ياء · U+064A
Ya — the y/ī sound
Pronunciation: y as in yes, or long i · IPA [j / iː]. Connects in both directions.
| alone | at the start | in the middle | at the end |
|---|---|---|---|
| ي | يـ | ـيـ | ـي |
In a word
يَد
- يـYa at the starty as in yes, or long i · IPA [j / iː]
- ـدDal at the endd as in door · IPA [d]does not connect to the left
The letter Ya in detail
- Place in the alphabet: 28 of 28.
- Abjad numeral value: 10. In the classical Arabic letter-number system (abjad) every letter also stands for a number – for example in dates on old inscriptions.
- Dots: 2 dots below the letter.
- Joining: It joins to the following letter (to the left), so it has four forms: isolated, initial, medial and final.
- In names: Ya appears in 253 of our 481 verified name spellings.
For a tattoo or engraving: The 2 dots below the letter must sit exactly – a missing or extra dot turns Ya into a different letter. Always read the finished design from right to left and do not let the stencil be mirrored.
Easy to confuse
Ya shares its body with the letters below and differs only by the number and position of the dots. In a tattoo, a single dot inked too small decides whether it is actually a different letter:
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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