Learn Arabic (Modern Standard): هل الكلب هناك؟

In Arabic, "the" isn't a separate word. It is a prefix, الـ (al-), that attaches directly to the beginning of the noun. So, كلب (kalb - a dog) becomes الكلب (al-kalb - the dog).

Do I pronounce the "l" sound in الكلب?

Yes! The Arabic alphabet is divided into "sun" and "moon" letters. The letter ك (k) is a moon letter, meaning the "l" in the الـ prefix is pronounced clearly as "al-kalb". If it were a sun letter, the "l" sound would disappear and the following letter would be doubled.

Where is the word for "is" in this sentence?

Arabic doesn't use words like "is" or "are" in the present tense. To say "The dog is there", you simply state the definite subject (الكلب, the dog) followed by its location (هناك, there). The "is" is naturally understood.

How does هل turn this into a question?

هل (hal) is a handy "question particle" used to ask yes/no questions. You just put it at the very beginning of a normal statement. Since the statement "The dog is there" is الكلب هناك, placing هل in front makes it "Is the dog there?".