Learn the Arabic Alphabet: The letter 'ح' (Ha’)
Have you noticed how the Arabic letter ح (Ḥā’) gives Arabic words a unique and deeper sound? It’s kind of like the ‘h’ in “house” or “hello,” but with a little more throat action. Unlike the soft and light English “h,” ح has a stronger, richer sound that makes it stand out.
In this post, we’ll check out words with ح (Ḥā’) at the beginning, middle, and end, and see how they fit into sentences. We’ll also go over common mistakes people make with this letter and share some easy tips to get it right.
Stick around to the end—we’ve got a quick quiz waiting for you to test what you’ve learned.
Let’s jump in and have some fun with ح (Ḥā’)!
Letter ‘ح’ (Ha’) in initial position
Whale
Ḥūt
حُوت
A blue whale lives in the sea.
Yʻyshu fī albḥri ḥwtun Azraq
يعيش في البحر حوتٌ أزرق.
Fever
Ḥummá
حمّى
The child had a fever all night long.
Aṣābt al-Fatá ḥummá Ṭawwāl al-layl
أصابت الفتى حمّى طوال الليل.
Wall
Ḥāʼṭ
حَائط
He meets his friend next to the school’s wall.
Yltqy Ṣadīqah ilá jānib ḥāʼiṭ al-Madrasah
يلتقي صديقه إلى جانب حائط المدرسة.
Life
Ḥayāh
حَياة
He lives a quiet life in a hut in the woods.
Yʻyshu ḥayāt hādiʼah fī kwkh fī al-ghābah
يعيشُ حياة هادئة في كوخ في الغابة.
Garden
Ḥadyqah
حَديقة
The house has a lovely garden.
Llmnzl ḥdyqtun Jamīlah
للمنزل حديقة جميلة.
Letter ‘ح’ (Ha’) in the middle position
Sea
Baḥr
بحر
The fisherman sailed across the sea.
Abḥara aṣ-ṣayyādu ʿabra al-baḥr
أبحر الصياد عبر البحر
Bee
Naḥlah
نحلة
The bee makes honey.
An-naḥlatu taṣnaʿu al-ʿasal
النحلة تصنع العسل
Desert
Ṣaḥrāʾ
صحراء
The camel crossed the desert.
ʿabara al-jamalu aṣ-ṣaḥrāʾ
عبر الجمل الصحراء.
One
Wāḥid
واحد
One apple fell from the tree.
Saqaṭat tuffāḥatun wāḥidatun min ash-shajarah
سقطت تفاحة واحدة من الشجرة.
Trip/journey
Riḥlah
رحلة
The family enjoyed a summer journey.
Istamtaʿat al-ʿāʾilah bi-riḥlatin ṣayfiyyah
استمتعت العائلة برحلة صيفية.
Letter ‘ح’ (Ha’) in the final position
Wind
Riyāḥ
رياح
The strong winds shook the trees.
Hazzat ar-riyāḥ al-qawiyyah al-ashjār
هزّت الرياح القوية الأشجار.
Tourist
Sāʾiḥ
سائح
The tourist visited the ancient ruins.
Zāra as-sāʾiḥ al-āthār al-qadīmah
زار السائح الآثار القديمة.
Salt
Milḥ
ملح
She added salt to the soup.
Adāfat milḥan ilā al-ḥisāʾ
أضافت ملحًا إلى الحساء.
Joy
Faraḥ
فرح
Her success filled her heart with joy.
Malaʾa najāḥuhā qalbahā faraḥan
ملأ نجاحها قلبها فرحًا.
Farmer
Fallāḥ
فلّاح
The farmer planted wheat in the field.
Zaraʿa al-fallāḥ al-qamḥ fī al-ḥaql
زرع الفلاح القمح في الحقل.
Common Mistakes in Pronunciation of Letter 'ح' (Ha’)
Many learners confuse ح with ه (Hā’), which is a lighter and softer “h” sound similar to the English “h.” Mispronouncing ح can change the meaning of words in Arabic. For instance:
- حَبّ (ḥabb) = seed or pill
- هَبّ (habb) = to blow (as in wind)
Tips to Pronounce ح (Ḥā') Correctly
- Relax your throat and focus on the back part of your mouth.
- Exhale with more effort while constricting the back of your throat slightly.
- Practice with minimal pairs (like the one above) to distinguish ح from other similar sounds like ه.
Quick Quiz
Now that we’ve explored the Arabic letter ح (Ḥā’) and seen it in action in different words, it’s time for a quick quiz to see how much you’ve picked up. This is a great way to refresh what you’ve learned and help lock those concepts in your memory. Don’t worry if you don’t get everything perfect on the first try—this is all about practice and progress. Ready to test yourself? Let’s jump in!
Which of the following words starts with the Arabic letter ‘ح’ (Ha’)?
A. ملح
B. رحلة
C. سائح
D. حائط
What is the English translation of 'فرح'?
A. Joy
B. Wind
C. Wall
D. Trip
Which word does NOT contain the Arabic letter ‘ح’ (Ha’) in the middle?
A. واحد
B. حديقة
C. رحلة
D. صحراء
Which word does NOT have the Arabic letter ‘ح’ (Ha’) at the end?
A. سائح
B. ملح
C. بحر
D. فرح
1-D, 2-A, 3-B, 4-C
Final word
Great job making it to the end! You’ve learned a lot about the Arabic letter ح (Ḥā’), from how it’s pronounced to spotting it in words and sentences. Remember, mastering a new sound takes time and practice, so don’t stress if it’s not perfect just yet.
Keep practicing, review the tips, and try the quiz again if you need to. And check the the Arabic Alphabet Series to learn other Arabic letters.
See you in the next lesson!
