Lesson 1: ABCs of Arabic

There's no way I can put Arabic orthography lessons on the site. The only way to learn the alphabet is to practice and memorize. But I'll give a run down of the letters using words commonly found in Arabic music.

ا - Alif, as in "Ah" آه which means "ow," like an expression of pain or frustration

ب - Ba, as in "Bahebbak" بحبك which means "I love you"

ت - Ta, as in "Tani" تاني which means "another" or "again"

ث - Tha, as in "Thawani" ثواني which means "seconds" from the same word as "tani." In most dialects the Tha becomes a Ta or a Sa, but in the Gulf, Iraq, Tunisia and Standard Arabic it is still Tha like the th at the end of "math."

ج - Jiim/Giim, as in "Jameel" جميل which means "beautiful." In Egypt, it is usually pronounced as a Ga and in the Gulf sometimes as Ya

ح - Ha (7a), as in "Habibi" حبيبي which means "my darling." This sound does not exist in English, but it is like a regular Ha in English only "harsher." A friend has described it to me as a "phone sex 'h'"

خ - Kha (5a or xa), as in "Khudni" خدني which means "take me." This sound is like the ch in Bach or to an English speaker probably sounds like they are about to spit

د - Daal, as in "Dunya" دنيا which can mean "the world," "the prevailing environment" or "everyone."

ذ - Dhaal, as in "Dhayeb" ذائب which means "melting" often in love. Like the Tha, the Dhaal becomes a Da or a Za in many dialects but in the Gulf, Iraq and Tunisia it is preserves like the th in "the."

ر - Ra, as in "Rooh" روح which means "soul." It is trilled like the Spanish r.

ز - Zay, as in "Zaman" زمن which means "time" as in the 4th dimension

س - Sin, as in "Sawa" سوا which means "together"

ش - Shin, as in "ٍShuf" شوف which means "see," "look," or "look at"

ص - Saad, as in "Sabr" صبر which means "patience." The Saad is like an English s but with more rounding of the lips to produce a deeper hiss.

ض - Daad, as in "Da3" ضاع which means "lost" or "wasted." Daad is like the English d in the same relationship as Saad is to s. It is usually indistinguishible from DHaad.

ط - Ta (6a), as in "Tayr" طير which means "bird." Ta is in the same relationship with the English T as Daad is with d

ظ - DHa/Za, as in "THalim" ظالم which means "unjust" or "oppressive." THa is in the same relationship with dha as Daad is with d. It always becomes a Daad or Zaad in Lebanese and Egyptian dialects.

ع - Ayn (3ayn), as in "3ayni" عيني which means "my eye" (a very common term of endearment in Arabic). 3ayn has no equivalent in English and I don't know how to describe it. Just read and listen for it.

غ - Ghayn, as in "Ghali" غالي which means "precious." It's like a ga sound only it's like you're gargling water.

ف - Fa, as in "Farah" فرح which means "joy" or "happiness"

ق - Qaff (9aff, 2aff), as in "Qalbi" قلبي which means "my heart." Originally this sound is like an English k only deeper in the throat, as if you were choking. In Egypt and parts of the Levant it is usually pronounced as a glottal stop like the sound in between Uh and Oh in Uh-Oh. So "Qalbi" becomes "Albi." Also in the rest of the Arab world it may be a Ga sound like the English g or more emphatic.

ك - Kaff (Chaff), as in "Keef" كيف which means "how" east of Egypt. In some parts of the Gulf and Iraq it becomes a Chaff like the ch in "cheese" to varying degrees

ل - Laam, as in "Leel" ليل which means "night"

م - Miim, as in "Majnun" مجنون which means "mad" or "crazy"

ن - Nuun, as in "Nar" نار which means "fire"

ه - Ha, as in "Hawa" هوى which is one of the many words for love "hawa"

و - Waaw, as in "Waheshtini" وحشتيني which is how you tell a girl "I miss you"

ي - Ya, as in "Ya habibi" يا حبيبي which means "oh my darling." To address someone like "oh" or "hey" in English, you say "ya" before the name or title you are calling them.