Arabic Script & Sounds (2) Similar Sounding Letters in Arabic

Arabic

Script & Sounds Similar Sounding Letters in Arabic Mourad Diouri, University of Edinburgh (2021)

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Emphatic vs. Non-Emphatic Sounds 1. Similar-Sounding Letters (‫ أ‬vs. ‫)ع‬ 2. Similar-Sounding Letters (‫ ت‬vs. ‫)ط‬ 3. Similar-Sounding Letters ( ‫ ث‬vs. ‫)س‬ 4. Similar-Sounding Letters ( ‫ ث‬vs. ‫)ص‬ 5. Similar-Sounding Letters ( ‫ ح‬vs. ‫)ه‬ 6. Similar-Sounding Letters ( ‫ ح‬vs. ‫)ع‬ 7. Similar-Sounding Letters ( ‫ خ‬vs. ‫)غ‬ 8. Similar-Sounding Letters ( ‫ د‬vs. ‫)ض‬ 9. Similar-Sounding Letters ( ‫ ذ‬vs. ‫)ظ‬ 10. Similar-Sounding Letters ( ‫ ذ‬vs. ‫)ز‬ 11. Similar-Sounding Letters ( ‫ ز‬vs. ‫) ظ‬ 12. Similar-Sounding Letters ( ‫ ز‬vs. ‫) س‬ 13. Similar-Sounding Letters ( ‫ س‬vs. ‫)ص‬ 14. Similar-Sounding Letters ( ‫ ك‬vs. ‫)ق‬

Similar Sounding Letters: The Case of Alif “‫”أ‬ 15.Similar Sounding Letters: The Case of Alif (‫ ا‬vs. ‫)أ‬ 16.Similar Sounding Letters: The Case of Alif (‫ آ‬vs. ‫)أ‬ Similar Sounding Letters: The Case of Waaw “‫”و‬ 17.Similar Sounding Letters: Consonant ‫ و‬vs. Vowel ‫و‬ Similar Sounding Letters: The Case of Yaa’ “‫”ي‬ 18.Similar Sounding Letters: Consonant ‫ ي‬vs. Vowel ‫ي‬ 19.Similar Sounding Letters: Double ‫ّي‬ vs. Single ‫ي‬ Short vs. Long Vowels 20.Short vs. Long Vowels (Fatha vs. Alif.)

21.Short vs. Long Vowels (Kasra vs. Yaa’) 22.Short vs. Long Vowels (Damma vs, Waaw) Short Single vs. Double Consonant 23.Similar Sounding Consonants: Single vs. Double

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Similar Sounding

‫ٔا ع‬

work flag cough apartment to care for, to guard lesson

Arabic Letters ‫أﻟﻒ ⇄ ﻋﲔ‬

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‫َﻋ َﻤﻞ‬ َ‫ﻋَﻠﻢ‬ ‫ُﺳﻌﺎل‬ ‫ِﻋﻤﺎرة‬ ‫َرﻋﻰ‬ ‫ِﻋ ْﺒ َﺮة‬

‫ٔا َﻣﻞ‬ َ‫َٔاﻟﻢ‬ ‫ُﺳﺆال‬ ‫ٕاﻣﺎرة‬ ‫َر ٔاى‬ ‫ٕا ْﺑ َﺮة‬

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hope pain question emirate to see needle

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Similar Sounding Arabic Letters

‫تط‬ clay pilot breakfast acumen to moisten duck

‫اتء ⇄ ﻃﺎء‬

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‫ﻃﻴﻦ‬ ‫َﻃ ّﯿﺎر‬ ‫ﻓُﻄﻮر‬ ِ ْ ‫ﻄ‬ ‫ﻓ‬ ‫ﻨﺔ‬ ‫َر َّﻃ َﺐ‬ ‫ﺑ َ َّﻄﺔ‬

‫ﺗﻴﻦ‬ ‫ﺗَ ّﯿﺎر‬ ‫ﻓُﺘﻮر‬ ِ ‫ﻓ‬ ‫ْﺘﻨﺔ‬ ‫َرﺗ َّ َﺐ‬ ‫ﺑ َ َّﺖ‬

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figs stream lack of activity temptation to organise to cut off

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Similar Sounding

‫ثس‬ overweight to flow guard intuition foundation soul

Arabic Letters ‫اثء ⇄ ﺳﲔ‬

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‫َﺳﻤﻴﻦ‬ ‫ﺳﺎب‬ َ ‫ﺣﺎرس‬ ِ ‫َﺣﺪَ س‬ ‫ٔاﺳﺎس‬ ‫ﻧ َ ْﻔﺲ‬

