Help:IPA/Lebanese Arabic

Throughout Wikipedia, the pronunciation of words is indicated by means of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The following tables list the IPA symbols used for Lebanese Arabic words and pronunciations. Please note that several of these symbols are used in ways that are specific to Wikipedia and differ from those used by dictionaries.

If the IPA symbols are not displayed properly by your browser, see the links below.

Wikipedia transcriptions for Lebanese Arabic vowels may be either more general and abstract, using only the symbols from the first column (primary vowel), or more detailed and precise, using the symbols from the second column (variants, allophones); see narrow versus broad transcription. In narrower transcription, if the "variants, allophones" column shows two vowels joined by a tilde (as in {{IPA link|ɑ}}~{{IPA link|ʌ}}, for example), the first one should be used on Wikipedia — even if the second is slightly closer to the sound being transcribed.

Key

style="background: none" \| style="vertical-align: top;" \| {\| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; ! colspan="4" \|Consonants
IPA !English approximation !Arabic letter/symbol !Notes
{{IPA link\|b}} \|bee \|{{lang\|ar\|ب}} \|
{{IPA link\|d}} \|dash \|{{lang\|ar\|د}} \|
{{IPA link\|dˤ}} \|emphatic {{IPAslink\|d}}, no equivalent \|{{lang\|ar\|ض}} \|
{{IPA link\|f}} \|father \|{{lang\|ar\|ف}} \|
{{IPA link\|h}} \|he \|{{lang\|ar\|ه}} \|
{{IPA link\|ħ}} \|had, but pharyngeal \|{{lang\|ar\|ح}} \|
{{IPA link\|k}} \|kin \|{{lang\|ar\|ك}} \|
{{IPA link\|l}} \|leaf \|{{lang\|ar\|ل}} \|
{{IPA link\|m}} \|me \|{{lang\|ar\|م}} \|
{{IPA link\|n}} \|no \|{{lang\|ar\|ن}} \|
{{IPA link\|r}} \|Spanish pero, perro \|{{lang\|ar\|ر}} \|
{{IPA link\|s}} \|see \|{{lang\|ar\|ث ,س}}{{Efn\|{{lang\|ar\|ظ ,ذ ,ث}} represent {{IPAblink\|s}}, {{IPAblink\|z}}, {{IPA\|[zˤ]}}, respectively, except in certain words borrowed from Modern Standard Arabic, where they represent {{IPAblink\|θ}}, {{IPAblink\|ð}}, and {{IPA\|[ðˤ]}}.\|name=interdentals\|group=}} \|
{{IPA link\|sˤ}} \|emphatic {{IPAslink\|s}}, no equivalent \|{{lang\|ar\|ص}} \|
{{IPA link\|ʃ}} \|she \|{{lang\|ar\|ش}} \|
{{IPA link\|t}} \|tick \|{{lang\|ar\|ة ,ت}}{{Efn\|The letter {{angbr\|{{lang\|ar\|ة}}}} appears at the end of a word, indicating that it is singular and feminine. It represents the sound [-t] when the word is grammatically possessed by something. Otherwise, the letter only represents a vowel that varies between [{{IPA\|a}}~{{IPA\|ɑ}}] and [{{IPA\|e}}~{{IPA link\|i}}]. In broad transcription, use /{{IPA link\|a}}/ following an emphatic consonant or any of /{{IPA link\|ʔ}} {{IPA link\|h}} {{IPA link\|ħ}} {{IPA link\|ʕ}} {{IPA link\|x}} {{IPA link\|ɣ}} {{IPA link\|r}}/, except following /iːr/, in which case use /{{IPA link\|e}}/. Also use /{{IPA link\|e}}/ after all other consonants. In narrow transcription, follow the same rules, except use [{{IPA link\|ɑ}}] after an emphatic consonant.\|name=-t\|group=}} \|
{{IPA link\|tˤ}} \|emphatic {{IPAslink\|t}}, no equivalent \|{{lang\|ar\|ط}} \|
{{IPA link\|x}} \|Scottish English loch; Spanish jota; German Bach \|{{lang\|ar\|خ}} \|
{{IPA link\|ɣ}} \|Spanish fuego \|{{lang\|ar\|غ}} \|
{{IPA link\|z}} \|zoo \|{{lang\|ar\|ذ ,ز}}{{Efn\|name=interdentals}} \|
{{IPA link\|zˤ}} \|emphatic {{IPAslink\|z}}, no equivalent \|{{lang\|ar\|ص ,ظ}} \|{{Efn\|name=interdentals}}
{{IPA link\|ʒ}} \|vision \|{{lang\|ar\|ج}} \|
{{IPA link\|ʔ}} \|uh-oh, Hawai'i (glottal stop) \|{{lang\|ar\|ق ,ء}}{{Efn\|Original */{{IPA link\|q}}/ {{lang\|ar\|ق}} continues to be pronounced as /{{IPA link\|q}}/ by the Lebanese Druze, but speakers in the rest of the country exhibit this pronunciation only marginally and mostly in proper nouns like /qur.ʔaːn/ "Qur'an". In all other words, despite occasional regional variation, its most-standard pronunciation is /{{IPA link\|ʔ}}/. Therefore, transcribe as /{{IPA link\|q}}/ in such proper nouns and in terms pertaining to the Druze, and as /{{IPA link\|ʔ}}/ otherwise.\|name=q\|group=}} \|
{{IPA link\|ʕ}} \|no equivalent (voiced pharyngeal fricative or approximant) \|{{lang\|ar\|ع}} \|
colspan="4" \|Semivowels
{{IPA link\|j}} \|yes \|{{lang\|ar\|ي}} \|
{{IPA link\|w}} \|we \|{{lang\|ar\|و}} \|
colspan="4" \|Marginal consonants
{{IPA link\|θ}} \|thin \|{{lang\|ar\|ث}} \|{{Efn\|name=interdentals}}
{{IPA link\|ð}} \|the \|{{lang\|ar\|ذ}} \|{{Efn\|name=interdentals}}
{{IPA link\|ðˤ}} \|emphatic /{{IPA link\|ð}}/, no equivalent \|{{lang\|ar\|ظ}} \|{{Efn\|name=interdentals}}
{{IPA link\|q}} \|close to English condo, class \|{{lang\|ar\|ق}} \|{{Efn\|name=q}}
colspan="4" \|Non-native consonants
{{IPA link\|g}} \|gaggle \|{{lang\|ar\|ك ,ج ,غ}} \|
{{IPA link\|p}} \|pack \|{{lang\|ar\|ب ,پ}} \|
{{IPA link\|v}} \|valve \|{{lang\|ar\|ف ,ڤ}} \|

