{"id":14938,"date":"2017-10-12T15:58:29","date_gmt":"2017-10-12T15:58:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/?p=14938"},"modified":"2017-10-12T15:58:29","modified_gmt":"2017-10-12T15:58:29","slug":"indefinite-nouns-and-definite-nouns-in-arabic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/arabic\/indefinite-nouns-and-definite-nouns-in-arabic\/","title":{"rendered":"Indefinite Nouns and Definite Nouns in Arabic"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Noun \u0627\u0644\u0627\u0633\u0645<\/strong> alism<\/em> in Arabic, any noun that is derived from the verb, can be either Indefinite \u0646\u064e\u0643\u0650\u0631\u064e\u0629<\/strong> nakirah<\/em> or Definite \u0645\u064e\u0639\u0652\u0631\u0650\u0641\u064e\u0629<\/strong> ma\u2018rifah<\/em>. The Indefinite \u0627\u0644\u0646\u0651\u064e\u0643\u0650\u0631\u064e\u0629<\/strong> an-nakirah <\/em>is almost always changeable to Definite following to two morphological rules. Not every Definite, however, is changeable to Indefinite. That is, there are certain nouns that exist only in the Definite form, i.e. not back-formed to Indefinite.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Image by Mohamed Khatab on flickr.com<\/p><\/div>\n

The Indefinite \u0627\u0644\u0646\u0651\u064e\u0643\u0650\u0631\u064e\u0629:<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n

The Indefinite Noun in Arabic is the noun that refers to non-specific entity. It is the default form of nouns that its definite counter form is derived from. In MSA, Indefiniteness is marked, i.e. clearly specified, by using nunnation \u062a\u064e\u0646\u0652\u0648\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0646<\/strong> tanween<\/em>. tanween<\/em> in Arabic essentially means that the noun is indefinite. One of three forms of tanween <\/em>is added to the end of the noun, that is tanween al-fatH \u064b , tanween al-kasr \u064d , <\/em>or tanween aDH<\/u>amm \u064c<\/em>. The type of tanween <\/em>that is added to the noun depends on the grammatical position of the noun, i.e. subject, object of a verb, or object of a preposition. In colloquial Arabic, Arabic speakers opt for \u062a\u064e\u0633\u0652\u0643\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0646<\/strong> taskeen<\/em>, i.e. avoiding final diacritical marks altogether, as in this list:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Dialects <\/u><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

MSA<\/u><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

\u0643\u0650\u062a\u064e\u0627\u0628<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u0643\u0650\u062a\u064e\u0627\u0628\u064b\u0627 \u060c \u0643\u064e\u062a\u064e\u0627\u0628\u064d \u060c \u0643\u0650\u062a\u064e\u0627\u0628\u064c<\/strong>\u00a0 \u2018a book\u2019<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

\u0633\u064e\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0631\u064e\u0629 <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u0633\u064e\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0631\u064e\u0629\u064b \u060c \u0633\u064e\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0631\u064e\u0629\u064d \u060c \u0633\u064e\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0631\u064e\u0629\u064c<\/strong> \u2018a car\u2019<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

\u0631\u064e\u062c\u064f\u0644<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u0631\u064e\u062c\u064f\u0644\u0627\u064b \u060c \u0631\u064e\u062c\u064f\u0644\u064d \u060c \u0631\u064e\u062c\u064f\u0644\u064c<\/strong> \u2018a man\u2019<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

\u0645\u064e\u062f\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0646\u064e\u0629<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u0645\u064e\u062f\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0646\u064e\u0629\u064b \u060c \u0645\u064e\u062f\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0646\u064e\u0629\u064d \u060c \u0645\u064e\u062f\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0646\u064e\u0629\u064c<\/strong> \u2018a city\u2019<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The Definite \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064e\u0639\u0652\u0631\u0650\u0641\u064e\u0629:<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n

The Definite Noun in Arabic is the noun that refers to a specific entity. There are three types of Definite Nouns: 1) definite nouns that exist in Arabic Language to refer to something specific only. These include pronouns, such as \u0623\u064e\u0646\u064e\u0627<\/strong>, \u0647\u064f\u0648\u064e<\/strong>, \u0647\u0650\u064a\u064e<\/strong> and alike; demonstrative pronouns, such as \u0647\u064e\u0630\u064e\u0627<\/strong>, \u0647\u064e\u0630\u0650\u0647\u0650<\/strong> and alike; and relative pronouns, such as \u0627\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0630\u0650\u064a<\/strong>, \u0627\u0644\u0651\u064e\u062a\u0650\u064a<\/strong> and alike. 2) the proper nouns which refer to nouns that people use to refer to a specific person or place, such as \u0623\u064e\u062d\u0652\u0645\u064e\u062f<\/strong>, \u0641\u064e\u0627\u0637\u0650\u0645\u064e\u0629<\/strong>, \u062c\u064f\u0648\u0631\u0652\u062c<\/strong>, \u062f\u064f\u0628\u064e\u064a\u0652<\/strong>, \u0633\u064f\u0648\u0631\u0650\u064a\u064e\u0627<\/strong> and so forth. 3) definite nouns that are derived from the basic form, i.e. changing the Indefinite Noun into a Definite Noun.<\/p>\n

