Arabic script

🔤

Read the script

The Arabic alphabet

28 letters, written right to left and joined like cursive. You don’t need to master it — but spotting a few letters helps you read signs and menus.

The 28 letters

Each letter’s isolated form, its name, and the sound it makes.

ا
alif
a / ā
ب
bāʾ
b
ت
tāʾ
t
ث
thāʾ
th
ج
jīm
j / g
ح
ḥāʾ
ḥ — deep h
خ
khāʾ
kh
د
dāl
d
ذ
dhāl
dh
ر
rāʾ
r
ز
zāy
z
س
sīn
s
ش
shīn
sh
ص
ṣād
ض
ḍād
ط
ṭāʾ
ظ
ẓāʾ
ع
ʿayn
ʿ — throat
غ
ghayn
gh
ف
fāʾ
f
ق
qāf
q
ك
kāf
k
ل
lām
l
م
mīm
m
ن
nūn
n
ه
hāʾ
h
و
wāw
w / ū
ي
yāʾ
y / ī

The numerals

Prices and signs often use these “Eastern Arabic” digits.

٠
0
١
1
٢
2
٣
3
٤
4
٥
5
٦
6
٧
7
٨
8
٩
9
Letters change shape depending on where they sit in a word, and short vowels usually aren’t written. Three letters double as long vowels: ا (ā), و (ū), ي (ī).