style="background: none"

| style="vertical-align: top;" |

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;

! colspan="4" |Consonants

IPA

!English
approximation

!Arabic
letter/symbol

!Notes

|bee

|{{lang|ar|ب}}

|dash

|{{lang|ar|د}}

|emphatic {{IPAslink|d}}, no equivalent

|{{lang|ar|ض}}

|father

|{{lang|ar|ف}}

|he

|{{lang|ar|ه}}

|had, but pharyngeal

|{{lang|ar|ح}}

|kin

|{{lang|ar|ك}}

|leaf

|{{lang|ar|ل}}

|me

|{{lang|ar|م}}

|no

|{{lang|ar|ن}}

|Spanish pero, perro

|{{lang|ar|ر}}

|see

|{{lang|ar|ث ,س}}{{Efn|{{lang|ar|ظ ,ذ ,ث}} represent {{IPAblink|s}}, {{IPAblink|z}}, {{IPA|[zˤ]}}, respectively, except in certain words borrowed from Modern Standard Arabic, where they represent {{IPAblink|θ}}, {{IPAblink|ð}}, and {{IPA|[ðˤ]}}.|name=interdentals|group=}}

|emphatic {{IPAslink|s}}, no equivalent

|{{lang|ar|ص}}

|she

|{{lang|ar|ش}}

|tick

|{{lang|ar|ة ,ت}}{{Efn|The letter {{angbr|{{lang|ar|ة}}}} appears at the end of a word, indicating that it is singular and feminine. It represents the sound [-t] when the word is grammatically possessed by something. Otherwise, the letter only represents a vowel that varies between [{{IPA|a}}~{{IPA|ɑ}}] and [{{IPA|e}}~{{IPA link|i}}]. In broad transcription, use /{{IPA link|a}}/ following an emphatic consonant or any of /{{IPA link|ʔ}} {{IPA link|h}} {{IPA link|ħ}} {{IPA link|ʕ}} {{IPA link|x}} {{IPA link|ɣ}} {{IPA link|r}}/, except following /iːr/, in which case use /{{IPA link|e}}/. Also use /{{IPA link|e}}/ after all other consonants. In narrow transcription, follow the same rules, except use [{{IPA link|ɑ}}] after an emphatic consonant.|name=-t|group=}}

