Arabic letters are consonants. Vowel marks (Harakat) tell you how to pronounce each letter. There are 3 short vowels.
What are Harakat? In the Quran, children's books, and learning materials, small marks are written above and below letters to show you exactly how to pronounce them. Without them, experienced readers rely on context and memory. For now — we'll always use them!
Vowel 1
بَ
Fatha — ( َ )
فَتْحَة
"a" — as in cat, father
Vowel 2
بِ
Kasra — ( ِ )
كَسْرَة
"i" — as in sit, it
Vowel 3
بُ
Damma — ( ُ )
ضَمَّة
"u" — as in put, book
Practice: One Letter — Three Vowels
Each letter can be combined with any of the three vowels. Here are the most common consonants with all three vowels:
Consonant
+ Fatha (a)
+ Kasra (i)
+ Damma (u)
Ba (ب)
Ta (ت)
Kaf (ك)
Mim (م)
Lam (ل)
Nun (ن)
Click any syllable to hear it pronounced.
Try Reading These Syllables
These are the same sounds used in the Quran. Practice saying each one aloud, then click to check.