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Arabic Reader
Lesson 7: Vowels and Pronunciation
Short Vowels (Harakat)
The short vowels, or harakats, are marks placed above or below Arabic letters to indicate vowel sounds:
َ
Fatha
Pronounced “a” as in “cat”
ِ
Kasra
Pronounced “i” as in “sit”
ُ
Damma
Pronounced “u” as in “put”
ْ
Sukoon
Indicates no vowel; the letter is silent
Long Vowels
Long vowels are extensions of the short vowels using specific letters:
- ا (Alif) – extends Fatha (aa)
- ي (Ya) – extends Kasra (ii)
- و (Waw) – extends Damma (uu)
Practice Reading with Vowels
Here are some example syllables and words combining letters with harakats:
بَ – ba
بِ – bi
بُ – bu
تَ – ta
تِ – ti
تُ – tu
ثَ – tha
ثِ – thi
ثُ – thu
Try reading each syllable aloud, paying attention to the short vowel sound.