Some experts think that alif (ا) and hamza (ء) are two separate letters, while others believe they are different forms of the same letter. This can be tricky for both native and non-native Arabic speakers.
In this lesson, we will cover:
- What hamza means in Arabic and English
- The different types of hamza
- How to write hamza
- Key rules for writing alif and hamza
What Is Hamza in Arabic?
Hamza (همزة) is a letter in Arabic that represents a glottal stop, which is a brief pause in speech. It comes from the Arabic letter Ayn (ع) but is not one of the 28 standard letters of the Arabic alphabet. Some consider it to be the 29th or last letter.
Hamza acts as an extra vowel and is added to three Arabic letters: alif (أ), waw (ؤ), and ya (ئ). These letters are called huruful illah (weak letters) or huruful madd.
To show a glottal stop, hamza is placed on alif with special marks.
In modern writing, hamza can also appear on the line as its own letter, not just on alif.
READ ALSO: Attached Pronouns in Arabic Examples (Complete Guide)
Types of Hamza in Arabic
In Arabic, there are two types of hamza: Hamzatul Qat and Hamzatul Wasl. Here’s what you need to know about each type:
1. Hamzatul Qat
Hamzatul Qat (همزة القطع) always appears as the letter hamza (ء) on its own. It represents a clear glottal stop, which means a brief pause in sound.
- Hamzatul Qat is pronounced every time it appears, regardless of the surrounding words or letters.
- It is written on an alif (أ) at the beginning of a word, or in the middle.
- For example: أَ (with fatha or dhamma) and إِ (with kasra).
Hamzatul Qat is found in:
- Verbs:
- Past tense: أكل (ʾakala – ate), أخذ (ʾakhadha – took)
- Present tense: أضرب (ʾaḍrib – I hit), أضرِب (ʾaḍrib – hit!)
- Names:
- أحمد (ʾAḥmad – Ahmed), آدم (ʾĀdam – Adam), أميرة (ʾAmīra – princess)
- Particles (Huruf):
- إلى (ʾilā – to), أو (ʾaw – or), إن (ʾinna – indeed), أن (ʾan – that), أم (ʾumm – or in questions*)
2. Hamzatul Wasl
The second type of hamza is called Hamzatul Wasl (همزة الوصل). This type appears at the beginning of a word but is not pronounced if it follows another word or letter, even though it is written.
- Hamzatul Wasl is written as an alif (ا) without a hamza on it.
- The sound of Hamzatul Wasl is not pronounced when it follows a vowel, but it is written to help with pronunciation at the start of a word.
Hamzatul Wasl can be found in:
- The definite article (الـ): Example: البيت (al-bayt – the house).
- Some short words with their three-consonant roots visible, like اسم (ism – name), ابن (ibn – son), امرؤ (imru’ – a man), and اثنان (ithnāni – two).
- Imperative verbs in forms I and VII to X.
- Perfective verb forms VII to X and their verbal nouns.
- Some borrowed words that start with consonant clusters, like استوديو (istūdiyū – studio).
Hamzatul Wasl is used to make pronunciation smoother at the beginning of sentences or words. However, if it follows directly after another word without a pause, the hamza and its vowel are dropped.
For example:
- قلم البنت (qalam al-bint – the girl’s pen)
In fully vocalized texts, Hamzatul Wasl is shown with a small symbol called waṣlah (وصلة) on top of the alif (ﭐ), but in most texts, this symbol is not used.
How to Write Hamza in Arabic Text
Hamza can be written in four main ways:
- Independently
- On an Alif (ا)
- On a Yaa (ي)
- On a Waw (و)
The letter Hamza sits on these letters like a “chair” or “kursi.” Let’s look at each form:
1. Independent Hamza
When Hamza is written independently, it appears on the line by itself, usually in the middle or at the end of a word.
2. Hamza on Alif
Hamza can be placed on the letter Alif (ا). In some Arabic scripts, Hamza is written above or below Alif with vowel marks.
Here are the forms:
- أ (with fatha or dhamma)
- إ (with kasra)
This shows how Hamza is placed on Alif depending on the vowel sounds.
Isolated | Final | Medial | Initial |
---|---|---|---|
أ | ـأ | ـأ | أ |
The rule is: any alif with harakah or sukoon symbol is hamza! whether hamza is accompanying such type of alif or not.
3. Hamza with waw ؤ
When hamza (ء) uses the letter wow (و) as a kursi (seat), the resulting dominant sound is of the letter hamza. This is the most simple variation of hamza and is always written as a combination, i.e. ؤ. Please see the table below.
Isolated | Final | Medial | Initial |
---|---|---|---|
ؤ | ـؤ | ـؤ | ؤ |
4. Hamza with ya ئ
Ya as a carrier (kursi) of hamza has no dots beneath it. See the following table.
Isolated | Final | Medial | Initial |
---|---|---|---|
ئ | ـئ | ـئـ | ئـ |
Hamza Rules
Initial Hamza
At the beginning of a word, Hamza always sits on an Alif (ا). It does not sit on a line or on a Waw (و) or Yaa (ي) without dots. Even when a word starts with an inseparable preposition or the definite article (ال), Hamza is placed on an Alif.
- Hamza is placed above Alif (أ) with a fatha (a) or dhamma (u).
- Hamza is placed below Alif (إ) with a kasra (i).
Examples:
- Fatha: أَفْرَاد
- Dhamma: أُسْبوع
- Kasra: إِسْلَام
Note: Hamza is sometimes not written in some words:
- اِبْنَة
- آكُل
- اِسْتِخْدام
- البِنْت
Medial Hamza
For Hamza in the middle of a word, follow these rules:
- If the vowel before Hamza is kasra (or if Hamza is preceded by Yaa), then Hamza is written on a dotless Yaa (ئ). Examples:
- سائِل
- سُئِل
- جِئْت
- If the vowel before Hamza is dhamma, then Hamza is written on a Waw (ؤ). Examples:
- سُؤال
- تَرْؤُف
- تَفاؤُل
- If neither of the first two rules apply, then Hamza is written on Alif (ا), above it, but never below it, unless it follows long vowels Alif or Waw. Examples:
- قَلَمُ البِنْتِ
- مَسْأَلَة
Hamza with Waw (ؤ)
When Hamza uses Waw (و) as its seat, it is written as ؤ.
Examples:
- Isolated: ؤ
- Final: ـؤ
- Medial: ـؤ
- Initial: ؤ
Hamza with Yaa (ئ)
When Hamza uses Yaa (ي) as its seat, it is written as ئ without dots.
Examples:
- Isolated: ئ
- Final: ـئ
- Medial: ـئـ
- Initial: ئـ
Examples:
- سَأَل
- مَسْأَلَة
- شَأْن
Final Hamza
To write Hamza at the end of a word, look at the vowel right before it:
- If the preceding letter has fatha, Hamza is placed over Alif. Examples:
- يَقْرَأ
- مَلْجَأ
- بَدَأ
- If the preceding letter has sukun, Hamza is placed alone on the line. Examples:
- شَيْء
- عِبْء
- جَاْءَ
- If the preceding letter has dhamma, Hamza is placed on Waw (ـؤ). Examples:
- بَطُؤَ
- لُؤلُؤ
- If the preceding letter has kasra, Hamza is written on Yaa (ى). Examples:
- قَارِئ
- مَلَاجِئ
- If Hamza follows a long vowel (و, ا, or ي) or a sukun, it sits on the line. Examples:
- مِلْء
- حَمْراء
- هُدوء
Note: Hamza does not connect to other letters. So, in words like تُضيء and مِلْء, the Hamza remains separate.