See how tiny marks guide sound—and distinguish “a word” from “the word.”
◷ 22 min▥ Beginner♧ Core lesson
Day4of 100
Lesson Video
▶
Day 4 lesson video
Meet the Harakat
Arabic uses three small signs to supply its short vowel sounds.
َ
Fatḥah
aمُسْلِمَُ
Ḍammah
uمُسْلِمُِ
Kasrah
iمُسْلِمِ
Double the mark. Add an “n” sound.
ُ u →ٌ unَ a →ً anِ i →ٍ in
From “A Book” to “The Book”
Tanween makes a word indefinite. Al—ال makes it definite, so the Tanween disappears.
Any bookكِتَابٌA book+ الA specific bookالْكِتَابُThe book
Recognise the Pattern
Focus first on the ending; Day 5 will explain why each ending changes.
رَسُولٌ مِنَ اللَّهِA messenger from Allah · 98:2جَنَّةٌ مِنْ نَخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَابٍA garden of palms and grapevines · 2:266وَهَٰذَا كِتَابٌAnd this is a Book · 6:92نُورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍLight upon light · 24:35
Why different Tanween endings?
ـٌ often marks the doerـً often marks the receiverـٍ often follows a prepositionDay 5 explains the system
Practice
Read the tiny marks before translating the word.
Continue practising with instant explanations
Academy+ learners receive the complete interactive practice for this lesson.