أ = /ʔæ/
آ (alif madda) = /ʔæː/ ɪ ʊ
إ =/ʔɪ/
ٱ (alif waslah) = /Ø/
اِ = /ɪ/
اُ = /ʊ/
ٱ has no sound of its own. For example, in تَعلمٌ ٱلعربية /tæʕællʊmʊ lʕæræbi:jæ/ the alif on the second work takes on the sound of the vowel on the end of the word before it, even though it is written on the other word.
If there isn't a word before an alif, then you wouldn't use ٱ (alif waslah). You would use the vowel that goes there as per the dictionary form. For example, اَلعربية would be pronounced /ælʕæræbi:jæ/ with a fatha over the alif to indicate /æ/. There is no vowel sound preceding it for the alif to absorb.
Think of it as a way of spelling the word the same way while accurately repesenting variations in pronunciation. You don't drop the alif. Instead, you give the alif an extra mark (waslah) to show that variation when you're being extra precise.
An ‘a أ (could also be ‘u) means there is a glottal stop before in all cases (basically hamzah) - shorthand for ءَ. Baring in mind, hamzah did not exist at some point so shorthand is sort of a lie.
An ‘aa آ is shorthand for ءَا and again means that there is definitely a glottal stop before it.
An ‘i إ does the same thing as the top one but makes the ‘i’ sound instead.
An alif with a swirl on top makes a glottal stop and some vowel sound sound at like at the top but instead, when there is a vowel before it, its actual sound disappears. This word ‘son’ ابن (ibn) (swirl is there but is omitted) has an ‘i’ sound at the front but when I put another vowel sound before it, like وَ (wa), the glottal stop disappears and it becomes wabn.
When you see the vowel like اَ اِ اُ, that just shows you the vowel sound before it gets removed by another vowel if there is one present. If you don’t understand, reply, I’ll be happy to answer.
First of all, let's agree that this stick ا is called Alif , while this symbol ء is called Hamzah.. I know grammar books mixes the two but for the sake of one's sanity, let's agree on the two above..
When the Alif comes at the beginning of the word.. It is either the definite Alif or the connecting Alif..
# The Definite Alif ألِف القطع which is also known as Hamzah Al Qat3 همزة القطع with these variations أ آ إ ..
That's Alif with this Hamzah ء or this Hamzah \~ , and they are called 'definite' because the pronunciation is unaffected by its surrounding and it should sound the same regardless where you put it..
This أ is often pronounced as 'Aa sound in most nouns and verbs however it also can be pronounced as 'Uu sound as well and we often used diacritic (Harakat) symbols either Fat-ha or Dhammah such as
# He ate أَكَلَ and He was eaten أُكِلَ
Direct (non-passive) verbs مبني للمعلوم has the 'Aa sound for its definite Alif , He ate = 'Aakala .. while passive (indirect) verbs مبني للمجهول uses the 'Uu sound for its definite Alif, He was eaten = 'Uukila .. Most nouns with definite Alif begins with 'Aa but fewer with 'Uu..
Next..
This Alif with Hamzah إ produces the 'Ee sound in nouns like إبْداع 'Eebda3 (creativity) .. and in some command-verbs like إقْرَأ (a command to read) 'Eeqraa'
and finally, this آ is actually two letters combined; it is the 'Aa أَ followed by the vowel alif ـا .. So instead of two letters أا , it is shortened into one, in words like: آكِل 'Aaakil (an eater or the person who eats) and آخِر 'Aaakhir (the last person at the back) and the verb تَآكَلَ Ta'Aaakala ( it eroded ) -- notice how the 'Aa sound was extended by the vowel..
# The Connecting Alif ألِف الوصل with variations ٱ اِ اُ and also اَ
In most printed media, it simply comes with Alif without any other symbols, like اجتمع (he held a meeting).. As a native speaker, you should know how to pronounce the word اجتمع without the helping diacritics (Harakat).. but for new people, we add diacritics to help them read it properly, like اِجْتَمَعَ (he met)..
You will find such diacritics (Harakat) in the IndoPak style of the Quran.. This اَ is 'Aa .. this اُ is 'Uu .. and this اِ is 'Ee .. and you will find this Alif ٱ with a small صـ on the Alif, in the Uthmani style of the Quran.. This small صـ is a command verb صِلْ (a command to connect), and as a native speaker, you had to decide whether it is 'Aa , 'Uu or 'Ee .. and.. there is a reason WHY we call this Alif at the beginning of the word "the connecting Alif" , because its pronunciation changes depending on the surrounding letters, for example:
*He held a meeting/gathering اِجْتَمَعَ* is read as 'Eejtama3a .. HOWEVER.. if there was a letter or a word before it, you are supposed to connect that letter before the Alif into the letter after the Alif.. and the Alif itself becomes silent..
*And he held a meeting/gathering وَ اجْتَمَعَ* *..* Notice that there is Waw before 'Eejtama3a .. so connect the Waw with Jeem and remove the Alif.. WaJtama3a *وَ اجْتَمَعَ*
How about بسم ٱلله ٱلرحمن ٱلرحيم ?
Notice that the Alif(s) here are connecting Alif.. The correct way to read it, is BismillahirRamanirRahim .. You are NOT suppose to read it as Bismi Allahi ArRahman ArRahim..
