Alphabet and Pronounciation Guide

This is an introduction to the Arabic alphabet. The information provided here is crucial If you want to learn reading/writing Arabic. Getting acquainted to the writing system also saves you some effort when learning how to speak either Arabic or Egyptian.

Probably the best way to learn the alphabet is the way we used as children, to sing it ;). Here is one song by cute children, they are not natives so their pronunciation of certain letters is not absolutely correct but still very good:

One more famous alphabet song in Egypt is being prepared and will be added here soon.

There are three aspects in the Arabic writing system that are different from latin:

Writing Direction
Arabic is written from right to left.
Letter forms
In Arabic, letters are mostly connected to each other in the same word through a horizontal line, therefore, letter's form changes a bit depending whether it is connected from left, right, or both.
Diacritic signs
All Arabic letters are consonants except for three letetrs (the first and last two letters in the table below). Diacritic signs define the vowels between letters, the most used three vowels are introduced with the following examples (look up the letters in the table below when needed):
  • fatHah: a small dash above a letter indicates a short "a" after the letter: the word


    is pronounced as "kataba" meaning "wrote".
  • kasrah: a small dash below a letter indicates a short "e" after the letter : the word


    is pronounced as "ketaab" meaning "book".
  • dhammah: a small ُ above a letter indicates a short "o" after the letter: the word


    is pronounced as "kotob" meaning "books".

Finally, here is a table of all Arabic letters in their different forms. Note that for some letter, Egyptian pronounciation differs from Arabic. In such cases, Egyptian pronouncation remarks are written in italic. Get familiar with them, try to write your name with letters and vowels, and use this table as a reference for your further lessons. I recommend you to use this free program aralpha by Olivier Thill .

Letter standalone connected from left connected from left and right connected from right Remarks

Hey, how would be Aivi and Preveshnie written in Arabic, thanx

Thanx, nice site.!!!

Faisal

Hey can you please write the name Faisal in arabic for me please?

Re:

فيصل

tattoos

AS Salamu Alaikum
This is truly a nice site. I love how the children are so happy! I have been muslim and a arabic scholar for three months now and this helped me. Great site. I have a question. Everyone is asking about tattoos. I hear that muslims can get them but they have to be words and nothing like pictures?

Tattoos

lol, i know how tattoos are very popular these days, but i think that the main objection to tattoos is that it's a permanent alteration to how your body looks, so whether it's a picture or words, it really doesn't matter. the essence of this point of view is that God created you in the most perfect form, and no permanent changes should be applied to his creation...and God knows best...

Makhraj

Is there a good web site with the makharaj (points of articulation) with audio and photos/video aides?

Can you write "what the hell"! in arabic

This is for a multi language poster board

Thanks

Arabic

can anyone tell me what the following 2 names are in Arabic

Mark Paul

Kelly Louise

thank you

nice site

very very nice site!!!!!
the best explications what i have been in the net
im studing arabic..is a bit hard but not imposible
=) greetings to all

Arabic

I am wanting to get a tattoo that says
Serenity , Courage
please can you let me know what it looks like in the Arabic writing ....

Thanks

reply to Tattoo

سآرآنىتى = SERENITY

قآرىخ = COURAGE

Spelling is only as it sounds.. arabic pronounciation and writing are not as specific
as english when it comes to vowels. Sometimes vowels that are not pronounced with
obviousness are not written, but i have written it. Trust me took me a while...lol.

please can you tell me what thomas looks like in Arabic writing

hay please can you tell me what thomas would look like in Arabic writing thank you

Thomas in Arabic

The exact name as you pronounce it would be: Or, an Arabised version of it is: removing the S at the end

salaam in arabic

Hi! I want a tattoo that says salaam in arabic. i know a little arabic but want to make sure i have it right. thanks for the help!

Salaam in Arabic

this is a wonderful website.

this is a wonderful website. Now I'll learn arabian

Shokran

Ahlan, Areg team
I'm a beginner in Arabic but this website will help me a lot! Actually I'm really interested in Egyptian..it's an amazing language!
Thank u guys for the effort Smiling

lucky me!

i'v always been looking for a site that would help me in my madrasa subject nahu(grammar)...
tnx to this site.. Smiling

Jamilah

Hello my name is Arabic Jamilah. How is that written? I love the way the writting is thank you.

Jamilah

Re: how jamilah is written in arabic

جـميلة or جَمِيْلَةُ

Jamilah in Arabic

Ahlan Jamilah! glad to see you on ArEg
here is how Jamilah is written in Arabic:

my stories funny...im with

my stories funny...im with an egyptian guy,and were gonna get married soon...and im only 19,so friends are always saying you still have a sharp memory at this age..so make the most of it!!! and therfore please someone teach me egyptian arabic....i mean it seriously,lol
i would appreciate that so much,lol,i kinda wanna impress him with what i already know,lol
just let me know

Thank you

I found this site by pure luck. I have been trying to learn arabic for over a year. this is just what i needed.

very good

hey,i am very happy for this page.lot of thanks.

it ok

My boyfriend is egyptian and so is my sisters boyfriend and we find it really hard to understand them considering we only speak english and somewhat spanish. i found this link a little bit helpful condsidering there is no other good sight. Thank you for posting this on internet without this i would not be able to understand arabic a little more.

also can you explain the way of hoe to write in arabic a little bit more please?

thanks
karrah

SALAAM

VERY HELPFUL PAGE, THX

Hi there ... I am wanting to

Hi there ...

I am wanting to get a tattoo that says
LOVE AND HAPPINESS
please can you let me know what it looks like in the Arabic writing ....
Thankyou

Tracy

"LOVE AND HAPPINESS" ...

"LOVE AND HAPPINESS" ... this would be:

حب وسعادة

pronounced:
Hob wa sa'aadah

great

we like

semitic

il bint ik kabeera
arabic
ben
hebrew
khadta
aramaic

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