Assalamu alaikum,

An easy way to learn the Arabic alphabet is to make yourself a chart with the 28 letters arranged in a triangle pattern (as I will explain below).  This way, your mind can make a picture of the alphpbet and it will be easier for you to visualize where the letters go!

** Remember, Arabic is written and read from right to left (opposite of English).  So, for example, the first 5 letters would be read in this order: 'alef, ba'a, ta'a, tha'a and jeem.

I will write the letter names in my chart in English, you write the actual letters above each letter name (using the above alphabet post to see the letter shapes), be sure to use the "isolated letter" shape. 

                                                              'alef

                                                      ta'a          ba'a

                                               ha'a        jeem       tha'a

                                        ra'a       dhaal       daal       kha'a

                               daad       saad       sheen       seen       zay

                           qaaf       fa'a       ghane       aine       za'a       ta'a

                     ya'a       waw       ha'a       noon       meem       lam       kaaf

Note:  my spelling of the letter names is a bit different from the chart in the first post.  Get used to this!, there are many different ways that Arabic is transliterated into English....a frustration but something you will learn to get used to!  Just follow the chart starting at the right hand column with alef and go down then up to the top of the left hand column down to ya'a.  If you follow this way you'll end up with a correct triangle chart.

Also note: the word ta'a in the second last line of the triangle would be written with a dot under the t to distinguish it from the word ta'a in the second line (couldn't make my keyboard do that!)  As well, the word ha'a in the third line of the triangle would be written with a dot under the h to distinguish it from the word ha'a in the last line of the triangle.

Practice writing your Arabic letters in the triangle chart shape saying each letter.  In the next little while, insha'allah, I will post some hints and tips on pronounciation (and invite others to do so if they are able!).

Peace, ummziba.

As Salamu Alaikum Sister

Masha Allah this chart is great.

May Allah Ta'ala reward you with abundance for this effort both in this world and the next. Ameen

Wa Alaikum Salam

Assalamu alaikum,

Pronouncing the names of the Arabic letters :

(keep in mind these are the names of the letters, not the sound they make).  I will put the Arabic transliteration of the name with an English word in brackets ( ) that has the same sound.  I invite any who know better or can explain better to correct any errors that I make!

'alef  �- a (like in cat) lef (leaf)       ba'a � - (like in bat)       

ta'a  � - (like in taboo)    

tha'a  � - (like in thatch)     

 jeem �  - j (a soft j, like in French words Jean or Jaques {the way the French pronounce it not the way the English pronounce it!} *note: you will find Egyptian Arab speakers saying it like "g" as in gum - the soft j sound is more correct)  eem (like in dream)

ha'a  � an exaggerated h sound like in hand with breath from your throat

kha'a  � - kh (like a Scotsman would say loch - from the very back of your mouth) a'a (like in cat)

daal  � - d like in door, aa like in cat, l like in love

dhaal �  - dh, push tip of tongue behind top front teeth like in that, aal like cat and love

ra'a  � - (roll tip of tongue to sound of ra like in rat - Spanish speakers will find this one easy!)

zay �  - z (zebra) ay (day)

seen  � - sounds just like English word seen

sheen �  - shee (sheep) n (can)

saad  � - saa (saw) d (dad)     daad �  - daa (dawn)  d (dad)

ta'a �  - more emphasized t than the ta'a above (put more air behind the t) a'a (cat)

za'a �  - more emphasized z than letter zay, a'a (cat)

aine  � - eye, n (can)

ghane �  - gh (like a growling r sound from deep in your throat) ane (an)

fa'a �  - (father)     qaaf  � - q (sound from deep in your throat) aaf (after)

kaf  � - k (keep) af (after)     lam  � - (lamb)     meem �  - (mom) (seem)

noon  � - just like English word noon

ha'a  � - regular h (happy) a'a (cat)

waw �  - just like it looks!     ya'a  � - like ya with a throat stop at end

Peace, ummziba.

Assalamu alaikum,

Hamza: listed last on the alphabet chart, looks like this  �

When the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, 'alef, is without a hamza on top of it, it is considered a consonant and makes the sound as in rather.

When 'alef has the hamza on top of it, it is a short vowel that makes the sound like in abide.

There will be more about hamza in the vowel sounds thread.....

Peace, ummziba.

Assalamu alaikum,

Sounds the Arabic letters make:

'alef  � - rather (see vowel sounds thread to find out more about sounds 'alef makes)

ba'a  � - bat     ta'a  � - eight     tha'a �  - mouth    

 jeem �  - Jacques (as French say it)

ha'a �  - heavy (hard h)     kha'a �  - khan or loch (back in throat)    

daal �  - dog

dhaal �  - this with tongue against back of front teeth    

ra'a �  - rat but roll the r

zay � - zebra     seen � - sin     sheen � - shop    

saad  � - sit (hard s sound)

daad �  - Ramadhan (an emphatic d sound peculiar to Arabic)

ta � - harder t than ta'a     za'a � - harder z than zay    

aine �  and ghane �  - best to ask an Arabic speaker to make these sounds for you!  (aine is sort of like a choked up a in and, and ghane is like a growled r from deep in your throat)

fa'a  � - faith    

qaaf  � - question but with back of tongue touching top of mouth

kaaf �  - keep     lam �  - look     meem � - mint     ha'a � - host    

waw  � - wide     ya'a �  - young

As you can see, some of these are hard to explain and are best heard vocalized by one who speaks Arabic.  As well, some of these sounds are very difficult to distinguish from one another to the inexperienced ear.

Truly to get the accent right and to hear the sounds in the best way, it is the best to learn from a native Arabic speaker.  Second best are tapes/audio sources of native Arabic speakers.  Third best, someone who is not a native Arabic speaker but knows the language.  This is not to hurt anyone's feelings, but think about it, would you try to learn Italian from an Italian speaking Scotsman?

Again, I invite anyone who can explain these sounds better or from a different perspective to please post your comments!

Peace, ummziba

ummziba wrote: As you can see, some of these are hard to explain and are best heard vocalized by one who speaks Arabic.  As well, some of these sounds are very difficult to distinguish from one another to the inexperienced ear. Truly to get the accent right and to hear the sounds in the best way, it is the best to learn from a native Arabic speaker. Peace, ummziba

As Salamu Alaikum

Jazakallahu Khairan sister for these lessons.

I have to agree with you, some letters are difficult to pronounce. The most difficult letters for me with regard to pronunciation are:  � � � �

Insha Allah after Ramadan I will also post from my notes, I have about 4-5 kilos of notes that need sorting out.

Wa Alaikum Salam

Assalamu alaikum,

This is not a letter of the alphabet, but is used at the end of feminine nouns and adjectives - it is called ta'a marbuta.  It is the letter �  but is done like this �

Another "non-letter" to be aware of is 'alef lam.  When 'alef  �  and lam �   are together alone, they are written like this ��   .  When they occur within a word, they are written like this ������  like in salam.

(ha, ha, a technodummy can learn!)

You are great ..

I think this lesson is very great ..