The Arabic alphabet is like a special code that helps us write and read in Arabic. If you’re just starting to learn Arabic, it’s important to understand these letters. In this article, we’ll look at each letter of the Arabic alphabet and see how it sounds in English. Let’s get started!
The Arabic Alphabet: Below is a table that shows each letter of the Arabic alphabet, how we write it in English, and how it sounds in English:
| Arabic Letter | English Writing | Sound in English |
|---|---|---|
| ا | Alif | A (as in ‘apple’) |
| ب | Ba | B (as in ‘bat’) |
| ت | Ta | T (as in ‘top’) |
| ث | Tha | Th (as in ‘think’) |
| ج | Jim | J (as in ‘jam’) |
| ح | Ha | H (as in ‘hat’) |
| خ | Kha | Kh (as in ‘kite’) |
| د | Dal | D (as in ‘dog’) |
| ذ | Thal | Dh (as in ‘this’) |
| ر | Ra | R (rolled ‘r’) |
| ز | Zay | Z (as in ‘zebra’) |
| س | Sin | S (as in ‘sun’) |
| ش | Shin | Sh (as in ‘she’) |
| ص | Sad | S (like ‘s’ but with a hiss) |
| ض | Dad | D (like ‘d’ but heavier) |
| ط | Ta | T (like ‘t’ but with tongue against teeth) |
| ظ | Dha | Th (like ‘th’ but heavier) |
| ع | Ain | A (like ‘a’ in ‘cat’ but deeper) |
| غ | Ghain | Gh (like French ‘r’ in ‘rue’ or German ‘ch’ in ‘Bach’) |
| ف | Fa | F (as in ‘fish’) |
| ق | Qaf | Q (like ‘k’ but further back in throat) |
| ك | Kaf | K (as in ‘key’) |
| ل | Lam | L (as in ‘lake’) |
| م | Mim | M (as in ‘man’) |
| ن | Nun | N (as in ‘net’) |
| ه | Ha | H (as in ‘hot’) |
| و | Waw | W (as in ‘we’) |
| ي | Ya | Y (as in ‘yes’) |
Conclusion: Learning the Arabic alphabet is an important first step in your journey to learning Arabic. By understanding these letters and their sounds, you’ll be able to read and write Arabic more easily. Keep practicing, and you’ll get better and better!
