Arabic alphabet: all 28 letters with sounds and forms
The Arabic alphabet has 28 letters, written from right to left, and most letters change shape slightly depending on where they sit in a word. Here are all 28 with their names, sounds and joining forms, and tips for the sounds English speakers find hardest.
Last updated: 1 October 2026
The 28 letters
| Letter | Name | Sound | Start | Middle | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ا | Alif | Carries a long "aa", or a hamzah | ا | ـا | ـا |
| ب | Ba | b, as in "bat" | بـ | ـبـ | ـب |
| ت | Ta | t, light | تـ | ـتـ | ـت |
| ث | Tha | th, as in "think" | ثـ | ـثـ | ـث |
| ج | Jim | j, as in "jam" | جـ | ـجـ | ـج |
| ح | Ha | a strong, breathy h from the middle of the throat | حـ | ـحـ | ـح |
| خ | Kha | kh, like "loch" in Scottish English | خـ | ـخـ | ـخ |
| د | Dal | d, light | د | ـد | ـد |
| ذ | Dhal | th, as in "this" | ذ | ـذ | ـذ |
| ر | Ra | a tapped or rolled r | ر | ـر | ـر |
| ز | Zay | z, as in "zoo" | ز | ـز | ـز |
| س | Sin | s, light | سـ | ـسـ | ـس |
| ش | Shin | sh, as in "ship" | شـ | ـشـ | ـش |
| ص | Sad | a heavy s | صـ | ـصـ | ـص |
| ض | Dad | a heavy d from the side of the tongue; unique to Arabic | ضـ | ـضـ | ـض |
| ط | Ta | a heavy t | طـ | ـطـ | ـط |
| ظ | Dha | a heavy "th" as in "this" | ظـ | ـظـ | ـظ |
| ع | ‘Ayn | a squeezed sound from the middle of the throat; no English equivalent | عـ | ـعـ | ـع |
| غ | Ghayn | gh, like a French r | غـ | ـغـ | ـغ |
| ف | Fa | f | فـ | ـفـ | ـف |
| ق | Qaf | a deep k from the back of the tongue | قـ | ـقـ | ـق |
| ك | Kaf | k, as in "kite" | كـ | ـكـ | ـك |
| ل | Lam | l | لـ | ـلـ | ـل |
| م | Mim | m | مـ | ـمـ | ـم |
| ن | Nun | n | نـ | ـنـ | ـن |
| ه | Ha | a light h, as in "hat" | هـ | ـهـ | ـه |
| و | Waw | w, or a long "oo" | و | ـو | ـو |
| ي | Ya | y, or a long "ee" | يـ | ـيـ | ـي |
How letters join
Arabic is written in a joined script. Most letters connect to the next letter, and their shape changes a little at the start, middle or end of a word. Six letters, ا د ذ ر ز و, never connect to the letter after them, which is why words often have small gaps inside them. Many letters share the same shape and differ only in their dots, such as ب ت ث, so the dots matter.
Sounds English speakers find hardest
- Throat letters: ح, ع, خ and غ have no English equivalent; see makharij al huruf.
- Heavy letters: ص ض ط ظ are deeper than their light partners س د ت ذ; see tafkheem and tarqeeq.
- Two kinds of "h": the strong ح and the light ه.
- Two kinds of "th": ث as in "think" and ذ as in "this".
From letters to reading
Once you know the letters, the next step is the vowel marks that tell you how to pronounce them: see harakat. Then come sun and moon letters and joining words together. This is exactly the path of Noorani Qaida, the beginner's book most UK learners use. For the whole route, read how to learn Quran.
Frequently asked questions
How many letters are in the Arabic alphabet?
28. Hamzah (ء) is also used but is usually not counted as one of the 28.
Is Arabic written right to left?
Yes. Arabic is written and read from right to left, and most letters join to the letter after them within a word.
Which letters do not join to the next letter?
Six: ا د ذ ر ز و. They join to the letter before them but never to the letter after, so a small gap follows them.
How long does it take to learn the Arabic alphabet?
Most learners recognise all 28 letters within a few weeks of regular practice. Pronouncing them correctly, especially the throat letters, takes a little longer with a teacher.
Learn every letter with a teacher
Three free one-to-one lessons in UK time, with each sound corrected from the first lesson.