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

|{{lang|ar|ط}}

|Scottish English loch;
Spanish jota;
German Bach

|{{lang|ar|خ}}

|Spanish fuego

|{{lang|ar|غ}}

|zoo

|{{lang|ar|ذ ,ز}}{{Efn|name=interdentals}}

|emphatic {{IPAslink|z}}, no equivalent

|{{lang|ar|ص ,ظ}}

|{{Efn|name=interdentals}}

|vision

|{{lang|ar|ج}}

|uh-oh, Hawai'i
(glottal stop)

|{{lang|ar|ق ,ء}}{{Efn|Original */{{IPA link|q}}/ {{lang|ar|ق}} continues to be pronounced as /{{IPA link|q}}/ by the Lebanese Druze, but speakers in the rest of the country exhibit this pronunciation only marginally and mostly in proper nouns like /qur.ʔaːn/ "Qur'an". In all other words, despite occasional regional variation, its most-standard pronunciation is /{{IPA link|ʔ}}/. Therefore, transcribe as /{{IPA link|q}}/ in such proper nouns and in terms pertaining to the Druze, and as /{{IPA link|ʔ}}/ otherwise.|name=q|group=}}

|no equivalent
(voiced pharyngeal fricative or approximant)

|{{lang|ar|ع}}

colspan="4" |Semivowels

|yes

|{{lang|ar|ي}}

|we

|{{lang|ar|و}}

colspan="4" |Marginal consonants

|thin

|{{lang|ar|ث}}

|{{Efn|name=interdentals}}

|the

|{{lang|ar|ذ}}

|{{Efn|name=interdentals}}

|emphatic /{{IPA link|ð}}/, no equivalent

|{{lang|ar|ظ}}

|{{Efn|name=interdentals}}

|close to English condo, class

|{{lang|ar|ق}}

|{{Efn|name=q}}

colspan="4" |Non-native consonants

|gaggle

|{{lang|ar|ك ,ج ,غ}}

|pack

|{{lang|ar|ب ,پ}}

|valve

|{{lang|ar|ف ,ڤ}}

| style="vertical-align: top;" |

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; ! colspan="5" \|Vowels
colspan="2" \|IPA ! rowspan="2" \|English approximation ! rowspan="2" \|Arabic letter/symbol ! rowspan="2" \|Notes
Primary vowel ! Variants, allophones
colspan="5" \|Monophthongs
{{IPA link\|a}} \|{{IPA link\|a}}, {{IPA link\|æ}}, {{IPA link\|ɑ}}~{{IPA link\|ʌ}} \|bad; palm \|{{lang\|ar\|ــَـ}} fathah, {{lang\|ar\|ة}}{{Efn\|name=-t}} \|{{Efn\|Broad transcription should use /{{IPA link\|a}}/ exclusively. Narrow transcription should instead use [{{IPA link\|ɑ}}] when either immediately after an emphatic consonant or anywhere before one in the same word.\|name=a}}
{{IPA link\|i}} \|{{IPA link\|i}}, {{IPA link\|e}}~{{IPA link\|ɪ}} \|happy; French café; kit \|{{lang\|ar\|ــِـ}} kasrah, {{lang\|ar\|ة}}{{Efn\|name=-t}} \|{{Efn\|Except word-finally, there is no functional phonemic distinction between "tense" [{{IPA link\|i}} {{IPA link\|u}}] and their "lax" counterparts [{{IPA link\|ɪ}} {{IPA link\|ʊ}}], and for some speakers they are in free variation. Broad transcription should use /{{IPA link\|i}} {{IPA link\|u}}/ exclusively. Narrow transcription can use [{{IPA link\|i}} {{IPA link\|u}}] invariably before the semivowels [{{IPA link\|j}} {{IPA link\|w}}] and in light syllables, but [{{IPA link\|ɪ}} {{IPA link\|ʊ}}] in stressed and heavy/superheavy syllables. If a consonant-final word ends in an unstressed syllable containing /{{IPA link\|i}}/, however, use [{{IPA link\|i}}] in narrow transcription rather than [{{IPA link\|ɪ}}].\|name=tenselax}}
{{IPA link\|u}} \|{{IPA link\|u}}, {{IPA link\|o}}~{{IPA link\|ʊ}} \|hairdo; cargo; put, foot \|{{lang\|ar\|ــُـ}} dammah \|{{Efn\|name=tenselax}}
{{IPA link\|ə}} \|{{IPA link\|ə}}, all of the above{{Efn\|Assimilates to nearby consonants and vowels.\|name=schwa-pron}} \|button, lovable \|{{lang\|ar\|ـْـ}} sukun \|{{Efn\|Inserted sometimes to break up a cluster of two consonants at the end of a syllable, creating an extra syllable that can never be stressed. Prefer not to transcribe, as in {{lang\|ar\|برد}} /bard/ "cold", but if the intent is to match an English transliteration that represents it, then use parentheses as in {{lang\|ar\|برد}} /bar(ə)d/.\|name=schwa}}
