Arabic pronunciation for English speakers

Arabic has sounds that do not exist in English. They come from the throat and the back of the mouth. They take practice, but your partner can show you each one. Spoken Arabic also differs by country, so ask which one your partner speaks.

The throat sounds

• ع (ayn) is a tight, voiced sound made deep in the throat. There is no English match.
• ح (ha) is a breathy, whispered h from the throat, harder than English h.
• خ (kha) is a rough sound like the ch in Scottish "loch".
• غ (ghayn) is the voiced version of خ, a little like a gargle.

Q

ق (qaf) is a k made further back in the throat. In some dialects it is said as a glottal stop, or as g. Listen to your partner and copy.

Emphatic letters

ص, ض, ط and ظ are "heavy" versions of س, د, ت and ذ. The tongue is pulled back and the vowels nearby sound darker. Practise pairs such as سين and صاد.

Short vowels are not written

Most texts leave out the short vowels. You learn them by hearing words. This is one reason to speak with a native speaker early.

Long and short vowels

Vowel length changes meaning, as in Japanese or Italian double letters. Hold a long vowel about twice as long as a short one.

Dialects

Modern Standard Arabic is used in writing and news. People speak local dialects, such as Egyptian, Levantine, Gulf or Moroccan. Ask your partner which they speak so you learn what they actually say.

How to practise

• Learn the letters one sound at a time.
• Record yourself and compare with a native speaker.
• Ask your partner to say each hard sound slowly and watch their mouth.

A native speaker will hear what you miss. See how to find a language partner, or Arabic on Nearly Fluent.