The Arabic Alphabet: A Practical Guide to All 28 Letters

Arabic uses an alphabet of 28 letters, written from right to left. Unlike English, it is technically an abjad: the letters represent consonants, and three of them (alif ا, waw و and ya ي) also double as long vowels. Short vowels are usually left unwritten.

The letters, grouped by shape

The quickest way to learn the alphabet is by shape family, because many letters differ only by dots:

• ب ت ث (ba, ta, tha) share one base shape, with one dot below, two dots above, and three dots above.
• ج ح خ (jim, ha, kha) share a hook-like shape, with a dot below, none, or one above.
• د ذ (dal, dhal) and ر ز (ra, zay) are compact letters that differ by a single dot.
• س ش (sin, shin) share a toothed shape.
• ص ض (sad, dad) and ط ظ (ta, za) are the "emphatic" pairs.
• ع غ (ayn, ghayn) share a shape, with a dot on ghayn.
• ف ق (fa, qaf) are similar loops with one or two dots.
• ك ل م ن ه و ي (kaf, lam, mim, nun, ha, waw, ya) complete the set, alongside alif ا.

Sounds that are new to English speakers

Several Arabic sounds have no English equivalent and need deliberate practice:

• ع (ayn), a voiced sound produced deep in the throat.
• غ (ghayn), similar to a gargled "r".
• خ (kha), like the "ch" in Scottish "loch".
• ح (ha), a breathy, throaty "h" quite different from the light ه.
• ق (qaf), a "k" made further back in the throat.
• The emphatic letters ص ض ط ظ, pronounced with a heavier, deeper tongue position.

Why dots matter so much

Because so many letters share a base shape, a missing or misplaced dot can turn one word into another. Most learners find that reading carefully with attention to dots is the biggest early skill.

Six letters that don't connect forward

Alif ا, dal د, dhal ذ, ra ر, zay ز and waw و connect to the letter before them but never to the one after. When you see a gap inside a word, it is often because one of these six letters has just appeared.

A sensible learning order

1. Learn the letters in shape families, not in strict alphabetical order.
2. Practise each in isolated, initial, medial and final position.
3. Read simple words written with vowel marks first.
4. Look up each new word in an Arabic script dictionary to see it written correctly.

Why script beats transliteration

Roman spellings like "kh" or "gh" are only rough guides. Seeing the real letters from day one trains your eye on actual text.

Look up any word in real Arabic script with English Arabic Dictionary →