Nouns: Definite vs Indefinite Forms — Standard Arabic Grammar

Compare these two: (baytun, a house) and (al-baytu, 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 (tanwīntanwīntanwiyntanwyn) (tanwīn). The ending depends on the noun's role: -un (subject), -an (object), or -in (after a preposition).

⁧هَذَا كِتَابٌ جَدِيدٌ.⁩
hādhā kitābun jadīdun.hādhā kitābun d͟jadīdun.hādhā kitābun ǧadiydun.hadha kitabun jadydun.
This is a new book.
⁧رَأَيْتُ مُدَرِّسًا.⁩
ra’aytu mudarrisan.ra’aytu mudarrisan.ra’aytu mudarrisan.ra’aytu mudarisan.
I saw a teacher.
⁧أُرِيدُ قَلَمًا.⁩
urīdu qalaman.urīdu qalaman.uriydu qalaman.urydu qalaman.
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.⁩
al-kitābu ‘alá al-maktabi.al-kitābu ‘alá al-maktabi.ʾal-kitābu ‘alá ʾal-maktabi.al-kitabu ‘alá al-maktabi.
The book is on the desk.
⁧الْوَلَدُ يَأْكُلُ.⁩
al-waladu ya’kulu.al-waladu ya’kulu.ʾal-waladu ya’kulu.al-waladu ya’kulu.
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.⁩
al-qamaru jamīlun.al-qamaru d͟jamīlun.ʾal-qamaru ǧamiylun.al-qamaru jamylun.
The moon is beautiful.
⁧الشَّمْسُ حَارَّةٌ.⁩
ash-shamsu ḥārratun.ash-shamsu ḥārratun.ʾash-shamsu ḥārratun.ash-shamsu ḥaratun.
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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