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Arabic Vowels

1. Arabic short vowels
2. Arabic vowels and consonants
3. Learn to read Arabic
4. Arabic reading exercise

This Lesson explains Arabic vowels for beginners. The Arabic word for vowels is Harakat . The singular form of this word is Harakah . The concept of vowels in Arabic is different from Germanic languages (English, German and Dutch). We have already learned the sounds of Arabic letters (consonants) in the first lesson. Vowels in Arabic are not part of the alphabet. The Arabic word for vowels, Harakat literally means "movements". because these are in fact vowels in Arabic that give a letter the real sound (a movement). Arabic vowels are little symbols, which are written either above or below a letter.

Arabic vowels are divided into short vowels, long vowels, and then there are few other symbols which are associated with vowels. After learning Arabic vowels in this lesson, we would be able to read any Arabic word without knowing its meanings, which is our first task towards learning Arabic.

Arabic short vowels

The three short vowels in Arabic are:

1. A diagonal line above the letter. The dotted circle represents any letter in the Arabic alphabet.
   
2. A diagonal line below the letter
   
3. A small curl placed above the letter
   

The names of these three symbols (vowels) are:

1. Fatha
   
2. Kasra
   
3. Damma
   

Arabic vowels and consonants

1. Fatha   ـَ   produces a sound similar to English vowel “a”.
2. Kasra   ـِ   produces a sound similar to the English vowel “i”.
3. Damma   ـُ   produces a sound similar to the English vowel “u”.

However, as described earlier they have no existence of their own i.e. they always need a consonant to which they give a sound.

Following is the Arabic vowels chart containing complete details of Arabic vowels and consonants along with their sounds. Each Arabic consonant is explained with combinations of three short vowels.

ا

When the vowel fatha   ـَ is placed over the letter ا it produces a sound “a”. (Please read the below equation from right to left. Remember Arabic is written from right to left?)

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ا it produces a sound “e”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ا it produces a sound like the English vowel “u”.

In some scripts اَ , اِ and اُ are also written as: أُ أَ إِ.

It would be explained in details in the commming lessons. Here, we should remember that:

أَ = اَ
أُ = اُ
إِ = اِ

ب

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ب it produces a sound “ba”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ب it produces a sound “bi”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ب it produces a sound “bu”.

ت

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ت it produces a sound “ta”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ت it produces a sound “ti”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ت it produces a sound “tu”.

ث

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ث it produces a sound “sa”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ث it produces a sound “si”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ث it produces a sound “su”.

ج

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ج it produces a sound “ja”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ج it produces a sound “ji”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ج it produces a sound “ju”.

ح

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ح it produces a sound “ha”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ح it produces a sound “hi”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ح it produces a sound “hu”.

خ

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter خ it produces a sound “kha”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ح it produces a sound “khi”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ح it produces a sound “khu”.

د

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter د it produces a sound “da”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter د it produces a sound “di”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter د it produces a sound “du”.

ذ

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ذ it produces a sound “za”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ذ it produces a sound “zi”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ذ it produces a sound “zu”.

ر

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ر it produces a sound “ra”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ر it produces a sound “ri”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ر it produces a sound “ru”.

ز

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ز it produces a sound “za”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ز it produces a sound “zi”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ز it produces a sound “zu”.

س

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter س it produces a sound “sa”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter س it produces a sound “si”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter س it produces a sound “su”.

ش

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ش it produces a sound “sha”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ش it produces a sound “shi”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ش it produces a sound “shu”.

ص

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ص it produces a sound “sa”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ص it produces a sound “si”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ص it produces a sound “su”.

ض

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ض it produces a sound “dha”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ض it produces a sound “dhi”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ض it produces a sound “dhu”.

ط

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ط it produces a sound “ta”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ط it produces a sound “ti”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ط it produces a sound “tu”.

ظ

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ظ it produces a sound “za”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ظ it produces a sound “zi”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ظ it produces a sound “zu”.

ع

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ع it produces a sound “a”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ع it produces a sound “i”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ع it produces a sound “u”.

غ

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter غ it produces a sound “gha”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter غ it produces a sound “ghi”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter غ it produces a sound “ghu”.

ف

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ف it produces a sound “fa”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ف it produces a sound “fi”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ف it produces a sound “fu”.

ق

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ق it produces a sound “qa”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ق it produces a sound “qi”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ق it produces a sound “qu”.

ك

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ك it produces a sound “ka”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ك it produces a sound “ki”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ك it produces a sound “ku”.

ل

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ل it produces a sound “la”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ل it produces a sound “li”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ل it produces a sound “lu”.

