This and that: near and far
Arabic · Key Stage 1 · The School
Near: this
You already know هٰذا (hādhā) for "this", masculine, and هٰذِهِ (hādhihi) for "this", feminine. Both mean something close to you, near enough almost to touch. Point at something right next to you as you say it. Try it with something nearby.
Far: that
For something far away, Arabic uses different words. ذٰلِكَ (dhālika) means "that", masculine. تِلْكَ (tilka) means "that", feminine. Point at something across the room, or outside a window, as you say them. Distance changes the whole word choice.
Choosing near or far
Hold a book in your hand: هٰذا كِتاب, this book, near. Point at a book across the room: ذٰلِكَ كِتاب, that book, far. Same object, same gender, but a genuinely different word because the distance changed. Distance really does matter here.
Four objects, near and far
Pick up a pen right in your hand and say هٰذا قَلَم, this pen, masculine and near. Point at a school building far down the street and say ذٰلِكَ بَيْت, that house, masculine and far. Hold a small feminine object, a bag, and say هٰذِهِ حَقيبة, this bag, feminine and near. Point at a distant, feminine car and say تِلْكَ سَيّارة, that car, feminine and far. Four objects, two genders, two distances, and four genuinely different demonstrative words, all chosen correctly on purpose.
Checking both things at once
Before choosing, always check two things together. How far is it, near or far? What gender is it, masculine or feminine? Both answers together give you exactly one correct word out of the four, every single time. Practise it until it is easy.