Basics

Arabic is read from Right To Left. The English pronunciation guides are still read Left to Right.

Alphabet

Letters have Isolated and Final, Medial, Initial forms.

Hijā’ī Order

Letters are grouped by similarity of shape.

ﺎ ا Alif (ranges from e in bet, to a in father)
ﺑﺒﺐ ﺐ Ba (like b in bet)
ة ﺗﺘﺖ ﺕ Ta (like t in tip)
ﺛﺜﺚ ﺙ Tha (like th in three - tongue starts between your teeth)
ﺟﺠﺞ ﺝ Jeem (like j or g, depending on region)
ﺣﺤﺢ ﺡ Hha (breathy ha)
ﺧﺨﺦ ﺥ Kha (phlegmy gha or kha)
ﺪ ﺩ Dal (like d in dip)
ﺬ ﺫ Thal (like th in other - tongue at back of top teeth)
ﺮ ﺭ Ra (like Spanish r)
ﺰ ﺯ Zay (like z in zip)
ﺳﺴﺲ ﺱ Seen (like s in sip)
ﺷﺸﺶ ﺵ Sheen (like sh in she)
ﺻﺼﺺ ﺹ Saad (emphatic s, like s in subtle)
ﺿﻀﺾ ﺽ Daad (emphatic db, like d in duh)
ﻃﻄﻂ ﻁ Toh (emphatic t, like t in bottle)
ﻇﻈﻆ ﻅ Thoh (emphatic th, like th in thy)
ﻋﻌﻊ ﻉ Ayn
ﻏﻐﻎ ﻍ Ghayn (like French r)
ﻓﻔﻒ ﻑ Fa (like f in fun)
ﻗﻘﻖ ﻕ Qaf (koff, like k deep in the throat)
ﻛﻜﻚ ﻙ Kaf (like k in keep)
ﻟﻠﻞ ﻝ Lam (like Spanish l)
ﻣﻤﻢ ﻡ Meem (like m in mat)
ﻧﻨﻦ ﻥ Noon (like n in neat)
ﻫﻬﻪ ﻩ Ha (ha from chest, like ha in ah-ha!)
ﻮ ﻭ Wow (like w in wow, or oo in poodle)
ﻳﻴﻲ ﻱ Ya (like y in yes, or i in bit, or ie in piece)

لا combo letter lam-alif

ء ?

Diacritical Marks

Harokat

Marks are displayed decorating an Alif.

Pronunciation

Greetings

People Nouns

Eats

Drinks

Runs

Reads