The Arabic Alphabet

One of the first obstacles facing anyone trying to learn Arabic is getting familiar with another
unusual alphabet and most profoundly a new writing system and sounds not used in English.
Learning the alphabet is the first essential step toward mastering Arabic. Whether you want to
read the Quran in Its original language, study the modern Arabic literature, or simply read a
menu in an Arab restaurant, this has to be your first step. Sooner or later you will be able to
recognize and reproduce all the letters, to pronounce them more or less correctly, and to
combine them into words.
The Arabic Alphabet is made of 28 letters, all of which are consonants, and is written from right
to left. Each letter is given a name which contains the letter itself.