There are two ways to change an indefinite noun in Arabic to a definite: 1) by adding the Arabic definite article \u0627\u0644\u0640<\/strong> to the beginning of the indefinite noun and 2) by adding the indefinite noun to a definite noun, i.e. forming \u0625\u0650\u0636\u064e\u0627\u0641\u064e\u0629<\/strong> iDHafah <\/em>structure.<\/p>\n

Definiteness using \u0627\u0644\u0640<\/strong>: <\/u><\/p>\n

Making an indefinite noun in Arabic definite using this rule is straightforward. You simply add the \u0627\u0644\u0640<\/strong> to the beginning of the indefinite noun. In MSA, the tanween <\/em>is to disappear and is to be replaced by the corresponding single diacritical mark, i.e. fatHah \u064e , kasrah \u0650, <\/em>or DHammah \u064f<\/em>. In Dialects, the only apparent change is the addition of \u0627\u0644\u0640<\/strong>. Here is how the above list would look like after adding \u0627\u0644\u0640<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Dialects<\/u><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

MSA<\/u><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

\u0627\u0644\u0643\u0650\u062a\u064e\u0627\u0628<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u0627\u0644\u0643\u0650\u062a\u064e\u0627\u0628\u064e \u060c \u0627\u0644\u0643\u0650\u062a\u064e\u0627\u0628\u0650 \u060c \u0627\u0644\u0643\u0650\u0640\u062a\u064e\u0627\u0628\u064f<\/strong>\u00a0 \u2018the book\u2019<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u0627\u0644\u0633\u0651\u064e\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0631\u064e\u0629 <\/strong><\/td>\n\n

\u0627\u0644\u0633\u0651\u064e\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0631\u064e\u0629\u064e \u060c \u0627\u0644\u0633\u0651\u064e\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0631\u064e\u0629\u0650 \u060c \u0627\u0644\u0633\u0651\u064e\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0631\u064e\u0629\u064f<\/strong> \u2018the car\u2019<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

\u0627\u0644\u0631\u0651\u064e\u062c\u064f\u0644<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u0627\u0644\u0631\u0651\u064e\u062c\u064f\u0644\u064e \u060c \u0627\u0644\u0631\u0651\u064e\u062c\u064f\u0644\u0650 \u060c \u0627\u0644\u0631\u0651\u064e\u062c\u064f\u0644\u064f<\/strong> \u2018the man\u2019<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064e\u062f\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0646\u064e\u0629<\/strong><\/td>\n\n

\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064e\u062f\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0646\u064e\u0629\u064b \u060c \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064e\u062f\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0646\u064e\u0629\u064f \u060c \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064e\u062f\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0646\u064e\u0629\u0650<\/strong> \u2018the city\u2019<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Another thing you should mind while changing the indefinite into definite in this way is the pronunciation of \u0627\u0644\u0640<\/strong>. If the letter following \u0627\u0644\u0640<\/strong> belongs to the Sun Letters category, it must be assimilated. If it belongs to the Moon Letters category, it mustn\u2019t be assimilated. Hence, the definite article \u0627\u0644\u0640<\/strong> is what distinguishes the Definite \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064e\u0639\u0652\u0631\u0650\u0641\u064e\u0629<\/strong> from the Indefinite \u0627\u0644\u0646\u0651\u064e\u0643\u0650\u0631\u064e\u0629<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Definiteness by iDHafah<\/em> \u0625\u0650\u0636\u064e\u0627\u0641\u064e\u0629<\/strong>: <\/u><\/p>\n

