| Arabic | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Alphabet | ||
| ا ـا | ’alif (a, as in ask) | |
| ب بـ ـبـ ـب | baa' (b, as in bravo) | |
| ت تـ ـتـ ـت | taa' (t, as in tiger) | |
| ث ثـ ـثـ ـث | thaa' (th, as in think) | |
| ج جـ ـجـ ـج | jiim (j, almost as in jeep, but no d sound with it) | |
| ح حـ ـحـ ـح | Haa' (hh, no English--sharp h) | |
| خ خـ ـخـ ـخ | khaa' (KH, pronounced in front of the throat like the J in Spanish) | |
| د ـد | daal (d, as in desk) | |
| ذ ـذ | dhaal (th, as in that) | |
| ر ـر | raa' (r, slightly rolled r sound like the dd as in yadda yadda yadda) | |
| ز ـز | zaay (z, as in zoo) | |
| س سـ ـسـ ـس | siin (s, sit) | |
| ش شـ ـشـ ـش | shiin (sh, as in shine) | |
| ص صـ ـصـ ـص | Saad (ss, as in soul, deeper) | |
| ض ضـ ـضـ ـض | Daad (dd, as in door, deeper) | |
| ط طـ ـطـ ـط | Taa' (tt, as in todo in Spanish, deeper) | |
| ظ ظـ ـظـ ـظ | Zaa (th, as in those, deeper) | |
| ع عـ ـعـ ـع | ayn (3, no English) | |
| غ غـ ـغـ ـغ | ghayn (gh, no English -- sort of like a gurgle or growl) | |
| ف فـ ـفـ ـف | faa' (f, as in friend) | |
| ق قـ ـقـ ـق | qaaf (q, no English -- deeper in throat) | |
| ك كـ ـكـ ـك | kaaf (k, as in king) | |
| ل لـ ـلـ ـل | laam (l, as in love but light flip of the tongue) | |
| م مـ ـمـ ـم | miim (m, as in me) | |
| ن نـ ـنـ ـن | nuun (n, as in now) | |
| ه هـ ـهـ ـه | haa' (h, as in hi) | |
| و ـو | waaw (w, as in we) | |
| ي يـ ـيـ ـي | yaa' (y, as in you) | |
| ء | hamza (glottal stop) | |