colspan="2" \|{{IPA link\|eː}} \|Drawn-out meh, Scottish may \| rowspan="3" \|{{lang\|ar\|ا}} \| rowspan="3" \|{{Efn\|(The pronunciation of "long a" in a given context varies greatly from region to region, so if a word can be demonstrated to have a common pronunciation in violation of the following guidelines, record it as well.) The default pronunciation is /{{IPAlink\|eː}}/ [{{IPAlink\|eː}}]. In broad transcription, use /{{IPA link\|aː}}/ when directly adjacent to an emphatic consonant or /{{IPA link\|r}}/, as well as when anywhere before an emphatic consonant in the same word, and lastly when immediately following any of /{{IPA link\|x}} {{IPA link\|ɣ}} {{IPA link\|ħ}} {{IPA link\|ʕ}} {{IPA link\|ʔ}}/. In narrow transcription, follow the same rules, except use [{{IPA link\|ɑː}}] in the same proximities of an emphatic consonant and [{{IPA link\|æː}}] after [{{IPA link\|ʔ}}]. (The pronunciation /{{IPA link\|ɒː}}~{{IPA link\|ɔː}}/ is a regional variant of /{{IPA link\|ɑː}}/).\|name=alif}}
{{IPA link\|aː}} \|{{IPA link\|æː}}, {{IPA link\|aː}} \|bad; American English brah
{{IPA link\|ɑː}} \|{{IPA link\|ɑː}}~{{IPA link\|ʌː}}, {{IPA link\|ɒː}}~{{IPA link\|ɔː}} \|bra; lawyer, bowl
colspan="2" \|{{IPA link\|iː}} \|machine \|{{lang\|ar\|ي}} \|
colspan="2" \|{{IPA link\|uː}} \| rule \|{{lang\|ar\|و}} \|
{{IPA link\|eː}} \|{{IPA link\|eː}}, {{IPA link\|e}}{{IPA link\|j}} \|Drawn-out meh; may \|{{lang\|ar\|ي}} \|{{Efn\|In Lebanese Arabic, the original Arabic diphthongs */{{IPA link\|a}}{{IPA link\|j}} {{IPA link\|a}}{{IPA link\|w}}/ are typically preserved in all syllables that are not word-final. In word-final closed syllables, they are only rarely (and/or regionally) conserved, instead resulting in the monophthongs /{{IPA link\|eː}} {{IPA link\|oː}}/ in "standard" speech. In both cases, certain speakers may substitute /{{IPA link\|e}}{{IPA link\|j}} {{IPA link\|o}}{{IPA link\|w}}/, but this should not be favored in transcription.\|name=diphthongs}}
{{IPA link\|oː}} \|{{IPA link\|oː}}, {{IPA link\|o}}{{IPA link\|w}} \|story; goal \|{{lang\|ar\|و}} \|{{Efn\|name=diphthongs}}
colspan="5" \|Diphthongs (vowel+glide)
{{IPA link\|a}}{{IPA link\|j}} \|{{IPA link\|a}}{{IPA link\|j}}, {{IPA link\|e}}{{IPA link\|j}} \|Close to light; face \|{{lang\|ar\|ـَي}} \|{{Efn\|name=diphthongs}}
{{IPA link\|a}}{{IPA link\|w}} \|{{IPA link\|a}}{{IPA link\|w}}, {{IPA link\|o}}{{IPA link\|w}} \|Close to out; goat \|{{lang\|ar\|ـَو}} \|{{Efn\|name=diphthongs}}
colspan="5" \|Distinct word-final vowels
colspan="2" \| -{{IPA link\|i}} \|happy \|{{lang\|ar\|(ـة) ,ـي}} \|{{Efn\|Only appears in monosyllables like {{lang\|ar\|شِي}} /ʃi(ː)/ "something" as an alternative realization of /-iː/, as well as traditionally in various suffixes spelled with {{lang\|ar\|ـي}}: the verbal second-person-feminine conjugational suffix seen in {{lang\|ar\|تَعِي}} /taʕi/ "come! (feminine)", the first-person possessive enclitic seen in {{lang\|ar\|كتَابِي}} /kteːbi/ "my book", the nisba suffix as in {{lang\|ar\|لِبنانِي}} /libneːni/ "Lebanese", and others. The latter set of examples is merged by many speakers into -e, however. Therefore, transcribe with both, as in {{lang\|ar\|لِبنانِي}} /libneːne, -ni/.}}
colspan="2" \| -{{IPA link\|e}} \|French café \|{{lang\|ar\|(ـي) ,ـة}} \|
colspan="2" \| -{{IPA link\|u}} \|hairdo \|{{lang\|ar\|ـوا ,ـو}} \|{{Efn\|Only appears in monosyllables like {{lang\|ar\|شُو}} /ʃu(ː)/ "what" as an alternative realization of /-uː/, as well as traditionally in the verbal third-person-plural conjugational suffix: {{lang\|ar\|إِجُوا}} /ʔiʒu/ "they came". The latter is merged by many speakers into /-o/ as seen below, however. Therefore, transcribe with both, as in {{lang\|ar\|إِجُوا}} /ʔiʒu, -o/.}}
colspan="2" \| -{{IPA link\|o}} \|cargo \|{{lang\|ar\|ـه ,ـو}} \|{{Efn\|Traditionally and for certain speakers, only appears in loanwords like French-derived /gatˈto/ and /majˈjo/, as well as in the "he" enclitic pronoun: {{lang\|ar\|كتَابُو}} /kteːbo/ "his book". In both cases, it is misleadingly spelled with {{lang\|ar\|و}} in the Arabic script, but do not take this to mean that it should be transcribed /-{{IPA link\|u}}/.}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;

