Arabic letters, forms and vowels

How each letter looks alone and inside a word, how it sounds with every vowel, and a word to remember it by.

👆 Hover any letter to watch it being written · tap it to open all its animations in a new tab

✍️ Basic writing rules

Always write right to left ←
Most letters hang from an invisible line, like clothes on a washing line
Letters inside a word connect to each other, like joined handwriting
Six letters never connect on the left (ا د ذ ر ز و) — these are the orphan letters
Dots are part of the letter! ب = 1 dot below, ت = 2 dots above, ث = 3 dots above

🔤 Vowel marks (tashkeel)

بَ

Fatha فتحة

small line above — short 'a' as in 'cat'

بِ

Kasra كسرة

small line below — short 'i' as in 'pin'

بُ

Damma ضمة

small loop above — short 'u' as in 'put'

بْ

Sukun سكون

small circle above — no vowel, the letter stops

بّ

Shadda شدة

small 'w' above — say the letter twice (doubled)

بً

Tanween fath تنوين فتح

two fathas — ends with 'an'

بٍ

Tanween kasr تنوين كسر

two kasras — ends with 'in'

بٌ

Tanween damm تنوين ضم

two dammas — ends with 'un'

بٓ

Madda مدة

wavy line above alif — long 'aa'

The 28 letters 28 letters

Letters change shape depending on where they sit in a word. Six of them (ا د ذ ر ز و) only join to the letter before them, so the next letter starts fresh.

