The Arabic alphabet — called الأبجدية العربية (al-Abjadiyya al-Arabiyya) — consists of 28 letters, all representing consonants, written right to left. Three letters (Alif ا, Waw و, Yaa ي) also function as long vowels. Each letter changes shape depending on its position in a word — giving up to four forms: isolated, initial, medial, and final. Short vowel sounds are shown by optional marks called harakat. The complete alphabet with English sounds and transliteration is in the table below.

✅ Quick Answer Table:

Question	Direct Answer
How many letters in the Arabic alphabet?	28 letters
What is the Arabic alphabet called?	الأبجدية العربية (al-Abjadiyya al-Arabiyya)
Is Arabic written left to right?	No — right to left
How many forms does each letter have?	Up to 4 (isolated, initial, medial, final)
Are there capital letters in Arabic?	No — Arabic has no upper/lower case distinction
What is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet?	Alif (ا)
What is Arabizi?	Writing Arabic using English letters and numbers
What are harakat?	Small vowel marks (Fatha, Kasra, Damma)

How Many Letters Are in the Arabic Alphabet?

The Arabic alphabet has 28 letters.

This is the standard count used in Arabic language education worldwide. However, the precise count varies slightly depending on how certain elements are classified:

Counting Method	Count	What is Included / Excluded
Standard educational count	28	All 28 consonant letters
Including Hamza as separate letter	29	Some scholars treat ء as a 29th letter rather than a diacritical mark
Including Laa as a letter	29	Some older systems count لا as a separate combined letter
Letters with distinct dot patterns	28	The standard — each letter distinguished by shape and dot position

For learners: The answer to “how many letters in the Arabic alphabet” is 28. This is the universally accepted count for language learning purposes.

A note on Arabic “letters” vs English “letters”: The 28 Arabic letters are all consonants. Arabic does not have separate letters for short vowel sounds (a, i, u) the way English has A, E, I, O, U. Short vowels are indicated by optional marks called harakat, added above or below consonant letters. This is why Arabic text can appear to have no vowels — the vowels are present but written as small marks, not as full letters.

The Complete Arabic Alphabet — All 28 Letters With English Transliteration

The Arabic alphabet consists of 28 letters, each representing a specific sound. While Arabic letters are entirely different from Latin alphabets, many learners use Arabic with English letters to approximate the sounds of Arabic letters.

Here is a table showcasing the Arabic alphabet alongside English letters for comparison:

Arabic Letter	Pronunciation in Arabic	English Letter
أ	Alif	A
ب	Ba	B
ت	Ta	T
ث	Tha	Th
ج	Jeem	J
ح	Haa	H
خ	Khaa	Kh
د	Dal	D
ذ	Dhal	Th
ر	Ra	R
ز	Zay	Z
س	Seen	S
ش	Sheen	Sh
ص	Saad	S
ض	Daad	D
ط	Taa	T
ظ	Thaa	Th
ع	Ayn	‘A
غ	Ghayn	Gh
ف	Fa	F
ق	Qaf	Q
ك	Kaaf	K
ل	Laam	L
م	Meem	M
ن	Noon	N
ه	Ha	H
و	Waw	W
ي	Ya	Y

Arabic Letter Sounds in English: Pronunciation Guide for All 28 Letters

The Arabic language is rich in sounds that do not exist in English. Some letters, like “ع” (Ayn) or “غ” (Ghayn), can be difficult for English speakers to pronounce. For example, the letter “خ” (Khaa) is a throaty sound, while “ق” (Qaaf) is a deep, guttural sound.

