Arabic alphabet
ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ
All 28 letters with names, four forms, where each is pronounced, a real Quran word for every letter, audio and a practice quiz.
Arabic is written from right to left. Each card shows the letter, its name, its four forms, where it is pronounced and a word from the Quran.
1 · Al-jawf (empty space of mouth & throat)
a (long vowel)
Makhraj: A long vowel carried on the breath from the empty space of the mouth and throat. (The hamza ء, a different letter, is made in the deepest part of the throat.)
2 · Ash-shafatan (lips)
b
Makhraj: Both lips meet (the moist inner part).
3 · Al-lisan (tongue)
t
Makhraj: The tip of the tongue touches the base of the upper front teeth.
4 · Al-lisan (tongue)
th (as in “think”)
Makhraj: The tip of the tongue meets the edges of the upper front teeth; air flows out softly.
5 · Al-lisan (tongue)
j
Makhraj: The middle of the tongue meets the palate above it.
6 · Al-halq (throat)
ħ (a breathy, throaty h)
Makhraj: The middle of the throat; a clear breathy sound without vibration.
7 · Al-halq (throat)
kh (as in “Bach”)
Makhraj: The upper part of the throat (nearest the mouth); a scraping sound.
8 · Al-lisan (tongue)
d
Makhraj: The tip of the tongue at the base of the upper front teeth, like ta but voiced.
9 · Al-lisan (tongue)
dh (as in “this”)
Makhraj: The tip of the tongue meets the edges of the upper front teeth, voiced.
10 · Al-lisan (tongue)
r (slightly rolled)
Makhraj: The tip of the tongue, slightly back from the lam, with a light tap.
11 · Al-lisan (tongue)
z
Makhraj: The tip of the tongue near the lower front teeth; a buzzing sound.
12 · Al-lisan (tongue)
s
Makhraj: The same place as zay, with a hissing sound and no vibration.
13 · Al-lisan (tongue)
sh
Makhraj: The middle of the tongue against the palate; the sound spreads in the mouth.
14 · Al-lisan (tongue)
s (heavy)
Makhraj: The heavy form of sin: tip of the tongue near the lower front teeth with the back of the tongue raised.
15 · Al-lisan (tongue)
d (heavy)
Makhraj: The side edge of the tongue against the upper molars (left or right); a heavy sound.
16 · Al-lisan (tongue)
t (heavy)
Makhraj: The heavy form of ta: tip of the tongue at the base of the upper front teeth with the tongue raised.
17 · Al-lisan (tongue)
dh (heavy)
Makhraj: The heavy form of dhal: tongue tip at the edges of the upper teeth with the tongue raised.
18 · Al-halq (throat)
‘ (a deep, voiced throat sound)
Makhraj: The middle of the throat, with the throat gently narrowed and voiced.
19 · Al-halq (throat)
gh (a gargling sound)
Makhraj: The upper part of the throat; a gargling sound.
20 · Ash-shafatan (lips)
f
Makhraj: The tips of the upper front teeth touch the inner edge of the lower lip.
21 · Al-lisan (tongue)
q (a deep k)
Makhraj: The back of the tongue meets the soft palate behind it; a deep, heavy sound.
22 · Al-lisan (tongue)
k
Makhraj: The back of the tongue, a little forward of qaf, meets the palate; a lighter sound.
23 · Al-lisan (tongue)
l
Makhraj: The sides of the front of the tongue touch the gum above the front teeth.
24 · Ash-shafatan (lips)
m
Makhraj: Both lips close; the sound also resonates in the nose.
25 · Al-lisan (tongue)
n
Makhraj: The tip of the tongue touches the gum just above the front teeth; nasal.
26 · Al-halq (throat)
h
Makhraj: The deepest part of the throat; a light breath.
27 · Ash-shafatan (lips)
w (or the long vowel “oo”)
Makhraj: The lips are rounded and the sound is released. As a madd letter it is a long “oo” from the empty space of the mouth.
28 · Al-lisan (tongue)
y (or the long vowel “ee”)
Makhraj: The middle of the tongue meets the palate. As a madd letter it is a long “ee” from the empty space of the mouth.
Most letters join to the next letter, so they have four forms: alone (isolated), at the start of a connected group (initial), in the middle (medial) and at the end (final).
Six letters (ا د ذ ر ز و) never join to the letter after them. After one of these, the next letter starts a new connected group.
Vowel marks (fatha, kasra, damma), sukun and shadda sit above or below the letters; learn them after the alphabet. The hamza (ء) is a letter-like sign made in the deepest part of the throat.
Grouped by the main articulation areas. The nasal sound of noon and meem (ghunnah) comes from the nasal passage (al-khayshum). See the tajweed pages for how these sounds behave in recitation.
Test yourself on letter names and forms. Your best score is saved on this device only.
10 questions per round. Similar-looking letters are used as the wrong answers.
The Arabic alphabet has 28 letters. It is written from right to left and most letters take a different shape at the start, middle and end of a word.
Six letters never connect to the letter after them: ا د ذ ر ز و. Their initial form looks like the isolated form and their medial form looks like the final form.
Makhraj is the articulation point of a letter. The main areas are al-jawf (the empty space of the mouth and throat), al-halq (throat), al-lisan (tongue), ash-shafatan (lips) and al-khayshum (nasal passage).
Learn the 28 names and shapes first, then practise the four forms and the articulation points, and test yourself with the quiz. It is best to have a teacher listen to your pronunciation.
Permanent link: https://holy-quran-noor.vercel.app/learn/arabic-alphabet
Arabic alphabet
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