Learn · grammar
The Definite Article
אל = ال — "the"
Arabic has one word for "the": al-, written אל in Judeo-Arabic. It attaches to the front of the noun as a single unit. Once you can spot it, a huge share of every page resolves into "the X" — and you'll see why so many First-50 words begin with אל.
One prefix, always attached
Unlike Hebrew ה־, the article is the two letters אל glued to the front of the noun. Saadia writes the noun and its article as one word.
- אלסמאالسماءas-samāʾ
the heaven
סמא = heaven; אל = the.
- אלארץ׳الأرضal-arḍ
the earth
The ארץ׳ you already know — with the article.
- אלנורالنورan-nūr
the light
Sun letters: written, not always said
Before about half the letters — the "sun letters" (ת ث ד ذ ר ז ס ש צ ض ط ظ ל נ) — the ל of אל assimilates in speech to the following sound, even though it is still written. So אלשמס is spelled with a lamed but pronounced ash-shams, not al-shams.
- אלשמסالشمسash-shams
the sun
Sun letter ש: the ל is written but assimilates → ash-shams.
- אלנהארالنهارan-nahār
the day
Sun letter נ → an-nahār.
- אלרבالربar-rabb
the Lord
Sun letter ר → ar-rabb.
Moon letters: said as written
Before the other letters — the "moon letters" (א ב ג ח ך ע ף ק etc.) — the ל is both written and pronounced. אלקמר is simply al-qamar.
- אלקמרالقمرal-qamar
the moon
Moon letter ק → al-qamar (the word that names the whole class).
- אלביתالبيتal-bayt
the house
- אלכתאבالكتابal-kitāb
the book
Check yourself
A few quick questions on what you just read.
אלקמר is pronounced…