#	Letter	isolated	initial	medial	final	Short vowels	Long vowels	Example	How to write
1	اAlifألفlong 'aa' — stretches the vowel before itorphan	ا	ا	ـا	ـا	أَa إِi / e أُu	آaa إِيee أُوuu	أَنَاa-naa = Isay: AH-na	Alif family — one straight strokeOne straight line ↓ from top to bottom
2	بBaباءb as in 'ball'	ب	بـ	ـبـ	ـب	بَba بِbi / be بُbu	بَاbaa بِيbee بُوbuu	بَيْتbayt = housesay: BAYT	Ba family — the boat shapeCurve right→left like a boat, then 1 dot BELOW
3	تTaتاءt as in 'top'	ت	تـ	ـتـ	ـت	تَta تِti / te تُtu	تَاtaa تِيtee تُوtuu	كِتَابki-taab = booksay: ki-TAAB	Ba family — the boat shapeSame boat shape as Ba + 2 dots ABOVE
4	ثThaثاءth as in 'think'	ث	ثـ	ـثـ	ـث	ثَtha ثِthi / the ثُthu	ثَاthaa ثِيthee ثُوthuu	ثَلَاثَةtha-laa-tha = threesay: tha-LAA-tha	Ba family — the boat shapeSame boat shape as Ba + 3 dots ABOVE
5	جJimجيمj as in 'jam'	ج	جـ	ـجـ	ـج	جَja جِji / je جُju	جَاjaa جِيjee جُوjuu	جِسْمjism = bodysay: JISM	Jim family — the hook shapeHook shape with 1 dot INSIDE
6	حHaحاءbreathy h from the throat (ح)	ح	حـ	ـحـ	ـح	حَha حِhi / he حُhu	حَاhaa حِيhee حُوhuu	حَوَاسha-waas = sensessay: ha-WAAS	Jim family — the hook shapeExactly like Jim but NO dot
7	خKhaخاءkh — rough throat friction	خ	خـ	ـخـ	ـخ	خَkha خِkhi / khe خُkhu	خَاkhaa خِيkhee خُوkhuu	خَمْسَةkham-sa = fivesay: KHAM-sa	Jim family — the hook shapeLike Jim but the dot is ABOVE
8	دDalدالd as in 'dog'orphan	د	د	ـد	ـد	دَda دِdi / de دُdu	دَاdaa دِيdee دُوduu	وَلَدwa-lad = boysay: WA-lad	Orphan letters — never connect on the leftSlanted shape like a '7'. Orphan: no left connection
9	ذThalذالth as in 'this'orphan	ذ	ذ	ـذ	ـذ	ذَdha ذِdhi / dhe ذُdhu	ذَاdhaa ذِيdhee ذُوdhuu	أُذُنu-dhun = earsay: U-dhun	Orphan letters — never connect on the leftSame as Dal + 1 dot ABOVE
10	رRaراءrolled rorphan	ر	ر	ـر	ـر	رَra رِri / re رُru	رَاraa رِيree رُوruu	رِجْلrijl = legsay: RIJL	Orphan letters — never connect on the leftLike a curved '7' that swoops down-left
11	زZaynزايz as in 'zoo'orphan	ز	ز	ـز	ـز	زَza زِzi / ze زُzu	زَاzaa زِيzee زُوzuu	زَايِدzaa-yid = Zayed (name)say: ZAA-yid	Orphan letters — never connect on the leftSame as Ra + 1 dot ABOVE
12	سSinسينs as in 'sun'	س	سـ	ـسـ	ـس	سَsa سِsi / se سُsu	سَاsaa سِيsee سُوsuu	لِسَانli-saan = tonguesay: li-SAAN	Sin family — three teeth + a tail3 'teeth' bumps + a curved tail
13	شShinشينsh as in 'ship'	ش	شـ	ـشـ	ـش	شَsha شِshi / she شُshu	شَاshaa شِيshee شُوshuu	شَعْرsha'r = hairsay: SHA'R	Sin family — three teeth + a tailSame as Sin + 3 dots ABOVE
14	صSadصادheavy s (ص)	ص	صـ	ـصـ	ـص	صَsa صِsi / se صُsu	صَاsaa صِيsee صُوsuu	صَفّsaff = classroomsay: SAFF	Sad family — loop + tailA flat loop first, then the Sin tail
15	ضDadضادheavy d (ض)	ض	ضـ	ـضـ	ـض	ضَda ضِdi / de ضُdu	ضَاdaa ضِيdee ضُوduu	مَرِيضma-reed = sicksay: ma-REED	Sad family — loop + tailSame as Sad + 1 dot ABOVE
16	طTahطاءheavy t (ط)	ط	طـ	ـطـ	ـط	طَta طِti / te طُtu	طَاtaa طِيtee طُوtuu	طَبِيبta-beeb = doctorsay: ta-BEEB	Tah family — loop + tall strokeA flat loop, then a tall straight stroke ↓ on the right
17	ظZahظاءheavy dh (ظ)	ظ	ظـ	ـظـ	ـظ	ظَdha ظِdhi / dhe ظُdhu	ظَاdhaa ظِيdhee ظُوdhuu	ظَفْرzafr = fingernailsay: ZAFR	Tah family — loop + tall strokeSame as Tah + 1 dot ABOVE
18	عAynعينdeep throat sound (ع)	ع	عـ	ـعـ	ـع	عَa عِi / e عُu	عَاaa عِيee عُوuu	عَيْن'ayn = eyesay: AYN	Ayn family — cup on topCup shape on top, hooks down. The 'ayn' sound — only in Arabic!
19	غGhaynغينgh — a gargled g	غ	غـ	ـغـ	ـغ	غَgha غِghi / ghe غُghu	غَاghaa غِيghee غُوghuu	غَزَالgha-zaal = gazellesay: gha-ZAAL	Ayn family — cup on topSame as Ayn + 1 dot ABOVE
20	فFaفاءf as in 'fish'	ف	فـ	ـفـ	ـف	فَfa فِfi / fe فُfu	فَاfaa فِيfee فُوfuu	فَمfam = mouthsay: FAM	Fa / Qaf — circle head + tailSmall circle head + long flat tail + 1 dot ABOVE
21	قQafقافdeep k from the back of the throat	ق	قـ	ـقـ	ـق	قَqa قِqi / qe قُqu	قَاqaa قِيqee قُوquu	قَدَمqa-dam = footsay: QA-dam	Fa / Qaf — circle head + tailCircle head + deep tail BELOW + 2 dots ABOVE
22	كKafكافk as in 'kite'	ك	كـ	ـكـ	ـك	كَka كِki / ke كُku	كَاkaa كِيkee كُوkuu	كِتَابki-taab = booksay: ki-TAAB	Kaf — curved body + mini strokeCurved body + a small stroke inside/above
23	لLamلامl as in 'lamp'	ل	لـ	ـلـ	ـل	لَla لِli / le لُlu	لَاlaa لِيlee لُوluu	لِسَانli-saan = tonguesay: li-SAAN	Lam — tall stroke + hookTall stroke ↓ that curves into a hook
24	مMimميمm as in 'moon'	م	مـ	ـمـ	ـم	مَma مِmi / me مُmu	مَاmaa مِيmee مُوmuu	مَوْزmawz = bananasay: MAWZ	Mim — small circle + tailSmall circle + tail going below-left
25	نNunنونn as in 'nose'	ن	نـ	ـنـ	ـن	نَna نِni / ne نُnu	نَاnaa نِيnee نُوnuu	نَادِرnaa-dir = Nader (name)say: NAA-dir	Nun — the bowlBowl/cup shape + 1 dot INSIDE (above the centre)
26	هHaaهاءsoft h as in 'hat'	ه	هـ	ـهـ	ـه	هَha هِhi / he هُhu	هَاhaa هِيhee هُوhuu	وَجْهwajh = facesay: WAJH	Haa — two loopsTwo loops that flow into each other
27	وWawواوw as in 'water' — or long 'oo'orphan	و	و	ـو	ـو	وَwa وِwi / we وُwu	وَاwaa وِيwee وُوwuu	وَرْدward = flowersay: WARD	Orphan letters — never connect on the leftA circle with a tail. Orphan letter
28	يYaياءy as in 'yes' — or long 'ee'	ي	يـ	ـيـ	ـي	يَya يِyi / ye يُyu	يَاyaa يِيyee يُوyuu	يَدyad = handsay: YAD	Ya — boat that dipsBoat shape that dips BELOW the line + 2 dots UNDER

