Basics

This blog will contain Arabic script as well as Latin transcription of Arabic words for easier comprehension for those who aren’t yet familiar with script. 

When writing Lebanese Arabic in transcription, we will be using the numbers system that is used in online platforms and SMS.  For a quick refresher, we have listed the letter and pronunciation equivalents below. 

2 = alif, pronounced like a glottal stop

3 = aayn, pronounced like a more guttural “a” sound

5 = kh, pronounced like a “j” in Spanish or the “ch” in German, such as in “Bach”

7 = H, pronounced like a regular “h,” but deeper in the throat, like panting

9 = q, but in Lebanese it is pronounced like a “2” alif.  In MSA and the Chouf region, the “q” is pronounced as normal, deeper in the throat, and not like a “k”.

Arabic vowels are broken down into two categories, generally - long vowels and short vowels.  Long vowels are written using the following three consonant letters, which are substituted for vowels when needed:

- ا Alif, and when written as a long vowel is pronounced "aa," as in "father". Written as "a"  

- ي Ya' is used as the long vowel "ee" as in "sheep". It can be written as "ee" or "i."

- و Waw, when used as a long vowel is pronounced like "oo" as in "moon". It can be written as "oo" or "u."

Short vowels are written using graphical marks called "7arakeh", made around the consonant.  They are primarily only written in school books and in the Qu'ran.  Short vowels are pronounced more briefly, and are as follows:

- fat7a, marked by a tick  above the consonant makes the sound "a."

- kasra, marked by a tick  below the consonant makes the sound "i."  In Lebanese Arabic it is sometimes pronounced like "é."

- damma, marked by a  above the consonant makes the sound "u" sometimes pronounced "oo."

Not a short vowel, but also important is the shedda as explained below. 

- shedda, marked by a ّ   above the consonant specifying that emphasis be placed on the pronunciation of that letter by pronouncing it in double.  In our transcriptions, we will write the letter twice to signify the presence of a shedda for pronunciation purposes.

Additionally, in Lebanese Arabic there are four other short vowels that are not written in Modern Standard Arabic.  They are:

- o: pronounced with the mouth more closed like "o" as in "Bo."

- é or eh: pronounced like in French, but in English it sounds like "a" as in "convey."  However, sometimes it is pronounced like a soft "i."

- ô: pronounced like "o" but for a longer duration.

- ê: pronounced like "é" but for a longer duration.

Some of this information was obtained from: “Parlons Arabe Libanais,” by Fida Bizri.

Bizri, Fida. Parlons Arabe Libanais. Paris: L'Harmattan, 2010. Print