1- Damma ( ُ ) :
- Damma is an apostrophe-like shape written above the consonant which precedes it in pronunciation. It represents a short vowel u (like the "u" in "but").
- Pronunciation : u
- Example : بُت
- Transcription : but
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2- Wāw ( و ) :
- Wāw is the long vowel ū (like the "oo" in "moon"). It also represents the consonant w. When Waw is used to represent the long vowel, damma appears above the preceding consonant.
- Pronunciation : ū
- Example : بُوت
- Transcription : būt
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3- Fatha ( َ ) :
- Fatha is a diagonal stroke written above the consonant which precedes it in pronunciation. It represents a short vowel a (a little like the "u" in "but"; a short "ah" sound).
- Pronunciation : a
- Example : بَت
- Transcription : bat
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4- Alif ( ا ) :
- Alif is the long vowel ā (a long "ahh" sound as in English "father").
- Pronunciation : ā
- Example : بات
- Transcription : bāt
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5- Kasra ( ِ ) :
- Kasra is a diagonal stroke written below the consonant which precedes it in pronunciation. It represents a short vowel i (like the "i" in English "pit").
- Pronunciation : i
- Example : بِت
- Transcription : bit
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6- Ya' ( ي ) :
- Ya' is the long vowel ī (like the "ee" in English "sheep"). It also represents the consonant y. When Ya' is used to represent the long vowel, kasra appears above the preceding consonant.
- Pronunciation : ī
- Example : بِيت
- Transcription : bīt
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7- Sukūn ( ْ ) :
- Whenever a consonant does not have a vowel, it receives a mark called a sukūn, a small circle which represents the end of a closed syllable (CvC or CvvC). It sits above the letter which is not followed by a vowel.
- Example : بِنْتُ
- Transcription : bintu
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8- Shadda (or tashdīd) ( ّ ) :
- Shadda represents doubling (or gemination) of a consonant. Where the same consonant occurs twice in a word, with no vowel between, instead of using consonant + sukūn + consonant, the consonant is written only once, and shadda is written above it.
- Example : ثَبَّتَ
- Transcription : thabbata
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