13Chapter 4
Vowels
4.1 There are three vowels in Arabic called َأْلـ َح َر َكا ُت
al-h
̇
araka ̄tu. They can be both short and long (see chapter 6).4.2 Short vowelsThe three short vowels are written as diacritical signs above or below
the consonant to which they belong. As a word always begins with a
consonant, the consonant is pronounced before the vowel.
Fath
̇ah: ــَــ/a/ is a small diagonal stroke above the consonant:
َب /ba/, e.g.َكـ َتـ َب kataba, to write.
Kasrah: ـِـــ/i/ is a small diagonal stroke under the consonant:
ِب /bi/, e.g.َقـ ِبـ َل qabila, to accept.
D
̇ammah:ـُـــ/u/ is a sign similar to a comma above the consonant:
ُب /bu/, e.g.حَـ ُسـ َنh
̇asuna, to be handsome.4.3 The sound quality of fath
̇ah ــَــ /a/ tends to be slightly
coloured towards /æ/, like /a/ in the word ‘fat’ in English.
4.4 Short vowels are not normally marked in personal handwritingor in most Arabic publications. In order to avoid misunderstandings, the
vowel signs are marked on unusual or foreign words, and in the Quran
and children’s books.
4.5 The vowel qualities of the three vowels mentioned above areinfluenced by the emphatic (pharyngealized) consonants. The emphatic