Hello, our dear Arabic learners,
Are you ready to learn about a new Arabic letter?
Today, we’ll focus on the letter ف (Fa), a fascinating and important letter that appears in many everyday Arabic words.
In this blog, you’ll learn how to pronounce ف correctly, how to write it in its different forms, common words that start, end, or contain ف, and examples and exercises to help you remember it easily.
How to Pronounce the Letter ف /Faa’/
Let’s start with the pronunciation of the letter ف. The letter ف sounds exactly like the English “f” in words like fun or food.
Place your upper teeth gently on your lower lip and blow air out.
Did you know?
The letter ف comes from the same root as the word فم (fam), which means “mouth.”
How to Write the Letter ف /Faa’/
As you know by now, Arabic letters change shape depending on their position in the word. Let’s learn how to write letter ف in each position:
Isolated
Initial
Medial
Final
ف
فـ
ـفـ
ـف
The isolated form (ف): Start with a small, open loop, draw it clockwise, like a small circle. The loop should rest on a short neck above the line. Draw a line from the neck to the left horizontally, then curve it up to form a tail. Finally, add one dot above the loop, as in the table.
The initial form (فـ):
Begin with the same loop and neck as the isolated form. Instead of a tail, finish with a connecting line to the left to join the next letter, and the dot is placed above the loop.
The medial form (ــفــ)
Draw a loop with two connecting lines from both sides, right and left. This is because it is connected to letters from both sides. Add a dot above the loop.
The final form (ــف)
Draw the loop with the connecting line from the right and continue with a line to the left. Then, finish with the long, hook-like tail of the isolated form. Don’t forget the dot above the loop.
Arabic Words with the Letter ف
Now, let’s move to see some examples of the Arabic letter Faa’ in all its shapes:
Letter ف /Faa’/ in initial position
Elephant
fīl
فيل
I saw an elephant in the zoo.
ra’aytu fīlan fī ḥadīqati al-ḥayawān.
رأيتُ فِيلًا في حديقةِ الحيوان
Butterfly
farāshah
فراشة
There is a beautiful butterfly in the garden.
hunāka farāshatun jamīlatun fī al-ḥadīqah.
هُناكَ فَراشَةٌ جَميلَةٌ في الحَديقَة
Dress
fustān
فستان
This is a beautiful dress.
Hādhā fustānun jamīlun
هَذَا فُسْتَانٌ جَمِيلٌ
Dawn
fajr
فجر
I woke up at dawn to get ready for the trip.
Istayqaẓtu fajran li’asta‘idda lil-riḥlah
اسْتَيْقَظْتُ فَجْرًا لِأَسْتَعِدَّ لِلرِّحْلَةِ
Winning
fawz
فوز
Winning is not easy.
al-fawzu laysa sahlan
الفَوْزُ لَيْسَ سَهْلًا
Letter ف /Faa’/ in the middle position
key
miftāḥ
مِفتاح
This is the car key.
hādhā miftāḥu as-sayyārah
هذا مِفتاحُ السيارة
Lock
qufl
قفل
I bought a lock for the door.
ishtaraytu quflan lil-bābi.
اِشْتَرَيْتُ قُفْلًا لِلبَابِ
apples
tuffāḥ
تُفَاح
I bought the apples from the store.
ishtaraytu al-tuffāḥa mina al-matjari.
اِشْتَرَيْتُ التُّفَّاحَ مِنَ المَتْجَرِ
notebook
Daftar
دفتر
The child drew on the notebook.
rasama al-ṭiflu ʿalā al-daftari.
رَسَمَ الطِّفْلُ عَلَى الدَفْتَرِ
Jump
Qafz
قَفْزْ
Children love jumping on the bed.
yuḥibbu al-aṭfālu al-qafza ʿalā al-sarīri.
يُحِبُّ الأَطْفَالُ القَفْزَ عَلَى السَّرِير
Letter ف /Faa’/ in the final position
sheep
kharūf
خروف
The sheep eats grass.
ya’kulu al-kharūfu al-ʿushba.
يَأْكُلُ الخَرُوفُ العُشْبَ
Fear
Khawf
خوف
Fear of failure prevents success.
al-khawfu mina al-fashali yamnaʿu al-najāḥ.
الخَوْفُ مِنَ الفَشَلِ يَمْنَعُ النَّجَاحَ
ambulance / aid
is‘āf
إسعَاف
I heard an ambulance at night.
Samī‘tu sayyārata al-is‘āfi laylan
سَمِعْتُ سَيَّارَةَ الإِسْعافِ لَيْلًا
phone
hātif
هاتِف
I need a new phone.
aḥtāju ilā hātifin jadīd
أحتاجُ إلى هاتِفٍ جديد
wool
Ṣūf
صوف
This coat is made of soft wool.
hādhā al-ma‘ṭafu maṣnū‘un min ṣūfin nā‘imin.
هذا المعطفُ مصنوعٌ من صُوفٍ ناعمٍ
Review the Arabic Alphabet: The letter ف /Faa’/
Quick Quiz
Now, let’s have a look at this test to check your knowledge of letter faa’ and what you have learned in this blog:
Which of the following words starts with the Arabic letter ‘ف’ (Fa)?
A. قَفْل
B. فَرَس
C. صُوف
D. خَرُوف
What is the English translation of ‘فَوْز’?
A. Loss
B. Win / Victory
C. Fear
D. Sheep
Which of these words contains the Arabic letter ‘ف’ (Fa) in the middle?
A. تُفَّاح
B. فَرْح
C. فُنْدُق
D. فَصْل
Which of these words does NOT have the Arabic letter ‘ف’ (Fa) at the end?
A. صُوف
B. خَرُوف
C. خَوْف
D. فريق
- B. فَرَس
- B. Win / Victory
- A. تُفَّاح
- D. فريق
Final word
At the end of this blog, we hope you enjoyed today’s lesson and that letter ف is now fully cleared through the examples and words mentioned.
Knowing all its shapes, pronunciation, and how it is written will help you progress in your Arabic learning journey.
Keep practicing, for this is the right way to master the language, and you can continue learning the other letters in our Arabic Alphabet Series.
The article Arabic Basics for Beginners: 10 Top Essentials to Start Learning is a huge help for new learners of Arabic. It offers practical steps and resources to have a strong foundation.
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New vocabulary, quizzes, different levels, and subjects are waiting for you there to strengthen your learning.