‫ﺛَﻤﻴﻦ‬ ‫اثب‬ َ ‫ﺣﺎرث‬ ِ ‫َﺣﺪَ ث‬ ‫ٔااثث‬ ‫ﻧ َ ْﻔﺚ‬

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precious to return ploughman event furniture spitting

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Similar Sounding

‫ثص‬ towards fasting right, sense to comply with destiny polished

Arabic Letters ‫اثء ⇄ ﺻﺎد‬

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‫َﺻ ْﻮب‬ ‫َﺻ ْﻮم‬ ‫َﺻﻮاب‬ ‫َﺣ َﺮ َص‬ ‫َﻣﺼﻴﺮ‬ ‫َﺻﻘﻴﻞ‬

‫ﺛَ ْﻮب‬ ‫ﺛَ ْﻮم‬ ‫ﺛَﻮاب‬ ‫َﺣ َﺮ َث‬ ‫ُﻣﺜﻴﺮ‬ ‫ﺛَﻘﻴﻞ‬

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dress garlic reward to plough exciting heavy

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‫ح‬ ‫ه‬

interrogative noun for asking Yes/No questions pyramid letter Hamza brave resemblance fleeing

Similar Sounding Arabic Letters ‫ﺣﺎء ⇄ ﻫﺎء‬

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‫َﻫ ْﻞ‬ ‫َﻫ َﺮم‬ ‫َﻫ ْﻤ َﺰة‬ ‫َﻫ ّﻤﺎم‬ ‫ﺷـَ َﺒﻪ‬ ‫ُﻫﺮوب‬

‫َﺣ ّﻞ‬ ‫َﺣ َﺮم‬ ‫َﺣ ْﻤ َﺰة‬ ‫َﺣ ّﻤﺎم‬ ‫ﺷـَ َﺒﺢ‬ ‫ُﺣﺮوب‬

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1. solution 2. forbidden 3. given name (i.e. lion, strong) 4. bath, Hammam 5. ghost 6. wars

‫ح‬ ‫ع‬

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scholar worker to disobey seven knowledgeable disgrace, shame

Similar Sounding Arabic Letters ‫ﺣﺎء ⇄ ﻋﲔ‬

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‫ﻋﺎ ِﻟﻢ‬ ‫ﻋﺎ ِﻣﻞ‬ ‫َﻋﺼﻰ‬ ‫ﺳـَ ْﺒ َﻌﺔ‬ ‫ﻋَ ِﻠﯿﻢ‬ ‫ﻋﺎر‬

‫ﺣﺎ ِﻟﻢ‬ ‫ﺣﺎ ِﻣﻞ‬ ‫َﺣﺼﻰ‬ ‫ﺳـَ ْﺒ َﺤﺔ‬ ِ‫َﺣﻠﯿﻢ‬ ‫ﺣﺎر‬ ّ

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dreamer pregnant, carrier pebbles a swim, bathe patient; forbearing hot

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‫خ‬ ‫غ‬ expensive strangeness other an absence westernisation to go by, to pass

Similar Sounding Arabic Letters ‫ﺧﺎء ⇄ ﻏﲔ‬

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‫ﻏﺎﻟﻲ‬ ‫ﻏَﺮاﺑﺔ‬ ‫ﻏَﻴْﺮ‬ ‫ﻏَ ْﯿ َﺒﺔ‬ ‫ﺗَـ ْﻐﺮﯾﺐ‬ ‫ﻏَﺒَ َﺮ‬

‫ﺧﺎﻟﻲ‬ ‫َﺧﺮاﺑﺔ‬ ‫َﺧﻴْﺮ‬ ‫َﺧ ْﻴ َﺒﺔ‬ ‫ﺗَ ْﺨﺮﯾﺐ‬ ‫َﺧﺒَﺮ‬

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free, vacant ruin, devastation goodness disappointment sabotage news, information

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Similar Sounding

‫دض‬ to go astray hitting molar tooth sport some patient, sick loans

Arabic Letters ‫دال ⇄ ﺿﺎد‬

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‫ﺿَ َّﻞ‬ ‫ﺿَ ْﺮب‬ ‫ﺿَ ْﺮس‬ ‫ِرايﺿﺔ‬ ‫ﺑ َ ْﻌﺾ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﯾﺾ‬ ‫ُﻗﺮوض‬

