Grammar term · I'rab · i'rab
أَلْ التَّعْرِيف
al al-ta'rif
Definite article (al-)
I'rab · i'rabDefinitenesscore term
Also written: Ma'rifah and Nakirah · Definite and indefinite · Marifah
In one line
The definite article (the “al-”) that makes a noun definite.
Classical definition
الأَلِفُ وَاللَّامُ حَرْفٌ يُعَرِّفُ الاسْمَ النَّكِرَةَ فَيَصِيرُ مَعْرِفَةً.
“Alif-lam is a particle that makes the indefinite noun definite, so that it becomes a ma'rifa.”
(بتصرف من شذا العرف)
Key words in the Arabic
يُعَرِّفُmakes definite
نَكِرَةan indefinite noun
مَعْرِفَةa definite noun
Understand it
Attach الْ to the front of an indefinite noun and it becomes definite — and the tanwin falls away: كِتَابٌ (“a book”) becomes الْكِتَابُ (“the book”). Before sun letters the lam assimilates in speech — الشَّمْس is pronounced ash-shams — though the spelling keeps ال. Together with idafa, this is one of the two main ways Arabic makes a noun specific.
How to spot it
Recognition test
The prefix ال turning a general noun into a specific one — كِتاب → الكِتاب.
Related terms
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From the free course The Language of Quran — Easier than English (Book 1) (LoQ1), taught by Ustad Muhammad Arjan Ali.