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Arabic Alphabet
The Arabic alphabet consists of 28 letters, written from right to left. Unlike Latin scripts, Arabic letters change form depending on their position in a word (isolated, initial, medial, or final). Learn each letter, its pronunciation, and its different forms.
ا
Alif
Pronunciation:Similar to 'a' in 'father'
Transliteration:a
Isolated
ا
Initial
ا
Medial
ـا
Final
ـا
ب
Ba
Pronunciation:Similar to 'b' in 'bed'
Transliteration:b
Isolated
ب
Initial
بـ
Medial
ـبـ
Final
ـب
ت
Ta
Pronunciation:Similar to 't' in 'table'
Transliteration:t
Isolated
ت
Initial
تـ
Medial
ـتـ
Final
ـت
ث
Tha
Pronunciation:Similar to 'th' in 'think'
Transliteration:th
Isolated
ث
Initial
ثـ
Medial
ـثـ
Final
ـث
ج
Jim
Pronunciation:Similar to 'j' in 'jam'
Transliteration:j
Isolated
ج
Initial
جـ
Medial
ـجـ
Final
ـج
ح
Ha
Pronunciation:Throaty 'h' sound
Transliteration:ḥ
Isolated
ح
Initial
حـ
Medial
ـحـ
Final
ـح
خ
Kha
Pronunciation:Similar to 'ch' in Scottish 'loch'
Transliteration:kh
Isolated
خ
Initial
خـ
Medial
ـخـ
Final
ـخ
د
Dal
Pronunciation:Similar to 'd' in 'door'
Transliteration:d
Isolated
د
Initial
د
Medial
ـد
Final
ـد
ذ
Dhal
Pronunciation:Similar to 'th' in 'this'
Transliteration:dh
Isolated
ذ
Initial
ذ
Medial
ـذ
Final
ـذ
ر
Ra
Pronunciation:Rolled 'r' sound
Transliteration:r
Isolated
ر
Initial
ر
Medial
ـر
Final
ـر
ز
Zay
Pronunciation:Similar to 'z' in 'zebra'
Transliteration:z
Isolated
ز
Initial
ز
Medial
ـز
Final
ـز
س
Sin
Pronunciation:Similar to 's' in 'sun'
Transliteration:s
Isolated
س
Initial
سـ
Medial
ـسـ
Final
ـس
ش
Shin
Pronunciation:Similar to 'sh' in 'ship'
Transliteration:sh
Isolated
ش
Initial
شـ
Medial
ـشـ
Final
ـش
ص
Sad
Pronunciation:Emphatic 's' sound
Transliteration:ṣ
Isolated
ص
Initial
صـ
Medial
ـصـ
Final
ـص
ض
Dad
Pronunciation:Emphatic 'd' sound
Transliteration:ḍ
Isolated
ض
Initial
ضـ
Medial
ـضـ
Final
ـض
ط
Ta
Pronunciation:Emphatic 't' sound
Transliteration:ṭ
Isolated
ط
Initial
طـ
Medial
ـطـ
Final
ـط
ظ
Zha
Pronunciation:Emphatic 'th' sound
Transliteration:ẓ
Isolated
ظ
Initial
ظـ
Medial
ـظـ
Final
ـظ
ع
Ayn
Pronunciation:Throaty sound with no English equivalent
Transliteration:'
Isolated
ع
Initial
عـ
Medial
ـعـ
Final
ـع
غ
Ghayn
Pronunciation:Similar to French 'r' in 'Paris'
Transliteration:gh
Isolated
غ
Initial
غـ
Medial
ـغـ
Final
ـغ
ف
Fa
Pronunciation:Similar to 'f' in 'fish'
Transliteration:f
Isolated
ف
Initial
فـ
Medial
ـفـ
Final
ـف
ق
Qaf
Pronunciation:Deep 'k' sound from the throat
Transliteration:q
Isolated
ق
Initial
قـ
Medial
ـقـ
Final
ـق
ك
Kaf
Pronunciation:Similar to 'k' in 'kite'
Transliteration:k
Isolated
ك
Initial
كـ
Medial
ـكـ
Final
ـك
ل
Lam
Pronunciation:Similar to 'l' in 'lamp'
Transliteration:l
Isolated
ل
Initial
لـ
Medial
ـلـ
Final
ـل
م
Mim
Pronunciation:Similar to 'm' in 'moon'
Transliteration:m
Isolated
م
Initial
مـ
Medial
ـمـ
Final
ـم
ن
Nun
Pronunciation:Similar to 'n' in 'noon'
Transliteration:n
Isolated
ن
Initial
نـ
Medial
ـنـ
Final
ـن
ه
Ha
Pronunciation:Similar to 'h' in 'house'
Transliteration:h
Isolated
ه
Initial
هـ
Medial
ـهـ
Final
ـه
و
Waw
Pronunciation:Similar to 'w' in 'water' or 'oo' in 'moon'
Transliteration:w/u
Isolated
و
Initial
و
Medial
ـو
Final
ـو
ي
Ya
Pronunciation:Similar to 'y' in 'yellow' or 'ee' in 'feet'
Transliteration:y/i
Isolated
ي
Initial
يـ
Medial
ـيـ
Final
ـي