The Definite Article in Arabic

Arabic has one word for "the": the prefix ⁨ال⁩ (al-), written together with its noun. There is no word for "a": a noun without ⁨ال⁩ is indefinite.

How ⁨ال⁩ Works

Write ⁨ال⁩ in front of the noun, with no space. The noun itself doesn't change, and ⁨ال⁩ is the same for masculine and feminine, singular and plural.

Moon Letters: You Hear the L

Before 14 letters, the moon letters (⁨الْحُرُوف الْقَمَرِيَّة⁩), the ⁨ل⁩ is pronounced and carries a sukun: ⁨الْقَمَر⁩ is read al-qamar.

• ء ب ج ح خ ع غ ف ق ك م ه و ي

Sun Letters: The L Disappears

Before the other 14 letters, the sun letters (⁨الْحُرُوف الشَّمْسِيَّة⁩), the ⁨ل⁩ is written but not said. The next letter is doubled instead and carries a shadda: ⁨الشَّمْس⁩ is read ash-shams, not al-shams.

• ت ث د ذ ر ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ل ن

A quick test: sun letters are made with the tip or front of the tongue (t, d, s, n, r and similar sounds). Moon letters are made with the lips or further back in the mouth. ⁨ج⁩ is a moon letter, although it is close to the front.

The a of ⁨ال⁩ Drops After a Vowel

The a of al- is said only at the start of speech. After a vowel it disappears, and the ⁨ا⁩ gets no mark. The short words ⁨وَ⁩ (and) and ⁨بِ⁩ (with, by) join their noun. With ⁨لِ⁩ (for, to), the ⁨ا⁩ is not even written.

⁨ال⁩ for Things in General

Arabic also uses ⁨ال⁩ when it talks about something in general, where English uses no article: ⁨الْقَهْوَة لَذِيذَة⁩ means "Coffee is tasty", and ⁨أُحِبّ الرِّيَاضَة⁩ means "I like sport". Without ⁨ال⁩ the noun means "a" or "some". Fully vowelled books often show this with a doubled vowel mark at the end (⁨كِتَابٌ⁩). This course leaves those endings off, so you will see ⁨كِتَاب⁩.

Common Mistakes

• Saying the ⁨ل⁩ before a sun letter: say ash-shams, not al-shams.
• Forgetting the shadda on a sun letter: ⁨النَّهْر⁩, not ⁨النَهْر⁩.
• Writing ⁨ال⁩ apart from its noun: ⁨الْكِتَاب⁩, not ⁨ال كِتَاب⁩.
• Using ⁨ال⁩ and a possessive ending together: ⁨كِتَابِي⁩ (my book), never ⁨الْكِتَابِي⁩.
• Adding ⁨ال⁩ to every place name: some have it (⁨الْقَاهِرَة⁩, Cairo), others never take it (⁨مِصْر⁩, Egypt).

Example Sentences