Kasra

Part I: Getting Started kasra · yarji'u (yar-jee-oo; to return) · ya'rifu (yah-ree-foo; to know) When you conjugate a verb in the present tense, you must do two things: 1. ❋ Bouchentouf, Amine (2006)

Just as the ` alif elongates the fatHa and the waaw elongates the damma, the yaa 'elongates the kasra. ❋ Bouchentouf, Amine (2006)

For complete coverage of Arabic vowels (damma, fatHa, and kasra), check out Chapter 1. ❋ Bouchentouf, Amine (2006)

To create a long vowel form of a kasra, you attach a yaa 'to the consonant with the kasra. ❋ Bouchentouf, Amine (2006)

In English transcription, it's represented by the letter "u," as in funduq (foon-dook; hotel) or suHub (soo-hoob; clouds). kasra: The third main vowel in Arabic is the kasra (kahs-rah), which sounds like the long "e" in "feet" or "treat." ❋ Bouchentouf, Amine (2006)

When you take the same consonant and use a kasra, which represents the "ee" sound, you get the sound "bee." ❋ Bouchentouf, Amine (2006)

Double kasra: tanwiin with kasra makes the "een" sound, as in SafHatin (sahf-hah-teen; page). ❋ Bouchentouf, Amine (2006)

The kasra is written the same way as a fatHa -- as a small horizontal line -- except that it goes underneath the consonant. ❋ Bouchentouf, Amine (2006)

Arabic Vowel Characters Explanation To create a long vowel form of a fatHa To create a long vowel form of a damma To create a long vowel form of a kasra Diphthongs Diphthongs in Arabic are a special category of vowels because, in essence, they're monosyllabic sounds that begin with one vowel and "glide" into another vowel. ❋ Bouchentouf, Amine (2006)