Long vowels, shadda and tanween
Arabic · Key Stage 2 · The School
Stretching sounds
When fatha is followed by ا, the "a" stretches long: با = "baa". Damma followed by و stretches "u" into "oo": بو = "boo". Kasra followed by ي stretches "i" into "ee": بي = "bee". These three letters — alif, wāw, yā — are the stretching letters (ḥurūf al-madd). كِتاب has a stretch in the middle: ki-taab.
Shadda doubles
A small w-shape above a letter (ــّ, shadda) means the letter is doubled: you press on it. رَبّ reads "rabb" — the bā is said twice as one pressed sound. Doubling changes meaning: دَرَسَ (darasa) means "he studied", while دَرَّسَ (darrasa) with shadda means "he taught". One little mark, a whole different word.
Tanween endings
Doubling a haraka at the END of a noun adds an "n" sound: ــً says "an", ــٍ says "in", ــٌ says "un". كِتابٌ reads "kitābun". Tanween is how Arabic marks certain noun endings — you will meet why in grammar later; for now, read it confidently when you see it.
دَرَسَ (darasa) — he studied. دَرَّسَ (darrasa), with a shadda on the ر — he TAUGHT, because doubling the middle letter makes the verb causative. دارَسَ (dārasa), with a long ā — he studied together with someone. Same three consonants, three meanings, and the difference is one mark or one letter of length. Now say all three aloud and hold the doubled ر properly.