#arabic101

Sun & Moon Letters in Arabic (حروف شمسية و حروف قمرية)

Arabic alphabet is divided into 2 groups: the sun letters (الحروف الشمسية) and the moon letters (الحروف القمرية).

These groups affect how the definite article "al" (الـ) before a noun is pronounced.

1. Sun Letters (حروف شمسية)

• Letters: ت, ث, د, ذ, ر, ز, س, ش, ص, ض, ط, ظ, ل, ن

• Rule: When a word begins with a sun letter, the "L" sound in the definite article "Al-" is assimilated into the first letter of the word, meaning that it is not pronounced as a separate sound. Instead, the initial sun letter is doubled (by using the Shaddah or ّ mark).

For example: The word شمس (shams, meaning "sun") with the definite article becomes الشَّمس (ash-shams, meaning "the sun"). The "L" in "Al-" is not pronounced; instead, the "Sh" sound is doubled.

2. Moon Letters (حروف قمرية)

• Letters: أ, ب, ج, ح, خ, ع, غ, ف, ق, ك, م, هـ, و, ي

• Rule: When a word begins with a moon letter, the "L" in the definite article "Al-" is fully pronounced, and there is no doubling of the initial letter.

For example: The word قمر (qamar, meaning "moon") with the definite article becomes القمر (al-qamar, meaning "the moon"). The "L" in "Al-" is pronounced distinctly, and the "Q" sound remains as is.

Summary:

Sun Letters: Assimilation occurs, the "L" is not pronounced, and the initial letter of the word is doubled.

Moon Letters: No assimilation, the "L" is pronounced, and the initial letter remains unchanged.

These rules are essential for proper pronunciation and understanding of definite articles in Arabic.

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阿拉伯語中的太陽和月亮字母（حروف شمسية و حروف قمرية）

阿拉伯語字母分為兩大類：太陽字母（الحروف الشمسية）和月亮字母（الحروف القمرية）。

這兩類字母群影響了名詞前面的定冠詞「al」(الـ)如何發音。

1. 太陽字母（حروف شمسية）

• 太陽字母：ت, ث, د, ذ, ر, ز, س, ش, ص, ض, ط, ظ, ل, ن

• 規則：當名詞以太陽字母起首時，定冠詞「Al-」中的「L」會與該太陽字母同化，即「L」不發音。而在「L」同化後，該起首的太陽字母則會變為兩個（以Shaddah 「 ّ 」符號表示）。

例： 這個字شمس（shams，意思是太陽）加上了定冠詞後變為 الشَّمس（ash-shams，意思是這個太陽，即有指定的太陽）。定冠詞「Al-」中的「L」不發音，而「Sh」音則會重複，變為雙重音。

2. 月亮字母（حروف قمرية）

• 月亮字母：أ, ب, ج, ح, خ, ع, غ, ف, ق, ك, م, هـ, و, ي

• 規則：當名詞以月亮字母起首時，前面的定冠詞「Al-」中的「L」須發音，所以起首字母不會有重複現象。

例： 這個字قمر（qamar，意思是月亮）加上了定冠詞後變為القمر（al-qamar，意思是這個月亮，即有指定的月亮）。定冠詞「Al-」中的「L」須發音，「Q」音也維持不變。

總結： 太陽字母：會發生語音同化現象。「L」不發音，名詞的起首太陽字母會重複變為兩個。 月亮字母：不會發生語音同化現象。「L」須發音，名詞的起首月亮字母維持不變。