and-they-FEM jāʾiʿāt (jā-ʾi-ʿāt) hungry-FEM ayḍan (ay-ḍan) also
24.24a ركضوا (rakaḍū) they-ran جميعاً (jamīʿan) all وهم (wa-hum) and-they-MASC يضحكون (yaḍḥakūn) they-laugh
24.24b rakaḍū (ra-ka-ḍū) they-ran jamīʿan (ja-mī-ʿan) all wa-hum (wa-hum) and-they-MASC yaḍḥakūn (yaḍ-ḥa-kūn) they-laugh
24.25a غسلوا (ghasalū) they-washed أيديهم (aydiyahum) hands-their قبل (qabl) before أن (an) to يأكلوا (yaʾkulū) they-eat
24.25b ghasalū (gha-sa-lū) they-washed aydiyahum (ay-dī-ya-hum) hands-their qabl (qabl) before an (an) to yaʾkulū (yaʾ-ku-lū) they-eat
24.26a الأولاد (al-awlād) the-boys هم (hum) they-MASC يحبون (yuḥibbūn) they-love الدجاج (ad-dajāj) the-chicken المشوي (al-mashwī) the-grilled
24.26b al-awlād (al-aw-lād) the-boys hum (hum) they-MASC yuḥibbūn (yu-ḥib-būn) they-love ad-dajāj (ad-da-jāj) the-chicken al-mashwī (al-mash-wī) the-grilled
24.27a والبنات (wa-l-banāt) and-the-girls هنّ (hunna) they-FEM يفضلن (yufaḍḍilna) they-prefer-FEM السلطة (as-salaṭa) the-salad الطازجة (aṭ-ṭāzija) the-fresh
24.27b wa-l-banāt (wa-l-ba-nāt) and-the-girls hunna (hun-na) they-FEM yufaḍḍilna (yu-faḍ-ḍil-na) they-prefer-FEM as-salaṭa (as-sa-la-ṭa) the-salad aṭ-ṭāzija (aṭ-ṭā-zi-ja) the-fresh
24.28a بعد (baʿda) after الطعام (aṭ-ṭaʿām) the-food هم (hum) they-MASC يريدون (yurīdūn) they-want الحلوى (al-ḥalwā) the-sweets
24.28b baʿda (baʿ-da) after aṭ-ṭaʿām (aṭ-ṭa-ʿām) the-food hum (hum) they-MASC yurīdūn (yu-rī-dūn) they-want al-ḥalwā (al-ḥal-wā) the-sweets
24.29a أعطتهم (aʿṭathum) she-gave-them-MASC أمهاتهم (ummahātuhum) mothers-their كعكة (kaʿka) cake لذيذة (ladhīdha) delicious
24.29b aʿṭathum (aʿ-ṭat-hum) she-gave-them-MASC ummahātuhum (um-ma-hā-tu-hum) mothers-their kaʿka (kaʿ-ka) cake ladhīdha (la-dhī-dha) delicious
24.30a شكروهنّ (shakarūhunna) they-thanked-them-FEM وهم (wa-hum) and-they-MASC مسرورون (masrūrūn) delighted جداً (jiddan) very
24.30b shakarūhunna (sha-ka-rū-hun-na) they-thanked-them-FEM wa-hum (wa-hum) and-they-MASC masrūrūn (mas-rū-rūn) delighted jiddan (jid-dan) very
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24.16 الأطفال يلعبون في الحديقة وهم سعداء The children play in the garden and they are happy.
24.17 هم ثلاثة أولاد وهنّ أربع بنات They are three boys and they are four girls.
24.18 معهم كرة ملونة يتقاذفونها They have a colored ball they throw back and forth.
24.19 البنات هنّ يغنين أغنية جميلة The girls, they sing a beautiful song.
24.20 جاءت أمهاتهم ونادينهم للغداء Their mothers came and called them for lunch.
24.21 لكنهم يريدون أن يستمروا باللعب But they want to continue playing.
24.22 قالت لهم الأمهات هيا تعالوا The mothers said to them, "Come on, come!"
24.23 هم جائعون وهنّ جائعات أيضاً They (boys) are hungry and they (girls) are hungry too.
24.24 ركضوا جميعاً وهم يضحكون They all ran while laughing.
24.25 غسلوا أيديهم قبل أن يأكلوا They washed their hands before eating.
24.26 الأولاد هم يحبون الدجاج المشوي The boys, they love grilled chicken.
24.27 والبنات هنّ يفضلن السلطة الطازجة And the girls, they prefer fresh salad.
24.28 بعد الطعام هم يريدون الحلوى After the food, they want sweets.
24.29 أعطتهم أمهاتهم كعكة لذيذة Their mothers gave them delicious cake.
24.30 شكروهنّ وهم مسرورون جداً They thanked them (the mothers) and they are very delighted.
