If you’re new to Arabic, you’ve probably seen small marks above or below the letters. These are called Harakat—and they are crucial for understanding how Arabic words are read and pronounced.
Arabic is made up of consonants, and Harakat act like short vowels. There are three main ones:
Fatha ( َ ): a short "a" sound
Kasra ( ِ ): a short "i" sound
Dhamma ( ُ ): a short "u" sound
There’s also sukūn ( ْ ) which means there’s no vowel, and shadda ( ّ ) which doubles the letter's sound.
Why are Harakat important? They affect both meaning and pronunciation. For example, the word “kataba” (كَتَبَ) means "he wrote", but change the Harakat and it becomes “kutiba” (كُتِبَ) — "it was written".
At Al-Burhan Arabic Academy, our beginners’ program includes specialized lessons on reading with Harakat, so even absolute beginners can pronounce and understand Arabic from the very first lesson.
Mastering Harakat is your first step toward reading Qur’an, understanding grammar, and speaking clearly.
➡️ Join our Arabic Basics course and master the Harakat with ease.