هم or هني
I've seen the pronoun "they" used as هم or هني. Which one is used more in dialect and how are their conjugations different for possessive, past-tense, present-tense and future-tense?

From my understanding when using هم, possessive conjugations would add هم... at the end, i.e. كتبهم. And for past tense verbs for هم, I would add وا... at the end.

How does this look for Lebanese dialect if I say "they" using هني?

Question

هم or هني
I've seen the pronoun "they" used as هم or هني. Which one is used more in dialect and how are their conjugations different for possessive, past-tense, present-tense and future-tense?

From my understanding when using هم, possessive conjugations would add هم... at the end, i.e. كتبهم. And for past tense verbs for هم, I would add وا... at the end.

How does this look for Lebanese dialect if I say "they" using هني?

Answer

Hey Andrew,
This is purely a question of dialect, or which area of the Levant you're in. In Syria, Lebanon, and northern Israel (i.e. the Galil), people use the standalone pronoun هِنّي (pronounced "hinne" or "hinni") and in the same areas, the corresponding attached pronoun is ـهن (pronounced "...hon" in Syria and Lebanon, and "hen" in northern Israel). Go farther south, and the rest of Israel/Palestine use هُمِّ (pronounced "homme"), and the attached pronoun version is ــهُم (..."hon") . People generally stick with one pair (either n or m) and don't mix them up, depending on the region they're from. I'd suggest using whichever one you'll be around most (in Lebanon its "hinne" and "...hon", using the other pair will make you sound Palestinian).  Best of luck Andrew

Answer

Yes, they are the same. Both mean “they”.