Learn Arabic | Sun versus Moon letters

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(2.27 min)
How to Speak more Quickly.

Sun versus moon letters explained:

We all like to speak quickly. No?

Assimilation lets us speak faster.

Assimilation allows one sound to become more like a nearby sound - frequently the end of one word and the beginning of the next.

For the definite article "the..." 1-1 “il” اِلْ for Egyptian Colloquial/Spoken OR/

Bottom line Arabic native speakers do not say:

1-2 il rasiif = the sidewalk

But, instead say:

1-3 ir rasiif = the sidewalk (r is a sun letter)

The aim is to speak faster using sun letters.

An English language example of assimilation is:

1-4 impolite >>> in + polite (the m is pronounced like an n)

So what are the thirteen sun letters??

See all of the sun letters in the below table.

Let's take a deep breath and review an example:

Example

اَلرَّصيفُ            رَصيفٌ

اِلرَّصيفْ            رصيف
2 rasiif             ir rasiif - is correct

a sidewalk    the sidewalk

اَلرَّصيفُ

اِلرَّصيفْ
4 il rasiif  - is wrong

the sidewalk

Note, again, the letter r is a sun letter.

Up close: We do not pronounce the letter "l" in the "il." Instead the letter "l" becomes "r": ir rasiif

Beware: Place a shaddah above the sun letter when writing the Arabic text.

For example: اِلرَّصيفْ

Do you see the shaddah above the letter rah? It looks like ّ

Why write any letter twice if you can place a shaddah above it.

Keep going! You're almost there.

Listen to the SOUNDS made by the sun letters:

Listen to the SOUND made by each letter...

Moon Letters

Sun letters
(assimilation occurs)

ء

‘

   د
5 d

ب
b

   ض
6 ḍ

ف
f

   ج
7 g

ع
ç

ل
9 l

ه
h

   ن
10 n

ح
ḥ

ر
11 r

م
m

س
12 s

و
w

   ص
13 ṣ

ى
y

   ش
14 sh

ق
q

ت
15 t

خ
kh

   ط
16 ṭ

غ
gh

   ز
17 z

ظ
18 ẓ

Be careful:

1- Place shaddahs above the sun letters. Ex. اِلرَّصيفْ

2- Only for nouns beginning with a sun letter replace the "l" in the definite article “il” for the first letter of the upcoming noun.

3- As for nouns beginning with moon letters the "l" in the “il” continues to be pronounced as usual.

4- Just remember the sun letters. Forget about the moon letters.

Listen carefully to the below nouns.

Indefinite nouns Definite nouns

سَيِّدَةٌ
سِتّ ْ
19 sitt
lady

السَّيِّدَةُ
السِّتّ ْ
20 Is sitt
the lady

مَدْرَسَةٌ
مَدْرَسَة ْ
21 madrasa
school

اَلْمَدْرَسَةُ
اِلْمَدْرَسَة
22 Il madrasa
the school

🔴 See more examples 😊 😊