Arabic Basics
Learn the fundamentals of Arabic
Arabic Alphabet (Huroof)
Arabic has 28 basic letters. Learn to recognize each one.
Reading Direction
Arabic is read from right to left (←) — the opposite of English and Hindi.
How Letters Connect
Most Arabic letters connect to each other to form words, similar to Urdu script.
Example: كَتَبَ (kataba — he wrote)
Harakat — Vowel Marks
Small marks (harakat) placed above or below letters indicate vowel sounds.
Fathah (َ)
'a' sound (like Hindi अ)
بَ = ba
Kasrah (ِ)
'i' sound (like Hindi इ)
بِ = bi
Dammah (ُ)
'u' sound (like Hindi उ)
بُ = bu
Sukun (ْ)
silence — consonant only
بْ = b (no vowel)
Shaddah (ّ)
double consonant stress
بَّ = bb (doubled)
Tanween (تنوین)
Tanween — a nasal 'n' sound at the end of a word (unwritten ن)
Fathatayn (ً)
-an
Kasratayn (ٍ)
-in
Dammatayn (ٌ)
-un
Basic Grammar Concepts
Every Arabic word falls into one of three categories:
Ism — Noun
Fi'l — Verb
Harf — Particle
Common Quranic Phrases
These phrases are commonly used in daily life and prayer.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ
Bismillah
In the name of Allah
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ
Alhamdulillah
All praise is for Allah
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ
SubhanAllah
Glory be to Allah
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allahu Akbar
Allah is the Greatest
إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ
InshaAllah
If Allah wills
مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ
MashaAllah
What Allah has willed
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ
La ilaha illa Allah
There is no god but Allah
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ
Astaghfirullah
I seek forgiveness from Allah
جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا
JazakAllahu Khairan
May Allah reward you with good
لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah
There is no power except with Allah