Part 1: Arabic Letters Through Latin Transcriptions
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Introduction to the Alphabet
The Arabic script is made up of 28 distinct characters, each carrying its own sound and shape. Much like in other languages, how these letters are pronounced can vary based on factors such as geographic region, social setting, or the conversational context.
In this class, we’ll take a closer look at every letter, focusing on how to pronounce and transcribe them accurately. We'll also shed light on how pronunciation shifts across regions, showcasing the richness and versatility of Levantine Arabic.
Letters in Arabic that share the same sounds as in English
Arabic has many letters that produce simmilar sounds to certain letters in English, such as:
| /b/ like the "b" in "boy". | Baa | ب |
| /t/ like the "t" in "table". | Taa | ت |
| /d/ like the "d" in "dog". | Daal | د |
| /s/ like the "s" in "sun". | Seen | س |
| /sh/ like the "sh" in "she". | Sheen | ش |
| /f/ like the "f" in "fun". | Faa | ف |
| /k/ like the "k" in "kilo". | Kaaf | ك |
| /l/ like the "l" in "lemon". | Laam | ل |
| /m/ like the "m" in "mom". | Meem | م |
| /n/ like the "n" in "nothing". | Noon | ن |
| /h/ like the "h" in "hat". | Haa | ه |
Letters in Arabic that share the same sounds as other languages
Arabic also has letters that produce simmilar sounds to certain letters in French, German or Spanish:
| /j/ like the French “j” in “je suis”or like the "s" in "measure" or the “j” in “judge”. | Jeem | ج |
- Note that its strenght may vary depending on the region and in certain regions, such as Egypt, it may be pronounced as a /g/ like in the word "game"
| /kh/ like the German "ch" in "Bach" or the Spanish “j” in “jamón”. | Khaa | خ |
| A trilled or tapped /r/ like the Spanish "r" in “rojo”. | Raa | ر |
| A bussing /z/ like the "z" in "zebra", but bussing the “z” as if recreating the sound of bees. | Zaay | ز |
| Gurgling /gh/ like the French "r" in "rien" or the German "r" in "rot". | Ghayn | غ |
Letters in Arabic that have multiple pronunciations
Arabic includes several letters that have evolved to reflect sounds not originally part of the language. This is especially noticeable with vowels, whose pronunciation often shifts depending on the speaker's accent or regional background.
| Long /a/ sound like in "car" or /e/ sound like in "gray". | Alif | ا |
| Short /a/ sound like in "cat" or /e/ sound like in "egg". | Fatha | ــَـ |
| Final /a/ sound like in "cola" or /e/ sound like in "leg". | Taa Marbouta | ة |
| Final /a/ sound like in "drama". | Alif Maqsoura | ى |
| Long /u/, /ou/, /oo/ or /w/ sound, like in "where", "spoon", group" and "bush"; or long /o/ or /oo/ sound like in "door" and "frog". | Waw | و |
| Short /u/ sound like in "put" or /o/ sound like in "pot". | Damma | ــُـ |
| Long /i/, /ee/ or /y/ sound like in "flee" or "may" or long /e/ sound like in "there". | Yaa | ي |
| Short /i/ sound like in "pink" or /e/ sound like in "pet". | Kasra | ــِـ |
Ready to practice what you’ve learned? How would you transcribe the following sentences:
- "Hi! How are you? What are your news? All good?" (audio 1)
- "Welcome (to you) to Yemen! Where are you from? (audio 2)
- "Holanda is a small country but Rusia is a big country (audio 3)
Note that there is no single standardized way to write Arabic using the Latin alphabet. Since Arabic sounds don't always have exact equivalents in Latin script, and because pronunciation varies by region and speaker, different systems are used to transcribe Arabic. As a result, you might see the same word written in several different ways in Latin letters.