Foreign Culture and Language (FL 100)

Arabic Language

Module 1:

I. THE TWO MAIN TYPES OF ARABIC LANGUAGE

A. Fus-ha (Formal Standard Arabic):

• Fus-ha refers to the formal and standardized language used in written communication, literature, media,
education, and official documents.
• It includes both Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and influences from Classical Arabic.
• Fus-ha is not associated with any particular region or dialect, serving as a common linguistic standard for
communication across the Arabic-speaking world.
• It is utilized in news broadcasts, formal speeches, academic publications, and religious texts.

B. Ammiyah (Colloquial Arabic):

• Ammiyah refers to the various regional colloquial dialects of Arabic used in everyday spoken communication.
• Each Arabic-speaking region has its own unique Ammiyah, reflecting local linguistic variations and expressions.
• Ammiyah is used in informal conversations, daily interactions, and local contexts, such as at home or in casual
social settings.
• Unlike Fus-ha, Ammiyah is not a standardized or formalized language and may differ significantly between
regions.

In summary, Fus-ha encompasses both Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Classical Arabic, providing a formal and
standardized language for written communication. On the other hand, Ammiyah refers to the diverse colloquial
dialects used in everyday spoken communication within specific regions or communities.

Page 1
II. HURUFUL HIJAIYAH (Arabic Alphabet)

• The Arabic alphabet consists of 28 letters.

• Arabic is read and written from right to left.
• Each letter can have a different form depending on its position in a word. The forms include isolated,
initial, medial, and final forms, and they contribute to the overall visual appearance of the script.

‫ – ا‬A-lif (without hamzah)

‫ أ‬- Alif Hamzah (with hamzah above)
‫ – ب‬B-aa
‫ – ت‬T-aa
‫ – ث‬Th-aa
‫ – ج‬J-eem
‫ – ح‬H-aa
‫ – خ‬Kh-aa
‫ – د‬D-aal
‫ – ذ‬Th-aal/Dh-aal
‫ – ر‬R-aa
‫ – ز‬Z-aa
‫ – س‬S-een
‫ – ش‬Sh-een
‫ – ص‬Ss-aad
‫ – ض‬Dd-aad
‫ – ط‬Tt-aa
‫ – ظ‬Tth-aa/Ddh-aa
‫ – ع‬A’-in
‫ – غ‬Gh-ain
‫ – ف‬F-aa
‫ – ق‬Q-aaf
‫ – ك‬K-aaf
‫ – ل‬L-am
‫ – م‬M-eem
‫ – ن‬N-oon
‫ – ه‬H-a
‫ – و‬W-aaw
‫ – ي‬Y-aa
Page 2
III. SHORT VOWELS (HARAKA)
َ‫ ـ‬- Fatha (َ): A short "a" sound.
َ‫ ـ‬- Kasra (ِ): A short "i" sound.
َ‫ ـ‬- Damma (ُ): A short "u" sound.
َْ - Sukun (ْ): (Dead Vowel) Denotes the absence of a vowel, resulting in a consonant being pronounced
without a following vowel sound.
• These diacritical marks are used to indicate the short vowel sounds or the absence of a vowel (sukun) in the
pronunciation of words.

IV. LONG VOWELS (MAD)

(‫ )ا‬Mad Alif: Represents a long "a" sound

(‫)ي‬Mad Ya: Represents a long "i" sound and is written as a small slanted line above the letter Ya.

(‫ )و‬Mad Waw: Represents a long "u" sound

Page 3