Arabic, one of the world's oldest languages, originated over 1,500 years ago in the Arabian Peninsula. Emerging as the language of the Qur'an, it became a medium for a wealth of philosophical, religious, and literary works.

Over time, its influence extended beyond the Arabian Peninsula, spreading knowledge, culture, and religion throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond. Today, Arabic is spoken by over 400 million people worldwide and serves as the liturgical language for over a billion Muslims.

Throughout its history, various scripts, such as Nabataean and Kufic, were used to write Arabic. Currently, the Arabic script itself is used to write the language. This script has 28 primary letters and is also used for many other languages, including Persian, Urdu, and Pashto, often with slight modifications. Arabic also has a unique numerical system, which has historically influenced many other regions.

Arabic Vowels

In Arabic, vowels are categorised into short vowels and long vowels.

Short vowels are represented by diacritical marks placed above or below consonants. These short vowels are typically not written in everyday Arabic text but are essential for pronunciation and clarity, especially in religious texts and language learning.

Long vowels, however, are written with specific letters: alif for a long "a" sound, yaa for a long "i" sound, and waaw for a long "u" sound. Long vowels are considered full letters in the script, making them integral to both pronunciation and the spelling of words in Arabic.

Short Vowels:

َ
[Fatḥah]
ُ
[Ḍammah]
ِ
[Kasrah]

Long Vowels:

ا
[ʾalif]
و
[wāw]
ي
[yāʾ]

Arabic Consonants

In Arabic, consonants are known as "ḥurūf" (حروف). The pronunciation of consonants in Arabic depends on the specific area in the mouth where they are made and the movement of various parts of the mouth, such as the lips, tongue, teeth, palate, and throat.

Arabic consonants interact with short and long vowels to form syllables, which combine to create meaningful words. For example, when you combine the consonant "ك" (ka) with the vowel "ت" (ta), you form the word "كت" (kat), which translates to "wrote" in Arabic.

Below is the list of consonants in Arabic.

ا
[ʾalif]
ب
[bāʾ]
ت
[tāʾ]
ث
[thāʾ]
ج
[jīm]
ح
[ḥāʾ]
خ
[khāʾ]
د
[dāl]
ذ
[dhāl]
ر
[rāʾ]
ز
[zāy]
س
[sīn]
ش
[shīn]
ص
[ṣād]
ض
[ḍād]
ط
[ṭāʾ]
ظ
[ẓāʾ]
ع
[ʿayn]
غ
[ghayn]
ف
[fāʾ]
ق
[qāf]
ك
[kāf]
ل
[lām]
م
[mīm]
ن
[nūn]
ه
[hāʾ]
و
[wāw]
ي
[yāʾ]

Numerals in Arabic

Arabic-speaking countries also have a traditional set of numerals, known as "Eastern Arabic numerals" (٠,١,٢,٣,٤,٥,٦,٧,٨,٩,،), which are commonly used in the Middle East alongside Western Arabic numerals (0–9). Below is the list of the traditional set of numbers alongside their Western Arabic numerals:

٠
١
[1]
٢
[2]
٣
[3]
٤
[4]
٥
[5]
٦
[6]
٧
[7]
٨
[8]
٩
[9]
،
[,]

Features

  • It is written from right to left.
  • The Arabic alphabet consists of 28 letters, each primarily representing a consonant sound. Unlike English and most other languages, Arabic does not have separate letters for vowels.
  • The Arabic script is always written in a cursive form, even in print. Letters change shape based on their position in a word, which can be initial, medial, final, or isolated. This creates a flowing and connected appearance.
  • Arabic also has a traditional set of numerals and fractions, which are used in the Middle East alongside Western Arabic numerals (0–9).
  • The Arabic comma (،) is placed at the end of a sentence and resembles the English comma, but it is curved differently.
  • Arabic does not use uppercase or lowercase letters. Instead, all letters have one form.

