Lesson 5: ح (7a) - ج (Jim) - خ (Kha) - ه (Ha)

The Arabic letters ح (ḥaa), ج (jiim), خ (khaa), and ه (haa) are pronounced from different parts of the throat and mouth, and although some may sound similar to English letters, others have unique sounds not found in many other languages. 

    Pronunciation & Transcription

    These letters may be pronounced and transcribed differently depending on the speaker’s background or dialect. Since some of them don’t exist in many other languages, we’ll do our best to explain how they sound and how you can pronounce them.

     

    1. The letter ه (Ha):

    • Sound: A soft /h/ like the English “h” in hello or hat.

    • Transcription: /h/

     

      2. The letter ح (Ha):

    • Sound: A deep and harsh /h/ sound, like the /h/ Harry Potter uses when he talks with snakes.

    • Transcription: usually transcribed as the number /7/, but could also be written as a regular /h/.

     

      3. The letter خ (Kha):

    • Sound: A harsh /kh/ sound, like the German "ch" in the words “Bach” and “Achtung”, or the Scottish "ch" in “loch”, or the Spanish  "j" in "José" or "jamón".

    • Transcription: /kh/

     

      4. The letter ج (Jim):

    • Pronunciation differs by dialect:

      • In Levantine Arabic: Pronounced like the French /j/ in je, or the English “s” in measure. 

        • Example: جديد (new) → /jdeed/

      • In Egyptian Arabic: It's pronounced like the /g/ in go.

        • Example: جديد (new) → /gdeed/

    • Transcription: /j/ or /g/, depending on how it is pronounced.

     

    Letter Connections

    These letters are dual-joining, which means they connect to both the preceding and following letters in a word.

    Final Medial Initial Isolated Letter
    ـح ـحـ حـ ح 7aa
    ـخ ـخـ خـ خ Khaa
    ـج ـجـ جـ ج Jim
    ـه ـهـ هـ ه Haa

    Ready to practice what you’ve learned? Let’s see if you can answer these questions correctly!

    Read the following word and transcribe it: حَبيبي

    7abiibi means “my beloved” / “my darling” / “my dear” / “my love” / "my boyfriend"

    It is pronounced with a strong (h) sound: the /7/, although it could also be transcribed with a regular "h": habiibi.

     

    It's a term of affection in Arabic, and it's used very widely — not just romantically, but also among friends, family, and even in friendly daily interactions. In Lebanon you can use it to call someone if you do not know their name!

    • Note that while 7abiib حَبيب is a masculine word, we call حَبيبي 7abiibi both girls and boys.

    • We can also use the feminine version for girls: حَبيبتي (7abiibti).

    Pronounce the following word and transcribe it: هاي

    /7arb/ - Yes, It literally means "Hi"

    Can you guess how Arabs write "hahahaha"?

    Arabs laugh differently in writing, depending on the dialect and personal style.

    1. The most common: ههههههه

    • Written using the Arabic letter ه (haa) over and over.

    • This is the standard Arabic "hahaha" — literally just repeating the "h" sound.

    • It should be written "هَهَهَهَهَه", however remember short vowels are usually omitted.

    • The more ه’s you add, the more intense or dramatic the laugh.

    2. Other styles:

    Depending on dialect or online trends, you might also see:

    • ههه - short laugh like “heh”
    • هاهاها - with all the "a" vowels written as long vowels, though its less common.
    • خخخ - with the خ (khaa) rather than the ه (haa), like Spaniards.

    Learn to Read and Write in Levantine Arabic – At Your Own Pace

    €50.00

    Learn to Read and Write in Levantine Arabic – At Your Own Pace

    €50.00

    This self-guided book is designed for absolute beginners who want to learn how to read and write in Levantine Arabic clearly and confidently. Through step-by-step explanations, engaging exercises, and answer keys at the end of each unit, you’ll build your skills gradually and independently.

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