Relative pronouns (الأسماء الموصولة) connect a noun to a descriptive clause, similar to "who," "which," and "that" in English. They are essential for constructing complex sentences and expressing detailed descriptions. Like demonstratives, Arabic relative pronouns change based on gender and number.
Common Relative Pronouns
- الَّذِي (alladhee): Who/which/that (masculine singular). الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي جَاءَ (The man who came).
- الَّتِي (allatee): Who/which/that (feminine singular). المَرْأَةُ الَّتِي ذَهَبَتْ (The woman who went).
- اللَّذَانِ (alladhaani): Who/which (masculine dual). الرَّجُلَانِ اللَّذَانِ جَاءَا (The two men who came).
- اللَّتَانِ (allataani): Who/which (feminine dual).
- الَّذِينَ (alladheena): Who/which (masculine plural). الطُّلَّابُ الَّذِينَ نَجَحُوا (The students who passed).
- اللَّاتِي / اللَّوَاتِي (allaatee/allawaatee): Who/which (feminine plural).
Structure of Relative Clauses
A relative clause in Arabic consists of the relative pronoun followed by a complete sentence called صلة الموصول (the relative clause). This clause must contain a عائد (returning pronoun) that refers back to the noun being described:
- الكِتَابُ الَّذِي قَرَأْتُهُ (The book that I read it) — هُ is the عائد referring back to الكتاب.
- المَدِينَةُ الَّتِي سَافَرْتُ إِلَيْهَا (The city that I traveled to it) — هَا is the عائد.
Note that relative pronouns are only used when the noun being described is definite. For indefinite nouns, the relative clause is attached directly without a relative pronoun: قَرَأْتُ كِتَابًا أَعْجَبَنِي (I read a book that impressed me — no الذي needed).