أَلِف · U+0627
Alif — the ā sound
Pronunciation: long a, often carries the hamza · IPA [aː]. Connects only to the right — a gap opens behind it.
| alone | at the start | in the middle | at the end |
|---|---|---|---|
| ا | ا | ـا | ـا |
In a word
كِتاب
- كـKaf at the startk as in kite · IPA [k]
- ـتـTa in the middlet as in top · IPA [t]
- ـاAlif at the endlong a, often carries the hamza · IPA [aː]does not connect to the left
- بBa standing aloneb as in boat · IPA [b]
The letter Alif in detail
- Place in the alphabet: 1 of 28.
- Abjad numeral value: 1. In the classical Arabic letter-number system (abjad) every letter also stands for a number – for example in dates on old inscriptions.
- Dots: none.
- Joining: It does not join to the following letter. The next letter then starts in its initial or isolated form – the gap in the word is intended and must not be “closed”.
- In names: Alif appears in 138 of our 218 verified name spellings (including the hamza variants).
For a tattoo or engraving: Make sure the word is not wrongly joined onward after Alif. Always read the finished design from right to left and do not let the stencil be mirrored.
Easy to confuse
Alif has no dots to confuse, but its plain stroke shape resembles these letters — which makes the mix-up trickier, since there is no missing dot to catch the eye:
This letter in real names
A small selection from our checked name dictionary that contains this letter.
To learn more
Material that actually makes the shapes stick.
Arabic alphabet flashcards
All 28 letters with their positional forms on cards. Good for repetition, no substitute for a textbook.
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Arabic for beginners, with audio
Pronunciation matters a lot in Arabic — without an audio track you won't learn the guttural sounds.
View on Amazon Alphabet poster for the wall
Passive learning just by looking at it. Look for an edition that shows all four positional forms.
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