Alif
اArabicQuick Mnemonic
“Antenna”
It’s the first letter (number one) and looks exactly like number one 1.
More mnemonics →About the Arabic Letter ا Alif
Alif is the most commonly used letter due to the several sounds it represents.
Alif is a Moon letter and is typically pronounced as "A," but it has many forms.
You will also see this letter spelled as Alef or Aleph.
Alif is one of the three letters Alif ( ا ), Wow ( و ), Ya ( ي ) that might be either a consonant or a vowel letter.
When Alif is used as a vowel, the Hamza (ء) on the Alif is removed, and only the (ا) remains.
Look-alikes
Alif ( ا ) might look like the connected form of the letter Laam ( لـ ). But luckily, Laam always has an extension to the left side while Alif never does. Alif is only connectable to the right side.
How to Write the Arabic Letter ا Alif
Most Arabic letters change shape depending on where they appear in a word. Alif only connects to the right, so its isolated and initial forms look the same.
Example Arabic Words with ا Alif (tap to hear)
ا Alif with Tashkeel
Arabic vowels are written as small marks above or below the letter. Tap to hear Alif with each short vowel.
Fatha (a)
Short "a" sound
Damma (u)
Short "u" sound
Kasra (i)
Short "i" sound
Alif is a Moon Letter
Alif is a moon letterMoon letters keep the ل in ال (al-) — both sounds are pronounced clearly. (حرف قمري). When the definite article ال (al-) comes before Alif, both letters are pronounced clearly — al-a / aa...The ل keeps its sound.
Key Takeaways: Arabic Letter Alif
- • Alif is written ا and sounds like /a / aa/
- • ArabicQuick mnemonic: think of a Antenna to remember its shape
- • It is a moon letter and only connects to the right
- • It has four forms: isolated, initial, medial, and final