Part 2: Arabic Letters Through Latin Transcriptions

Arabic has several letters that make sounds that don’t exist in many other languages. Because there are no exact matches for these sounds in the Latin alphabet, people usually write them:

• Using the Latin letter that sounds the closest
• Combining a few letters to represent the sound
• Using numbers

Emphatic Letters in Arabic or Hot Letters

Arabic has several letters that make sounds that don’t exist in many other languages. Because there are no exact matches for these sounds in the Latin alphabet, people usually write them:

• Using the Latin letter that sounds the closest
• Combining a few letters to represent the sound
• Using numbers

One good example of this are what we call the “Hot Letters.” These are letters that sound similar to others in the Arabic alphabet but are pronounced as if you were trying to talk with something very hot in your mouth. 

• Note that the DHaa is originally pronounced as a heavy and resonant /DH/, however many regions will pronounce it and transcribe it differently. Depending on the word, you mat also hear it being pronounced and even written as a resonant /D/ ض or a /z/ ز.

• Note that the Qaaf is originally pronounced as a heavy and resonant /q/, however it can be pronounced and transcribed differently, depending on the accent of the speaker, the context of the conversation and even the gender and religion of the speaker!  You may pronounce it and transcribe it also as a /g/  or a /2/ glottal stop.

Letters in Arabic written as numbers

Some Letters in Arabic do not have an equivalent sound in English and may be transcribed using numbers that resemble their shape. These letters may be pronounced and transcribed differently depending on the region and the accent of the speaker.

The hamza (ء) represents a glottal stop or a sudden closure in the throat, simmilar to how Scottish pronounce the letter “t".

In some Arabic dialects, particularly in parts of the Levant, the qaf (ق)—which is traditionally a deep "q" sound from the throat—is softened and pronounced as a glottal stop, just like the hamza ء. When pronounced as a glottal stop, it will usually be transcribed with the number /2/ or as an apostrophe / '/.

Unlike the other Arabic "h" (ه), this letter is pronounced as a deeper “h” like the "h" Harry Potter uses when he communicates with snakes, and can be transcribed both as a regular /h/ or as the number /7/.

Transcribed as the number /3/ and pronounced as a deep, guttural “a”, though some accents pronounce it in a softer way resembling the normal “a”. You can think of it like the sound you make when you're lifting something heavy and go “ʿaaa”.

Arabic Letters with multiple pronunciations

As it happens with the letters above, these letters may be pronounced and transcribed differently depending on the region and the accent of the speaker.

The letter ق (qaf) in Arabic is originally pronounced as a deep /q/ sound made from the back of the throat and it may be transcribed as an /8/ in Arabic chat writing. However, in spoken dialects across the Arab world, the pronunciation of ق varies significantly and serves as a strong marker of regional identity, social background, and even gender.

In southern Levant, ق is often softened to a glottal stop —the same sound as hamza (ء)—and is commonly transcribed as /2/ or an apostrophe /'/.

In northern Levant, ق is often pronounced as a /g/ and in certain regions of Palestine it can even be pronounced as a regular /k/ (ك). 

What’s fascinating is that these variations can exist within the same country or even the same city, depending not just on region but also on gender, religion, and social context. For instance, in some northern Levantine areas, women are more likely to pronounce the ق as a /2/ (glottal stop), while men may alternate between the /g/ and /q/. 

This variety makes ق one of the richest and most socially dynamic letters in Arabic, offering insight into identity, origin, and even attitude—often without a speaker even realizing it!

Originally pronounced and written as a /th/, but in many regions it may also be pronounced as an /s/ or it may be pronounced and directly written as a /t/ (ت). Whether it is pronounced as a /t/ or as an /s/ depends on the word.

Originally transcribed as a /dh/ and pronounced as if mimicking the sound of flies, but in many regions it may also be pronounced and directly written as a regular /d/ (د) or a /z/ (ز) (pronounced as if mimicking the sound of bees). Whether it is pronounced as a /d/ or as an /z/ depends on the accent.

Originally pronounced and written as an emphatic /dh/ or /DH/. However, many regions of the Levant may pronounce it and directly write it as an emphatic /d/ or /D/ (ض) or they may also pronounce it and directly writte it as a /z/ (ز). Whether it is pronounced as a /DH/ or as an /z/ depends on the word.

Ready to practice what you’ve learned? Try to read the following sentences and then listen to the audio to check whether you did it right!

1. "Mar7aba! Keefak yaa 7elu? Enta mnii7?" - Hello! How are you gorgeous? Are you good? (audio 1)
2. "Al7amdellah kill shi tamaam! Ana bi Abou DHabi m3 7abiibti, enta weinak?" - Thank God everything is okay! I am in Abu Dhabi with my girlfriend, where are you? (audio 2)
3. "Bedde 2ahwue m3 7aliib, law sama7t!" - I want coffee with milk, please! (audio 3)