Why do Arabic speakers say 'I am engineer'?

Because Arabic has no indefinite article, the sentence already feels complete. English requires 'an engineer' when naming a job.

When should I use no article at all?

With plural and uncountable nouns used generally: 'I like languages', 'Water is important', 'She studies medicine'.

Is it 'a hour' or 'an hour'?

'An hour' — the choice follows the first sound, and the H in 'hour' is silent.

Can a teacher help me with articles specifically?

Yes. Articles are a common focus in our private classes because they appear in almost every sentence you speak.

How much do English lessons cost in Morocco?

At Englify, small-group online English classes are the most affordable option and private one-to-one classes cost more per hour, because a private teacher works with one student only. Current group and private prices are confirmed on WhatsApp (+212 724 744 137) and on our prices page, since they depend on the format, the number of hours per week and the length of the plan. The trial class is free and no card is required.

English Articles for Arabic Speakers: a, an, the

Articles are the single most frequent grammar error we correct with Arabic-speaking learners. The reason is structural, and the fix is a short decision process you can apply while speaking.

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Written and reviewed by Mourade Boulanouar — Founder & Head of Teaching, EnglifyLast reviewed September 2026

In short

Arabic marks definiteness with al- but has no separate indefinite article, so Arabic speakers tend to drop 'a' and 'an' and to add 'the' where English does not use it. A workable rule: use 'a' or 'an' for one unspecified countable thing; use 'the' when both speaker and listener know which one; use no article for plural or uncountable nouns talking about things in general. Job descriptions always take an article in English — 'I am an engineer', never 'I am engineer'.

Key facts

'a/an' = one of many, not yet identified
'the' = both of us know which one
no article = plurals and uncountables spoken about in general
'an' before a vowel sound, not just a vowel letter: an hour, a university
Jobs take an article: 'She is a doctor'
Do not use 'the' with general ideas: 'I like music', not 'the music'

Why this is difficult from Arabic

Arabic has a definite marker but no indefinite article, so an Arabic sentence can be complete without anything corresponding to 'a'. Transferred to English, 'I bought car' feels finished — but it is not.

A three-question decision process

Is the noun countable and singular? If yes, it must have an article or a word like 'my' or 'this'
Does my listener already know which one I mean? If yes, use 'the'
If not, and there is only one of it in the world or context, still use 'the' (the sun, the manager of my team)
Plural or uncountable, spoken about in general? Use no article
Naming a job, a role or a member of a group? Use 'a' or 'an'

a or an

Choose by sound, not spelling. 'An hour' because the H is silent; 'a university' because it starts with a /juː/ sound; 'an MBA' because the M is pronounced 'em'.

The most common wrong sentences we hear

'I am teacher.' → 'I am a teacher.'
'I have meeting at 10.' → 'I have a meeting at 10.'
'The life is difficult.' → 'Life is difficult.'
'I like the sports.' → 'I like sports.'
'He went to the university yesterday' (meaning he studies there) → 'He went to university yesterday.'
'I need advice' is correct — 'advice' is uncountable, so no 'an'.

How to practise it in speech

Rules are easy to know and hard to apply at speed. Pick one situation you talk about often — introducing your job, describing your day — and rehearse it until the articles are automatic. Then move to the next situation.

Frequently asked questions

Practise this with a teacher

Reading about a mistake is not the same as fixing it. Book a free trial class on Google Meet and work on it out loud. Private classes cost 100 MAD per hour.