11.2: The Arabic Definite Article لام التعريف (الـ)
- Page ID
- 251277
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)In this section, you will be able to:
- Identify the definite article "الـ."
- Differentiate between the Moon and Sun definite articles "الـ."
- Differentiate between and form definite and indefinite nouns.
In this section, you will learn about the article specifying the nouns in Arabic. English has one definite article: the, which indicates a specific noun. Also, Arabic has one definite article: الـ,(AL). The definite article in Arabic is a prefix attached to the beginning of the noun. The definite article consists of two letters Hamza Alwasl and Laam with sukoon( الْـ). Hamza Alwasl is pronounced with fataha, and you do not write the Hamza on the top of the Alif to differentiate the regular Hamza from Hamza Alwasl. Hamza Alwasl is used to pronounce the letter with sukun at the beginning of the word, so it is a tool to help pronounce the silent letter at the beginning of the word. The definite article in Arabic is attached to singular, dual and plural nouns. The definite article in Arabic is called Laam At-ta'areef ("الـ" لام التعريف ).
The building
In Arabic
الْبِنايَة
Definite vs. Indefinite
You will compare the definite article (الْـ) and the indefinite article Tanweenالتنوين.
| لام التعريف Definite Article | التّنوين Indefinite Article. |
| It is a prefix that is attached to the beginning of the noun | It is two identical short vowels comes at the end of the noun |
| It can accompany singular, dual, and plural nouns |
It can accompany singular nouns and irregular plurals. It does not accompany dual and regular plurals nouns. |
| Indicates Hamza Alwasl and silent Laam | Indicates the short vowel and the sound of silent noon () |
| It must be written or typed | It could be ignored in writing and sometimes in typing |
| Recording | Definite | Indefinite | Recording | Definite | Indefinite |
|
|
ُالْعِنْوان | عِنْوانٌ |
|
الْأُسْرَةُ | أُسْرَةٌ |
|
|
ُالْهاتِف | هاتِفٌ |
|
الْخَيْـرُ | خَيْرٌ |
|
|
الْحَمّامُ | حَمّامٌ |
|
الْباصُ | ٌباص |
|
|
الْعَمَلُ | عَمَلٌ |
|
الْخِزانَةُ | خِزانَةٌ |
|
|
ُالْقَهوَة | قَهْوَةٌ |
|
ُالْكوب | ٌكوب |
The pronunciation of the Definite Article الـْ
The definite article in Arabic is pronounced in two ways and it depends on the letter that comes after it. The Laam in the definite article is pronounced silent Lamm if a group of letters follows, and it is called the Moon letters. The moon letters are 13 letters:
أ - ب - ج - ح - خ - ع - غ - ف - ق - ك - م - هـ - و - ي
However, the letter Laam will be dropped, and it won't be pronounced when it is followed by one of the sun letters. "Hamza Alwasl" همزة الوصل will be pronounced as أَ. The sun letters are 15 letters:
ت - ث - د - ذ- ر - ز - س - ش - ص- ض - ط - ظ - ل - ن
You should know the word sun in Arabic is شمس and the word moon is قَمَر. The word الشَّمْس is pronounced "أَشَّمْس" when it is attached to the definite article. The Laam in the definite article before the sun letters is mergerd with the first letter of the noun, and you pronounce the letter with the Shadda. The sun letter always carries a Shadda after the definite article الـ. Check these words:
Listen to these words from right to left with the definite article الـ التعريف which is followed by a sun letter, and pay attention to the stressing sound with Shadda:
التِّلفِزْيونُ- الثِّيابُ - الدَّجاج - الزَّوج - السَّيارَةُ - الرَّماديُّ - الشّايُ - الصُّورَةُ - اللَّحمُ- النَّاديُّ
Important Rules:
You should always write the definite article الـ التعريف regardless if it is followed by a sun letter or a moon letter.
You should drop Hamza Alwasl when the definite article does not begin a sentence, and connect the end of the previous word with the beginning of the word that starts with the definite article. You drop Hamza Alwasl and connect the last letter to the proceed word to the silent Laam if the word starts with the moon letter. However, you drop Hamza Alwasl and the silent Laam if the word starts with the sun letter, and pay attention to the Shadda.
Check the examples:
Listen to the pronunciation of the nouns in Alphabetical orders, and pay attention to the differences between moon and sun letters:
Exercise
Drag and drop the letters in the right box. Differentiate between the sun and moon letter.