واو · U+0648
Waw — the w/ū sound
Pronunciation: w as in water, or long u · IPA [w / uː]. Connects only to the right — a gap opens behind it.
| alone | at the start | in the middle | at the end |
|---|---|---|---|
| و | و | ـو | ـو |
In a word
وَرد
- وWaw standing alonew as in water, or long u · IPA [w / uː]does not connect to the left
- رRa standing alonerolled r · IPA [r]does not connect to the left
- دDal standing aloned as in door · IPA [d]does not connect to the left
The letter Waw in detail
- Place in the alphabet: 27 of 28.
- Abjad numeral value: 6. 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: Waw appears in 50 of our 218 verified name spellings.
For a tattoo or engraving: Make sure the word is not wrongly joined onward after Waw. Always read the finished design from right to left and do not let the stencil be mirrored.
Easy to confuse
Waw has a clearly distinct shape, with no dots and no close look-alike in the alphabet — the risk of a reading mistake here is low.
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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