| Name |
Character |
Explanation |
Pronunciation |
Example |
Transcription |
| Damma |
ُ |
Damma is an apostrophe-like shape written above the consonant which precedes it in pronunciation. It represents a short vowel u (like the “u” in “but”). |
u |
بُت |
but |
| Wāw |
و |
Wāw is the long vowel ū (like the “oo” in “moon”). It also represents the consonant w. When Waw is used to represent the long vowel, damma appears above the preceding consonant. |
ū |
بُوت |
būt |
| Fatha |
َ |
Fatha is a diagonal stroke written above the consonant which precedes it in pronunciation. It represents a short vowel a (a little like the “u” in “but”; a short “ah” sound). |
a |
بَت |
bat |
| Alif |
ا |
Alif is the long vowel ā (a long “ahh” sound as in English “father”). |
ā |
بات |
bāt |
| Kasra |
ِ |
Kasra is a diagonal stroke written below the consonant which precedes it in pronunciation. It represents a short vowel i (like the “i” in English “pit”). |
i |
بِت |
bit |
| Ya’ |
ي |
Ya’ is the long vowel ī (like the “ee” in English “sheep”). It also represents the consonant y. When Ya’ is used to represent the long vowel, kasra appears above the preceding consonant. |
ī |
بِيت |
bīt |
| Sukūn |
ْ |
Whenever a consonant does not have a vowel, it receives a mark called a sukūn, a small circle which represents the end of a closed syllable (CvC or CvvC). It sits above the letter which is not followed by a vowel. |
|
بِنْتُ |
bintu |
| Shadda (or tashdīd) |
ّ |
Shadda represents doubling (or gemination) of a consonant. Where the same consonant occurs twice in a word, with no vowel between, instead of using consonant + sukūn + consonant, the consonant is written only once, and shadda is written above it. |
|
ثَبَّتَ |
thabbata |