Arabic Alphabet Part 2 & Short Vowels
Practice the second half of the Arabic alphabet plus the harakat marks used to sound out Egyptian Arabic words.
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Questions Covered in This Set
10 cards to master
How is ق (qāf) pronounced in Cairo?
As a glottal stop (ʾ), like the catch in "uh-oh" — قَلْب = ʾalb "heart".
Which four letters are the emphatic consonants?
ص ض ط ظ — they darken the neighboring vowels (سَيْف sēf "sword" vs صَيْف ṣēf "summer").
What does ة (tāʾ marbūṭa) mark and how is it pronounced?
It ends most feminine words and is pronounced -a (مَدْرَسة madrasa); it sounds like t only when another word is attached.
What do fatḥa, kasra, and ḍamma look like and sound like?
Fatḥa = slash above = a (بَ ba); kasra = slash below = i (بِ bi); ḍamma = tiny و above = u (بُ bu).
What does sukūn (ْ) mean?
A small circle above a letter meaning no vowel — بْ is just b.
What does shadda (ّ) do?
Doubles the consonant, and Egyptians really hold it: مَيَّة mayya (may-ya), مُدَرِّس mudarris.
How do you pronounce غ (ghayn)?
Like a French "r" or gargled g — غالي ghāli "expensive".
Sound out قَهْوة.
ʾahwa "coffee" — qāf becomes a glottal stop and ة becomes -a.
What is the difference between مِن فَضْلَك and مِن فَضْلِك?
min faḍlak = please (to a man); min faḍlik = please (to a woman) — only the final kasra differs.
What is tanwīn and where do Egyptians still use it?
A doubled harakat (ـً ـٍ ـٌ) marking indefiniteness; kept in frozen adverbs like شُكْراً shukran and طَبْعاً ṭabʿan.
