Noun in Arabic Language - definite and indefinite

After studying parts of speech in Arabic, I will continue on the noun (إِسْمٌ).


I just want to recap the last lesson.


The Arabic language has 3 parts of speech, they are:


1. اِسْمٌ  = noun.

2. فِعْلٌ  = verb.

3. حَرْفٌ  =  article.


So, in this lesson, I will explain to you the first part, namely noun or اِسْمٌ

Noun in Arabic

There are two types of noun in Arabic in terms of definiteness, they are:


1. Definite noun = الْمَعْرِفَةُ

2. Indefinite noun = النَّكِرَةُ


Like English, the noun in Arabic can be indefinite or definite.

أَسْمَاءُ النَّكِرَةِ  (indefinite nouns)

Indefinite nouns are names given in general things (common nouns).

Indefinite noun ends with nunnation or tanwiin ( تَنْوِيْنٌ) or doubles vowel sign at the end of the word.


Examples:


— كِتَابٌ = a book.

— قَلَمٌ = a pen

أَسْمَاءُ الْمَعْرِفَةِ  (definite nouns)

Definite nouns are proper names given to a certain person, place, or object.

A definite noun is formed by prefixing “al” (اَلْ)  to the noun.

اَلْ eliminates the تَنْوِيْن  at the end of the word.


Examples:


كِتَابٌ  (kitaabun) = indefinite noun ⇒ a book

الْكِتَابُ  (al-kitaabu) = definite noun  ⇒  the book

قَلَمٌ  (qalamun) = indefinite noun ⇒ a pen

الْقَلَمُ  (al-qalamu) = definite noun  ⇒ the pen


Special notes for the name of  a person:

حَامِدٌ, مُحَمَّدٌ, etc. are with tanwiin, but they are a definite noun.

أَحْمَدُ, إِبْرَاهِيْمُ, etc. are without اَلْ, but they are a definite noun.

Characteristics of a noun

1.  A noun usually has a tanwiin on it.

Example:

كُرْسِيٌّ  = a chair

بَيْتٌ  = a house


2. It can be preceded by اَلْ

Example =

الْبَيْتُ  = the house

الْكُرْسِيُّ  = the chair


3. It can be preceded by harf jar

example =

مِنَ الْبَيْتِ  = from the house

عَلَى الْكُرْسِيِّ  = on the chair.

Noun inflection in the Arabic Language

Nouns can inflect according to the following things:


1. State: definite and indefinite.

Example:

طَبِيْبٌ  = indefinite noun, means a doctor.

الطَّبِيْبُ  = definite noun, means the doctor.



2. Number: singular, dual, plural.

Examples:

Singular noun = طَبِيْبٌ , means a doctor.

Dual = طَبِيْبَانِ , means two doctors.

Plural =  أَطِبَّاءُ , means doctors



3. Gender: masculine, feminine

Examples:

a doctor (male) = طَبِيْبٌ

a doctor (female) = طَبِيْبَةٌ



4. Case: nominative, accusative, genitive.

Examples:

Nominative : طَبِيْبٌ

Accusative: طَبِيْبًا

Genitive : طَبِيْبٍ


After learning definite noun and indefinite noun, we will learn case ending (noun cases) in the next lesson. In shaa Allah.

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Recommended lesson to gain more insight of the definite noun, read this: Learn Nakira and Marifa: Meaning and Examples