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24.16 الأطفال يلعبون في الحديقة وهم سعداء
24.17 هم ثلاثة أولاد وهنّ أربع بنات
24.18 معهم كرة ملونة يتقاذفونها
24.19 البنات هنّ يغنين أغنية جميلة
24.20 جاءت أمهاتهم ونادينهم للغداء
24.21 لكنهم يريدون أن يستمروا باللعب
24.22 قالت لهم الأمهات هيا تعالوا
24.23 هم جائعون وهنّ جائعات أيضاً
24.24 ركضوا جميعاً وهم يضحكون
24.25 غسلوا أيديهم قبل أن يأكلوا
24.26 الأولاد هم يحبون الدجاج المشوي
24.27 والبنات هنّ يفضلن السلطة الطازجة
24.28 بعد الطعام هم يريدون الحلوى
24.29 أعطتهم أمهاتهم كعكة لذيذة
24.30 شكروهنّ وهم مسرورون جداً
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This children's story demonstrates how Arabic handles mixed-gender groups in narrative, a crucial skill for both storytelling and real-world communication. The story naturally alternates between هم for boys/mixed groups and هنّ for girls, teaching gender agreement through context.
Pedagogical Design: Children's literature in Arabic serves as a vehicle for teaching proper grammar. Notice how the story explicitly states "هم ثلاثة أولاد وهنّ أربع بنات" to establish clear gender groups, then maintains consistent pronoun usage throughout.
Natural Gender Agreement: The story shows how adjectives must agree: جائعون (masculine plural) vs جائعات (feminine plural) for the same concept "hungry." This parallel structure reinforces the grammatical pattern through repetition.
Cultural Elements: The story reflects Arab family culture - mothers calling children for meals, emphasis on washing hands, communal eating, and showing gratitude. The gender-differentiated food preferences (boys liking chicken, girls preferring salad) reflect common cultural stereotypes used in educational materials.
Mixed Group Default: When the children act together ("ركضوا جميعاً"), the masculine plural is used, demonstrating the rule that mixed groups take masculine agreement. This is a practical grammar lesson embedded in narrative.
Verb Agreement Patterns: The story showcases different verb forms: يلعبون (masculine plural), يغنين (feminine plural), نادينهم (feminine plural subject with masculine plural object), demonstrating the complexity of Arabic verbal agreement.
The simple narrative structure makes these grammatical concepts accessible to young learners while providing a complete model of how هم and هنّ function in connected discourse rather than isolated sentences.
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Key Sounds for This Lesson:
Basic Pronouns: -
هم (hum) - "hoom" with a light "h" from the throat -
هنّ (hunna) - "hoon-na" with doubled "n" (hold it longer)
Attached Forms: -
ـهم (-hum) - same as above but attached -
ـهنّ (-hunna) - maintains the doubled "n"
Important Distinctions: -
هنّ (hunna) "they-fem" vs هنا (hunā) "here" - the shadda makes a difference -
هم (hum) "they" vs هَمّ (hamm) "worry" - vowel length matters
Verb Endings: -
ـون (-ūn) masculine plural: "oon" as in "moon" -
ـن (-na) feminine plural: simple "na"
Common Combinations: -
منهم (minhum) - "min-hoom" -
معهم (maʿahum) - "ma-ʿa-hoom" -
لهم (lahum) - "la-hoom" -
إليهم (ilayhim) - "i-lay-him"
Stress Patterns: With attached pronouns, stress often shifts: -
كتاب (ki-TĀB) but كتابهم (ki-tā-BU-hum) -
بيت (BAYT) but بيوتهنّ (bu-yū-TU-hun-na)
Assimilation: The "n" of من and عن assimilates with following "h": -
من + هم = منهم (sounds like "mihum" in fast speech) -
عن + هنّ = عنهنّ (sounds like "ʿahunna" in fast speech)
Dialectal Notes: -
Egyptian: هم becomes همّا (humma) -
Levantine: often drops final "n" in verbs -
Gulf: may pronounce هم as "hum" or "uhum"
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The Latinum Institute has been creating innovative online language learning materials since 2006, pioneering methods that make challenging languages accessible to autodidacts worldwide. Our Arabic course uses the proven construed text method, which has helped thousands of students master languages with non-Latin scripts.
This course draws from the pedagogical traditions developed at latinum.org.uk and refined through nearly two decades of online language instruction. The interlinear glossing method employed here allows learners to immediately access meaning while gradually internalizing Arabic script, grammar, and vocabulary patterns.
Our approach combines: -
Systematic word-by-word glossing that makes every text immediately comprehensible -
Authentic literary citations that connect learners with real Arabic culture -
Genre variety that prepares students for different registers and contexts -
Cultural notes that explain not just language but the worldview it expresses
The Latinum Institute's method has received recognition from language learners globally. Reviews and testimonials can be found at: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk
Each lesson in this series builds independent competence, allowing learners to progress at their own pace without prerequisite requirements. The self-contained nature of each lesson means you can start anywhere in the series based on your interests.
For the complete course index and additional resources, visit: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
The Institute continues to expand its offerings, with courses in Latin, Ancient Greek, Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, and many other languages, all using the same proven methodology that makes ancient and modern languages equally accessible to motivated self-learners.
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