‫َد َّل‬ ‫َد ْرب‬ ‫َد ْرس‬ ‫ِراي َدة‬ ‫ﺑ َ ْﻌﺪ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﯾﺪ‬ ‫ُﻗﺮود‬

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to guide trail, path lesson leadership after rebellious monkeys

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Similar Sounding Arabic Letters

‫ذ ظ‬ to view stubborn, difficult to get lost rude counterpart, equal circumstance; envelope

‫ذال ⇄ ﻇﺎء‬

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‫ﻧ َ َﻈ َﺮ‬ َ ‫ﻟﻈﯿﻆ‬ ‫َﻇ َّﻞ‬ ّ‫ﻓَﻆ‬ ‫ﻧَﻈﻴﺮ‬ ‫َﻇ ْﺮف‬

‫ﻧ َ َﺬ َر‬ َ ‫ﻟﺬﯾﺬ‬ ‫َذ َّل‬ ‫ﻓَ ّﺬ‬ ‫ﻧَﺬﻳﺮ‬ ‫َذ ْرف‬

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to vow delicious to humiliate peerless bringer of bad news, warning 6. shedding tears, weeping

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Similar Sounding

‫ذ ز‬ delicious * to be wrong to cultivate to be proud of to be in need of st. fragrant; righteous

Arabic Letters ‫ذال ⇄ زاي‬

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* colloquial pronunciation in some Arabic dialects

َ ‫ﻟﺰﻳﺰ‬ ‫َز َّل‬ ‫َز َرع‬ ‫َز َﺧﺮ‬ ‫ﻋﺎز‬ َ ِ‫َزﻛ ّﻲ‬

‫ﻟَﺬﯾﺬ‬ ‫َذ َّل‬ ‫َذ َر َع‬ ‫َذ َﺧ َﺮ‬ ‫ﻋﺎ َذ‬ ِ‫َذﻛ ّﻲ‬

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delicious to be despised to cross, walk along to store, save to seek refuge smart

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Similar Sounding

‫ظ ز‬ to be wrong flowerbed flowers subservience tambourine determination

Arabic Letters ‫ﻇﺎء ⇄ زاي‬

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‫َز َّل‬ ‫َﻣ ْﺰ َﻫﺮ‬ ‫ُزﻫﻮر‬ ّ‫َﻣ َﺰﻟﺔ‬ ِ‫َﻣﺰاﻫﺮ‬ ‫َﻋﺰﯾﻤﺔ‬

‫َﻇ َّﻞ‬ ‫َﻣ ْﻈﻬَﺮ‬ ‫ُﻇﻬﻮر‬ ّ‫َﻣ َﻈﻠﺔ‬ ِ‫َﻣﻈﺎﻫﺮ‬ ‫َﻋﻈﯿﻤﺔ‬

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1. to shade 2. appearance 3. occurrence, appearance 4. umbrella 5. appearances 6. great (fem. adj.)

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Similar Sounding

‫زس‬ to move, pursue ambassador supremacy path car fresh cold water

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Arabic Letters ‫زاي ⇄ ﺳﲔ‬

‫ﺳﺎر‬ َ ‫َﺳﻔﻴﺮ‬ ‫ﺳـِﯿﺎ َدة‬ ‫َﻣﺴﺎر‬ ‫ﺳـَ ّﯿﺎرة‬ ْ ‫َﺳﻠ َﺴﺎل‬

‫ز َار‬ ‫َزﻓﻴﺮ‬ ‫ِزاي َدة‬ ‫َﻣﺰار‬ ‫ِزايرة‬ ْ ‫َزﻟﺰال‬

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to visit exhalation increase (n.) sanctuary visit earthquake

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Similar Sounding

‫سص‬ to become image summer to disobey eloquent impression

Arabic Letters ‫ﺳﲔ ⇄ ﺻﺎد‬

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‫ﺻﺎر‬ َ ‫ﺻﻮرة‬ َ ‫َﺻ ْﯿﻒ‬ ‫َﻋﺼﻰ‬ ‫ﻓَﺼﯿﺢ‬ ‫ﺑ َ ْﺼ َﻤﺔ‬

‫ﺳﺎر‬ َ ‫ﺳﻮرة‬ َ ‫ﺳـَ ْﯿﻒ‬ ‫َﻋﺴﻰ‬ ‫ﻓَﺴـﯿﺢ‬ ‫ﺑ َ ْﺴ َﻤﺔ‬

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to walk Quranic chapter sword perhaps spacious smile

