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Lesson 3: The Definite Article (ال) Next
Lesson 3: ▶ Part 1: The Definite Article (ال) Part 2 Dialogue Exercises Vocabulary

Notice the Difference

Look at the words on the left, and then look at the exact same words on the right. What changed?

بَيْتٌ
A house
(Any random house)
اَلْبَيْتُ
The house
(A specific house)
كِتَابٌ
A book
اَلْكِتَابُ
The book
وَلَدٌ
A boy
اَلْوَلَدُ
The boy

The Grammatical Math

Did you spot the difference? When we want to make a word specific (Definite), two things happen:

ال

1. Add "AL"

We attach "AL" (ال) to the beginning. This is exactly like the word "The" in English.

ٌ ُ

2. Subtract the Tanween

The double vowel (Tanween) at the end drops down to a single vowel.

The Golden Rule:

AL (ال) and Tanween (ٌ ٍ ً) form a magnetic repulsion. They NEVER exist on the same word together. It is an impossible grammatical error in Arabic.

اَلْـكِتَابٌ اَلْـكِتَابُ

3. Apply the Math!

Turn these general nouns into specific ones by adding "AL" and knocking off the Tanween.

A pen
قَلَمٌ
Tap to Apply "AL"
A door
بَابٌ
Tap to Apply "AL"
A mosque
مَسْجِدٌ
Tap to Apply "AL"
A student
طَالِبٌ
Tap to Apply "AL"
A teacher
مُعَلِّمٌ
Tap to Apply "AL"
A man
رَجُلٌ
Tap to Apply "AL"

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