The Letter Seen س is the twelfth letter in the Arabic alphabet. Its shape is similar to a wave, and we call it a “sun letter,” meaning we do not pronounce it when it follows the definite article ال. Unlike the letter Saad (ص), the sound of Seen is thin and soft.
Seen in Arabic: The Shapes of the Letter Seen “س”
The shape of the seen arabic letter changes based on its position in a word. This letter connects to the letters that follow it, which gives it four different shapes. The letter has a distinctive appearance with “three teeth” that help you recognize it.
| Position | Arabic Shape | Example | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isolated | س | سُوق (suq) | market |
| رَأْس (ra’s) | head | ||
| كَأس (ka’s) | cup | ||
| Initial | سـ | سَمَك (samak) | fish |
| سَعِيد (sa’eed) | happy | ||
| سَيَّارَة (sayyarah) | car | ||
| Medial | ـسـ | مَسْجِد (masjid) | mosque |
| دَرْسِي (darsi) | my lesson | ||
| أُسْتَاذ (ustaadh) | professor | ||
| Final | ـس | شَمْس (shams) | sun |
| دَرْس (dars) | lesson | ||
| فُسْتَان (fustaan) | dress |
Seen with the Harakat (الحركات)
The harakat (short vowels) significantly change the sound of a letter. Small marks placed above or below the letter change its sound.
| Vowel | Arabic Form | Sound (Transliteration) | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fatha | سَ | sa | سَفَر (safar – travel) |
| سَلام (salam – peace) | |||
| سَمَاء (samaa’ – sky) | |||
| Damma | سُ | su | سُلَّم (sullam – ladder) |
| سُكَّر (sukkar – sugar) | |||
| سُرْعَة (sur’ah – speed) | |||
| Kasra | سِ | si | سِنّ (sinn – tooth) |
| سِهَام (sihaam – arrows) | |||
| سِتَارَة (sitara – curtain) | |||
| Sukoon | سْ | s | مِسْمَار (mismar – nail) |
| مَسْأَلَة (mas’alah – question) | |||
| نَسِيم (naseem – breeze) |
Pronunciation of Letter س with Long Vowels
The long vowels (Alif, Waw, and Yaa) are letters that elongate the sound of the seen arabic letter.
| Long Vowel | Arabic Form | Sound (Transliteration) | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alif | سَا | saa | سَاعَة (saa’ah – clock/hour) |
| أُسَامَة (usaama – name) | |||
| مَسَار (masaar – path) | |||
| Waw | سُو | soo | سُوق (suq – market) |
| رَسُول (rasuul – messenger) | |||
| مَسْرُور (masruur – happy) | |||
| Yaa | سِي | see | سِكِّين (sikkin – knife) |
| دَرَسِيّ (darasiy – academic) | |||
| تَمَاسِيل (tamaseel – statues) |
Conclusion: A Step Towards Fluency
You have mastered the seen arabic letter! By understanding its shapes, pronunciation with vowels, and common examples, you have gained a crucial building block. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be able to read and write with confidence. This guide will always be here to help you as you continue your path to fluency!
