The 28 Arabic Letters
Learn each letter with its correct sound, transliteration, and where it is produced in the mouth
ا
Alif
a / aa
Empty space in the mouth (Jawf). A vowel carrier — the sound originates from the open throat.
ب
Ba
b
Both lips meet together. Similar to English 'b'.
ت
Ta
t
Tip of the tongue touches the base of the upper front teeth.
ث
Tha
th
Tip of the tongue protrudes slightly between the upper and lower front teeth. Like 'th' in 'think'.
ج
Jeem
j
Middle of the tongue presses against the hard palate. Similar to English 'j'.
ح
Ha
h (emphatic)
Middle of the throat. A breathy, deep 'h' with no English equivalent — produced by constricting the middle throat.
خ
Kha
kh
Back of the tongue near the soft palate. A raspy, guttural sound like clearing the throat gently.
د
Dal
d
Tip of the tongue touches the base of the upper front teeth. Similar to English 'd'.
ذ
Dhal
dh
Tip of the tongue protrudes between the front teeth. Like 'th' in 'this'.
ر
Ra
r
Tip of the tongue touches the gum ridge behind the upper teeth with a slight roll. Heavier than the English 'r'.
ز
Zay
z
Tip of the tongue near the upper front teeth with airflow. Similar to English 'z'.
س
Seen
s
Tip of the tongue near the upper front teeth. A clear, sharp 's' sound.
ش
Sheen
sh
Middle of the tongue rises toward the hard palate. Like English 'sh' in 'ship'.
ص
Sad
s (emphatic)
Tip of the tongue near upper teeth like Seen, but the tongue body is raised, producing a heavy, deep 's'.
ض
Dad
d (emphatic)
Side of the tongue touches the upper molars. Unique to Arabic — often called the letter of the Arabic language.
ط
Taa
t (emphatic)
Tip of the tongue at the base of the upper teeth like Ta, but with the tongue body raised for a heavier sound.
ظ
Dhaa
dh (emphatic)
Tip of the tongue between the teeth like Dhal, but with the tongue body raised for a heavier, emphatic sound.
ع
Ain
'a (guttural)
Middle of the throat. A voiced constriction — no English equivalent. Often described as a deep, squeezed vowel sound.
غ
Ghain
gh
Top of the throat, near the uvula. A gargling sound similar to the French 'r' in 'Paris'.
ف
Fa
f
Lower lip touches the edge of the upper front teeth. Same as English 'f'.
ق
Qaf
q
Back of the tongue meets the uvula. A deep, heavy 'k' sound produced further back than English 'k'.
ك
Kaf
k
Back of the tongue meets the soft palate, slightly forward of Qaf. Similar to English 'k'.
ل
Lam
l
Tip of the tongue touches the gum ridge behind the upper teeth. Usually light, except in the word 'Allah' after Fathah or Dammah.
م
Meem
m
Both lips come together completely. Same as English 'm'. Sound resonates through the nasal cavity.
ن
Noon
n
Tip of the tongue touches the gum ridge behind the upper front teeth. Similar to English 'n' with nasal resonance.
ه
Ha
h (light)
Bottom of the throat (deepest point). A light, breathy 'h' like English 'h' in 'hat'.
و
Waw
w / oo
Lips round together without fully closing. Like English 'w'. Also serves as a long vowel (oo).
ي
Ya
y / ee
Middle of the tongue rises toward the hard palate. Like English 'y'. Also serves as a long vowel (ee).
Interactive Practice Coming Soon
Audio pronunciation by a native reciter, letter-form variations (initial, medial, final), and handwriting practice will be added in a future update.