alif
ā / carrier for vowels
ا
isolated
ا
beginning
ـا
middle
ـا
final
Does not connect to the following letter.
Letter Chart
Every Arabic letter and how it changes shape depending on its position in a word.
Note: Some Arabic letters do not connect to the letter that follows them. After such a letter, the next letter starts again in its isolated or beginning form. These are highlighted below.
ا
bāʾ
b
ب
isolated
بـ
beginning
ـبـ
middle
ـب
final
Connects on both sides.
tāʾ
t
ت
isolated
تـ
beginning
ـتـ
middle
ـت
final
Connects on both sides.
thāʾ
th as in thin
ث
isolated
ثـ
beginning
ـثـ
middle
ـث
final
Connects on both sides.
jīm
j
ج
isolated
جـ
beginning
ـجـ
middle
ـج
final
Connects on both sides.
ḥāʾ
deep h
ح
isolated
حـ
beginning
ـحـ
middle
ـح
final
Connects on both sides.
khāʾ
kh
خ
isolated
خـ
beginning
ـخـ
middle
ـخ
final
Connects on both sides.
dāl
d
د
isolated
د
beginning
ـد
middle
ـد
final
Does not connect to the following letter.
dhāl
dh as in this
ذ
isolated
ذ
beginning
ـذ
middle
ـذ
final
Does not connect to the following letter.
rāʾ
r
ر
isolated
ر
beginning
ـر
middle
ـر
final
Does not connect to the following letter.
zāy
z
ز
isolated
ز
beginning
ـز
middle
ـز
final
Does not connect to the following letter.
sīn
s
س
isolated
سـ
beginning
ـسـ
middle
ـس
final
Connects on both sides.
shīn
sh
ش
isolated
شـ
beginning
ـشـ
middle
ـش
final
Connects on both sides.
ṣād
emphatic s
ص
isolated
صـ
beginning
ـصـ
middle
ـص
final
Connects on both sides.
ḍād
emphatic d
ض
isolated
ضـ
beginning
ـضـ
middle
ـض
final
Connects on both sides.
ṭāʾ
emphatic t
ط
isolated
طـ
beginning
ـطـ
middle
ـط
final
Connects on both sides.
ẓāʾ
emphatic z / dh
ظ
isolated
ظـ
beginning
ـظـ
middle
ـظ
final
Connects on both sides.
ʿayn
voiced throat sound
ع
isolated
عـ
beginning
ـعـ
middle
ـع
final
Connects on both sides.
ghayn
gh / French r-like
غ
isolated
غـ
beginning
ـغـ
middle
ـغ
final
Connects on both sides.
fāʾ
f
ف
isolated
فـ
beginning
ـفـ
middle
ـف
final
Connects on both sides.
qāf
q / deep k
ق
isolated
قـ
beginning
ـقـ
middle
ـق
final
Connects on both sides.
kāf
k
ك
isolated
كـ
beginning
ـكـ
middle
ـك
final
Connects on both sides.
lām
l
ل
isolated
لـ
beginning
ـلـ
middle
ـل
final
Connects on both sides.
mīm
m
م
isolated
مـ
beginning
ـمـ
middle
ـم
final
Connects on both sides.
nūn
n
ن
isolated
نـ
beginning
ـنـ
middle
ـن
final
Connects on both sides.
hāʾ
h
ه
isolated
هـ
beginning
ـهـ
middle
ـه
final
Connects on both sides.
wāw
w / ū / aw
و
isolated
و
beginning
ـو
middle
ـو
final
Does not connect to the following letter.
yāʾ
y / ī / ay
ي
isolated
يـ
beginning
ـيـ
middle
ـي
final
Connects on both sides.
tāʾ marbūṭa
a / ah, sometimes t
ة
isolated
ة
beginning
ـة
middle
ـة
final
Usually appears at the end of feminine nouns.
hamza
glottal stop
ء
isolated
ء
beginning
ء
middle
ء
final
Can appear alone or on a carrier letter.