اللذان / اللتان

Relative Words for Two

Level 3

اللذان (masculine) and اللتان (feminine) are relative pronouns used to describe exactly two people or things. Unlike the singular forms, these change their endings based on the grammatical case.

How It Works

Relative pronouns in Arabic act as a bridge between a definite noun and the clause that describes it. While singular forms like الذي and التي are fixed, the dual forms are declinable (mu‘rab).

1. Gender Agreement:

  • اللذان / اللذين: Used for two males or a mixed pair.
  • اللتان / اللتين: Used for two females.

2. Case Agreement:
The dual relative pronoun must match the case ending of the noun it follows:

  • Nominative (-āni): Used when the noun is the subject (e.g., اللذان / اللتان).
  • Accusative/Genitive (-ayni): Used when the noun is an object or follows a preposition (e.g., اللذين / اللتين).

3. Orthography Note:
A critical spelling rule distinguishes the dual from other forms. The dual relative pronouns are written with two Lams (للـ). This contrasts with the singular الذي and التي and the masculine plural الذين, which are written with only one Lam. Note that feminine plural forms like اللواتي or اللاتي and اللائي are written with two Lams. Always check the number of Lams to ensure you are not confusing the dual 'the two who' (اللذين) with the masculine plural 'those who' (الذين).

4. The Returning Pronoun (ɁĀɁid):
In Arabic relative clauses, the clause must contain an overt or understood returning pronoun within the clause that refers back to the noun. For the dual, this is usually the dual suffix on a verb or a dual attached pronoun. For example: الولدان اللذان سافرا (The two boys who [they two] traveled).

5. Non-Human Duals:
Unlike non-human plurals (which are treated as feminine singular), non-human duals are treated as dual. You must use the dual relative pronouns for two books or two cars, not the singular feminine form.

6. Register:
These are standard written and formal spoken forms. Many dialects instead use an invariant relative such as illi; the exact colloquial form varies by region. However, in writing and formal speech, becoming proficient in the correct dual form is essential for grammatical accuracy.

After an Indefinite Noun: An ordinary descriptive clause follows directly, without اللذان/اللتان: وَصَلَ وَلَدَانِ فَازَا بِالسِّبَاقِ (two boys who won the race arrived). Compare the definite الولدان اللذان فازا. The returning reference remains: the dual ending in فازا refers to the two boys.

Examples (4)

  1. وصل الولدان اللذان فازا بالسباق.

    The two boys who won the race arrived.

    Word by Word: Arrived the two boys the two who they two won in the race.

    Here, 'اللذان' is masculine dual and nominative because 'الولدان' is the subject of the sentence.

  2. رأيتُ البنتين اللتين تدرسان الطب.

    I saw the two girls who study medicine.

    Word by Word: I saw the two girls the two who they two study the medicine.

    Because 'البنتين' is the direct object (accusative), the relative pronoun changes to 'اللتين'.

  3. تحدثتُ مع المعلمَين اللذينِ في المدرسة.

    I spoke with the two teachers who are in the school.

    Word by Word: I spoke with the two teachers the two who in the school.

    مع is traditionally an adverbial noun in iḍāfa. Its complement المعلمَين is genitive, and the dependent relative اللذين agrees with that genitive dual form. The prepositional phrase في المدرسة serves as the relative clause with an understood linking predicate.

  4. هاتان هما القصتان اللتان قرأتُهما.

    These are the two stories that I read.

    Word by Word: These two they two the two stories the two who I read them two.

    Note the use of the 'resumptive pronoun' (-humā) at the end of the verb to refer back to the stories.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the nominative form for an object.

    قرأتُ الكتابين اللذان اشتريتهما.
    قرأتُ الكتابين اللذين اشتريتهما.

    Since 'الكتابين' is the object (accusative), the relative pronoun must also be in the accusative form 'اللذين'.

  • Confusing the dual masculine 'اللذين' with the plural 'الذين'.

    رأيتُ الطالبين الذين نجحا.
    رأيتُ الطالبين اللذين نجحا.

    The dual form (for two) must be written with two Lams (اللذين), whereas the masculine plural form (for three or more) is written with only one Lam (الذين).

  • Using feminine singular for non-human duals.

    الكتابان التي...
    الكتابان اللذان...

    The rule that non-human plurals are treated as feminine singular only applies to three or more items. For exactly two items, you must use the dual form.

How It Connects

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اللذان / اللتانLevel 3Relative Words for Two

Learn This First

To understand the dual relative pronouns, you first need to understand the basic concept of relative pronouns (who/which) in the singular. Additionally, since these forms are specific to pairs, you must be familiar with how Arabic forms the dual case and how gender agreement works.