ف, ه and ة
Read f, h and final tāʾ marbūṭa.
About this unit
ف is f and ه is h. ة looks like ه with two dots, but it only comes at the end of a word.
- ف
f, as in “fish”فَم · mouth - ه
h, as in “hat”هَاتِف · telephone - ة
final -a; sometimes -atكُرَة · balli
Final-only form: normally -a in pause, -at in linked grammar.
One letter, several shapes
A letter's shape depends on its neighbours. At the start it joins only the next letter, in the middle both neighbours, at the end only the letter before it.
A dash means the letter never joins the next letter: at the start of a word it looks as when alone, in the middle as at the end.
| Sign | Where | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ه | anywhere | h | هَرَم |
| ة | only at the end | -a in a word on its own | كُرَة |
In linked grammar a t can be heard in ة; this course reads words on their own.
More words to read
فِيل
elephantfīlهَرَم
pyramidharamهُوَ
hehuwaهِيَ
shehiya
سَفِينَة
shipsafīna
نَهْر
rivernahrReading tips
Final ة is not simply ه. In the pause forms used for isolated words it usually ends in -a; in linked grammatical forms a t can be heard. It only occurs word-finally. The fully vowelled grammar form هُوَ keeps both short vowels.
Reading practice
Letters in words
Match each sign to the same sign in its example.
Shapes in the middle
Match each letter to its shape in the middle of a word.
Letters inside words
Match each letter to the marked shape in the word.
Find the sound
Match the sounds to the signs. Tap a sign to check.
Read with support
Match the words to their pictures.
Read with support
Match the words to their pictures.
Read without a sound cue
Match the words to their pictures.
Read without a sound cue
Match the words to their pictures.
Sound to spelling
Listen. Choose the spelling.
Spelling to sound
Read the word. Choose its sound.
Sound to spelling
Listen. Choose the spelling.
Spelling to sound
Read the word. Choose its sound.
Build the word
Listen and build the word in typing order.
Build the word
Listen and build the word in typing order.
Build the word
Listen and build the word in typing order.
Recall the spelling
Listen and build the word without its picture.
Recall the spelling
Listen and build the word without its picture.
Recall the spelling
Listen and build the word without its picture.
Finish practice to save this unit.
You can read and write this
Read f, h and final tāʾ marbūṭa.
فَم
mouthفِيل
elephantهَرَم
pyramid
كُرَة
ballهُوَ
heهِيَ
she
هَاتِف
telephoneسَفِينَة
shipنَهْر
riverUse a Arabic keyboard
Standard Arabic keyboard or course tiles. Enter logical letters; the font shapes joins. Numbers retain normal digit order. Optional vowel marks are separate inputs.
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