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Arabic/LearnRW

To make Arabic more accessible, this book uses transliteration along with Arabic written in Arabic letters. The system used in this book is based on the loose conventions used to chat in Arabic when the Arabic alphabet is not supported.

• The following numerals are used to represent Arabic letters not having a Latin equivalent: 2, 3, 6, 7, 9.
  • 2 represents hamza ء (original alif sound), the sound that separates vowels as if "Martin" were written in Arabic. It would most likely not be written with a hamza because that is not how it is usually pronounced in English. If you find that someone pronounces "Martin" as "Mart-in" rather than "Mar-tin", that pronunciation would be written with a hamza in Arabic (in transliteration, mart2in).
  • 3 represents 3ain. 3ain is an important Arabic sound but is difficult to people unfamiliar with Arabic.
  • 6 is the "emphatic" "t" sound. It is a "t" sound pronounced with more of the tongue touching the roof of the mouth.
  • 7 is a special "h" sound. It is pronounced far deeper in the throat the normal "h".
  • 9 is the emphatic "s" sound. Unlike the normal Arabic "s" sound, this "s" sound is pronounced with the tongue near the place behind the upper teeth. It is not that important to master.
• The apostrophe is used to indicate modify consonants to represent different consonants. For example: t', d', 7', 3' represent the more frictive versions: the th in think, the th in "the", the throaty "ch" in Munich, the throaty Parisian French "r" (approximately)).
• The apostrophe is used after a vowel to lengthen it.

The orthography or spelling conventions used with the transliteration are a compromise between transcribing actual pronunciation and spelling (although in Arabic, they do not significantly differ). Keep the following in mind:

• tilde (~) indicates that the letter before must be pronounced like the letter after it so eL~Da'r must be pronounced ed-da'r.
• The definite article in Arabic will be spelt and is pronounced as (L)
• Anything in parentheses after a word is pronounced in some registers and not others. You should be capable of understanding Arabic pronounced either way.

1. L kalime(tu) huna'k(a)
2. L kita'b(u) huna'k(a)
3. L kursiy(yu) huna'k(a)
4. L madrase(tu) huna'k(a)
5. L mu3allim(u) huna'k(a)
6. L~tilmi'd'(u) huna'k(a)
7. L qalam(u) huna'k(a)
8. L ma77a'ye(tu) huna'k(a)
9. L~daftar(u) huna'k(a)
10. L kita'b(u) huna'lik(a)

The definite article ("the" in English) is "al" (spelled ال alif, la'm). It is pronounced with the same sound as the name of the letter "L" (i.e. el). It basically does what the word "the" does; it goes before a definite noun. But it has two extra jobs, because in Arabic, small words like "of" and "is" are not used. To illustrate: the striked-out words in the following English sentences would not translate into an Arabic word once the sentence is translated.

   The boy is on the roof.
   The sky is blue.
   The girls are here.
   I am going away.
   We are there.
   The book of the boy is here.

Luckily, the definite article helps indicate where "is/are/am", and "of" would be. Whenever there are two words, one definite (i.e. starts with "L") and one indefinite (starts without "L"), if the first is definite then you know that "is/are/am" is implied between the two words. If the first is indefinite then you know that "of" is implied between the two words.

(Y) means some noun
(Z) means some other noun

→  means "translates to"

l- indicates the Arabic definite article

l-(Y)       →  the (Y)
l-(Y) (Z)   →  the (Y) is (Z)
(Y) l-(Z)   →  the (Y) of the (Z)

book   كِتابُ keetaab
airport مَطارُ Mataar
restaurant مَطعَمُ mat3am
title/address عُنوانُ  unwan
big كَبيرُ kabeer
small صَغيرُ sagheer

1. The book.
2. The airport.
3. The restaurant.
4. The book is small.
5. The airport is big.
6. The restaurant is small.
7. The address of the airport.
8. The address of the restaurant.
9. The title of the book.

word كَلِمةُ
book كِتاب ُ  
letter of alphabet حَرفُ
chair كُرسِيُّ
school مَدرَسةُ
teacherمُعَلِّمُ 
student تِلمِيذُ
pen, pencil قَلَمُ
eraser مِمحَاة
computer حاسوبُ
notebook دَفتَرُ
there/here هُناكَ
there هُنالِكَ

2. The word is there.
4. The chair is there.
6. The teacher is there.
8. The pen is there.
10. The computer is there.
12. The book is there.

notebook دَفتَرُ
there هُنالِكَ 
computer حاسوبُ
eraser أستيكة
pen, pencil قَلَم
teacherمُعَلِّمُ 
student تِلمِيذُ
letter of the alphabet حَرفُ
book كِتابُ
there/here هُناكَ
here هُنا

2. The computer is there.
4. The pen is there.
6. The teacher is there.
8. The letter is there.
10. The computer is there.
12. The book is here.