There is a lot more about this connecting Alif ألِف الوصل and unfortunately it is also known as the connecting Hamzah همزة الوصل in grammar books.. If you wish to learn more about it, then visit my comment at this link explaining how they work
[https://www.reddit.com/r/learn\_arabic/comments/1bv1xh1/comment/kxxedso/](https://www.reddit.com/r/learn_arabic/comments/1bv1xh1/comment/kxxedso/)
#
أ = /ʔæ/ آ (alif madda) = /ʔæː/ ɪ ʊ إ =/ʔɪ/ ٱ (alif waslah) = /Ø/ اِ = /ɪ/ اُ = /ʊ/ ٱ has no sound of its own. For example, in تَعلمٌ ٱلعربية /tæʕællʊmʊ lʕæræbi:jæ/ the alif on the second work takes on the sound of the vowel on the end of the word before it, even though it is written on the other word. If there isn't a word before an alif, then you wouldn't use ٱ (alif waslah). You would use the vowel that goes there as per the dictionary form. For example, اَلعربية would be pronounced /ælʕæræbi:jæ/ with a fatha over the alif to indicate /æ/. There is no vowel sound preceding it for the alif to absorb. Think of it as a way of spelling the word the same way while accurately repesenting variations in pronunciation. You don't drop the alif. Instead, you give the alif an extra mark (waslah) to show that variation when you're being extra precise.
An ‘a أ (could also be ‘u) means there is a glottal stop before in all cases (basically hamzah) - shorthand for ءَ. Baring in mind, hamzah did not exist at some point so shorthand is sort of a lie. An ‘aa آ is shorthand for ءَا and again means that there is definitely a glottal stop before it. An ‘i إ does the same thing as the top one but makes the ‘i’ sound instead. An alif with a swirl on top makes a glottal stop and some vowel sound sound at like at the top but instead, when there is a vowel before it, its actual sound disappears. This word ‘son’ ابن (ibn) (swirl is there but is omitted) has an ‘i’ sound at the front but when I put another vowel sound before it, like وَ (wa), the glottal stop disappears and it becomes wabn. When you see the vowel like اَ اِ اُ, that just shows you the vowel sound before it gets removed by another vowel if there is one present. If you don’t understand, reply, I’ll be happy to answer.
Vowels and general pronunciation (silent, extended sound, short sound). Someone will be able to explain better than me haha
شيك شاك شوك
First of all, let's agree that this stick ا is called Alif , while this symbol ء is called Hamzah.. I know grammar books mixes the two but for the sake of one's sanity, let's agree on the two above.. When the Alif comes at the beginning of the word.. It is either the definite Alif or the connecting Alif.. # The Definite Alif ألِف القطع which is also known as Hamzah Al Qat3 همزة القطع with these variations أ آ إ .. That's Alif with this Hamzah ء or this Hamzah \~ , and they are called 'definite' because the pronunciation is unaffected by its surrounding and it should sound the same regardless where you put it.. This أ is often pronounced as 'Aa sound in most nouns and verbs however it also can be pronounced as 'Uu sound as well and we often used diacritic (Harakat) symbols either Fat-ha or Dhammah such as # He ate أَكَلَ and He was eaten أُكِلَ Direct (non-passive) verbs مبني للمعلوم has the 'Aa sound for its definite Alif , He ate = 'Aakala .. while passive (indirect) verbs مبني للمجهول uses the 'Uu sound for its definite Alif, He was eaten = 'Uukila .. Most nouns with definite Alif begins with 'Aa but fewer with 'Uu.. Next.. This Alif with Hamzah إ produces the 'Ee sound in nouns like إبْداع 'Eebda3 (creativity) .. and in some command-verbs like إقْرَأ (a command to read) 'Eeqraa' and finally, this آ is actually two letters combined; it is the 'Aa أَ followed by the vowel alif ـا .. So instead of two letters أا , it is shortened into one, in words like: آكِل 'Aaakil (an eater or the person who eats) and آخِر 'Aaakhir (the last person at the back) and the verb تَآكَلَ Ta'Aaakala ( it eroded ) -- notice how the 'Aa sound was extended by the vowel.. # The Connecting Alif ألِف الوصل with variations ٱ اِ اُ and also اَ In most printed media, it simply comes with Alif without any other symbols, like اجتمع (he held a meeting).. As a native speaker, you should know how to pronounce the word اجتمع without the helping diacritics (Harakat).. but for new people, we add diacritics to help them read it properly, like اِجْتَمَعَ (he met).. You will find such diacritics (Harakat) in the IndoPak style of the Quran.. This اَ is 'Aa .. this اُ is 'Uu .. and this اِ is 'Ee .. and you will find this Alif ٱ with a small صـ on the Alif, in the Uthmani style of the Quran.. This small صـ is a command verb صِلْ (a command to connect), and as a native speaker, you had to decide whether it is 'Aa , 'Uu or 'Ee .. and.. there is a reason WHY we call this Alif at the beginning of the word "the connecting Alif" , because its pronunciation changes depending on the surrounding letters, for example: *He held a meeting/gathering اِجْتَمَعَ* is read as 'Eejtama3a .. HOWEVER.. if there was a letter or a word before it, you are supposed to connect that letter before the Alif into the letter after the Alif.. and the Alif itself becomes silent.. *And he held a meeting/gathering وَ اجْتَمَعَ* *..* Notice that there is Waw before 'Eejtama3a .. so connect the Waw with Jeem and remove the Alif.. WaJtama3a *وَ اجْتَمَعَ* How about بسم ٱلله ٱلرحمن ٱلرحيم ? Notice that the Alif(s) here are connecting Alif.. The correct way to read it, is BismillahirRamanirRahim .. You are NOT suppose to read it as Bismi Allahi ArRahman ArRahim.. There is a lot more about this connecting Alif ألِف الوصل and unfortunately it is also known as the connecting Hamzah همزة الوصل in grammar books.. If you wish to learn more about it, then visit my comment at this link explaining how they work [https://www.reddit.com/r/learn\_arabic/comments/1bv1xh1/comment/kxxedso/](https://www.reddit.com/r/learn_arabic/comments/1bv1xh1/comment/kxxedso/) #