Specifying People and Things

Articles

Are you confused by the terms definite article and indefinite article? What are definite and indefinite articles?

Articles refer to the words "a," "an," and "the." These words are used to mark, or describe, nouns.
Indefinite articles in English are "a" and "an." These words are used with singular nouns to refer to unspecific, or indefinite, things.

I saw a dog.
"A dog" refers to an unspecified dog.

I need a professor.
"A professor" refers to any professor.

The definite article in English is the. The is used with both singular and plural nouns. It is called definite because the is used to refer to specific, or definite, persons, places, or things.

I saw the dog.
"The dog" refers to a specific dog, not just any dog.

I need the professor.
"The professor" refers to a specific professor, and only that particular professor will fill the need.

The definite article ال ("the") is always affixed to the beginning of the word it describes. Furthermore, you may have noticed by now that indefinite articles ("a" and "an") are absent in Arabic altogether.

INDEFINITE NOUNS
(no article is used)		 DEFINITE NOUNS
(the definite article ال is attached)
بيت
bayt
(a) house 		البيت
al-bayt
the house
سيّارة
sayyaara
(a) car 		السيّارة
as-sayyaara
the car
أستاذ
'ustaadh
(a) professor (male) 		الأستاذ
al-'ustaadh
the professor (male)
طالبة
Taaliba
(a) student (female) 		الطالبة
aT-Taaliba
the student (female)

Although the definite article is a vocabulary term in this lesson, you are not expected to become proficient in using it at this point in time. Usage of articles in Arabic differs significantly from usage of articles in English. Nevertheless, we think you should have a surface knowledge of the definity article, so that you can recognize it in context.

Pronouncing the Definite Article ال

You may have noticed that the ل of the definite article isn't always pronounced "L" as one might think it should be; instead it is sometimes pronounced like the first letter of the word it is attached to. Unit 8 of Alif-Baa expounds further on the variations. For now, consider the default pronunciation "al," and then learn some common exceptions, including those listed below.

التلفون Speaker Icon
at-tilifuun
the telephone
الطالب Speaker Icon
aT-Taalib
the student
الدكتور Speaker Icon
ad-ductuur
the doctor
الشركة Speaker Icon
ash-shirka
the company/business
الرقم Speaker Icon
ar-raqam
the number

OPTIONAL: more about pronouncing the definite article