Alif Baa: Introduction to Arabic Letters and Sounds
The standard first book: the Arabic script and sound system in about six weeks.
What it actually is
Volume zero of the Al-Kitaab programme, taking you from no Arabic at all to reading and handwriting the alphabet, with video drills for the sounds English speakers struggle with (ع، ح، ق، ط) and a companion website of exercises. Uniquely for a script book, it introduces Egyptian and Levantine pronunciation alongside formal Arabic from the start. It is a paid textbook whose online access code is tied to the purchase, and used copies often have that code already redeemed.
What it covers
- Reading
- Writing
- Pronunciation
- Listening