Articles
Articles (a/an, the, Ø) | أدوات التعريف
- a/an = first mention, one of many;
- the = specific/known/unique;
- Ø = general with plurals/uncountable.
- a/an = أول مرة أو واحد من مجموعة؛
- the = التعريف/المعروف/الفريد؛
- Ø = عام مع الجمع/غير المعدود.
Pronunciation of 'the' | نطق الـ 'the'
- /ðə/ before consonant sounds (the bag);
- /ðiː/ before vowel sounds (the outfit, the idea).
Special cases | حالات خاصة
- Zero article with meals (have breakfast), languages (in Arabic), sports (play football), transport (by bus), institutions used for their main purpose (at school/home/hospital/church/college).
Geography | الجغرافيا
- the + rivers/seas/oceans/mountain ranges/deserts (the Nile, the Dead Sea, the Himalayas, the Sahara);
- the + plural/'of' countries (the Netherlands, the UAE, the United States).
- No article with most cities/countries (Amman, Jordan).
Fixed Phrases | عبارات ثابتة
- the same, the best, in the morning/afternoon/evening; a/an with vowel sounds (an hour), with a consonant sounds (a university).
- نفس الشيء، الأفضل، في الصباح/الظهيرة/المساء؛
- a/an مع الحروف المتحركة (ساعة)، مع الحروف الساكنة (جامعة).