The chart below shows the Arabic letters with English pronunciation:

Arabic Letter	English Sound (Approximation)
أ	A as in “Apple”
ب	B as in “Bat”
ت	T as in “Top”
ث	Th as in “Think”
ج	J as in “Jam”
ح	H as in “hat” (stronger)
خ	Kh as in “Bach” (throaty)
د	D as in “Dog”
ذ	Th as in “This”
ر	R as in “red” (rolled)
ز	Z as in “zebra”
س	S as in “Sun”
ش	Sh as in “Ship”
ص	S as in “saw” (emphatic)
ض	D as in “door” (emphatic)
ط	T as in “top” (emphatic)
ظ	Th as in “that” (emphatic)
ع	Deep A (guttural)
غ	Gh like the French “R” as in “Paris” (throaty)
ف	F as in “fun”
ق	Q as in “Qatar” (deep sound)
ك	K as in “kite”
ل	L as in “love”
م	M as in “moon”
ن	N as in “nice”
ه	H as in “Hat”
و	W as in “Water” or “Oo” as in “Food”
ي	Y as in “Yes” or “Ee” as in “See”

To listen to how these sounds compare, you can watch this video:

Listen Here.

Arabic Letter Positional Forms: How Each Letter Changes Shape

The Arabic alphabet is composed of 28 letters, each with a unique shape that changes depending on its position in a word. Understanding the isolated, initial, medial, and final forms of these letters is essential for reading and writing Arabic.

Here is a table that presents the Arabic alphabet letters in order, along with examples to illustrate how each letter appears in various positions:

Letter	Name	Initial Form	Medial Form	Final Form	Example	Translation	Transliteration
ا	Alif	ا	ـا	ـا	أسد	Lion	Asad
ب	Baa	بـ	ـبـ	ـب	باب	Door	Bab
ت	Taa	تـ	ـتـ	ـت	تفاح	Apple	Tuffah
ث	Thaa	ثـ	ـثـ	ـث	ثوب	Cloth	Thawb
ج	Jeem	جـ	ـجـ	ـج	جسر	Bridge	Jisr
ح	Haa	حـ	ـحـ	ـح	حديقة	Garden	Hadeeqa
خ	Khaa	خـ	ـخـ	ـخ	خبز	Bread	Khubz
د	Dal	د	ـد	ـد	دجاج	Chicken	Dajaj
ذ	Dhal	ذ	ـذ	ـذ	ذهب	Gold	Dhahab
ر	Raa	ر	ـر	ـر	بئر	Well	Bi’r
ز	Zaay	ز	ـز	ـز	زرافة	Giraffe	Zarafa
س	Seen	سـ	ـسـ	ـس	سمك	Fish	Samak
ش	Sheen	شـ	ـشـ	ـش	شمس	Sun	Shams
ص	Saad	صـ	ـصـ	ـص	صقر	Falcon	Saqr
ض	Daad	ضـ	ـضـ	ـض	ضفدع	Frog	Difda’
ط	Ta’	طـ	ـطـ	ـط	طائر	Bird	Ta’ir
ظ	Dha’	ظـ	ـظـ	ـظ	ظرف	Envelope	Zarf
ع	A’yen	عـ	ـعـ	ـع	نعل	Shoe	Naa’l
غ	Ghayen	غـ	ـغـ	ـغ	غزال	Gazelle	Ghazal
ف	Faa	فـ	ـفـ	ـف	فاكهة	Fruit	Fakha
ق	Qaf	قـ	ـقـ	ـق	قمر	Moon	Qamar
ك	Kaf	كـ	ـكـ	ـك	سكر	Sugar	Sukkar
ل	Laam	لـ	ـلـ	ـل	ليمون	Lemon	Laymun
م	Meem	مـ	ـمـ	ـم	مفتاح	Key	Miftah
ن	Noon	نـ	ـنـ	ـن	نمر	Tiger	Nimr
هـ	Haa’	هـ	ـهـ	ـه	سهل	Easy	Sahl
و	Waw	و	ـو	ـو	ورد	Rose	Ward
ي	Yaa’	يـ	ـيـ	ـي	يدي	My Hand	Yady

As you can see, each Arabic letter can take multiple forms depending on where it is placed in a word. This unique feature of the Arabic alphabet adds to the beauty and complexity of the language. Learning how Arabic letters connect and change forms is crucial for reading and writing effectively.

