هدهدو Hudhudo
The generation of tomorrow
The Arabic letters for kids
Arabic has 28 letters and is read and written from right to left.
A letter changes shape depending on where it sits in a word: on its own, at the start, in the middle or at the end. Six letters (ا د ذ ر ز و) never join the letter after them.
Above and below the letters sit three short vowels: fatha (a), kasra (i) and damma (u). Pick a letter to hear it, see its four forms and find words that start with it.
All 28 letters
Frequently asked questions
How many letters does the Arabic alphabet have?
28. They are all consonants; three of them (alif, waw and ya) also write the long vowels aa, oo and ee. Arabic is written from right to left.
Why does an Arabic letter have different shapes?
Because the letters in a word join up. Most letters have four forms: isolated, initial, medial and final. Six letters (ا د ذ ر ز و) never join the letter after them.
What are the short vowels?
Three small marks: fatha above the letter (a), kasra below it (i) and damma above it (u). Children's books and the Quran always show them; newspapers usually leave them out.
Which letters are hardest for children who don't speak Arabic at home?
The sounds English lacks: haa (ح), 'ayn (ع), qaaf (ق), kha (خ) and ghayn (غ), plus the 'heavy' letters saad, daad, taa and dhaa. Listening often and repeating is the best practice.
From what age can my child start?
Hudhudo is made for children aged 4 to 12. Short daily sessions work better than one long lesson a week.
Practise all the letters in the app
In Hudhudo your child traces the letter with a finger, hears it and plays with it in an adventure. Try it for free.