available ‏مَوْجُوْدٌ ‎mawˈd͡ʒuːd/mawˈd͡ʒuːdun
unavailable ‏غَيْرُ مَوْجُوْدٍ  ‎ˈɤajru mawˈd͡ʒuːd/ˈɤajru mawˈd͡ʒuːdin
book ‏كِتَاْبٌ ‎kiˈtaːb/kiˈtaːbun
chair ‏كُرْسِيٌّ ‎ˈkursiː/ˈkursiːjun
computer ‏حَاْسُوْبٌ ‎ħaːˈsuːb/ħaːˈsuːbun
student ‏تِلْمِيْذٌ ‎tilˈmiːð/tilˈmiːðun
pen ‏قَلَمٌ ‎ˈqalam/qalamun
eraser ‏مَحَّاْيَةٌ ‎maħˈħaːjah/maħˈħaːjatun
word ‏كَلِمَةٌ ‎kaˈlimah/kaˈlimatun
airport ‏مَطَاْرٌ ‎maˈtˠaːr/maˈtˠaːrun
restaurant ‏مَطْعَمٌ ‎matˠˈʕam/matˠˈʕamun
school ‏مَدْرَسَةٌ ‎madˈrasah/madˈrasatun
here ‏هُنَاْ ‎hunaː
there ‏هُنَاْكَ ‎huˈnaːk/huˈnaːka

1. The book is available.
2. The chair is available.
3. The computer is unavailable.
4. The student is available.
5. The pen is available.
6. The eraser is unavailable.
7. The word is unavailable.
8. The airport is there.
9. The restaurant is available.
10. The student is there.
11. The school is here.
12. The airport is unavailable. The strange letter لا is a ligature lam + alif (= 'la')

exists (to exist)   يوجَد
doesn't  لا

book كِتابُ
school مَدرَسَة
restaurant مَطعَمُ
student تِلميذُ
airport مَطارُ
word كَلِمَةُ
pen قَلَمُ

2. There is no school.
لا توجد مدرسة 4. There is a student
هناك طالب 6. The word doesn't exist.
الكلمةُ غير موجودة 8. There is no school.
ليست هناك مدرسة 10. There is no pen.
لا يوجد قلم 12. There's no airport.
لا يوجد مطار. ليس هناك مطار

there is no مامِن
there is a هُناكَ 
book كِتابُ
airport مَطارُ
restaurant مَطعَمُ
notebook دَفتَرُ
hospital مُستَشفَى
school مَدرَسةُ
chair  كُرسيُّ
apartment (home) شُقّةُ
apartment (building) عِمارَةُ

2. There is a book.
4. There is a restaurant.
6. There is a hospital.
8. There is no chair.
10. There is no apartment.
12. There is no apartment building.

big كَبِيْرٌ
old قَدِيْمٌ
small صَغِيْرٌ
new جَدِيْدٌ
cheap رَخِيْصٌ
expensive غَاْلٍ
university جَاْمِعَةٌ
apartment شُقَّةٌ
school مَدْرَسَةٌ
eraser مَحَّاْيَةٌ
penقَلَمٌ 
airport مَطَاْرٌ
computer حَاْسُوْبٌ
apartment (home) شُقَّةٌ

1. The school is large.
2. The university is old.
3. The apartment is small.
4. The eraser is new.
5. The pen is cheap.
6. The school is new.
7. The airport is big.
8. The computer is expensive.
9. The restaurant is expensive.
10. University is expensive.
11. The eraser is expensive.
12. The apartment is new.

this هٰذَا\هٰذِهِ
computer حاسوبُ
pen/pencil قَلَمُ
restaurant مَطعَمُ
eraser مِمْحَاةٌ
apartment (suite) شُقّةُ
book كِتابُ
notebook دَفتَرُ
student تِلميذُ
female student تِلميذةُ
teacher مُعَلِّمُ
female teacher مُعَلِّمةُ

1. This is a computer.
2. This is a school.
3. This is a pen/pencil.
4. This is a restaurant.
5. This is an eraser.
6. This is an apartment.
7. This is a book.
8. This is a notebook.
9. This is a male student.
10. This is a male teacher.
11. This is a female student.
12. This is a female teacher.

that ذٰلِكَ \ تِلْكَ
student تِلميذَةُ
airport مَطارُ
book كِتابُ
restaurant مَطعَمُ
eraser مِمْحَاةٌ 
pen قَلَمُ
teacher مُعَلِّمُ\مُعَلِّمةُ

2. That is a (female) student.
4. That is an airport.
6. That is a restaurant.
8. That is a pen.
10. That is a (female) teacher.
12. That is a (female) teacher.

this/that ذٰلِكَ \ تِلْكَ
this هٰذا\هٰذِهِ
that ذٰلِكَ \ تِلْكَ 
airport مَطارُ
restaurant مَطْعَمُ
eraser مِمْحَاةٌ
university جامِعةُ
pen قَلَمُ
student تِلميذُ\تِلميذةُ
apartment (suite) شُقّةُ
notebook دَفتَرُ

2. That is a restaurant.
4. That is a university.
6. That is a pen.
8. That is a pen.
10. This is a student.
12. That is a university.

