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Alphabet & Pronunciation
The Arabic alphabet, its sounds and pronunciation, from letters to full reading.
الأَلِف الفَارِقَة
the distinguishing alif
al-alif al-fariqa
Silent alif after the waw of a plural verb
كَتَبُوا
they wrote
katabuu
The final alif is written but silent
المَدّ
madd
al-madd
Lengthening mark over alif for a long 'aa'
القُرْآن
the Quran
al-qur'aan
Shows the madd over the alif
اللَّام الشَّمْسِيَّة
the sun lam
al-lam ash-shamsiyya
Written but assimilated, not pronounced
اللَّام القَمَرِيَّة
the moon lam
al-lam al-qamariyya
Written and pronounced
الوَقْف
pausing
al-waqf
At a pause, final short vowels are dropped
كِتَابْ
book (in pause)
kitaab
Final vowel dropped when stopping
الإِمَالَة
inclination
al-imaala
A tilt of 'aa' toward 'ee' in some readings
التَّشْكِيل
vocalization
at-tashkiil
The full system of vowel and diacritic marks