Arabic/LearnRW/alif

Alif is a very common Arabic letter. When it comes after a letter it causes the long "aa" sound. When it comes at the beginning of a word it means the word starts with a vowel sound. Basic Appearance alif looks like a vertical line. It is drawn from the top down. example: ا This is called a plain Alif because it carries no symbols. Alif can also carry a hamza. The hamza is drawn after the alif. It looks like this: أ Alif when it makes the "u" or "a" sound. إ When it makes the short "i" sound (the "i" sound in "bit" not "bite"). When a plain Alif comes after a letter, like so: ب + ا بـ ـا Putting it together با It makes a long "aa" sound come after it. In the previous example the Arabic letter ب (baa) was followed by a plain alif. So if it was read as "baa", remember its long "aa" sound, not a short one. يا (pronounced: yaa) فا (pronounced: faa) وا (pronounced: waa) دا (pronounced: daa) با (pronounced: baa) تا (pronounced: taa) كا (pronounced: kaa) ما (pronounced: maa) The first letter can also be written with a fatha (pronounced:[fatħa]) and the pronunciation does not change. يَا (pronounced: yaa) فَا (pronounced: faa) But if the Alif is not a plain Alif, then the long "aa" sound is not made. Something special happens, the purpose of hamza will be covered later. يَأ (NOT pronounced: yaa) فإ (NOT pronounced: faa) Do not forget that the long "aa" sound is only made with a plain alif. If you see an alif with anything on it, it will not make the "aa" sound.