Definite and Indefinite Nouns
123. What is an indefinite noun?
124. What is a definite noun?
125. How many types of definite nouns are there?
126. How is an indefinite noun made definite?
123. An indefinite noun is a noun that is common amongst a certain species, not specific to any one of the instances. For example:قَلَمٌ (pen) andبُستانٌ (garden).
124. A definite noun is a noun that indicates a specific instance from a species. For example:القَلَمُ (the pen) andالبُستانُ
125. There are six forms of definite nouns:
• Proper nouns:سلیمان (Solomon)
• Pronouns:أنا (I)
• Demonstrative pronouns:هذا (this)
• conjuncts:الذي (he who)
• Made definite by a alif-lām:الرجل (the man)
• Compliment of a prefixed noun :کتابُ الرجل (The man's book)
126. A common noun is made definite in the following ways:
• if an alif-lām is added to it (and the nunation is erased if it was nunated). For example:کتابٌ (a book) becomesالکتابُ (the book).
• if it is contracted with a definite noun (and the nunation is erased if it was nunated). For example:کتابي (my book).