book كِتابُ
from مِن
school مَدرَسةُ
notebook دَفتَرُ
airport مَطارُ
with مَعَ
near قُربَ
city مَدينةُ
in في
above فَوقَ
apartment (suite) شُقّةُ
apartment (building) عِمارةُ
chair كُرسيُّ
ground أَرضُ
table طاوِلةُ
under تَحتَ
teacher مُعَلِّمُ

1. The book is from the school.
2. The notebook is from the airport.
3. The book is with the notebook.
4. The airport is near the city.
5. The airport is in the city.
6. The sun is above the earth.
7. The book is in the apartment.
8. The apartment building is in the city.
9. The chair is on the ground.
10. The book is on the table.
11. The table is under the book.
12. The teacher is in the airport.

this/that ذاكَ\تاكَ
big كَبيرُ
pretty/beautiful جَميلُ
ugly قَبيحُ
good جَيِّدُ
cheap رَخيصُ
expensive/dear غالِ
this هَذا\هَذِهِ
that ذَلِكَ\تِلكَ

2. That is pretty.
4. That is good.
6. That is good.
8. This is cheap.
10. That is cheap.
12. That is expensive. In Arabic, pronouns can appear either as independent words or as suffixes, depending on their function. Pronouns that act as subjects use the standalone form, while pronouns acting as objects—either of verbs or of prepositions—use the suffix form.

we نَحنُ
I أَناْ
here هُنا
available مَوجودُ
in في
airport مَطارُ
he هُوَ
restaurant مَطعَمُ
on عَلى
ground أَرضُ
beautiful جَميلُ
you (to a male) أَنتَ
you (to a female) أَنتِ
school مَدرَسةُ
there هُنالِكَ
ugly قَبيحُ
marketplace سوقُ

1. We are Here.
2. I am available.
3. I Am in the Airport.
4. He is in the restaurant.
6. She is pretty.
8. You are in school/ the school.
10. You are there.
11. He is ugly.
12. You are in the market/mall.
13. Father
14. Mother
15.son

book ُُكِتابُ
my ـي
new جَديدُ
car سَيّارةُ
cheap رَخيصُ
far بَعيدُ
restaurant مَطعَمُ
his ُـه
computer حاسوبُ
expensive غالِ
your ـكَ
your (to a female) ـكِ
bad سَيِّءُ
here هُنا
hospital مُستَشفى
close قَريبُ
small صَغيرُ

1. My book is new.
2. My car is cheap.
4. Your car is far.
6. Your school is good.
8. Our school is here.
10. Your restaurant is small.
12. His restaurant is cheap.

at(used to mean "to have") عِندَ
book كِتابُ
negation ما
I have عِندي
you have عِندَكَ
you have (to a female) عِندَكِ
he has عِندَهُ
we have عِندَنا
car سَيّارةُ
restaurant مَطعَمُ
house بَيتُ
pen قَلَمُ
school مَدرَسةُ
computer حاسوبُ
eraser مَحّايةُ
house بَيتُ

2. I don't have a book.
4. He has a restaurant.
6. I don't have a pen.
8. I have a computer.
10. You (female) have a book.
12. We don't have a house.

1. My book is there.

2. His letter is there.

3. Our chair is there.

4. Their school is there.

5. Our teacher is there.

6. My student is there.

7. Your pen is there.

8. Our eraser is there.

9. His computer is there.

10. Your notebook is there.

2. His computer is there.

4. Her student is there.

6. His chair is there.

8. My house is there.

10. Our computer is here.

12. His pen is there.

14. His eraser is unavailable.

16. His restaurant is available.

18. Her school is here.

2. His university is old.

4. Her school is small.

6. His school is new.

8. His computer is expensive.

10. Our university is expensive.

12. My apartment is new.

2. This is my school.

4. This is our restaurant.

6. This is his apartment.

8. This is his notebook.

10. This is our (female) teacher.

12. This is my (female) teacher.

2. That is her (female) student.

4. This is my eraser.

6. That is my teacher.

8. That is his restaurant.

10. That is his university.

12. This is my (female) student.

2. His car is from the city.

4. My car is near the airport.

6. His chair is on the ground.

8. Our teacher is in the airport.

2. The city's hospital is clean.

4. The home of the man is his apartment.

6. The door of the home is closed.

8. I have the keys of the house.

10. The airport of the city is far.

12. The woman's pen is here.

2. The university of her city is small.

4. The school of her friend is new.

6. He has the keys to my car.

8. The building of the hospital is old.

10. The school of his friend is far.

12. The house of his family is here.

2. He came to our city.

4. She went.

6. He sat here.

8. She sat here.

10. He went to the hospital.

12. She slept in her bed.

2. She goes to her (home) country/land.

4. She sleeps in (the) bed.

6. She left the place.

8. She ate bread in the restaurant.

Note that this is relevant only to Modern Standard Arabic and not to the colloquial forms of Arabic spoken in daily life, which vary from place to place. Also, some of the following expressions were written only to suit a male speaker.

Pronunciation guide: Stress in Arabic is most often on the penultimate syllable (i.e., the one preceding the last).