Sun and Moon Letters in Arabic: الحروف الشمسية والقمرية
One of the most fascinating pronunciation rules in Arabic involves the Sun Letters (حروف شمسية) and Moon Letters (حروف قمرية). These two groups determine how the definite article "ال" (al-) is pronounced before nouns.
1. The Definite Article "ال" (al-)
In Arabic, "ال" is like "the" in English. You place it before a noun to make it definite:
- بيت = bayt (a house)
- البيت = al-bayt (the house)
But here’s the twist: depending on the first letter of the noun, the "ل" in "ال" may or may not be pronounced!
2. Sun Letters (الحروف الشمسية)
Sun Letters make the "ل" in "ال" silent, and the first letter of the noun is doubled (with Shaddah).
🟡 Sun Letters (14):
ت، ث، د، ذ، ر، ز، س، ش، ص، ض، ط، ظ، ل، ن
📌 Tip: They’re mostly pronounced with the tip of the tongue.
| Example Word | With "ال" | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| شمس (shams) | الشمس | ash-shams | the sun |
| نجم (najm) | النجم | an-najm | the star |
| رَجُل (rajul) | الرجل | ar-rajul | the man |
Notice: The "ل" is dropped and the next letter is doubled.
3. Moon Letters (الحروف القمرية)
Moon Letters keep the "ل" in "ال" pronounced. No doubling happens.
🟢 Moon Letters (14):
أ، ب، ج، ح، خ، ع، غ، ف، ق، ك، م، هـ، و، ي
📌 Tip: These are usually deeper or throatier sounds.
| Example Word | With "ال" | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| قمر (qamar) | القمر | al-qamar | the moon |
| بيت (bayt) | البيت | al-bayt | the house |
| ولد (walad) | الولد | al-walad | the boy |
The "ل" is clearly heard.
4. Summary Table
| Type | Arabic Name | "L" in "ال" | Letter is Doubled | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Letter | حرف شمسي | Not pronounced | Yes | الشَّمْس |
| Moon Letter | حرف قمري | Pronounced | No | القَمَر |
5. How to Practice
- Activity 1: Sort It Out – Write a list of nouns and classify them into sun or moon letter words.
- Activity 2: Read & Repeat – Practice reading Arabic nouns with "ال" and pay close attention to where the "L" is dropped or retained.
- Activity 3: Listening Practice – Watch Arabic children’s shows or read with audio to hear sun and moon letters in action.
Fun Tip
🌙 The rule is named after the words “الشمس” (ash-shams) and “القمر” (al-qamar)—the sun and the moon—each beginning with a representative letter of its group!
What’s Next?
Now that you know how letters interact with the definite article, the next logical topic is Tanween (التنوين)—the double vowels that show indefiniteness and change pronunciation at the end of words.
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