Hamza family 6 letters

Hamza (ء) is a small catch in the throat. It can sit alone, or ride on alif, waw or ya.

#	Letter	isolated	initial	medial	final	Short vowels	Long vowels	Example	How to write
1	ءHamzaهمزةa tiny catch in the throat (like 'uh-oh')orphan	ء	ء	ء	ء	ءَa ءِi / e ءُu		سَمَاءsa-maa' = sky	HamzaA tiny 'c' with a flick — like a mini Ayn head
2	أAlif with hamza aboveألف بهمزة فوقhamza sitting on alif — carries a or uorphan	أ	أ	ـأ	ـأ	أَa أِi / e أُu	أَاaa أِيee أُوuu	أُنْظُرْun-zur = look!	Alif family — one straight strokeAlif ↓ then a small hamza ABOVE it
3	إAlif with hamza belowألف بهمزة تحتhamza under alif — always 'i'orphan	إ	إ	ـإ	ـإ	إَa إِi / e إُu	إَاaa إِيee إُوuu	إِبْرَةib-ra = needle	Alif family — one straight strokeAlif ↓ then a small hamza BELOW it
4	آAlif maddaألف ممدودةlong 'aa' at the startorphan	آ	آ	ـآ	ـآ	آَa آِi / e آُu	آَاaa آِيee آُوuu	آدَمaa-dam = Adam	Alif family — one straight strokeAlif ↓ then a wavy madda ABOVE it
5	ؤWaw with hamzaواو بهمزةhamza sitting on waworphan	ؤ	ؤ	ـؤ	ـؤ	ؤَa ؤِi / e ؤُu	ؤَاaa ؤِيee ؤُوuu	مُؤْمِنmu'-min = believer	Orphan letters — never connect on the leftWaw, then a small hamza ABOVE it
6	ئYa with hamzaياء بهمزةhamza sitting on a dotless ya	ئ	ئـ	ـئـ	ـئ	ئَa ئِi / e ئُu	ئَاaa ئِيee ئُوuu	عَائِلَة'aa-'i-la = family	Ya — boat that dipsYa shape without dots, with a small hamza ABOVE

Special end letters 2 letters

These only appear at the end of a word.

#	Letter	isolated	initial	medial	final	Short vowels	Long vowels	Example	How to write
1	ةTa marbutaتاء مربوطة'tied ta' — sounds like a soft 'a(h)' at the end of a wordorphan	ة	ة	ـة	ـة	ةَta ةِti / te ةُtu		مَدْرَسَةmad-ra-sa = school	Haa — two loopsHaa shape at the end + 2 dots ABOVE (a 'tied' ta)
2	ىAlif maqsuraألف مقصورةa ya without dots that sounds like long 'aa'orphan	ى	ى	ـى	ـى			مُسْتَشْفَىmus-tash-faa = hospital	Ya — boat that dipsYa shape at the end WITHOUT the dots

Lam-alif ligature

When lam (ل) is followed by any alif, the two letters are written as one shape.

لاLam-Alef

لأLam-Alef + hamza above

لإLam-Alef + hamza below

لآLam-Alef + madda