Interesting Facts about Arabic Language

  • Arabic is one of the oldest languages, with its origins dating back over 1,500 years.
  • Arabic is a member of the Semitic language family, which includes Hebrew, Aramaic, and Amharic.
  • Arabic has two main forms: Classical Arabic, which is used in religious texts like the Qur'an, and Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), which is used in formal writing, media, and education.
  • Arabic has many regional dialects that can differ significantly from one country to another. These dialects can vary in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar, making it sometimes challenging for speakers from different regions to understand each other.
  • Arabic has influenced many languages around the world, particularly in the fields of science, mathematics, astronomy, and medicine. Words like "algebra", "algorithm", and "chemistry" all have Arabic origins.
  • Arabic has an extensive vocabulary for describing nature due to its importance in the culture and history of the Arab world.
  • The Arabic script has been adapted for use in other languages, such as Persian, Urdu, and Pashto, with added letters to represent sounds not found in Arabic.
  • Arabic has several sounds that don't exist in English, including emphatic consonants and sounds produced in the back of the throat, such as "ع" (ʿAyn) and "غ" (Ghayn).

Arabic at a glance

Arabic (العربية, Al-‘Arabīyah) is a Semitic language spoken primarily in the Middle East and North Africa by over 400 million people. Currently, the Arabic script is used as the writing system for Arabic. However, throughout history, various other scripts have been used. Some of them include the Nabataean script, the Kufic script, and the Persian script. Below is a quick summary:

Pronunciation: [`ʕarabiː]
Native Name: العربية (Al-‘Arabīyah)
Number of Speakers: 400 million
Language family: Afro-Asiatic (Semitic)
First Written: 4th century CE
Writing System: Arabic Script
Spoken in: Middle East, North Africa, and parts of the Horn of Africa
Status: Official language in 22 countries and recognized as a liturgical language in Islam. These countries are: Algeria, Bahrain, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Two digit language code: ar

A Complete Arabic Alphabet Chart

Below is a list of complete Arabic Alphabet Chart

Short Vowels:

َ
[Fatḥah]
ُ
[Ḍammah]
ِ
[Kasrah]

Long Vowels:

ا
[ʾalif]
و
[wāw]
ي
[yāʾ]

Consonants:

ا
[ʾalif]
ب
[bāʾ]
ت
[tāʾ]
ث
[thāʾ]
ج
[jīm]
ح
[ḥāʾ]
خ
[khāʾ]
د
[dāl]
ذ
[dhāl]
ر
[rāʾ]
ز
[zāy]
س
[sīn]
ش
[shīn]
ص
[ṣād]
ض
[ḍād]
ط
[ṭāʾ]
ظ
[ẓāʾ]
ع
[ʿayn]
غ
[ghayn]
ف
[fāʾ]
ق
[qāf]
ك
[kāf]
ل
[lām]
م
[mīm]
ن
[nūn]
ه
[hāʾ]
و
[wāw]
ي
[yāʾ]

Digits:

٠
١
[1]
٢
[2]
٣
[3]
٤
[4]
٥
[5]
٦
[6]
٧
[7]
٨
[8]
٩
[9]
،
[,]

Fraction:

١/٢
[1/2]
١/٣
[1/3]
٢/٣
[2/3]
١/٤
[1/4]
٣/٤
[3/4]

Currency Symbols

ر.س
[SAR]
ج.م
[EGP]
د.إ
[AED]
د.ك
[KWD]
د.ا
[JOD]
ر.ق
[QAR]
ر.ع.ع
[OMR]

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Arabic Currency Exchange
Currency Unit Bahrain
U. S Dollar 100 Dollar ($) 37.6958 BHD
UK Pound 100 Pound (£) 48.0919 BHD
Euro 100 Euro 39.9022 BHD
Saudi Riyal 100 S. Riyal 10.0354 BHD
Qatari Riyal 100 Q. Riyal 10.3536 BHD