Learn Arabic (Modern Standard): أنا طالب جديد.

In Arabic, present tense sentences don't use a verb for "to be" (like "am", "is", or "are"). You simply place the subject أنا (I) next to the descriptive part طالب (student) to create a complete nominal sentence meaning "I am a student."

How do we know it means "a student" if there is no word for "a"?

Arabic does not have a separate word for "a" or "an". A noun is typically indefinite by default. Because طالب lacks the definite article prefix "al-" (the), it naturally translates to "a student". In formal pronunciation, this indefinite state is marked by an "-un" sound at the end of the word, known as Tanween.

Why is the word order طالب جديد (student new) instead of "new student"?

In Arabic, adjectives always come directly after the noun they describe. Therefore, you first state the noun طالب (student), and then describe it with the adjective جديد (new).

Would this sentence look different if a woman was speaking?

Yes! While the pronoun أنا (I) is gender-neutral, the noun and adjective must match the speaker's gender. A woman would add the feminine ending Ta' Marbuta to both words, resulting in أنا طالبة جديدة.