Arabic Alphabet Lesson
The Arabic alphabet (الأبجدية العربية) consists of 28 letters. It is written from right to left, and most letters change shape depending on their position in the word (beginning, middle, end, or isolated).
Arabic has no capital or lowercase letters, but each letter connects smoothly to the next in handwriting and print.
The 28 Arabic Letters
Below is the full Arabic alphabet with their names and common sounds in English.
| Letter | Name (Arabic) | Name (English) | Sound Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ا | ألف | Alif | a (as in apple) |
| ب | باء | Ba | b (as in boy) |
| ت | تاء | Ta | t (as in top) |
| ث | ثاء | Tha | th (as in think) |
| ج | جيم | Jeem | j (as in jam) |
| ح | حاء | Ḥa | deep h (hard h) |
| خ | خاء | Kha | kh (like German “Bach”) |
| د | دال | Dal | d (as in dog) |
| ذ | ذال | Dhal | th (as in this) |
| ر | راء | Ra | r (rolled r) |
| ز | زاي | Zay | z (as in zebra) |
| س | سين | Seen | s (as in sun) |
| ش | شين | Sheen | sh (as in shoe) |
| ص | صاد | Ṣad | emphatic s |
| ض | ضاد | Ḍad | emphatic d |
| ط | طاء | Ṭa | emphatic t |
| ظ | ظاء | Ẓa | emphatic th |
| ع | عين | ʿAyn | voiced deep sound (unique) |
| غ | غين | Ghayn | gh (like French ‘r’) |
| ف | فاء | Fa | f (as in fun) |
| ق | قاف | Qaf | deep q/k sound |
| ك | كاف | Kaf | k (as in kite) |
| ل | لام | Lam | l (as in lamp) |
| م | ميم | Meem | m (as in man) |
| ن | نون | Noon | n (as in net) |
| هـ | هاء | Ha | h (as in hat) |
| و | واو | Waw | w (as in wow), sometimes long “oo” |
| ي | ياء | Ya | y (as in yes), sometimes long “ee” |
Key Notes for Beginners
- Vowels: Arabic uses diacritical marks (َ ِ ُ ) to show short vowels (a, i, u). These are not usually written in normal texts, but are used in the Qur’an and children’s books.
- Letter Shapes: Most letters connect to each other, but a few (ا, د, ذ, ر, ز, و) only connect from the right side.
- Direction: Always read and write right to left.
Free Arabic Alphabet Chart (PDF)
📥 Download Arabic Alphabet Chart (PDF)
🙋 FAQs (Great for “People Also Ask” box in Google)
Q1: How many letters are there in the Arabic alphabet?
The Arabic alphabet has 28 letters. Unlike English, it has no capital or lowercase, but letters change shape depending on their position in the word.
Q2: Is Arabic written left to right or right to left?
Arabic is written from right to left, unlike English which is left to right.
Q3: What is the best way to learn the Arabic alphabet?
The best way is to study a chart, listen to the pronunciation of each letter, and practice writing them. Using audio and PDF worksheets helps beginners learn faster.
Q4: Can I download the Arabic alphabet in PDF format?
Yes! You can download a free Arabic alphabet PDF chart for easy offline learning and practice.
Q5: Does Arabic have vowels like English?
Yes, but short vowels are not letters — they are marks (harakat) written above or below letters. Long vowels are written with letters (ا, و, ي).
Q6: Is the Arabic alphabet the same as the Persian alphabet?
They are very similar. Arabic has 28 letters, while Persian adds 4 more letters for sounds not found in Arabic.
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