Read Also: Arabic Alphabet for Kids

What Is the Arabic Alphabet? Name, Origin, and Key Facts

The Arabic alphabet — officially called الأبجدية العربية (al-Abjadiyya al-Arabiyya) — is one of the most widely used writing systems in the world, serving as the script for Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Pashto, and several other languages. It is derived from the ancient Aramaic script and has been in continuous use for over 1,400 years in its current form.

Key facts:

Feature	Detail
Number of letters	28
Script type	Abjad (consonant-based)
Writing direction	Right to left
Letter forms per letter	Up to 4 (isolated, initial, medial, final)
Capital letters	None — no upper/lower case distinction
Short vowels	Shown by optional marks (harakat), not separate letters
Long vowels	Shown by Alif (ا), Waw (و), and Yaa (ي)
Languages using this script	Arabic, Persian/Farsi, Urdu, Pashto, Kurdish, and more

The Arabic alphabet is technically an abjad rather than a true alphabet — a writing system built on consonants, where vowel sounds are either omitted (in everyday text) or indicated by small optional marks (in the Quran, children’s books, and learning materials). This is why Arabic text can look daunting to beginners: the vowels you would need to pronounce each word correctly are invisible unless harakat marks are added.

Can You Write Arabic in English Letters?

Yes, writing Arabic with English letters and numbers, commonly known as Arabizi, is widely used in informal settings like social media and texting. This method allows Arabic speakers to communicate easily without needing an Arabic keyboard.

While Arabizi can be incredibly useful in casual communication, it’s important to note that it’s not a substitute for learning the Arabic alphabet. Arabizi simplifies the process of writing Arabic in English letters and numbers, but it doesn’t capture the full complexity, beauty, and cultural significance of the Arabic language.

You might get the basic idea, but you’re missing out on the richness and depth that come with understanding the entire language.

If you’re aiming for a deeper understanding of Arabic, joining our Arabic Learning Courses is essential to Improve your Arabic Language.

How to Write Arabic in English Letters?

Writing Arabic in English letters, known as transliteration, allows non-Arabic speakers to pronounce Arabic words using the English alphabet. Common sounds like “A” for أ, “B” for ب, and “T” for ت make it easier to read.

Complex sounds such as ث are written as “Th,” and خ as “Kh.” Vowel sounds are represented with letters like “A,” “I,” and “U,” showing both short and long versions (e.g., “aa” for a long “A” as in “Salaah”). Additionally, special sounds like ع are indicated with a symbol like an apostrophe (‘), while double letters show emphasis (Shaddah).

This system is flexible but follows a general set of rules to maintain pronunciation accuracy. It helps Arabic words like سلام (Salam) or قرآن (Quran) become easier to understand for those unfamiliar with the script. 

Examples:

• “Mar7aba” for مرحبا (hello)
• “3ain” for عين (eye)
• “Ana 7abbak” for أنا أحبك (I love you)

Transliteration makes Arabic more accessible while preserving its unique sounds, bridging cultural and linguistic gaps.

The Arabic Alphabet in Order: Traditional Sequence of All 28 Letters

The Arabic alphabet follows a specific traditional sequence that differs from older ordering systems. Learning the order is important for using Arabic dictionaries and for understanding references to “the first letter,” “the fourteenth letter,” and so on.

