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Lesson 26: Heavy & Light Letters (تفخيم وترقيق)

Heavy (تفخيم) & Light (ترقيق) Letters

Some Arabic letters are pronounced with a heavy/thick tongue, while others are light/thin.

Always Heavy (مفخم دائماً):

خ ص ض غ ط ق ظ

Always Light (مرقق دائماً):

Most letters — all except the heavy ones and special cases

Special Case: Alif Lam in ٱللَّهُ

The ل in ٱللَّهُ is heavy when preceded by a fatha or damma, and light when preceded by a kasra.

بِٱللَّهِ (billāh) — light ل

قَالَ ٱللَّهُ (qāla Allāhu) — heavy ل

Lesson Quiz

Answer all questions. You need 75% to pass and unlock the next lesson.

1.Which of these is always pronounced heavy?

2.تفخيم means:

3.The ل in ٱللَّهُ after a kasra (e.g. بِٱللَّهِ) is:

4.ترقيق means: