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### Moon Letters and the Definite Article

In Arabic, the definite article "the" is formed by attaching the prefix ال to the beginning of a noun.

The Arabic alphabet is divided into two groups based on how they interact with this prefix: "Moon letters" and "Sun letters."

When a noun starts with a Moon letter, the prefix is pronounced exactly as it is spelled, with a clear "L" sound. The word for "moon" (قمر) naturally starts with a Moon letter. Notice the clear "L" sound in the following sentences:

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The word for forest (غابة) also starts with a Moon letter!

### Sun Letters and Assimilation

When a noun starts with a Sun letter, the "L" sound of the definite article is completely dropped. Instead, the first letter of the noun is doubled (pronounced with extra emphasis).

The word for "sun" (شمس) starts with a Sun letter. When we say "the sun" (الشمس), we do not pronounce the "L." Instead, we jump straight from the "a" vowel of the prefix into a doubled "sh" sound.

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Here are more examples of Sun letters in action. Notice how the "L" is swallowed by the words for "river" (نهر), "sky" (سماء), and "tree" (شجرة):

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### Sun and Moon Letters Together

When you mix vocabulary, paying attention to which words drop the "L" sound and which words keep it will greatly improve your pronunciation flow. Listen closely to how the prefix changes depending on the word that follows it.

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Sun and moon letters

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

interrogative

noun

numeral

particle

prefix

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

The definite article and locatives (الـ)

Basic noun gender (ة)

Singular subject pronouns (أنا، أنت، هو، هي)

Indefinite nouns and nominal sentences (ـٌ)

Demonstrative pronouns for 'this' (هذا / هذه)

Separate prepositions (في، من، إلى، على)

Attributive adjectives

Predicative adjectives

Yes/No questions (هل، أ)

Basic questions (من، ما، أين)

Singular possessive pronouns (ـي، ـك، ـه، ـها)

Plural subject pronouns (نحن، أنتم، هم)

Plural possessive pronouns (ـنا، ـكم، ـهم)

Noun possession

Attached prepositions (بـ، لـ، كـ)

Pronouns with prepositions

Having and possessing (عند، لـ، مع)

Regular plural nouns (ـون، ـين، ـات)

Broken plurals

Dual nouns (ـان / ـين)

Plural and distant demonstratives (هؤلاء، ذلك، تلك)

Non-human plural agreement

Present tense singular verbs

Verbal sentences (VSO)

Present tense plural verbs

Topicalized sentences (SVO)

The indefinite accusative case (ـاً)

Verb object pronouns (-ني، -ك، -ه)

Present tense negation (لا)

Question words with verbs (متى، كيف...)

Adverbs of time and place

The future tense (سـ / سوف)

Intentions and desires (أن)

Negating states and possession (ليس)

Past tense singular suffixes

Past tense plural suffixes

Negating past events (ما)

Singular commands

Numbers 1 to 10

Number agreement for 1 and 2 (واحد، اثنان)

Asking how many (كم)

Numbers 3 to 10 (ثلاثة إلى عشرة)

Ordinal numbers 1 to 10 (الأول، الثاني)

Basic conjunctions (فـ، أو، لكن)

Ordering at a café (واحد، اثنان)

Food and drink with conjunctions (و، ف، أو، لكن)

There is and there are (هناك / ليس هناك)

Direct address (يا)

Giving reasons (لأنّ)

Relative pronouns (الذي / التي)

Quantifiers (كل / بعض)

The past tense of 'to be' (كان)

Past possession

Numbers 11 to 19 and tens to 80

Telling time (الساعة)

This book vs this is a book (هذا الكتاب، هذا كتاب)

Greetings (مرحبا، السلام عليكم)

How are you? and goodbye (كيف حالك، مع السلامة)

Nationalities (مصري، مصرية)

Roots and patterns (كتب، كتاب، مكتب)

Politeness (من فضلك، آسف)

Complex possession chains

Colors and traits (أفعل / فعلاء)

Plural colors and traits (فُعْل)

Comparative adjectives (أفعل من)

Superlative adjectives (أفعل)

Adverbs of manner (ـاً)

The nominative case (ـُ)

The genitive case (ـِ)

The accusative case (ـَ)

Dual noun cases (ـان / ـين)

Masculine plurals and 'the best of' (أفضل النجارين)

Emphasizing sentences (إنّ)

Connecting clauses (أنّ)

Reporting speech (قال إنّ)

Expressing contrast (لكنّ)

Comparison and probability (كأنّ, لعلّ)

Distant plural pointing (أولئك)

Plural relative pronouns (الذين, اللواتي)

Past habits (كان + present)

Ongoing actions (ما زال)

Masculine plurals online (مبرمجون، مؤثرون)

Perfective past (قد)

Probability (قد)

The subjunctive mood (أن)

Expressing purpose (لـ)

Question	Answer
sun	شمسshams
moon	قمرqamar
in / about, regarding	فيfî
sky	سماءsamâ'
The sun and the moon are in the sky.	الشمس والقمر في السماء.ash-shamsu wal-qamaru fis-samâ'i.
beautiful	جميلjamîl
The sun is beautiful.	الشمس جميلة.ash-shamsu jamîlatun.
Where is the moon now?	أين القمر الآن؟ayna al-qamaru al-âna؟
The sky is beautiful now.	السماء جميلة الآن.as-samâ'u jamîlatun al-âna
river	نهرnahr
big	كبيرkabîr
Is the big river here?	هل النهر الكبير هنا؟hal an-nahru al-kabîru hunâ
sea	بحرbahr
The sea is big and the river is beautiful.	البحر كبير والنهر جميل.al-bahru kabîrun wa-n-nahru jamîlun
mountain	جبلjabal
forest	غابةghâba
The mountain is in the forest.	الجبل في الغابة.al-jabalu fi l-ghâbah
The sea is there.	البحر هناك.al-bahru hunâka.
tree	شجرةshajara
The tree is big.	الشجرة كبيرة.ash-shajaratu kabîratun.
The flower is beautiful.	الزهرة جميلة.az-zahratu jamîlatun.
Is the tree in the forest?	هل الشجرة في الغابة؟hali ash-shajaratu fi al-ghâbati?
The river is here.	النهر هنا.an-nahru hunâ
Where is the big mountain?	أين الجبل الكبير؟ayna al-jabalu al-kabîru?
The lion is in the big forest.	الأسد في الغابة الكبيرة.al-asadu fî al-ghâbati al-kabîrati.
The sea and the river are here.	البحر والنهر هنا.al-bahru wan-nahru hunâ.

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