Convert between Latin characters and Arabic script using various transliteration schemes. Perfect for typing Arabic without an Arabic keyboard.
About Standard (Franco-Arabic) Transliteration
Common online transliteration system used in social media and chat
Type using the Latin characters according to this scheme and see the Arabic text appear instantly.
Common Phrases
What is Transliteration?
Transliteration is the process of converting text from one writing system to another, letter by letter, rather than by sound. For Arabic, this means representing Arabic characters using Latin (Roman) letters and sometimes numbers.
Unlike translation (which converts meaning between languages), transliteration only changes the script while preserving the original pronunciation as closely as possible.
Why Use Transliteration?
- Type Arabic when you don't have an Arabic keyboard
- Learn Arabic pronunciation using familiar Latin characters
- Communicate in Arabic through platforms that don't support Arabic script
- Make Arabic text searchable using Latin characters
- Standardize the representation of Arabic words in academic or linguistic contexts
Different Transliteration Systems
There are several systems for transliterating Arabic, each with different purposes:
- Standard (Franco-Arabic): Common online system used in social media and chat
- Buckwalter: Used in computational linguistics and natural language processing
- ALA-LC: Academic standard used by libraries and scholarly publications
- French Phonetic: Adapted for French speakers with French phonetic equivalents