For Beginners

Arabic Alphabet For Beginners

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The Arabic alphabet consists of 28 letters, written from right to left, and every letter is a consonant. It does not use uppercase or lowercase distinctions, and the script is essentially cursive—letters generally connect to each other within words[3][7][8].

Each Arabic letter can have up to four distinct forms depending on its position in a word:

  • Isolated form: when the letter stands alone.
  • Initial form: at the beginning of a word.
  • Medial form: within a word, joined on both sides.
  • Final form: at the end of a word.

The letter shape can change subtly depending on its position. For instance, the letter ب (ba) in isolated, initial, medial, and final forms are all recognizable but slightly different. Short vowels are not actual letters, but rather marks (diacritics) placed above or below consonants, and are often omitted in standard writing, except in special cases like the Qur’an or children’s books[5].

Some letters—called “unfriendly letters”—do not connect to the letter following them, which can cause a break in the flow of the word. These six letters are:

  • Alif (ا)
  • Waw (و)
  • Dal (د)
  • Dhal (ذ)
  • Raa (ر)
  • Zay (ز)

When one of these appears in a word, the next letter will begin a new connection, even if there are more letters that follow[1].

The 28 letters in their names and common Latin equivalents:

  • Alif (ا) – a
  • Bā’ (ب) – b
  • Tā’ (ت) – t
  • Thā’ (ث) – th (as in “think”)
  • Jīm (ج) – j (as in “jam”)
  • Hā’ (ح) – ḥ (deep, breathy “h”)
  • Khā’ (خ) – kh (as in “loch”)
  • Dāl (د) – d
  • Dhāl (ذ) – dh (as in “that”)
  • Rā’ (ر) – r (rolled)
  • Zāy (ز) – z
  • Sīn (س) – s
  • Shīn (ش) – sh
  • Ṣād (ص) – ṣ (emphatic “s”)
  • Ḍād (ض) – ḍ (emphatic “d”)
  • Ṭā’ (ط) – ṭ (emphatic “t”)
  • Ẓā’ (ظ) – ẓ (emphatic “z”)
  • ʿAyn (ع) – ʿ (guttural stop)
  • Ghayn (غ) – gh (guttural “r”)
  • Fā’ (ف) – f
  • Qāf (ق) – q
  • Kāf (ك) – k
  • Lām (ل) – l
  • Mīm (م) – m
  • Nūn (ن) – n
  • Hā’ (هـ) – h
  • Wāw (و) – w
  • Yā’ (ي) – y

The recommended steps for beginners:

  • Start by practicing the names, shapes, and sounds of each letter.
  • Learn how each letter changes form depending on its position in a word.
  • Practice reading and writing simple words, paying attention to the way letters join and where they break.
  • Use tools like interactive charts, workbooks, or video demonstrations for visual guidance and practice[1][3][6][8].

References

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