السترة ملونة.

In Arabic, the present-tense "to be" is usually not stated.

So السترة ملونة literally looks like the jacket colored, but it means The jacket is colored / colorful.

This kind of sentence is called a nominal sentence. In the present tense, Arabic normally just puts:

• the subject first: السترة
• then the description/predicate: ملونة

If you wanted the past, you would usually add a form of كان:

• كانت السترة ملونة = The jacket was colored/colorful

Arabic normally puts adjectives and predicate words after the noun they describe.

Here, السترة is the thing being talked about, and ملونة tells us something about it.

So the order is:

• السترة = the jacket
• ملونة = colored / colorful

This is normal Arabic word order for this kind of sentence.

Also, compare these two:

• السترة ملونة = The jacket is colored/colorful
• السترة الملونة = the colored jacket

That difference is very important.

Because here ملونة is the predicate of the sentence, not an adjective inside a noun phrase.

• السترة ملونة = The jacket is colored/colorful
  • ملونة is the predicate, so it is indefinite in form

But:

• السترة الملونة = the colored jacket
  • now الملونة is a regular adjective modifying السترة
  • so it matches the noun in definiteness and also takes الـ

So the lack of الـ helps show that this sentence means The jacket is colored, not the colored jacket.

Because سترة is a feminine singular noun, and Arabic adjectives/predicates usually agree with the noun in:

• gender
• number

So:

• سترة = feminine singular
• ملونة = feminine singular

The feminine ending here is ة.

Compare:

• السترة ملونة = The jacket is colored (feminine)
• المعطف ملون = The coat is colored (masculine)

It is pronounced as-sitra (or in full case-ending pronunciation, as-sitratu).

Even though it is written with الـ, the ل sound is absorbed because س is a sun letter.

So:

• written: السترة
• pronounced: as-sitra(h)

In fully vocalized writing, the س would show a shadda to reflect that doubled sound.

In fully vocalized Classical/MSA style, it would be:

السِّتْرَةُ مُلَوَّنَةٌ

That is:

• السِّتْرَةُ = as-sitratu
• مُلَوَّنَةٌ = mulawwanatun

Both words are in the nominative here because this is a basic nominal sentence:

• subject (mubtada') → nominative
• predicate (khabar) → nominative

In normal pause pronunciation, those final case endings are often not pronounced, so you may hear something closer to:

• as-sitra mulawwana

The final ة is called tā’ marbūṭa.

Its pronunciation depends on context:

• In pause (stopping at the word), it usually sounds like -a / -ah

  • سترة → sitrah
  • ملونة → mulawwanah

• When grammatical endings are fully pronounced, it sounds like t

  • السِّتْرَةُ = as-sitratu
  • مُلَوَّنَةٌ = mulawwanatun

So learners often see ة and wonder whether it is t or h-like. The answer is: it can behave as both, depending on pronunciation context.

It is related to the verb لوّن which means to color.

ملون / ملونة is a participle-based adjective meaning something like:

• colored
• colorful
• sometimes multicolored, depending on context

So in this sentence, ملونة is functioning as an adjective/predicate, but its form is closely connected to the verb idea to color.

You would say:

السترة الملونة

This is different from:

السترة ملونة

The difference is:

• السترة الملونة = the colored jacket

  • one noun phrase
  • the adjective has الـ because it modifies a definite noun

• السترة ملونة = The jacket is colored

  • a complete sentence
  • ملونة is the predicate, so it does not take الـ

This is one of the most important distinctions for English speakers learning Arabic.