Beginner guide · Plain British English
The Arabic alphabet: all 28 Arabic letters and their sounds
The Arabic alphabet has 28 letters, written right to left. Each letter of the Arabic script has one shape family and one sound, made in one particular place in the mouth or throat. Get those places right at the start and learning to read the Quran becomes far easier. Below are the 29 letters in the order we teach them, with the closest English sound and the makhraj — where the sound is produced.
How many letters are in the Arabic alphabet?
28 letters. Some counts say 29 by including hamza (ء) as a separate letter, and Quranic teaching also treats laam-alif (لا) as a joined form rather than a 29th letter. For reading the Quran, learn the 28 and treat hamza as the glottal stop you already hear in the middle of “uh-oh”.
How to say the Arabic alphabet
Say each letter’s name out loud twice, then say its sound on its own — the name and the sound are different (the letter ب is called “baa” but sounds like “b”). Inside Quran Closer you can tap any letter to hear it.
| Letter | Name | Closest English sound |
|---|---|---|
| ا | Alif | a |
| ب | Baa | b |
| ت | Taa | t |
| ث | Thaa | th |
| ج | Jeem | j |
| ح | Haa | h |
| خ | Khaa | kh |
| د | Daal | d |
| ذ | Dhaal | dh |
| ر | Raa | r |
| ز | Zaay | z |
| س | Seen | s |
| ش | Sheen | sh |
| ص | Saad | s |
| ض | Daad | d |
| ط | Taa | t |
| ظ | Zaa | dh |
| ع | 'Ayn | 'a |
| غ | Ghayn | gh |
| ف | Faa | f |
| ق | Qaaf | q |
| ك | Kaaf | k |
| ل | Laam | l |
| م | Meem | m |
| ن | Noon | n |
| ه | Haa | h |
| و | Waaw | w |
| ي | Yaa | y |
| ء | Hamza | ' |
Full mouth or empty mouth?
Some Arabic letters are “heavy” — the back of the tongue lifts and the mouth feels full and round (ص ض ط ظ ق غ خ ر). The rest are “light” — the mouth stays relaxed and empty. Each letter below is marked so you can feel the difference as you say it.
The Arabic letters: alif to khaa
First seven letters
Alif(a)
A long 'a' as in 'father' when stretched.
Where it is made: Open throat — the sound just flows out with no blockage
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
اBaa(b)
Like 'b' in 'book'. One dot below.
Where it is made: Both lips pressed together, then released
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
بTaa(t)
Like 't' in 'table'. Two dots above.
Where it is made: Tip of the tongue against the back of the top front teeth
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
تThaa(th)
Like 'th' in 'think'. Three dots above.
Where it is made: Tip of the tongue just showing between the teeth
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
ثJeem(j)
Like 'j' in 'jam'. One dot below.
Where it is made: Middle of the tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
جHaa(h)
A breathy h from the throat — no English equivalent.
Where it is made: Middle of the throat, breathy and open
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
حKhaa(kh)
Like the 'ch' in Scottish 'loch'.
Where it is made: Top of the throat, near the back of the mouth, with a rasp
Mouth: Full mouth (heavy)
خ
The Arabic letters: daal to sheen
Letters eight to thirteen
Daal(d)
Like 'd' in 'door'.
Where it is made: Tip of the tongue against the back of the top front teeth
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
دDhaal(dh)
Like 'th' in 'that'. One dot above.
Where it is made: Tip of the tongue just showing between the teeth, voiced
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
ذRaa(r)
A light tapped r, closer to Spanish than English.
Where it is made: Tip of the tongue tapping the gum just behind the top front teeth
Mouth: Full mouth (heavy)
رZaay(z)
Like 'z' in 'zoo'.
Where it is made: Tip of the tongue behind the top front teeth, with a whistle
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
زSeen(s)
Like 's' in 'sun'.
Where it is made: Tip of the tongue behind the top front teeth, thin whistle
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
سSheen(sh)
Like 'sh' in 'shop'.
Where it is made: Middle of the tongue spread against the roof of the mouth
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
ش
The Arabic letters: saad to qaaf
The heavy letters
Saad(s)
A heavy s — tongue raised, fuller sound.
Where it is made: Tip of the tongue behind the top front teeth, tongue raised at the back
Mouth: Full mouth (heavy)
صDaad(d)
A heavy d, made from the side of the tongue.
Where it is made: One side of the tongue pressed against the upper back teeth
Mouth: Full mouth (heavy)
ضTaa(t)
A heavy t, sharp and full.
Where it is made: Tip of the tongue against the back of the top front teeth, tongue raised
Mouth: Full mouth (heavy)
طZaa(dh)
A heavy dh, the heavy pair of dhaal.
Where it is made: Tip of the tongue between the teeth, tongue raised at the back
Mouth: Full mouth (heavy)
ظ'Ayn('a)
From deep in the throat — practise slowly.
Where it is made: Middle of the throat, squeezed slightly
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
عGhayn(gh)
A gargled g, like a French r.
Where it is made: Top of the throat, near the back of the mouth, voiced
Mouth: Full mouth (heavy)
غFaa(f)
Like 'f' in 'food'.
Where it is made: Inside of the bottom lip against the top front teeth
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
فQaaf(q)
A deep k from the back of the throat.
Where it is made: Deepest part of the tongue against the soft palate
Mouth: Full mouth (heavy)
ق
The Arabic letters: kaaf to yaa
The final group
Kaaf(k)
Like 'k' in 'kite'.
Where it is made: Deepest part of the tongue, just in front of qaaf
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
كLaam(l)
Like 'l' in 'light'.
Where it is made: Sides of the tongue tip against the top gum
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
لMeem(m)
Like 'm' in 'moon'.
Where it is made: Both lips together with the sound in the nose
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
مNoon(n)
Like 'n' in 'nine'.
Where it is made: Tip of the tongue on the top gum with the sound in the nose
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
نHaa(h)
A soft h as in 'hat'.
Where it is made: Deepest part of the throat, a simple breath
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
هWaaw(w)
Like 'w' in 'water'; also a long 'oo'.
Where it is made: Rounded lips, held slightly apart
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
وYaa(y)
Like 'y' in 'yes'; also a long 'ee'.
Where it is made: Middle of the tongue near the roof of the mouth, lips relaxed
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
يHamza(')
A glottal stop, like the catch in 'uh-oh'.
Where it is made: Deepest part of the throat, closed then released sharply
Mouth: Empty mouth (light)
ء
Next steps
Once the letters feel familiar, add the short vowels, then start joining letters into words. Quran Closer walks through that in order, and lets you tap any letter to hear it.