Breakdown of الشمس والقمر في السماء.
الal
the
وwa
and
شمسshams
sun
قمرqamar
moon
فيfî
in / about, regarding
سماءsamâ'
sky
Questions & Answers about الشمس والقمر في السماء.
Why isn't 'the sun' pronounced 'al-shams'?
The word for sun, شمس, starts with a 'sun letter' (ش). When we add the definite article ال (the), the ل sound gets absorbed by the ش, doubling it. So we say ash-shams instead of 'al-shams'.
Does 'the moon' follow a different rule?
Yes, the word for moon, قمر, starts with a 'moon letter' (ق). Moon letters don't absorb the ل sound. So the 'l' in القمر is pronounced clearly: al-qamar. (This is exactly where the names 'sun' and 'moon' letters come from!)
How exactly do I pronounce في السماء (in the sky) together?
The word سماء (sky) starts with the sun letter س, so the ل is assimilated. Additionally, when you connect the word في (in) to a word starting with ال, the ا of the ال becomes silent. So, the two words merge in pronunciation into something like 'fis-samaa'.
Where is the word for 'are' in this sentence?
There isn't one! In Arabic, you don't use 'is' or 'are' in present-tense sentences. You simply place the subject (الشمس والقمر) and the location (في السماء) side by side, literally saying 'The sun and the moon in the sky'.
Learn الشمس والقمر في السماء and more in Arabic
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free