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{{IPA key|H:IPA-AR|H:IPAA}}

The chart below explains how Wikipedia represents Modern Standard Arabic pronunciations with the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). Wikipedia also has specific charts for Egyptian Arabic, Hejazi Arabic, Lebanese Arabic, and Tunisian Arabic. For a guide to adding IPA characters to Wikipedia articles, see Template:IPA and {{section link|Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Pronunciation#Entering IPA characters}}.

See Arabic phonology for a more thorough discussion of the sounds of Modern Standard Arabic, and varieties of Arabic for regional variation.

class="wikitable"

! IPA

! English
approximation

! Arabic
letter/symbol

! Usual
romanization

! Letter

name

id="A_B"

! colspan="5" | A–B

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|a}}{{efn|name=a}}

| cat in British English, only approx. in American English, could also be realised as [æ]

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|َ }}

| a, á, e

| فَتْحَة (fatḥah)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|aː}}{{efn|name=aa}}

| not exact, longer far, could also be realised as [æː]

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ـَا}}
({{lang|ar|ى}} at word end)

| ā, â, aa, a

|أَلِف (ʾalif)

الف مقصورة (ʾalif maqṣūrah)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA|aj}}{{efn|name=ai}}

| {{IPA|/a/}}+{{IPAslink|j}}, my or night

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ْـَي}}

| ay, ai, ey, ei

|يَاء (yāʾ)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA|aw}}{{efn|name=au}}

| {{IPA|/a/}}+{{IPAslink|w}}, noun

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ْـَو}}

| aw, au

|وَاو (wāw)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|b}}

| bee

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ب}}

| b

|بَاء (bāʾ)

id="D"

! colspan="5" | D

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|d}}

| dash

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|د}}

| d

|دَال (dāl)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|dˤ}}{{efn|name=emphatic}}

| emphatic and pharyngealized {{IPAslink|d}}, no equivalent, can be approximated to RP dawn

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ض}}

| ḍ, dh

|ضَاد (ḍād)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|dʒ}}

| jam

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ج}}{{efn|name=jim}}

| j, ǧ, dj, g

|جِيم (jīm)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|ð}}

| these

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ذ}}

| dh, ḏ

|ذَال (dhāl)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|ðˤ}}{{efn|name=emphatic}}{{efn|name=Zaa}}

| emphatic and pharyngealized {{IPAblink|ð}}

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ظ}}

| ẓ

|ظَاء (ẓāʾ)

id="F_H"

! colspan="5" | F–H

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|f}}

| father

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ف}}

| f

|فَاء (fāʾ)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|h}}

| hi

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ه}}

| h

|هَاء (hāʾ)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|ħ}}

|hello, but pronounced in the back of your throat

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ح}}

| ḥ

|حَاء (ḥāʾ)

id="I_K"

! colspan="5" | I–K

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|i|i}}{{efn|name=i}}

| happy

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ِ }}

| i, e

| كَسْرَة (kasrah)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|iː}}{{efn|name=ii}}

| machine

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ـِي}}

| ī, ee, i

|يَاء (yāʾ)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|j}}

| yes

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ي}}

| y

|يَاء (yāʾ)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|k}}May be aspirated, see arabic phonology

| scape

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ك}}

| k

|كَاف (kāf)

id="L_N"

! colspan="5" | L–S

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|l}}

| lease (Received Pronunciation)

| style="text-align: center;" rowspan="2" | {{lang|ar|ل}}

| rowspan="2" | l

| rowspan="2" |لَام (lām)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|ɫ}}{{efn|name=Allah}}

| tool

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|m}}

| me

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|م}}

| m

|مِيم (mīm)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|n}}

| no

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ن}}

| n

|نُون (nūn)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|q}}

| like skit, but further down to the uvula (uvular).

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ق}}

| q, g, '

|قَاف (qāf)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|r}}

| "tapped" or "trilled" r;
Spanish perro

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ر}}

| r

|رَاء (rāʾ)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|s}}

| snake

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|س}}

| s

|سِين (sīn)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|sˤ}}{{efn|name=emphatic}}

| close to saw, emphatic and pharyngealized {{IPAslink|s}}

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ص}}

| ṣ

|صَاد (ṣād)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|ʃ}}

| sheep

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ش}}

| sh, š, ch

|شِين (shīn)

id="T_W"

! colspan="5" | T–W

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|t}}

| stop

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ت}}
(sometimes {{lang|ar|ة}})

| t

|تَاء (tāʾ)

تاء مربوطة (tāʾ marbūṭah)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|tˤ}}{{efn|name=emphatic}}

| emphatic and pharyngealized {{IPAslink|t}}, no equivalent

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ط}}

| ṭ

|طَاء (ṭāʾ)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|θ}}

| think

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ث}}

| th, ṯ

|ثَاء (thāʾ)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|u}}{{efn|name=u}}

| fruition

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ُ}}

| u, o, ou

|ضَمَّة (ḍammah)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|uː}}{{efn|name=uu}}

| cool

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ـُو}}

| ū, oo, ou, u

|وَاو (wāw)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|w}}

| we

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|و}}

| w

|وَاو (wāw)

id="X_Z"

