ال

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  In literary pronunciation IPA^(key): [æl], [al], [ɐl]

• In common speech: IPA^(key): [el], [ɪl]

اَل • (al-)

1. the

The /l/ of this prefix assimilates to and geminates the first letter of the following word when it begins with one of the sun letters: ت‎ (t), ث‎ (ṯ), د‎ (d), ذ‎ (ḏ), ر‎ (r), ز‎ (z), س‎ (s), ش‎ (š), ص‎ (ṣ), ض‎ (ḍ), ط‎ (ṭ), ظ‎ (ẓ), ل‎ (l), ن‎ (n), and dialectally ج‎ (j) when pronounced /ʒ/. This is strictly a pronunciation change; the spelling with ل‎ (l) is unchanged, except that in fully vocalized texts a shadda may be written over the sun letter to reflect gemination.

• Egyptian Arabic: ال‎ (el)
• Maltese: il

• moon letter
• sun letter

الـ • (el-)

1. the

ال (al) m

1. wet

الـ (l-, il-, li-, ili-)

1. the

• Strictly speaking, the article consists solely of the consonant /l/, which is assimilated to the same onsets as in classical Arabic (see above).
• The linking vowel /i/ is added as necessary according to the phonological rules, be it before the article, after it, or both:

‏النص المكتوب‎ ― n-naṣṣ il-maktūb ― the written text

‏الكتاب المقدس‎ ― li-ktāb li-mʾaddas ― the Holy Book, i.e. the Bible

‏النص المقدس‎ ― n-naṣṣ ili-mʾaddas ― the holy text

• Assimilation is hindered when the linking vowel comes between the article and an onset consonant that would normally trigger assimilation:

‏الولاد الضعيفة‎ ― li-wlād li-ḍʿīfi ― the weak children

ال • (el)

1. hand