Noorani Qaida online for children and beginners
Free interactive Noorani Qaida for children and beginners: the 28 Arabic letters, letter shapes, harakat, tanween, madd, sukoon and shaddah with practice quizzes.
Lessons
- The 28 letters: Learn the 28 Arabic letters. Arabic is read from right to left. Tap a letter to hear it (if your device supports Arabic speech) and learn its name.
- Letter shapes: Letters change shape depending on where they sit in a word: alone, at the start, in the middle or at the end. Six letters (ا د ذ ر ز و) do not join to the letter after them.
- Short vowels (Harakat): Fatha (زبر) gives an “a” sound, Kasra (زیر) an “i” sound and Damma (پیش) a “u” sound. Read each row from right to left.
- Tanween: Tanween is a doubled vowel that adds an “n” sound at the end of a word: “an”, “in”, “un”.
- Long vowels (Madd): A vowel followed by its matching letter is stretched for two counts: fatha + ا = “aa”, kasra + ي = “ee”, damma + و = “oo”.
- Sukoon: Sukoon (ْ) means the letter has no vowel: it joins the sound before it. Read: a-b → “ab”, i-b → “ib”, u-b → “ub”.
- Shaddah: Shaddah (ّ) doubles a letter: it is pronounced twice, once ending the sound before it and once starting the next: “abba”, “ibbi”, “ubbu”.
- Leen (soft letters): A fatha followed by و or ي with sukoon makes a soft glide: “aw” (as in “now”) and “ay” (as in “say”).
The 28 Arabic letters
- ا Alif (a / silent carrier)
- ب Ba (b)
- ت Ta (t)
- ث Tha (th (as in think))
- ج Jeem (j)
- ح Ha (heavy h) (h from the throat)
- خ Kha (kh)
- د Dal (d)
- ذ Dhal (dh (as in this))
- ر Ra (r)
- ز Zay (z)
- س Seen (s)
- ش Sheen (sh)
- ص Saad (heavy s)
- ض Daad (heavy d)
- ط Taa (heavy t)
- ظ Zaa (heavy dh)
- ع Ain (deep throat sound)
- غ Ghain (gh)
- ف Fa (f)
- ق Qaf (q (deep k))
- ك Kaf (k)
- ل Lam (l)
- م Meem (m)
- ن Noon (n)
- ه Ha (h (light))
- و Waw (w)
- ي Ya (y)
Frequently asked questions
What is Noorani Qaida?
Noorani Qaida is a beginner’s primer for learning to read the Quran. It teaches the Arabic letters, their shapes, the short and long vowels and the basic rules step by step, so a child or adult can start reading Quranic Arabic correctly.
At what age can a child start Noorani Qaida?
Most children can begin from about 4 to 5 years old, once they can sit for a short lesson and repeat sounds. Short daily practice works better than long sessions.
How long does it take to finish Noorani Qaida?
It depends on the student and how often they practise. With regular lessons and daily revision, many students complete it in a few months. A teacher can set the right pace.
Can I learn the correct pronunciation from this page alone?
This page teaches the letters and rules and lets you practise recognising them. Correct pronunciation (makharij) is best learned by listening to a qualified teacher who can correct you, which is why we offer live one-to-one classes.
Is this Noorani Qaida course free?
Yes. The lessons and practice quizzes on this page are free for everyone. Live classes with a teacher are a separate paid service.