LESSON 3 – الدَّرْسُ الثَّالِثُ

Definite Article – اَلْ

Introduction - مُقَدِّمَةٌ

  • This is the third lesson in our free Arabic language course. This Arabic course with images, videos and audios will help you learn Arabic.
  • In this lesson we will learn about the Arabic definite article الْ which corresponds to the word 'The' in the English Language (known as the definite article in grammar as it refers to a specific object).

    Episode 7 - Lesson 3

    Episode 7 - Lesson 3

    In this video we learn the Arabic definition article (al ال), how the noun could be definite or indefinite, how the noun is pronounced when attached to (al), the difference between the Solar and Lunar Letters

  • Take particular note of the change in the vowel ending when a word is changed to its definite form, i.e. the /tanwīn/ (double vowel) which represents indefinite form e.g. (a house) has been changed to a single /đammah/. It is hence also important to remember that a word can never take /alif lām/ at the beginning and /tanwīn/ at the same time (i.e. it can never be both indefinite and definite at the same time). 
  • Remember to always start reading the examples below from right to left. The first example below will illustrate the change from indefinite form (e.g. a house) to definite form (e.g. the house). 

Please click on the words to hear speech, i.e. how the words should be pronounced.

Madinaharabic.com lesson image

Madinaharabic.com lesson image

Madinaharabic.com lesson image

Madinaharabic.com lesson image

مَسْجِدٌ: الْمَسْجِدُ

كِتَابٌ: الْكِتَابُ

قَلَمٌ: الْقَلَمُ

بَيْتٌ: الْبَيْتُ

The mosque: A mosque

The book:   A book

The pen:   A pen

The house:   A house