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Arabic script reference

Look up a sign or check a rule while you read. Use the numbered units to learn step by step.

MSA consonants use a labelled consonant + fatha practice syllable. Plain/emphatic pairs use the same vowel. Silent marks play labelled complete examples.

Alphabet shelf · open whenever you need a reminder
ا
اisolated‍اfinal
long ā: held longerIn بَا
i

ā

ب
بisolated‍بfinalب‍initial‍ب‍medial
In بَ
i

ba

ت
تisolated‍تfinalت‍initial‍ت‍medial
In تَ
i

ta

ن
نisolated‍نfinalن‍initial‍ن‍medial
In نَ
i

na

ي
يisolated‍يfinalي‍initial‍ي‍medial
In يَ
i

ya / ī

د
دisolated‍دfinal
In دَ
i

da

ر
رisolated‍رfinal
In رَ
i

ra

و
وisolated‍وfinal
In وَ
i

wa / ū

م
مisolated‍مfinalم‍initial‍م‍medial
In مَ
i

ma

ل
لisolated‍لfinalل‍initial‍ل‍medial
In لَ
i

la

ك
كisolated‍كfinalك‍initial‍ك‍medial
In كَ
i

ka

ق
قisolated‍قfinalق‍initial‍ق‍medial
In قَ
i

qa

س
سisolated‍سfinalس‍initial‍س‍medial
In سَ
i

sa

ش
شisolated‍شfinalش‍initial‍ش‍medial
In شَ
i

sha

ف
فisolated‍فfinalف‍initial‍ف‍medial
In فَ
i

fa

ه
هisolated‍هfinalه‍initial‍ه‍medial
In هَ
i

ha

ة
ةisolated‍ةfinal
In كُرَة
i

final -a / -at. Final-only form: normally -a in pause, -at in linked grammar.

ج
جisolated‍جfinalج‍initial‍ج‍medial
In جَ
i

ja

ح
حisolated‍حfinalح‍initial‍ح‍medial
throat ḥ: a tight, rubbing hIn حَ
i

ḥa

خ
خisolated‍خfinalخ‍initial‍خ‍medial
kh: rough, as in “loch”In خَ
i

kha

ع
عisolated‍عfinalع‍initial‍ع‍medial
ʿayn: tight, with a buzzIn عَ
i

ʿa

غ
غisolated‍غfinalغ‍initial‍غ‍medial
gh: a gargle, with a buzzIn غَ
i

gha

ز
زisolated‍زfinal
In زَ
i

za

ذ
ذisolated‍ذfinal
In ذَ
i

dha. Voiced th as in English this.

ث
ثisolated‍ثfinalث‍initial‍ث‍medial
In ثَ
i

tha. Voiceless th as in English thin.

ص
صisolated‍صfinalص‍initial‍ص‍medial
emphatic s: deep and heavyIn صَ
i

ṣa

ض
ضisolated‍ضfinalض‍initial‍ض‍medial
emphatic d: deep and heavyIn ضَ
i

ḍa

ط
طisolated‍طfinalط‍initial‍ط‍medial
emphatic t: deep and heavyIn طَ
i

ṭa

ظ
ظisolated‍ظfinalظ‍initial‍ظ‍medial
emphatic dh: deep and heavyIn ظَ
i

ẓa

◌ْIn بِنْت
i

sukun: no vowel

◌ّIn مُعَلِّم
i

shadda: doubled consonant

◌ٌIn كِتَابٌ
i

tanwin -un

◌ًIn صَبَاحًا
i

tanwin -an

◌ٍIn قَلَمٍ
i

tanwin -in

ءa glottal stop, as in “uh-oh”In مَاء
i

glottal stop

أ
أisolated‍أfinal
glottal stop on alifIn أَب
i

glottal stop on alif

إ
إisolated‍إfinal
glottal stop below alifIn إِبْرَة
i

glottal stop below alif

ؤ
ؤisolated‍ؤfinal
glottal stop on wawIn سُؤَال
i

glottal stop on waw

ئ
ئisolated‍ئfinalئ‍initial‍ئ‍medial
glottal stop on a ya seatIn رَئِيس
i

glottal stop on ya seat

آ
آisolated‍آfinal
glottal stop + long āIn آدَم
i

glottal onset plus long ā

ى
ىisolated‍ىfinal
final long ā, no dotsIn مُسْتَشْفَى
i

final long ā. Final-only alif maqṣūra, without ya dots.

ا, ب, ت, ن and ي

Build the reading unit

Enter parts in logical order; the font places and joins them.

ب + َ + ا + ب → بَاب

ب + ِ + ن + ْ + ت → بِنْت

Practise in Unit 6 →

م and ل

Build the reading unit

Enter parts in logical order; the font places and joins them.

ل + َ + ا → لَا

Practise in Unit 8 →

digits and punctuation

Eastern ArabicWestern value
٠0
١1
٢2
٣3
٤4
٥5
٦6
٧7
٨8
٩9
MarkUse
،comma
؟question mark
؛semicolon
Practise in Unit 26 →
More listening and background

Arabic · right to left · reading and optional typing