Ayn
عArabicQuick Mnemonic
“Eye”
Ayn ( ع ) and Ghayn ( غ ) look like a reversed number 3. Imagine three ghosts gargling water.
More mnemonics →About the Arabic Letter ع Ayn
Ayn is a Moon Letter which shares a common shape with Ghayn.
Both of these are considered two of the most difficult Arabic sounds for new students to master.
You really have to train yourself to learn how to pronounce Ayn. It is a guttural sound produced from the back of the throat. Think of the sound of gargling water in your mouth.
You may also see this letter spelled as 3ayn (the 3, like 7, is used to represent sounds not found in English).
Look-alikes
Ayn ( ع ) and Ghayn ( غ ) are shape-mates.
The connected forms of Ayn and Ghayn might look a bit similar to the connected forms of Hha and Kha in some fonts.
How to Write the Arabic Letter ع Ayn
Most Arabic letters change shape depending on where they appear in a word. Ayn connects on both sides.
Example Arabic Words with ع Ayn (tap to hear)
ع Ayn with Tashkeel
Arabic vowels are written as small marks above or below the letter. Tap to hear Ayn with each short vowel.
Fatha (a)
Short "a" sound
Damma (u)
Short "u" sound
Kasra (i)
Short "i" sound
Ayn is a Moon Letter
Ayn 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 Ayn, both letters are pronounced clearly — al-' (guttural)...The ل keeps its sound.
Key Takeaways: Arabic Letter Ayn
- • Ayn is written ع and sounds like /' (guttural)/
- • ArabicQuick mnemonic: think of a Eye to remember its shape
- • It is a moon letter and connects on both sides
- • It has four forms: isolated, initial, medial, and final