About this Letter

The letter و (Waw) has two important functions in Arabic: as a consonant and as a long vowel. As a Consonant: When و appears at the beginning of a word or syllable, it is pronounced like the "w" in "water" or "window." As a Long Vowel: When و follows a damma (ـُ), it creates a LONG VOWEL sound "oo" (like "oo" in "food" or "moon"). This is held for about twice as long as a regular damma. For example: بُو is pronounced "boo" (long). Letter Forms: - Isolated: و (when the letter stands alone) - Initial: و (same as isolated - this letter does not connect forward) - Medial: ـو (when it appears in the middle of a word) - Final: ـو (when it ends a word) The letter و is a non-connector, meaning it does not connect to the letter that follows it. Vowel Marks (Harakat): - With Fatha (وَ): Pronounced "wa" (like "wa" in "water") - With Damma (وُ): Pronounced "wu" (like "woo") - With Kasra (وِ): Pronounced "wi" (like "we") - With Sukoon (وْ): Consonant only, no vowel - With Tanween Fath (وً): Pronounced "wan" (adds "-an" sound) - With Tanween Damm (وٌ): Pronounced "wun" (adds "-un" sound) - With Tanween Kasr (وٍ): Pronounced "win" (adds "-in" sound) Long Vowel Formation: - ـُو = "oo" sound (damma + و) - Example: بُو = "boo" - This is different from ـُ alone which is a short "u" sound Practice Tips: 1. Learn to distinguish between و as a consonant ("w" sound) and as a long vowel ("oo" sound) 2. When you see damma + و, hold the "oo" sound longer 3. Remember that و does not connect forward 4. Very common letter in Arabic