How to Learn the Arabic Alphabet
One of the main challenges of learning Arabic for English speakers is learning a new alphabet. Arabic is written from right to left, using an alphabet that has 28 letters, not including the diacritical marks that indicate vowel sounds. These letters may change form depending on their position in the word. The Arabic alphabet is used for 27 languages, including Dari, Pashto and Urdu, one of the official languages of Pakistan. Learning the Arabic alphabet is the first step in a journey that will help you enjoy fine art, world cuisine and connect with millions of people worldwide.
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Instructions
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Acquire a guide to the Arabic alphabet. Omniglot and Madinah Arabic offer Arabic alphabet guides, and they are also found in Arabic dictionaries. The guide will include a phonetic rendering of the sounds each letter makes.
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Memorize the appearance of each letter in its isolated form, reciting the sound it makes.
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Copy the alphabet onto your paper. Repeat any letters that you have not copied accurately, until your writing matches the guide.
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Create a chart of the Arabic letters in all their forms. Most Arabic letters change according to their position in the word. Create columns for each letter's isolated form and their form at the beginning, middle and end of a word. If an alternate form is not listed, use the isolated form.
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Create a chart for the diacritical marks -- these indicate vowel sounds. List each diacritical mark by name, and include columns for its appearance, the sound it makes when isolated, and where it should be placed in the word. Diacritical marks have only one form each, and are usually placed above or below the main script.
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Practice reading and writing Arabic. Sound out words on product labels and road signs. Copy the vocabulary words in the lessons in the Madinah Arabic course or another elementary Arabic language guide.
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Tips & Warnings
You will not always see diacritical marks in ordinary Arabic writing. They appear most often in formal Arabic, or in Arabic language guides. You will need to infer vowel sounds when reading newspapers or signs.
Arabic calligraphy, which adorns mosques, amulets, and household goods, can be nearly illegible due to the highly embellished styles. Do not expect to be able to read calligraphy as a beginner.
When you first start to learn the Arabic alphabet, you may get confused over things you think should be simple. Once you clear up any initial misunderstandings, though, things should go more smoothly.
References
- Arabic-English Dictionary: The Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic; Hans Wehr; 1993
- Alif Baa With Multimedia: Introduction to Arabic Letters and Sounds; Kristen Brustad,Mahmoud Al-Batal, Abbas Al-Tonsi; 2009
- Indiana University:Learn the Arabic Alphabet
Resources
- Photo Credit Sam Robinson/Digital Vision/Getty Images