م

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter م it produces a sound “ma”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter م it produces a sound “mi”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter م it produces a sound “mu”.

ن

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ن it produces a sound “na”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ن it produces a sound “ni”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ن it produces a sound “nu”.

ﻩ

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ﻩ it produces a sound “ha”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ﻩ it produces a sound “hi”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ﻩ it produces a sound “hu”.

و

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter و it produces a sound “wa”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter و it produces a sound “wi”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter و it produces a sound “wu”.

ء

When the vowel fatha   ـَ is placed over the letter ء it produces a sound “a”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ء it produces a sound “e”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ء it produces a sound like the English vowel “u”.

The sound of ءَ is similar to اَ or أَ. Likewise, ءِ has a similar sound to اِ or إِ, and ءُ has a similar sound to اُ or أُ.

ي

When the vowel Fatha ـَ is placed over the letter ي it produces a sound “ya”.

When the vowel Kasra ـِ is placed under the letter ي it produces a sound “yi”.

When the vowel Damma ـُ is placed over the letter ي it produces a sound “yu”.

Learn to read Arabic

Reading method 1

Now that we know the basic voices of all the Arabic letters, we can read simple Arabic words. To read an Arabic word, we pronounce each letter in the word along with its vowel (either by speaking or just in the mind) and then combine these parts.
Let's take an example word فَعَلَ .
We have three letters in this word فَعَلَ .
We say them separately either in our mind or in the voice and then combine them, i.e.
فـَ
ـعـَ
ـلَ
Now, combine these separate voices into the word, فَعَلَ .

Reading method 2

A second way is how the children learn reading in their early classes. Every letter in the word is pronounced loud along with its harakah (vowel) and then combined with the preceding letter. We take the same word again:
فَعَلَ .
فـَ
Fa-bil-fatah, "bil" is an extension of the Arabic preposition "ba", which means "with". Fa-bil-fatha means "fa with fatah".
Similarly, ein-bil-fatah = ein with fatah,
and lam-bil-fatah = lam with fatah.
ـعـَ
ـلَ
The whole word be practiced as:
Now, combine these separate voices into the word, فَعَلَ .

You can also develop a habit of reading all the above letters with their short vowels if you find this method easier, like:

Reading method 3

You can also omit the preposition "ba", like:
فَعَلَ

You can choose any of the above-explained methods. The main goal is to read Arabic correctly. You would only need this practice for a few days, and then afterward, you'll be able to read Arabic words just by looking at them.

Following are few Arabic words. Try to read them in an above-described methods.

Arabic reading exercise

Perform the exercise in the following manner.

1. Please listen to the following Arabic words and repeat them with your voice.
2. Then try to pronounce these words without playing the given voice.
3. Write down these on paper.

Following words are meaningful Arabic words but at this level, we don't want to know their meanings. We just want to read these words correctly.

In the following examples, we will be using the 2nd reading method, i.e. reading with the help of the preposition "ba" (with). Like, "dal-bil-fatha = da", "ba-bil-fatha=ba". This is the most detailed method. If you like, you can skip the preposition "ba", i.e. "dal-fatha = da", "ba-fatha=ba". We have a few examples without using the preposition "ba" method (3rd method) at the end of the reading practice.

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⇜ فُعِلَ

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⇜ ذَهَبَ

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⇜ جَمَعَ

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⇜ جُمِعَ

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⇜ كَتَبَ

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⇜ كُتِبَ

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⇜ شَرِبَ

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⇜ شُرِبَ

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⇜ هُوَ

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⇜ هِيَ

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⇜ رَفَعَ

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⇜ رُفِعَ

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⇜ أَكَلَ

Letter ء with fatah, placed above the letter alif أَ produces the same sound as اَ. Thus, أَ is just another way of writing اَ.
The explanation of ء is given in a separate lesson, after learning all the pronunciation rules.

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⇜ طَلَبَ

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⇜ طُلِبَ

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⇜ عَرَفَ

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⇜ نَسِيَ

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⇜ قَدَرَ

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⇜ سَأَلَ

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⇜ سُئِلَ

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⇜ نَظَرَ

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⇜ حَمَلَ

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⇜ كَرِهَ

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⇜ فَتَحَ

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⇜ فُتِحَ

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⇜ غَلَقَ

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⇜ وَقَفَ

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⇜ وُقِفَ

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The following few examples are with the above-explained 3rd reading method, i.e. without using the preposition "ba". (dal-bil-fatah, dal-bil-damma, etc)

⇜ دَخَلَ

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⇜ دُخِلَ

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⇜ خَرَجَ

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⇜ رَكَبَ

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⇜ ضَحِكَ

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