Back to Basics: The Definite and Indefinite Article Part 1

In a previous post, we covered the basics of the noun. We went into the singular, the dual, and the plural as well as providing study charts to aid in understanding the differences. With the assistance of Allah, we will now focus on the definite and indefinite article.

In Arabic the noun is either indefinite or definite. The indefinite noun is called الإسْمُ النَّكِرَة. The state of being indefinite is called نَكِرَة. It refers to something general, not specific. For example we can say رَجُلٌ (a man), بَائِعٌ (a seller), شَجَرَة (a tree). It can be masculine or feminine, singular, dual or plural. The equivalent in English is the words “a” or “an”.

Generally, indefinite nouns are recognized by the Tanween written on the last letter. Tanween can be translated as “Nunation”. It is an unwritten and unvowelled Noon at the end of a noun. Instead of writing the word for man as رَجُلُنْ it is written as رَجُلٌ .

The definite nouns is called الإسْمُ المَعْرِفَةُ. The state of being definite is called الْمَعْرِفَةُ. It refers to something specific. The noun is made definite by adding the definite article اَلْ to it. This is known as أَدَاةُ التَّعْرِيْفِ. The definite noun loses the Tanween. You cannot combine the definite article and Tanween together.

Allah willing, in the next post we will break down the six categories of al-Ma’rifah and cover each category in detail.