iDHafah <\/em>in Arabic means addition. In the case of definiteness, it means adding the indefinite noun to another noun that is already definite. That is, we add the indefinite noun to any of the abovementioned types of definite nouns. In all cases, the indefinite nouns must precede the definite. The indefinite is called \u0645\u064f\u0636\u064e\u0627\u0641<\/strong> muDHaf <\/em>\u2018the added\u2019, while the definite is called \u0645\u064f\u0636\u064e\u0627\u0641 \u0625\u0650\u0644\u064e\u064a\u0652\u0647 <\/strong>muDHaf iliih <\/em>\u2018the added to\u2019 Let\u2019s look at them one by one.<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Adding the indefinite noun to a pronoun:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    In this case, you must note that the separate pronoun changes to its corresponding object (attached) pronoun as it is attached to the indefinite noun, hence for \u0623\u064e\u0646\u0652\u062a\u064e<\/strong> , use \u0643\u064e<\/strong>; for \u0623\u064e\u0646\u0652\u062a\u0650<\/strong> , use \u0643\u0650<\/strong>; for \u0623\u064e\u0646\u0652\u062a\u064e\u0645<\/strong> , use \u0643\u064f\u0645<\/strong>; for \u0623\u064e\u0646\u0652\u062a\u064f\u0645\u064e\u0627<\/strong> , use \u0643\u064f\u0645\u064e\u0627<\/strong>; and so forth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    \n

    \u0625\u0650\u0636\u064e\u0627\u0641\u064e\u0629 : \u0646\u064e\u0643\u0650\u0631\u064e\u0629 = \u0645\u064e\u0639\u0652\u0631\u0650\u0641\u064e\u0629<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n

    \u0645\u064f\u0636\u064e\u0627\u0641 \u0625\u0650\u0644\u064e\u064a\u0652\u0647 – \u0645\u064e\u0639\u0652\u0631\u0650\u0641\u064e\u0629<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n

    \u0645\u064f\u0636\u064e\u0627\u0641 – \u0646\u064e\u0643\u0650\u0631\u064e\u0629<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    \n

    \u0643\u0650\u062a\u064e\u0627\u0628\u0650\u064a <\/strong>\u2018my book\u2019<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n

    \u0623\u064e\u0646\u064e\u0627 – \u064a<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n

    \u0643\u0650\u062a\u064e\u0627\u0628 <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    \n

    \u0633\u064e\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0631\u064e\u062a\u064f\u0647\u0627 <\/strong>\u2018her car\u2019<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n

    \u0647\u0650\u064a\u064e – \u0647\u0627<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n

    \u0633\u064e\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0631\u064e\u0629<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    \n

    \u0645\u064e\u062f\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0646\u064e\u062a\u064f\u0646\u064e\u0627 <\/strong>\u2018our city\u2019<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n

    \u0646\u064e\u062d\u0652\u0646\u064f – \u0646\u064e\u0627<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n

    \u0645\u064e\u062f\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0646\u064e\u0629 <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

      \n
    • Adding it to a proper noun:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
      \n

      \u0625\u0650\u0636\u064e\u0627\u0641\u064e\u0629 : \u0646\u064e\u0643\u0650\u0631\u064e\u0629 = \u0645\u064e\u0639\u0652\u0631\u0650\u0641\u064e\u0629<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

      		\n

      \u0645\u064f\u0636\u064e\u0627\u0641 \u0625\u0650\u0644\u064e\u064a\u0652\u0647 – \u0645\u064e\u0639\u0652\u0631\u0650\u0641\u064e\u0629<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

      		\n

      \u0645\u064f\u0636\u064e\u0627\u0641 – \u0646\u064e\u0643\u0650\u0631\u064e\u0629<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      \n

      \u0643\u0650\u062a\u064e\u0627\u0628\u064f \u062e\u064e\u0627\u0644\u062f <\/strong>\u2018Khalid\u2019s book\u2019<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

      		\n

      \u062e\u064e\u0627\u0644\u0650\u062f <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

      		\n

      \u0643\u0650\u062a\u064e\u0627\u0628 <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      \n

      \u0633\u064e\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0631\u064e\u0629\u064f \u0641\u064e\u0627\u0637\u0650\u0645\u064e\u0629 <\/strong>\u2018Fatima\u2019s car\u2019<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

      		\n

      \u0641\u064e\u0627\u0637\u0650\u0645\u064e\u0629<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

      		\n

      \u0633\u064e\u064a\u0651\u064e\u0627\u0631\u064e\u0629<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

      \n

      \u0645\u064e\u062f\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0646\u064e\u0629 \u0635\u064e\u0646\u0652\u0639\u064e\u0627\u0621 <\/strong>\u2018Sana\u2019a city\u2019<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

      		\n

      \u0635\u064e\u0646\u0652\u0639\u064e\u0627\u0621 <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

      		\n

      \u0645\u064e\u062f\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0646\u064e\u0629 <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n