The Syrian Arabic Alphabet

The Syrian Arabic alphabet uses the standard Arabic script to write Syrian Arabic, the spoken dialect used throughout Syria. Syrian Arabic is part of the wider Levantine Arabic (Shami) dialect group and shares the same 28-letter Arabic alphabet used across the Arab world.

Like other varieties of Arabic, the Syrian Arabic writing system is based on an abjad, meaning that consonants form the main foundation of written words. Short vowels can be represented with optional diacritical marks, although these marks are generally not used in everyday writing. Arabic is written from right to left, and many letters take different forms depending on whether they appear alone, at the beginning, middle, or end of a word.

Here, you can explore the Arabic alphabet, including its phonetic representation, spelling, letter names, and the different forms letters take in different positions within words. The alphabet is shared across Arabic-speaking countries, but learning the pronunciation and everyday sounds associated with Syrian Arabic is an important part of learning to read and speak the Syrian dialect naturally.

The Syrian Arabic Alphabet Usage and Pronunciation Overview

As in…	Phonetic Spelling	Name	Final	Middle	First	Alone
man	ā	alif	ا / ـا	ـا	ا	ا
bed	b	bāʾ	ـب	ـبـ	بـ	ب
time	t	tāʾ	ـت	ـتـ	تـ	ت
thin	th	thāʾ	ـث	ـثـ	ثـ	ث
giraffe	j	jiim	ـج	ـجـ	جـ	ج
fricative (h)	h	hāʾ	ـح	ـحـ	حـ	ح
Scottish loch, velar [ħ]	kh	khāʾ	ـخ	ـخـ	خـ	خ
deep	d	dāl	ـد	ـد	د	د
that	dh	dhāl	ـذ	ـذ	ذ	ذ
room	r	rāʾ	ـر	ـر	ر	ر
zoo	z	zāy	ـز	ـز	ز	ز
saw	s	siin	ـس	ـسـ	سـ	س
shine	sh	shiin	ـش	ـشـ	شـ	ش
emphatic [s] as in psalm	ṣ	šād	ـص	ـص	صـ	ص
emphatic of [d] as in dark	đ	đād	ḍ	ـضـ	ضـ	ض
emphatic of [t] as in torch	ŧ	ŧāʾ	ŧ	ـطـ	طـ	ط
emphatic of [th]	Ż	ẓāʾ	ẓ	ـظـ	ظـ	ظ
Arabic sound		ʿain	ʿ	ـعـ	عـ	ع
Arabic sound [gh]	gh	ghain	gh	ـغـ	غـ	غ
food	f	fāʾ	f	ـفـ	فـ	ف
similar to [c] in cod	q	qāf	q	ـقـ	قـ	ق
kin	k	kāf	k	ـكـ	كـ	ك
late	l	lām	l	ـلـ	لـ	ل
moon	m	miim	m	ـمـ	ـمـ	م
nice	n	nūn	n	ـنـ	نـ	ن
heel	h	hāʾ	h	ـھـ	ھـ	ه
wow/moon	w/ū	wāw	w/ū	ـو	و	و
yes/bead, machine	yes/ii	yāʾ	yes/ii	ـیـ	يـ	ي

Practise Makes Perfect

This article provides a basic overview of the Arabic alphabet and its usage and pronunciation when learning Syrian Arabic. Although the Arabic alphabet is shared across the different Arabic dialects, becoming familiar with the letters and their sounds is an essential foundation for learning to read, pronounce, and communicate in Syrian Arabic.

If you are interested in studying Syrian Arabic with an experienced native-speaking teacher, Study Syrian Arabic Online offers online lessons for complete beginners through advanced learners. Lessons focus on practical, everyday Syrian Arabic and can be adapted to your individual level, interests, schedule, and learning goals.

That is why it is important to keep practicing, especially with another person whenever possible. You can practice with a friend, family member, language partner, or teacher. Consistency is one of the most important parts of successful language learning because regular practice helps reinforce new vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and expressions.

Whether you are learning Syrian Arabic for travel, communication, work, study, or a deeper connection with Syrian culture, regular practice will help you gradually become more confident using the language in real-life situations.

Would You Like to Practise With a Teacher?

If you would like to practice reading, writing, pronunciation, and speaking Syrian Arabic with a professional teacher, feel free to contact us and learn more about our online Syrian Arabic lessons.

Email: Info@ecsyria.org

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