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### A sentence or a phrase?

You already know that هذا or هذه followed by an indefinite noun is a complete sentence: *this is a book*. Put the article ال on the noun and it stops being a sentence. هذا الكتاب is only a phrase — *this book* — and you still have to say something about it.

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The first says *this is a new book*: the adjective describes an indefinite noun. The second says *this book is new*: the adjective is what you are saying about *this book*.

| Arabic | structure | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| هذا كتاب | this + indefinite noun | this is a book |
| هذا الكتاب | this + ال-noun | this book (a phrase) |
| هذا الكتاب جديد | phrase + adjective | this book is new |
| هذا هو الكتاب | this + هو + ال-noun | this is the book |

### This is THE book

To say *this is the book* — with a definite noun as the thing you are pointing out — Arabic puts the pronoun **هو** (or **هي** for a feminine noun) between the two parts. Without it, the words would read as the phrase *this book*. The pronoun matches the demonstrative and is not translated.

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

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

interrogative

noun

numeral

particle

prefix

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

The definite article and locatives (الـ)

Basic noun gender (ة)

Sun and moon letters

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)

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
This is a new book.	هذا كتاب جديد.hâdhâ kitâbun jadîdun
This book is new.	هذا الكتاب جديد.hâdhâ al-kitâbu jadîdun.
This is an old car.	هذه سيارة قديمة.hâdhihi sayyâratun qadîmatun
This car is old.	هذه السيارة قديمة.hâdhihi as-sayyâratu qadîmah.
This is a big house.	هذا بيت كبير.hâdhâ baytun kabîrun
This house is big.	هذا البيت كبير.hâdhâ al-baytu kabîrun
This girl is happy.	هذه البنت سعيدة.hâdhihi al-bintu sa'îdatun
Is this food delicious?	هل هذا الطعام لذيذ؟hal hâdhâ at-ta'âmu ladhîdh?
This is the book.	هذا هو الكتاب.hâdhâ huwa al-kitâbu
This is the car.	هذه هي السيارة.hâdhihi hiya as-sayyâratu
This man is the new student.	هذا الرجل هو الطالب الجديد.hâdhâ ar-rajulu huwa at-tâlibu al-jadîd

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