Nouns: Definite vs Indefinite Forms — Standard Arabic Grammar

Compare these two: (bạytụṇbaytunbaytúbyt) a house and (albạytụalbaytuʾalbaytualbyt) the house. Two things change: the prefix (al-al-ʾal-al-) appears, and the final -n drops.

Indefinite: The Tanwīn

Arabic has no word for 'a.' Instead, indefinite nouns end with a doubled vowel that adds an -n sound, called (tạnwīntanwīntanwiyntnwyn) (tanwīn). The ending depends on the noun's role: -un (subject), -an (object), or -in (after a preposition).

⁧هَذَا كِتَابٌ جَدِيدٌ.⁩
hặḏā kịtābụṇ jạdīdụṇ.hād͟hā kitābun d͟jadīdun.hāḏā kitābú ǧadiydú.hḏa ktab jdyd.
This is a new book.
⁧رَأَيْتُ مُدَرِّسًا.⁩
rạʼạytụ mụdạrrịsạṇ.raʾaytu mudarrisan.raˈaytu mudarrisá.rˈayt mdrsa.
I saw a teacher.
⁧أُرِيدُ قَلَمًا.⁩
ʼụrīdụ qạlạmạṇ.ʾurīdu qalaman.ˈuriydu qalamá.ˈaryd qlma.
I want a pen.

Definite: The Article al-

Adding (al-al-ʾal-al-) (al-) makes a noun definite ('the'). The tanwīn drops — a noun cannot have both (al-al-ʾal-al-) and tanwīn.

⁧الْكِتَابُ عَلَى الْمَكْتَبِ.⁩
alkịtābụ ʕạlā ᵃlmạktạbị.alkitābu ʿalā ᵃlmaktabi.ʾalkitābu ʿalā ᵃlmaktabi.alktab ʕla ᵃlmktb.
The book is on the desk.
⁧الْوَلَدُ يَأْكُلُ.⁩
alwạlạdụ yạʼkụlụ.alwaladu yaʾkulu.ʾalwaladu yaˈkulu.alwld yʼkl.
The boy is eating.

Sun and Moon Letters

The (lịlilil) in (al-al-ʾal-al-⁦) is not always pronounced. Before certain consonants (called 'sun letters' — ⁩⁧ت, ث, د, ذ, ر, ز, س, ش, ص, ض, ط, ظ, ل, ن⁩⁦), the ⁩l is absorbed into the next letter, creating a doubled sound. Before all other consonants ('moon letters'), the l sounds normally.

⁧الْقَمَرُ جَمِيلٌ.⁩
alqạmạrụ jạmīlụṇ.alqamaru d͟jamīlun.ʾalqamaru ǧamiylú.alqmr jmyl.
The moon is beautiful.
⁧الشَّمْسُ حَارَّةٌ.⁩
aššạmsụ ḥārrạẗụṇ.as͟hs͟hamsu ḥārratun.ʾaššamsu ḥārraẗú.alšms ḥarẗ.
The sun is hot.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Standard Arabic course

459 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 1. A few of them, with the words “Nouns: Definite vs Indefinite Forms” is about in bold:

هذه صديقتي آنا, وهي طالبة.
hặḏịhị ṣạdīqạtⁱ ī ʼānnā, wạ hịyạ ṭālịbạẗụṇ.hād͟hihi ṣadīqatⁱ ī ʾānnā, wa hiya ṭālibatun.hāḏihi ṣadiyqatⁱ iy ˈānnā, wa hiya ṭālibaẗú.hḏh ṣdyqtⁱ y ʾana, w hy ṭalbẗ.
This is my friend, Anna. She is a student.
Lesson 2
لدي سيارتان, ودراجتان هوائيتان وثلاث دراجات نارية.
lạdạyyạ sạyyārạtānị, wạ dạrrājạtānị hạwāʼịyyạtānị wạ ṯạlāṯụ dạrrājātịṇ nārịyyạẗịṇ.ladayya sayyāratāni, wa darrād͟jatāni hawāʾiyyatāni wa t͟halāt͟hu darrād͟jātin nāriyyatin.ladayya sayyāratāni, wa darrāǧatāni hawāˌiyyatāni wa ṯalāṯu darrāǧātí nāriyyaẗí.ldy syartan, w drajtan hwaˌiytan w ṯlaṯ drajat naryẗ.
I have two cars, two bicycles, and three motorbikes.
Lesson 33
أشتري موزة واحدة, وست بيضات.
ʼạštạrī mạwzạẗạṇ wāḥịdạẗạṇ, wạ sịttạ bạyḑātịṇ.ʾas͟htarī mawzatan wāḥidatan, wa sitta bayḍātin.ˈaštariy mawzaẗá wāḥidaẗá, wa sitta bayḍātí.ˈaštry mwzẗ waḥdẗ, w st byḍat.
I am buying one banana and six eggs.
Lesson 43

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