The Arabic Alphabet: A Complete Guide
Learn all 28 Arabic letters with pronunciation and examples
The Arabic alphabet is one of the most widely used writing systems in the world. It consists of 28 letters written from right to left. Unlike the Latin alphabet, Arabic letter shapes change depending on their position in a word — beginning, middle, or end.
In this guide, we'll cover each letter in its isolated form — the basic shape that children learn first. This is the same form that ArabFingers displays when your child presses keys.
Alef — A as in 'apple'
The first letter of the Arabic alphabet. It represents a glottal stop or a long 'a' vowel sound.
Ba — B as in 'ball'
Pronounced like the English 'B'. One of the easiest letters for children to learn.
Ta — T as in 'table'
Similar to the English 'T'. Distinguished from ث (Tha) by having no dots above.
Tha — TH as in 'think'
The 'th' sound as in 'think' or 'three'. This sound doesn't exist in many languages.
Jeem — J as in 'jump'
Pronounced like 'J' in most Arabic dialects. In Egyptian Arabic, it sounds like a hard 'G'.
Hha — H (deep throat)
A deep, breathy 'H' sound from the throat. No exact English equivalent — unique to Arabic.
Kha — KH (like Scottish 'loch')
A guttural sound similar to the 'ch' in Scottish 'loch' or German 'Bach'.
Dal — D as in 'door'
Pronounced like the English 'D'. A simple, familiar sound for most children.
Thal — TH as in 'this'
The voiced 'th' sound as in 'this' or 'that'. Different from ث which is unvoiced.
Ra — R (rolled)
A rolled or trilled 'R', similar to the Spanish 'R'. Produced by vibrating the tongue tip.
Zay — Z as in 'zoo'
Pronounced like the English 'Z'. Easy for children who speak English.
Seen — S as in 'sun'
Pronounced like the English 'S'. One of the most recognizable Arabic letters.
Sheen — SH as in 'ship'
The 'sh' sound as in 'ship' or 'shoe'. Distinguished from س by three dots above.
Sad — S (emphatic)
An emphatic 'S' sound, heavier and deeper than س. The tongue presses against the palate.
Dad — D (emphatic)
An emphatic 'D' unique to Arabic. Arabic is sometimes called 'the language of Dad' (لغة الضاد).
Tah — T (emphatic)
An emphatic 'T', heavier than ت. Produced with the tongue pressed firmly against the palate.
Zah — Z (emphatic)
An emphatic version of ذ. A heavy, deep 'th' or 'z' sound.
Ain — A (deep throat)
A unique Arabic sound produced deep in the throat. No English equivalent — one of the hardest for non-native speakers.
Ghain — GH (like French R)
Similar to the French 'R' or a gargling sound. Produced in the back of the throat.
Fa — F as in 'fish'
Pronounced like the English 'F'. Simple and familiar for most children.
Qaf — Q (deep K)
A deep 'K' sound produced at the back of the throat. Deeper than the English 'K'.
Kaf — K as in 'kite'
Pronounced like the English 'K'. Lighter than ق.
Lam — L as in 'lamp'
Pronounced like the English 'L'. Appears in many common Arabic words.
Meem — M as in 'moon'
Pronounced like the English 'M'. One of the first sounds babies make.
Noon — N as in 'noon'
Pronounced like the English 'N'. Easy and familiar for all children.
Ha — H as in 'hat'
A light 'H' sound, like the English 'H'. Lighter than ح.
Waw — W as in 'water'
Pronounced like the English 'W'. Also serves as a long 'oo' vowel.
Ya — Y as in 'yes'
Pronounced like the English 'Y'. Also serves as a long 'ee' vowel. The last letter of the alphabet.