The standalone form
اA tall, simple strokeMeet the letter
Alif أَلِف
Alif can join a letter on its right. It does not join the next letter on its left. Plain alif often carries the long ā vowel.
In the Arabic word زَرَافَة (“giraffe”), a letter inside the word is alif. Alif stands alone here: raa before it does not join to it.
One letter. Two shapes.
Alif keeps the same tall stroke. Its only connected form has a join from the right.
Joined from the right
Within a word or at its endAlif joins to taa on its right. The baa on its left stays separate.
Alif has two real shapes. Gold highlights this letter in each example.
1Alif and hamzah: notice the differenceThese beginning sounds belong to hamzah.
Plain alif ا can carry the long ā sound. When you see أ or إ, the small hamzah is a consonant, carried on alif. These are not short vowels added to plain long-vowel alif.
2Alif makes the long āA short a becomes a longer ā.
After a consonant with fatḥah, alif carries the long ā vowel. Compare these sound practice units. Long ī and ū use yaa and waaw, rather than alif.
3Does long-vowel alif take sukūn?An important exception to the consonant pattern.
Long-vowel alif has no short vowel of its own. In ordinary fully vowelled writing, you do not add the same sukūn pattern used for a consonant such as بْ. Hamzah carried on alif is a separate consonant and can have sukūn.
See sukūn with baa →4Can plain alif be doubled?Long-vowel alif is not an ordinary consonant.
We do not make shaddah forms by adding shaddah to plain long-vowel alif. A doubled consonant such as baa is a different pattern. Hamzah carried on alif needs its own explanation.
See shaddah with baa →5Alif in a tanwīn endingA supporting letter, rather than a new alif sound.
Compare the three endings on the word book. In the last example, the extra alif supports fatḥatan in writing. The mark and the n ending belong to baa.
Where next?
Follow your curiosity.
When you feel ready
Choose your next adventure.
Find the Arabic Letter
Dot Detective
Explore every Arabic letter through dots, shapes, connected forms and short words. Start with a few letters or choose your own practice.
8 questions · no timer · beginner starterPlay Dot Detective →
Arabic Letter Connections
Letter Linkers
New shapes. Clever connections. Match changing letter forms, discover joining breaks and build simple words.
8 puzzles · no timer · guided starterPlay Letter Linkers →
Arabic Sounds and Reading
Build the Sound
Listen, spot the vowel and build what you hear. Explore short and long vowels, sukūn, shaddah, tanwīn and simple words.
8 questions · no timer · hear and buildPlay Build the Sound →