! colspan="5" |Vowels

colspan="2" |IPA

! rowspan="2" |English
approximation

! rowspan="2" |Arabic letter/symbol

! rowspan="2" |Notes

Primary vowel

! Variants, allophones

colspan="5" |Monophthongs

|{{IPA link|a}}, {{IPA link|æ}}, {{IPA link|ɑ}}~{{IPA link|ʌ}}

|bad; palm

|{{lang|ar|ــَـ}} fathah,
{{lang|ar|ة}}{{Efn|name=-t}}

|{{Efn|Broad transcription should use /{{IPA link|a}}/ exclusively. Narrow transcription should instead use [{{IPA link|ɑ}}] when either immediately after an emphatic consonant or anywhere before one in the same word.|name=a}}

|{{IPA link|i}}, {{IPA link|e}}~{{IPA link|ɪ}}

|happy; French café; kit

|{{lang|ar|ــِـ}} kasrah,
{{lang|ar|ة}}{{Efn|name=-t}}

|{{Efn|Except word-finally, there is no functional phonemic distinction between "tense" [{{IPA link|i}} {{IPA link|u}}] and their "lax" counterparts [{{IPA link|ɪ}} {{IPA link|ʊ}}], and for some speakers they are in free variation. Broad transcription should use /{{IPA link|i}} {{IPA link|u}}/ exclusively. Narrow transcription can use [{{IPA link|i}} {{IPA link|u}}] invariably before the semivowels [{{IPA link|j}} {{IPA link|w}}] and in light syllables, but [{{IPA link|ɪ}} {{IPA link|ʊ}}] in stressed and heavy/superheavy syllables. If a consonant-final word ends in an unstressed syllable containing /{{IPA link|i}}/, however, use [{{IPA link|i}}] in narrow transcription rather than [{{IPA link|ɪ}}].|name=tenselax}}

|{{IPA link|u}}, {{IPA link|o}}~{{IPA link|ʊ}}

|hairdo; cargo; put, foot

|{{lang|ar|ــُـ}} dammah

|{{Efn|name=tenselax}}

|{{IPA link|ə}}, all of the above{{Efn|Assimilates to nearby consonants and vowels.|name=schwa-pron}}