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Similar Sounding Arabic Letters

‫كق‬ heart say! (imp. v.) paragraph Iraq cracks bright

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‫ﻛﺎف ⇄ ﻗﺎف‬

ْ ‫ﻗَﻠﺐ‬ ‫ُﻗ ْﻞ‬ ‫ِﻓ ْﻘ َﺮة‬ ِ ‫اﻟﻌﺮاق‬ ‫ُﺷﻘﻮق‬ ‫ُﻣ ْﺸ ِﺮق‬

ْ ‫َﻛﻠﺐ‬ ْ‫ُﻛﻞ‬ ْ‫ِﻓﻜ َﺮة‬ ‫اﻟ ِﻌﺮاك‬ ‫ُﺷﻜﻮك‬ ‫ُﻣ ْﺸ ِﺮك‬

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dog eat! (imp. v.) idea fight (the) doubts idolater

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Similar Sounding Arabic Letters

ٔ ‫ا ا‬

to flow, dissolve Fes (city), Morocco to melt Raï (North African Arabic music genre) to blame toxic

The Case of Alif (1)

‫أﻟﻒ ﻫزمة ⇄ أﻟﻒ ﺑﺪون ﻫزمة‬

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‫ﺳﺎ َل‬ ‫ﻓﺎس‬ ‫داب‬ َ ‫راي‬ ‫ﻻ َم‬ ‫ﺳﺎم‬

‫َﺳﺎَٔ َل‬ ‫ﻓَﺎْٔس‬ ‫َد َٔا َب‬ ‫َر ْٔاي‬ ‫َٔﻻ َم‬ ‫َﺳﺎَٔ َم‬

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to ask, enquire axe to persevere opinion to mend, repair to be bored

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Similar Sounding Arabic Letters

ٓ ‫ٔا ا‬ Amen family, clan August pains (pl.) time, moment food (pl.)

The Case of Alif (2)

ّ ‫أﻟﻒ ﻫزمة ⇄ أﻟﻒ‬ ‫ﻣﺪة‬

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‫آﻣﻴﻦ‬ ‫آل‬ ‫آب‬ ‫آﻻم‬ ‫آن‬ ِ‫َﻣﺎٓﻛﻞ‬

‫ٔاﻣﻴﻦ‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ٔاب‬ ‫ٔاﻟَﻢ‬ ‫ٔان‬ َ‫َﻣﺎْٔﻛﻞ‬

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safe, secure the definite article (i.e. the) father pain to, that food

‫وو‬

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Similar Sounding Arabic Letters The Case of Wāw

wāw as a vowel

* role, stage .1 * day .2 * above .3 * sound .4 * husband .5 * colloquial pronunciation

‫واو ⇄ واو‬

‫دُور‬ ‫ﯾُﻮم‬ ‫ﻓُﻮق‬ ‫ُﺻﻮت‬ ‫ُزوج‬

wāw as a consonant

‫َد ْور‬ ‫ﯾ َ ْﻮم‬ ‫ﻓَ ْﻮق‬ ‫َﺻ ْﻮت‬ ‫َز ْوج‬

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role, stage day above sound husband

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Similar Sounding

‫ي ْي‬ Arabic Letters The Case of Yā’ (1)

yā’ as a consonant

debt elderly, scholar tendency, liking army eye night, evening

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‫ايء ⇄ ايء‬

‫َد ْﻳﻦ‬ ‫ﺷـَ ْﯿﺦ‬ ‫َﻣ ْﻴﻞ‬ ‫َﺟﻴْﺶ‬ ‫ﻋَﻴْﻦ‬ ‫ﻟَ ْﯿﻞ‬

yā’ as a vowel

‫ِدﻳﻦ‬ ‫ﺷـِﯿﺦ‬ ‫ِﻣﻴﻞ‬ ‫ِﺟﻴﺶ‬ ‫ﻋﻴﻦ‬ ‫ِﻟﯿﻞ‬

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religion elderly, scholar * mile army * eye * night, evening * * colloquial pronunciation

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Similar Sounding

‫ي‬ ‫ّي‬ domestic religious daily rightist international orange (colour)

Arabic Letters The Case of Yā’ (2) Double yā’

