The Arabic alphabet has 28 letters. Arabic is written and read from right to left. Every letter has a name, a unique sound, an articulation point (makhraj), and different written forms depending on its position in a word.
Key Rule
Arabic letters change shape depending on their position: Isolated, Initial (start of word), Middle, and Final (end of word). Learn all four forms for each letter.
All 28 Arabic Letters
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أ ب ت ث ج ح خ د ذ ر ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ع غ ف ق ك ل م ن ه و ي
▶ Start here (Alif — أ)
أ
Alif
ألف
/ a /
Smooth glottal stop from the throat
Deepest throat
أ
Iso.
أ
Init.
ـأ
Mid.
ـأ
Final
ب
Ba
باء
/ b /
Both lips close then release with slight breath
Both lips
ب
Iso.
بـ
Init.
ـبـ
Mid.
ـب
Final
ت
Ta
تاء
/ t /
Tip of tongue touches upper front teeth
Tip of tongue + upper teeth
ت
Iso.
تـ
Init.
ـتـ
Mid.
ـت
Final
ث
Tha
ثاء
/ th /
Tongue gently between teeth, like English "think"
Tip of tongue + edge of upper teeth
ث
Iso.
ثـ
Init.
ـثـ
Mid.
ـث
Final
ج
Jim
جيم
/ j /
Middle of tongue against roof of mouth
Middle of tongue + middle palate
ج
Iso.
جـ
Init.
ـجـ
Mid.
ـج
Final
ح
Ha
حاء
/ h /
Breathy sound from mid-throat — no English equivalent
Middle of throat
ح
Iso.
حـ
Init.
ـحـ
Mid.
ـح
Final
خ
Kha
خاء
/ kh /
Guttural sound like clearing the throat lightly
Uppermost throat
خ
Iso.
خـ
Init.
ـخـ
Mid.
ـخ
Final
د
Dal
دال
/ d /
Tip of tongue touches back of upper front teeth
Tip of tongue + upper teeth
د
Iso.
د
Init.
ـد
Mid.
ـد
Final
ذ
Dhal
ذال
/ dh /
Like English "the" — tongue between teeth with voice
Tip of tongue + edge of upper teeth
ذ
Iso.
ذ
Init.
ـذ
Mid.
ـذ
Final
ر
Ra
راء
/ r /
Rolled r — tip of tongue vibrates near gum ridge
Tip of tongue near upper gum
ر
Iso.
ر
Init.
ـر
Mid.
ـر
Final
ز
Zay
زاي
/ z /
Like English "z" with buzz from tip of tongue
Tip of tongue near upper gum
ز
Iso.
ز
Init.
ـز
Mid.
ـز
Final
س
Sin
سين
/ s /
Like English "s" — clear and light
Tip of tongue near lower front teeth
س
Iso.
سـ
Init.
ـسـ
Mid.
ـس
Final
ش
Shin
شين
/ sh /
Like English "sh" in "ship"
Middle of tongue + middle palate
ش
Iso.
شـ
Init.
ـشـ
Mid.
ـش
Final
ص
Sad
صاد
/ ṣ /
Heavy s — back of tongue raised, lips slightly forward
Tip of tongue near lower teeth (heavy)
ص
Iso.
صـ
Init.
ـصـ
Mid.
ـص
Final
ض
Dad
ضاد
/ ḍ /
Heaviest Arabic letter — side of tongue touches upper molars
Side of tongue + upper molars
ض
Iso.
ضـ
Init.
ـضـ
Mid.
ـض
Final
ط
Ta (heavy)
طاء
/ ṭ /
Heavy t — tongue tip curls slightly, back of mouth tense
Tip of tongue + upper teeth (heavy)
ط
Iso.
طـ
Init.
ـطـ
Mid.
ـط
Final
ظ
Dha
ظاء
/ ẓ /
Heavy dh — tongue tip between teeth with heaviness
Tip of tongue + upper teeth edge (heavy)
ظ
Iso.
ظـ
Init.
ـظـ
Mid.
ـظ
Final
ع
Ain
عين
/ ' /
Deep voiced sound from throat — no English equivalent
Middle of throat (voiced)
ع
Iso.
عـ
Init.
ـعـ
Mid.
ـع
Final
غ
Ghain
غين
/ gh /
Voiced guttural — like a soft gargle in the throat
Uppermost throat (voiced)
غ
Iso.
غـ
Init.
ـغـ
Mid.
ـغ
Final
ف
Fa
فاء
/ f /
Upper teeth touch inner lower lip — like English "f"
Inner lower lip + upper front teeth
ف
Iso.
فـ
Init.
ـفـ
Mid.
ـف
Final
ق
Qaf
قاف
/ q /
Deep back-of-throat k — no English equivalent
Back of tongue + soft palate
ق
Iso.
قـ
Init.
ـقـ
Mid.
ـق
Final
ك
Kaf
كاف
/ k /
Like English "k" — back of tongue + hard palate
Back of tongue + hard palate
ك
Iso.
كـ
Init.
ـكـ
Mid.
ـك
Final
ل
Lam
لام
/ l /
Sides of tongue tip touch upper gum ridge
Tip of tongue near upper gum (sides)
ل
Iso.
لـ
Init.
ـلـ
Mid.
ـل
Final
م
Mim
ميم
/ m /
Both lips close — nasal sound through nose
Both lips (nasal)
م
Iso.
مـ
Init.
ـمـ
Mid.
ـم
Final
ن
Nun
نون
/ n /
Tip of tongue behind upper teeth — nasal sound
Tip of tongue near gum (nasal)
ن
Iso.
نـ
Init.
ـنـ
Mid.
ـن
Final
ه
Ha
هاء
/ h /
Soft breath from chest — like sighing out
Chest (lowest throat)
ه
Iso.
هـ
Init.
ـهـ
Mid.
ـه
Final
و
Waw
واو
/ w /
Rounded lips come together slightly — like English "w"
Both lips (rounded)
و
Iso.
و
Init.
ـو
Mid.
ـو
Final
ي
Ya
ياء
/ y /
Middle of tongue rises to palate — like English "y"
Middle of tongue + hard palate
ي
Iso.
يـ
Init.
ـيـ
Mid.
ـي
Final
Practice — Read Aloud
▶ Start from the right side
أ ب ت ث ج ح خ د ذ ر ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ع غ ف ق ك ل م ن ه و ي
أ ب ت ث ج ح خ د ذ ر ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ع غ ف ق ك ل م ن ه و ي
Letters That Do Not Connect Forward
Six letters never connect to the letter after them: أ د ذ ر ز و. These are called non-connecting letters. When you write them in the middle of a word, the next letter starts a new group.
Practice — Read These Letter Names Aloud
أَلِفٌ
Alifun
Alif
بَاءٌ
Baa-un
Ba
تَاءٌ
Taa-un
Ta
جِيمٌ
Jeemun
Jim
حَاءٌ
Haa-un
Ha (throat)
عَيْنٌ
Ay-nun
Ain
قَافٌ
Qaafun
Qaf
نُونٌ
Noonun
Nun
القاعدة النورانية
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