ا alif: the Arabic letter alif
alif (ا) is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. Alif has no sound of its own: it carries a vowel (a, i or u) and makes the long aa sound. It never joins to the letter after it.
The shapes of alif
Arabic letters change shape depending on where they sit in a word. Arabic is read right to left.
alif with vowel marks
What are fatha, kasra and damma?
Words that start with alif
Questions about alif
How do you pronounce the Arabic letter alif?
alif (ا) is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. Its name is said "alif". Alif has no sound of its own: it carries a vowel (a, i or u) and makes the long aa sound.
How do you write alif in Arabic?
On its own alif is written ا. It is one of the six letters that never join to the letter after them, so it only has two shapes: on its own or at the start ا, and joined at the end ا.
What is an Arabic word that starts with alif?
أَسَد (asad) means "lion" and starts with alif. Others are أَرْنَب (arnab, rabbit), أَحْمَر (aḥmar, red), أَزْرَق (azraq, blue), أَخْضَر (akhḍar, green), أَصْفَر (aṣfar, yellow).
How does alif sound with vowel marks?
With a fatha it says a (أَ), with a kasra i (إِ) and with a damma u (أُ).
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