These are the letters of the Arabic Alphabet. Some of these letters are heavy letters and some are light letters which we will explain later.

 

We will start with this letter ب as the first letter will need explaining in detail.

 

This letter is Ba ب

It has a dot on the bottom. It is a light letter. It sounds like the letter B in the word bat or the word bag.
This is what ba looks like in the beginning بقرة, like this in the middle جبل and like this at the end of a word عنب.

 

The next letter is called Ta ت

It has two dots on top and is a light letter. In English it sounds like the letter T like in the word taxi or the word tank.
This is what taa looks like in the beginning تمر, like this in the middle زعتر and like this at the end of a word بنت

 

The next letter is called Tha ث

It has three dots on top and it is a light letter. In English it is similar to Th in the word three, or the word think or Math.
This is what tha looks like in the beginning ثقة, like this in the middle مثل and like this at the end of a word بحث

 

This letter is called Jeem ج

It is a light letter. In English it is like the letter J in the word Jam or the word Jug.
This is what Jeem looks like at the beginning جرس, like this in the middle نجم and like this at the end of a word  برج

 

This letter is called Hha ح

Hha is similar to the previous letter Jeem except it does not have any dots.  It is a light letter. It is not like the letter H in English. Here are some examples of what it sounds like.

If you hold a mirror or your glasses and you go haaaa, you will see the glass turn foggy.
This is the sound we want.

Or when you take a big sip out of your juice on a hot summer day and when you are done you say ahhhh.  That’s the sound you need. Hha

This is what the Hha looks like at the beginning حصان, like this in the middle محرم and like this at the end of a word تفاح

 

This letter is called Kha خ

Kha is similar to both previous letters Jeem and Hha except that it has a dot on top.  Kha is a heavy letter. So far this is the first heavy letter we have learnt.

When we say heavy it means the mouth is full when pronouncing the letter.

Like if we say the letter A in a heavy sound it would be Arhh and if it was light it would sound as Aaa.

So with this letter it is Khaa and not Khe. Kha is also one of the letters where there is no matching letter for it in English. Imagine you are snoring.  Khaaaa  

This is what the Kha looks like at the beginning خير, like this in the middle نخلة and like this at the end of a word  خوخ

 

This letter is called dal د

it is a light letter. Dal makes a similar sound In English to the letter D in the word dad, or the word dark.
This is what the dal looks like at the beginning دار, like this in the middle عدس and like this at the end of a word  برّاد

 

This letter is called dhal ذ

Dhal is similar to the previous letter Dal but it has a dot .
Dhal is a light letter. If you take the letter z in the word zipper, you place the tip of your tongue between your front teeth and say zipper, it will appear as thipper.

In English by placing your tongue between the front teeth you can say the words such as That, This, Other.

Its not the TH in the words such as think, or Math as explained earlier, that is another letter.

It is also not zaal with a z sound.

This is what the dhal looks like at the beginning ذرة, like this in the middle ينذر and like this at the end of a word  لذيذ

 

This letter is called Ra ر

This letter is sometimes heavy and sometimes light but we will learn these rules later once we advance.

Ra is sort of like the English letter R but with a bit of a roll of the tongue

This is what the Ra looks like at the beginning ريشة, like this in the middle طريق and like this at the end of a word كبير

 

This letter is called Za ز

Za is similar to the previous letter Ra but it has a dot on top.

Za is a light letter.

Za makes a similar sound In English to the letter Z in the word Buzz, or the word Zoo.

This is what the Za looks like at the beginning زعتر, like this in the middle ميزان and like this at the end of a word  موز

 

This letter is called Seen س

Seen is a light letter.

Seen makes a similar sound in English to the letter S in the word Sun or the word Salad.

This is what the seen looks like at the beginning سقث, like this in the middle  حاسبة and like this at the end of a word شمس

 

This letter is called Sheen ش

It is similar to the previous letter seen but it has 3 dots on top. Sheen is a light letter.

Sheen makes a similar sound to the SH in the word Shell or the word Shoe.

This is what the sheen looks like at the beginning شمال, like this in the middle  منشفة and like this at the end of a word فراش

 

This letter is called Saad ص

Saad is a heavy letter.