|button, lovable

|{{lang|ar|ـْـ}} sukun

|{{Efn|Inserted sometimes to break up a cluster of two consonants at the end of a syllable, creating an extra syllable that can never be stressed. Prefer not to transcribe, as in {{lang|ar|برد}} /bard/ "cold", but if the intent is to match an English transliteration that represents it, then use parentheses as in {{lang|ar|برد}} /bar(ə)d/.|name=schwa}}

colspan="2" |{{IPA link|eː}}

|Drawn-out meh, Scottish may

| rowspan="3" |{{lang|ar|ا}}

| rowspan="3" |{{Efn|(The pronunciation of "long a" in a given context varies greatly from region to region, so if a word can be demonstrated to have a common pronunciation in violation of the following guidelines, record it as well.) The default pronunciation is /{{IPAlink|eː}}/ [{{IPAlink|eː}}]. In broad transcription, use /{{IPA link|aː}}/ when directly adjacent to an emphatic consonant or /{{IPA link|r}}/, as well as when anywhere before an emphatic consonant in the same word, and lastly when immediately following any of /{{IPA link|x}} {{IPA link|ɣ}} {{IPA link|ħ}} {{IPA link|ʕ}} {{IPA link|ʔ}}/. In narrow transcription, follow the same rules, except use [{{IPA link|ɑː}}] in the same proximities of an emphatic consonant and [{{IPA link|æː}}] after [{{IPA link|ʔ}}]. (The pronunciation /{{IPA link|ɒː}}~{{IPA link|ɔː}}/ is a regional variant of /{{IPA link|ɑː}}/).|name=alif}}

|{{IPA link|æː}}, {{IPA link|aː}}

|bad;
American English brah

|{{IPA link|ɑː}}~{{IPA link|ʌː}}, {{IPA link|ɒː}}~{{IPA link|ɔː}}

|bra; lawyer, bowl

colspan="2" |{{IPA link|iː}}

|machine

|{{lang|ar|ي}}

colspan="2" |{{IPA link|uː}}

| rule

|{{lang|ar|و}}

|{{IPA link|eː}}, {{IPA link|e}}{{IPA link|j}}

|Drawn-out meh; may

|{{lang|ar|ي}}

|{{Efn|In Lebanese Arabic, the original Arabic diphthongs */{{IPA link|a}}{{IPA link|j}} {{IPA link|a}}{{IPA link|w}}/ are typically preserved in all syllables that are not word-final. In word-final closed syllables, they are only rarely (and/or regionally) conserved, instead resulting in the monophthongs /{{IPA link|eː}} {{IPA link|oː}}/ in "standard" speech. In both cases, certain speakers may substitute /{{IPA link|e}}{{IPA link|j}} {{IPA link|o}}{{IPA link|w}}/, but this should not be favored in transcription.|name=diphthongs}}

|{{IPA link|oː}}, {{IPA link|o}}{{IPA link|w}}

|story; goal

|{{lang|ar|و}}

|{{Efn|name=diphthongs}}

colspan="5" |Diphthongs (vowel+glide)

|{{IPA link|a}}{{IPA link|j}}, {{IPA link|e}}{{IPA link|j}}

|Close to light; face

|{{lang|ar|ـَي}}

|{{Efn|name=diphthongs}}

|{{IPA link|a}}{{IPA link|w}}, {{IPA link|o}}{{IPA link|w}}

|Close to out; goat

|{{lang|ar|ـَو}}

|{{Efn|name=diphthongs}}

colspan="5" |Distinct word-final vowels

colspan="2" | -{{IPA link|i}}

|happy

|{{lang|ar|(ـة) ,ـي}}

|{{Efn|Only appears in monosyllables like {{lang|ar|شِي}} /ʃi(ː)/ "something" as an alternative realization of /-iː/, as well as traditionally in various suffixes spelled with {{lang|ar|ـي}}: the verbal second-person-feminine conjugational suffix seen in {{lang|ar|تَعِي}} /taʕi/ "come! (feminine)", the first-person possessive enclitic seen in {{lang|ar|كتَابِي}} /kteːbi/ "my book", the nisba suffix as in {{lang|ar|لِبنانِي}} /libneːni/ "Lebanese", and others. The latter set of examples is merged by many speakers into -e, however. Therefore, transcribe with both, as in {{lang|ar|لِبنانِي}} /libneːne, -ni/.}}

