The Arabic Alphabet
Learn the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet, their forms in different positions, and how they connect in words.
Introduction to the Arabic Script
Arabic is written from right to left. The alphabet has 28 letters, all consonants. Vowels are indicated by diacritical marks (short vowels) or by specific letters (long vowels: alif ا, waw و, yaa ي). Most letters connect to the letter following them, and each letter can have up to four forms depending on its position in a word: isolated, initial, medial, and final.
Letter Groups by Shape
Arabic letters can be grouped by their base shape, differing only in the number and placement of dots. Group 1: ب ت ث (baa, taa, thaa) - same base shape, dots differ. Group 2: ج ح خ (jiim, haa, khaa) - same base shape. Group 3: د ذ (daal, dhaal) - do not connect to the following letter. Group 4: ر ز (raa, zaay) - do not connect to the following letter. Group 5: س ش (siin, shiin) - three-tooth base. Group 6: ص ض (saad, daad) - wide loop base. Group 7: ط ظ (taa, dhaa) - tall loop. Group 8: ع غ (ayn, ghayn) - distinctive shape. Group 9: ف ق (faa, qaaf) - round head. Group 10: ك ل (kaaf, laam). Group 11: م (miim), ن (nuun), ه (haa), و (waaw), ي (yaa) each have unique shapes.
Non-Connecting Letters
Six letters in Arabic do not connect to the letter that follows them: alif (ا), daal (د), dhaal (ذ), raa (ر), zaay (ز), and waaw (و). They only have two forms: isolated and final (connected from the right only). When one of these letters appears in the middle of a word, the following letter takes its initial form.