! colspan="5" | X–Z

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|x}} ~ χ

| Scottish loch

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|خ}}

| kh, ḫ, ḵ

|خَاء (khāʾ)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|ɣ}} ~ ʁ

| like gallon, but with a guttural sound further down to the uvula (uvular). Alternatively like French paris

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|غ}}

| gh, ġ, ḡ

|غَيْن (ghayn)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|z}}

| zoo

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ز}}

| z

|زَاي (zāy)

id="other"

! colspan="5" | Other

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|ʔ}}

| The pause in uh-oh!;

The 'tt' in kitten in Standard American English;
Cockney butter; glottal stop

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ء}}

| style="font-size:200%" | ʾ ’ '

|هَمْزة (hamzah)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|ʕ}}

| no equivalent in english
(voiced pharyngeal fricative or voiced creaky-voiced pharyngeal approximant)

| style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{lang|ar|ع}}

| style="font-size:200%" | ʿ ‘ ' `

|عَيْن (ʿayn)

style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | {{IPA link|θ}}

| colspan="4" | see under T—W

style="text-align: center;" | {{IPA link|ˈ}}

| {{IPA|[ˈkiːwi]}} {{lang|ar|كِيوِي}} ('kiwi')

| colspan="3" | Means that the following syllable is stressed: {{IPA|/ˈʕarabiː/}} {{lang|ar|عربي}} ('Arab').

style="text-align: center;" | {{IPA link|ː}}

| {{IPA|[kiːs]}} {{lang|ar|كِيس}} ('sack')

| colspan="3" | Means that the preceding vowel is long

colspan="2" | {{IPA|[ˈdˤɑħ.ħæ]}} {{lang|ar|ضَحّى}} ('[he] sacrificed'),
{{IPA|[mʊˈdær.rɪsæ]}} {{lang|ar|مُدَرِّسَة}} ('teacher [f.]'),
{{IPA|[ræs.ˈsæːmæ]}} {{lang|ar|رَسَّامَة}} ('paintress'),
{{IPA|[kæð.ˈðæːb]}} {{lang|ar|كَذَّاب}} ('liar [m.]')

| colspan="3" | A geminated consonant never belongs to one syllable and is often broken with a stress.

See also

  • {{Clc|Pages with Arabic IPA|pages}}

Notes

{{notelist|refs=

{{efn|name=emphatic|Emphatic consonants may be either pharyngealized or velarized and are accompanied with labialization ({{harvnb|Al-Ani|2008|p=599}}; {{harvnb|Kaye|1997|p=193–194}}).}}

{{efn|name=Zaa|The letter {{lang|ar|ظ}} represents either {{IPAblink|ðˤ}} or {{IPAblink|zˤ}}, depending on the speaker's dialect {{harv|Al-Ani|2008|p=601}}.}}

{{efn|name=jim|The letter {{lang|ar|ج}} represents {{IPAblink|ɡ}} in Egypt and {{IPAblink|ʒ}} in the Levant and the Maghreb ({{harvnb|Al-Ani|2008|p=598}}; {{harvnb|Gairdner|1925|p=23}}).}}

{{efn|name=Allah|{{IPA|[ɫ]}} occurs only in the word Allah: {{IPA|[ɑɫˈɫɑh]}} ({{harvnb|Al-Ani|2008|p=600}}; {{harvnb|Kaye|1997|p=196}}; {{harvnb|Kaye|2009|p=564}}).}}

{{efn|name=a|Allophones of {{IPA|/a/}} include {{IPAblink|ɑ}} before or adjacent to emphatic consonants and {{IPAblink|q}}, {{IPAblink|r}}; and {{IPAblink|æ}} elsewhere ({{harvnb|Al-Ani|2008|p=595, 600}}; {{harvnb|Thelwall|Sa'adeddin|1999|p=52–53}}; {{harvnb|Kaye|1997|p=193, 197}}).}}

{{efn|name=i|Allophones of {{IPA|/i/}} include {{IPAblink|ɪ}}~{{IPAblink|e}} before or adjacent to emphatic consonants and {{IPAblink|q}}, {{IPAblink|r}}, {{IPAblink|ħ}}, {{IPAblink|ʕ}} ({{harvnb|Al-Ani|2008|p=595, 600}}; {{harvnb|Thelwall|Sa'adeddin|1999|p=52–53}}; {{harvnb|Kaye|1997|p=193, 197}}); they are distinct phonemes in loan words. {{IPA|/ɪ/}} completely becomes {{IPA|/e/}} in some other particular dialects.}}

