Reference & drills

Most Arabic words come from a 3-letter root. The root carries the core meaning; patterns (وزن) shape it into nouns, verbs, adjectives.

Prefix ال to make a noun definite. Before 'sun letters' (t, th, d, dh, r, z, s, sh, ṣ, ḍ, ṭ, ẓ, l, n), the ل assimilates: الشمس → ash-shams.