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‫ي ⇄ ّي‬

‫َﻣﻨ ْ ِﺰ ّﻟﻲ‬ ‫دﯾ ّﻨﻲ‬ ‫ﯾ َ ْﻮ ّﻣﻲ‬ ‫ﯾَﻤﯿ ّﻨﻲ‬ ‫ﻋﺎﻟَ ّﻤﻲ‬ ‫ﻘﺎﻟﻲ‬ ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﺮ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ُ ّ ُْ

Single yā’

‫َﻣﻨ ْ ِﺰﻟﻲ‬ ‫دﯾﻨﻲ‬ ‫ﯾ َ ْﻮﻣﻲ‬ ‫ﯾَﻤﯿﻨﻲ‬ ‫ﻋﺎﻟَﻤﻲ‬ ‫ﺑُ ْﺮﺗُﻘﺎﻟﻲ‬

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my house my religion my day my right (side) my world my oranges

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‫ا‬

world to correspond airport beauty words departure

Similar Sounding Arabic Letters Short vs. Long Vowels | Fatḥa vs. Alif

‫ﻓﺘﺤﺔ ⇄ أﻟﻒ‬

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َ‫ﻋﺎﻟﻢ‬ ‫ﻛﺎﺗَ َﺐ‬ ‫َﻣﻄﺎر‬ ‫َﺟﻤﺎل‬ ‫َﻛ ِﻠﻤﺎت‬ ‫َذﻫﺎب‬

َ‫ﻋَﻠﻢ‬ ‫َﻛ َﺘ َﺐ‬ ‫َﻣ َﻄﺮ‬ ‫َﺟ َﻤﻞ‬ ‫َﻛ ِﻠﻤﺔ‬ ‫َذ َﻫﺐ‬

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flag to write (v.) rain camel word gold (n.)

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Similar Sounding Arabic Letters

‫ي‬ Amen festival sick safe, sound client; agent knowledgeable

Short vs. Long Vowels | Kasra vs. Yā'

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‫ﻛﴪة ⇄ ايء‬

‫آﻣﻴﻦ‬ ‫ﻋﯿﺪ‬ ‫َﻣﺮﯾﺾ‬ ‫َﺳﻠﯿﻢ‬ ‫َﻋﻤﯿﻞ‬ ‫ﻋَﻠﯿﻢ‬

‫ا ٓ ِﻣﻦ‬ ‫ِﻋ ْﺪ‬ ‫َﻣ ِﺮ َض‬ ‫َﺳ ِﻠ َﻢ‬ ‫َﻋ ِﻤ َﻞ‬ ‫ﻋَ ِﻠ َﻢ‬

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safe count! (imp. v. ) to be sick to be safe to work to know

‫و‬

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broad bean market stick, Oud (Musical instrument) floor, role ** take! ** black, dark (pl. of ‫)أسود‬ ** colloquial pronunciation

Similar Sounding Arabic Letters

Short vs. Long Vowels | Damma vs. Wāw

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‫ﲷﺔ ⇄ واو‬

‫ﻓﻮل‬ ‫ﺳﻮق‬ ‫ﻋﻮد‬ ‫دور‬ ‫ﺧﻮذ‬ ‫ﺳﻮد‬

‫ﻓُ ّﻞ‬ ‫ُﺳ ْﻖ‬ ‫ﻋُ ْﺪ‬ ‫د ُْر‬ ‫ﺧ ُْﺬ‬ ‫ُﺳ ْﺪ‬

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1. Jasmine 2. drive! * 3. return! * 4. turn around! * 5. take! * 6. rule, dominate! * * imp. verb

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to collect (II) to force so. to write (II) to destroy, shatter (II) to move out; to educate (II) to kiss so. (II) pilgrim (fem.)

Similar Sounding Arabic Letters

Similar Sounding Consonants: Single vs. Double

‫ﻓﺘﺤﺔ ⇄ ﺷﺪة‬

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‫َﺟ َّﻤ َﻊ‬ ‫َﻛﺘَّ َﺐ‬ ‫َﻛ َّﺴ َﺮ‬ ‫َﺧ َّﺮ َج‬ ‫ﻗَﺒَّ َﻞ‬ ‫ﺣﺎ َّﺟﺔ‬

‫َﺟ َﻤﻊ‬ ‫َﻛ َﺘ َﺐ‬ ‫َﻛ َﺴ َﺮ‬ ‫َﺧ َﺮ َج‬ ‫ﻗَ َﺒ َﻞ‬ ‫ﺣﺎ َﺟﺔ‬

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to gather (I) to write (I) to break (I) to exit (K) to accept, receive (I) need, necessity