ألف مقصورة · U+0649
Alif maqsura — the ā sound
Pronunciation: long a at the end of a word, without dots · IPA [aː]. Connects only to the right — a gap opens behind it.
| alone | at the start | in the middle | at the end |
|---|---|---|---|
| ى | ى | ـى | ـى |
In a word
لَيلى
- لـLam at the startl as in love · IPA [l]
- ـيـYa in the middley as in yes, or long i · IPA [j / iː]
- ـلـLam in the middlel as in love · IPA [l]
- ـىAlif maqsura at the endlong a at the end of a word, without dots · IPA [aː]does not connect to the left
The letter Alif maqsura in detail
- Dots: none.
- Joining: It only appears at the end of a word and does not join to a following letter.
- In names: Alif maqsura appears in 21 of our 481 verified name spellings.
For a tattoo or engraving: It only stands at the end of a word – check for the correct final form and that nothing is attached after it. Always read the finished design from right to left and do not let the stencil be mirrored.
Easy to confuse
Alif maqsura looks almost identical to this other, unrelated letter at the end of a word — a difference that is easy to miss when reading:
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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