The Arabic Alphabet
The Arabic alphabet, known as al-ḥurūf al-hijāʾiyyah, consists of 28 letters. It is an abjad system, meaning letters primarily represent consonants, while vowels are indicated by separate marks or specific long-vowel letters.
How It Works
To understand the Arabic writing system, you must grasp three foundational pillars:
1. Positional Shapes: Unlike the Latin alphabet, Arabic letters are almost always connected. A letter like bāʾ (ب) looks different when it starts a word than when it ends one. You will need to learn the direction of writing and how these shapes shift.
2. The Non-Connectors: There are six 'stubborn' letters (ا، د، ذ، ر، ز، و) that connect to the letter before them but refuse to connect to the letter after them. This creates a small visual break within a word.
3. Consonants vs. Vowels: The 28 letters are mostly consonants. Three of them (ا، و، ي) also function as long vowels. Short vowels are not letters at all; they are small symbols called ḥarakāt written above or below the consonants.
4. Sun and Moon Letters: The alphabet is divided into two groups that determine how the definite article (al-) is pronounced. Sun and Moon letters affect whether you pronounce the 'L' sound or skip it to double the next consonant.
Examples (4)
- تتكون اللغة العربية من ثمانية وعشرين حرفاً هجائياً.
The Arabic language consists of twenty-eight spelling letters.
Word by Word: Consists the language the Arabic from eight and twenty letter spelling.
This sentence uses the formal term for the alphabet to describe the language's structure.
- ب ت ث
Bāʾ, Tāʾ, Thāʾ
An example of how the Hijāʾī order groups letters by their shared base shape, distinguished only by dots.
- ا د ذ ر ز و
The six non-connecting letters.
These letters never connect to the left, creating a gap in the cursive flow.
- كتاب / الكِتاب
A book / The book
Word by Word: book / the-book
Shows how letters connect in a word and how the definite article attaches to the start.
Common Mistakes
Connecting a 'non-connector' letter to the left.
ر+ج+ل = رُجلرجلThe letter Ra (ر) is a non-connector. It must not touch the letter following it (ج), even though they are part of the same word.
Confusing letters that share the same base shape but different dots.
خبلجبلThe position and number of dots (iʿjām) are critical. Changing one dot changes the word, from جبل "mountain" to خبل "madness".
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- Writing From Right to Left
Explains the mechanics of writing from right to left.
Level 1 - Long Vowels
Details the three letters that function as long vowels.
Foundations - Short Vowel Marks
Explains the optional marks used to represent short vowel sounds.
Foundations - Sun and Moon Letters
Explains how the alphabet is split into two groups for pronunciation rules.
Level 1 - الThe Definite Article
Shows how the alphabet interacts with the word for 'the'.
Level 1 - The Doubling Mark
Explains the mark used to double a letter's sound.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
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