A Brief Stop
Hear where your voice stops for ء, then read it in its different shapes.
Chapter 9 of 11Page 1 of 9
ءUh-oh (broken cup)Uh-oh, the cup broke! Its curved handle makes the top of ء, and the slanted piece below makes the bottom stroke.
Say "uh-oh" and notice the catch between the two parts. That brief stop is ء. In مَاء, say the long "aa," then stop your voice with that catch. Listen for it at the end!
—start
—middle
—end
ءalone
ء stays separate from the other letters. Its shape does not change.
Commonly Confused
عLifting a CrateءBroken Cupء looks like the small top of ع. ع also has a long curve below it.