colspan="2" | -{{IPA link|e}}

|French café

|{{lang|ar|(ـي) ,ـة}}

colspan="2" | -{{IPA link|u}}

|hairdo

|{{lang|ar|ـوا ,ـو}}

|{{Efn|Only appears in monosyllables like {{lang|ar|شُو}} /ʃu(ː)/ "what" as an alternative realization of /-uː/, as well as traditionally in the verbal third-person-plural conjugational suffix: {{lang|ar|إِجُوا}} /ʔiʒu/ "they came". The latter is merged by many speakers into /-o/ as seen below, however. Therefore, transcribe with both, as in {{lang|ar|إِجُوا}} /ʔiʒu, -o/.}}

colspan="2" | -{{IPA link|o}}

|cargo

|{{lang|ar|ـه ,ـو}}

|{{Efn|Traditionally and for certain speakers, only appears in loanwords like French-derived /gatˈto/ and /majˈjo/, as well as in the "he" enclitic pronoun: {{lang|ar|كتَابُو}} /kteːbo/ "his book". In both cases, it is misleadingly spelled with {{lang|ar|و}} in the Arabic script, but do not take this to mean that it should be transcribed /-{{IPA link|u}}/.}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; ! colspan="4" \|Suprasegmentals
IPA !Examples ! colspan="2" \|Explanation
ˈa \|{{IPA\|[ˈkiːwi]}} {{lang\|ar\|كيوي}} ("kiwi") \| colspan="2" \|Indicates that the following syllable is stressed.
a{{IPA link\|ː}} \|{{IPA\|[kiːs]}} {{lang\|ar\|كيس}} ("bag") \| colspan="2" \|Indicates that the preceding vowel is long.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;

! colspan="4" |Suprasegmentals

IPA

!Examples

! colspan="2" |Explanation

ˈa

|{{IPA|[ˈkiːwi]}} {{lang|ar|كيوي}} ("kiwi")

| colspan="2" |Indicates that the following syllable is stressed.

a{{IPA link|ː}}

|{{IPA|[kiːs]}} {{lang|ar|كيس}} ("bag")

| colspan="2" |Indicates that the preceding vowel is long.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; ! colspan="3" \|Specific cases
style="width: 100px;" \|Arabic letter/symbol ! style="width: 140px;" \|Examples ! style="width: 140px;" \|Explanation
rowspan="2" \|{{lang\|ar\|ال}} ("the") \|{{IPA\|[lˈhɪnde]}} {{lang\|ar\|الهندي}} ("the Indian") \| rowspan="2" \|The definite article {{lang\|ar\|ال}} consists of a single consonant in its own syllable at the beginning of a word. Its default form is [{{IPA link\|l}}], but it assimilates to a following coronal consonant, namely any of [{{IPA link\|t}} {{IPA link\|d}} {{IPA link\|tˤ}} {{IPA link\|dˤ}} {{IPA link\|r}} {{IPA link\|s}} {{IPA link\|z}} {{IPA link\|sˤ}} {{IPA link\|zˤ}} {{IPA link\|ʃ}} {{IPA link\|ʒ}}].
{{IPA\|[zˈzeːn]}} {{lang\|ar\|الزين}} ("the beauty")

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! colspan="3" |Specific cases

style="width: 100px;" |Arabic
letter/symbol

! style="width: 140px;" |Examples

! style="width: 140px;" |Explanation

rowspan="2" |{{lang|ar|ال}} ("the")

|{{IPA|[lˈhɪnde]}} {{lang|ar|الهندي}} ("the Indian")

| rowspan="2" |The definite article {{lang|ar|ال}} consists of a single consonant in its own syllable at the beginning of a word. Its default form is [{{IPA link|l}}], but it assimilates to a following coronal consonant, namely any of [{{IPA link|t}} {{IPA link|d}} {{IPA link|tˤ}} {{IPA link|dˤ}} {{IPA link|r}} {{IPA link|s}} {{IPA link|z}} {{IPA link|sˤ}} {{IPA link|zˤ}} {{IPA link|ʃ}} {{IPA link|ʒ}}].

{{IPA|[zˈzeːn]}} {{lang|ar|الزين}} ("the beauty")

Help:IPA/Lebanese Arabic

Key

See also

Notes