The closest letter would be the letter S in English and similar to the letter س Seen but it is pronounced with a heavy sound.

Like the word sword or the word sore but heavy.
It is not pronounced as sward with a W sound

This is what the Saad looks like at the beginning صبر, like this in the middle عصير and like this at the end of a word  مقص

 

This letter  is called Dhaad ض

It looks similar to the previous letter Saad except it has a dot. Dhaad is also a heavy letter

The closest letter would be the letter D and the letter د Dal but it is pronounced heavy.
The sound also comes from the back of the mouth. Dhaad.

This is what the Dhaad looks like at the beginning ضبع, like this in the middle أخضر and like this at the end of a word  بيض

 

This letter is called Toh ط

Toh is a heavy letter. The closest letter would be the letter T and the letter ت Ta, but it is pronounced with a heavy sound. Toh

This is what the Toh looks like at the beginning طين, like this in the middle عطر and like this at the end of a word  خليط

 

This letter is called Thoh ظ

It looks similar to the previous letter  Toh except it has a dot.
It is a heavy letter.

It is pronounced similar to the letter ذ dhal but it is pronounced with a heavy sound. Thoh
This is what Thoh looks like at the beginning ظل, like this in the middle عظيم and like this at the end of a word  حظ

 

This letter is called A’in ع

A’in is a light letter. To pronounce A’in it must come from the back of the mouth in the throat.
If you pronounce it as ain as in the letter A, you have pronounced it wrong.

It is as if you are biting a big apple ‘ aaaahh.

This is what the A’in looks like at the beginning عروس, like this in the middle معلم and like this at the end of a word  سمع

 

This letter is called Ghain غ

It looks similar to the previous letter  ع A’in except it has a dot.
Ghain is a heavy letter.

It sounds similar to when you gargle some water from the throat, Ghghghaain.

This is what the Ghain looks like at the beginning غرب, like this in the middle لغة and like this at the end of a word  بالغ

 

This letter is called Fa ف

It is a light letter. Fa makes a similar sound In English to the letter F in the word fox, or the word fish.

This is what the fa looks like at the beginning فريق, like this in the middle  مفصل and like this at the end of a word صيف

 

This letter is called Qaf ق

Qaf is a heavy letter.

It sounds a little like a crow sound Qaa,
the sound does not make a K sound. It comes from the back of the mouth. Qaaaf

This is what the Qaf looks like at the beginning قطر, like this in the middle بقرة and like this at the end of a word ورق

 

This letter is called Kaf ك

Kaf is a light letter. Kaf makes a similar sound In English to the letter K in the word kitten or the word kangaroo.

This is what the Kaf looks like at the beginning كلب, like this in the middle شوكة and like this at the end of a word مسك

 

This letter is called Laam ل

Laam is always pronounced light except in the name of Allah which will be explained later in detail.

Laam makes a similar sound In English to the letter L in the word lion or the word lamp.

This is what the Laam looks like at the beginning لحم, like this in the middle  علم and like this at the end of a word عمل

 

This letter is called Meem م

It is a light letter. Meem makes a similar sound in English to the letter M in the word moon or the word mouse.

This is what the Meem looks like at the beginning ماء, like this in the middle   قميص and like this at the end of a word يوم

 

This letter is called Noon ن

It looks similar to the earlier letters  ب ت ث ba, ta and tha except it has a dot on top. Noon is a light letter.

Noon makes a similar sound in English to the letter N in the word nose or the word nest.

This is what the Noon looks like at the beginning نهر, like this in the middle  سنين and like this at the end of a word عين

 

This letter is called Ha ه

Ha is a light letter. Ha makes a similar sound in English to the letter H in the word hat or the word horse.

Do not get confused with the letter Hha  ح

Remember the Hha ح is as if you are pushing air from your throat.

The Ha ه is similar to the letter H. For example, we say this word as hello with a Ha  ه sound. We don’t say Hello with a ح

This is what the Ha looks like at the beginning هرة, like this in the middleنهر and like this at the end of a word    ترفيه

 

To be continued