Position	Letter	Name	Transliteration	Memory Hook
1	ا	Alif	A	The simplest letter — a single vertical stroke
2	ب	Baa	B	One dot below
3	ت	Taa	T	Two dots above
4	ث	Thaa	Th	Three dots above
5	ج	Jeem	J	One dot below — in the middle
6	ح	Haa	H	No dots — deep H sound
7	خ	Khaa	Kh	One dot above — throaty Kh
8	د	Daal	D	Non-connecting — curves right
9	ذ	Dhaal	Dh	One dot above Dal
10	ر	Raa	R	Non-connecting — sweeps right
11	ز	Zaay	Z	One dot above Raa
12	س	Seen	S	Three “teeth” below the line
13	ش	Sheen	Sh	Three dots above Seen
14	ص	Saad	S (emphatic)	Emphatic — changes surrounding vowels
15	ض	Daad	D (emphatic)	One dot above Saad
16	ط	Taa	T (emphatic)	Emphatic T — loop with vertical stroke
17	ظ	Dhaa	Dh (emphatic)	One dot above Taa
18	ع	Ayn	‘	Unique — voiced from deep in throat
19	غ	Ghayn	Gh	One dot above Ayn
20	ف	Faa	F	One dot above — open circle
21	ق	Qaaf	Q	Two dots above — deep guttural Q
22	ك	Kaaf	K	Small diagonal mark inside
23	ل	Laam	L	Tall loop connecting left
24	م	Meem	M	Small circle with tail
25	ن	Noon	N	One dot above — curves upward
26	هـ	Haa	H	Soft H — multiple forms
27	و	Waw	W / ū	Non-connecting — also long vowel “oo”
28	ي	Yaa	Y / ī	Two dots below — also long vowel “ee”

Arabic Words Written in English Letters: Transliteration Examples

Here is how to write Arabic in English numbers with examples and transliteration:

• 2 = “أ” (ʾalif): Used in words like “2ab” (أب), meaning “father.”
• 3 = “ع” (ʿayn): Seen in words like “3arab” (عرب), meaning “Arabs.”
• 5 = “خ” (khāʾ): Used in “5aroof” (خروف), meaning “sheep.”
• 6 = “ط” (ṭāʾ): Appears in words like “6aleb” (طالب), meaning “student.”
• 7 = “ح” (ḥāʾ): Seen in “7arakat” (حركات), meaning “movements.”
• 8 = “ق” (qāf): Used in words like “8adeer” (قدير), meaning “powerful.”
• 9 = “ص” (ṣād): Seen in “9aleh” (صالح), meaning “righteous.”

For instance, “السلام عليكم” (Peace be upon you) becomes “al-salam 3alaykum” when written with English letters and numbers.

Read Also: Arabic Numbers From 1 to 1000

Common Arabic Phrases With English Transliteration

Transliteration is a powerful tool for anyone beginning to learn Arabic. It involves using the English alphabet to represent the sounds of Arabic letters, helping learners pronounce words correctly before they fully master the Arabic script.

For beginners, transliteration serves as a bridge between the unfamiliar Let’s go through some common Arabic phrases, along with their transliterations and translations into English:

Arabic Phrase	Transliteration	English Translation
السلام عليك	Al-Salam Alaykum	Peace be upon you
كيف حالك؟	Kayfa Haluka?	How are you?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم	Bismillah al-Rahman al-Raheem	In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
شكراً جزيلاً	Shukran Jazilan	Thank you very much
إن شاء الله	Insha’Allah	If Allah wills
ما شاء الله	Ma Sha’ Allah	As Allah wills

Each of these phrases is widely used in daily conversations, greetings, and prayers in the Arabic-speaking world. The transliteration provides a simple, phonetic representation that makes these phrases accessible to learners, even before they begin to grasp the Arabic script.

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Conclusion: The Arabic Alphabet Is Your Entry Point to 1.8 Billion Speakers

The Arabic alphabet — 28 consonant letters, written right to left, with four positional forms each and an optional vowel-marking system — is genuinely learnable. The transliterations in this guide are your first bridge: they let you approximate Arabic sounds using familiar characters while your eyes are still learning to process the Arabic script itself.

But transliteration is a bridge, not a destination. The Arabic alphabet in its original script is one of the most beautiful writing systems in the world — and reading it directly, without the crutch of English letters, is the goal that unlocks everything else: the Quran, Arabic literature, Arabic media, and genuine communication with Arabic speakers.

Use this guide to orient yourself. Then move to the dedicated resources linked above to build real reading fluency.

The alphabet awaits. Start with Alif.

FAQs about Arabic Alphabet in English