Lesson_01

Notes about Arabic Alphabet

Number of Letters: The Arabic alphabet has 28/29 letters [if we consider hamza and alif different letter]. It is written from right to left, unlike English and many other languages.

No Capitalization: Arabic does not have capital and lowercase letters. Instead, the shape of a letter can change depending on its position in a word.

  • Arabic also uses diacritics (Tashkeel) to modify the sound of letters for short vowels and other phonetic nuances.
  • Heavy letters (ص, ض, ط, ظ, ق, and sometimes ر ) are pronounced with more emphasis and a deeper tone.
  • Unique letters (ح, خ, ع, غ) require more attention and practice as they have no exact English equivalents.
  • Letters Connect: Most Arabic letters are connected in writing, forming a continuous script. Some letters, however, do not connect to the following letter (ا , د , ذ , ر , ز, و).