{{efn|name=u|Allophones of {{IPA|/u/}} include {{IPAblink|ʊ}}~{{IPAblink|ɤ}}~{{IPAblink|o}} before or adjacent to emphatic consonants and {{IPAblink|q}}, {{IPAblink|r}}, {{IPAblink|ħ}}, {{IPAblink|ʕ}} ({{harvnb|Al-Ani|2008|p=595, 600}}; {{harvnb|Thelwall|Sa'adeddin|1999|p=52–53}}; {{harvnb|Kaye|1997|p=193, 197}}); they are distinct phonemes in loan words. {{IPA|/u/}} completely becomes {{IPA|/o/}} in some other particular dialects.}}

{{efn|name=aa|Allophones of {{IPA|/aː/}} include {{IPAblink|ɑː}} before or adjacent to emphatic consonants and {{IPAblink|q}}, {{IPAblink|r}}; and {{IPAblink|æː}} elsewhere ({{harvnb|Al-Ani|2008|p=595, 600}}; {{harvnb|Thelwall|Sa'adeddin|1999|p=52–53}}; {{harvnb|Kaye|1997|p=193, 197}}).}}

{{efn|name=ii|Allophones of {{IPA|/iː/}} include {{IPAblink|ɪː}}~{{IPAblink|ɨː}} before or adjacent to emphatic consonants and {{IPAblink|q}}, {{IPAblink|r}}, {{IPAblink|ħ}}, {{IPAblink|ʕ}} ({{harvnb|Al-Ani|2008|p=595, 600}}; {{harvnb|Thelwall|Sa'adeddin|1999|p=52–53}}; {{harvnb|Kaye|1997|p=193, 197}}).}}

{{efn|name=uu|Allophones of {{IPA|/uː/}} include {{IPAblink|ʊː}}~{{IPAblink|ɤː}}~{{IPAblink|oː}} before or adjacent to emphatic consonants and {{IPAblink|q}}, {{IPAblink|r}}, {{IPAblink|ħ}}, {{IPAblink|ʕ}} ({{harvnb|Al-Ani|2008|p=595, 600}}; {{harvnb|Thelwall|Sa'adeddin|1999|p=52–53}}; {{harvnb|Kaye|1997|p=193, 197}}).}}

{{efn|name=ai|In colloquial pronunciation, {{IPA|/aj/}} may be realized as {{IPAblink|eː}}~{{IPAblink|ɛː}}~[{{IPA|ej}}] ({{harvnb|Al-Ani|2008|p=595}}; {{harvnb|Kaye|1997|p=198}}).}}

{{efn|name=au|In colloquial pronunciation, {{IPA|/aw/}} may be realized as {{IPAblink|oː}}~{{IPAblink|ɔː}}~[{{IPA|ow}}] may occur ({{harvnb|Al-Ani|2008|p=595}}; {{harvnb|Kaye|1997|p=198}}).}}

}}

References

  • {{cite book|last1=Al-Ani|first1=Salman H.|title=Encyclopedia of Arabic Language and Linguistics|volume= III|date=2008|publisher=Brill|pages=593–603|chapter=Phonetics |isbn=978-90-04-14973-1 }}
  • {{cite book|last1=Gairdner|first1=W. H. T.|url=https://archive.org/details/ThePhoneticsOfArabic-W.H.T.Gairdner|title=The Phonetics of Arabic|date=1925|publisher=Oxford University Press}}
  • {{cite book|last1=Kaye|first1=Alan S.|title=Phonologies of Asia and Africa|volume=I|date=1997|pages=187–204|chapter=Arabic Phonology}}
  • {{cite book|last=Kaye|first=Alan S.|editor-last=Comrie|editor-first=Bernard|title=The World's Major Languages|edition=2nd|location=Abingdon, Oxfordshire|publisher=Routledge|date=2009|pages=560–577|chapter=Arabic|isbn=978-0-415-35339-7|url=http://116.58.21.27/articles/The%20World's%20Major%20Languages_0415353394.pdf}}
  • {{cite book

|last=Ladefoged

|first=Peter

|authorlink=Peter Ladefoged

|last2=Maddieson

|first2=Ian

|authorlink2=Ian Maddieson

|year=1996

|title=The Sounds of the World's Languages

|location=Oxford

|publisher=Blackwell

|isbn=0-631-19815-6

}}

  • {{cite book|last1=Mitchell|first1=T. F.|title=Pronouncing Arabic|volume=I|date=1990|publisher=Clarendon Press|location=Oxford |isbn=0-19-815151-9 }}
  • {{cite book|last1=Thelwall|first1=Robin|last2=Sa'adeddin|first2=M. Akram|title=Handbook of the International Phonetic Association|date=1999|publisher=Cambridge University Press|pages=51–54|chapter=Arabic}}

{{IPA keys}}