---
title: "The Arabic letter ف (fāʾ): sound, forms and words"
description: "ف (fāʾ) is letter 20 of 28 in the Arabic alphabet: how it sounds, how it is written at the start, middle and end of a word, and Arabic words that begin with it."
canonical: "https://fasaha.app/arabic-alphabet/fa"
language: "en"
direction: "ltr"
---

# The Arabic letter ف (fāʾ): sound, forms and words

ف, called fāʾ, is letter 20 of the 28 in the Arabic alphabet. How it sounds: f. It joins the letter after it, so it has four written forms.

## How ف is written

- Alone: ف
- Start: ف‍
- Middle: ‍ف‍
- End: ‍ف

## Arabic words that begin with ف

From the Fasaha dictionary, easiest first. Each word opens its own page with meaning, root and forms.

- [فِي](https://fasaha.app/w/fi) — fī, in, at (A0)
- [فَقَطْ](https://fasaha.app/w/faqat) — faqaṭ, only (A0)
- [فَتَحَ](https://fasaha.app/w/fatahat) — fataḥa, to open (A1)
- [فَهِمَ](https://fasaha.app/w/fahima) — fahima, to understand (A1)
- [فَرْد](https://fasaha.app/w/afrad) — fard, individual, member (A2)
- [فِكْر](https://fasaha.app/w/fikr) — fikr, thought; idea (A2)
- [فُصْحَى](https://fasaha.app/w/fusha) — fuṣḥā, Standard Arabic (B1)
- [فَصَاحَة](https://fasaha.app/w/fasaha) — faṣāḥa, eloquence (C1)

## Questions about ف

### How do you pronounce the Arabic letter ف?

ف (fāʾ) sounds like this: f.

### Does ف join the next letter?

Yes. ف joins the letter after it, so it has separate start, middle and end shapes: ف‍, ‍ف‍, ‍ف.

### What number is ف in the Arabic alphabet?

ف is letter 20 of 28, after غ (ghayn) and before ق (qāf).

- Previous letter: [غ (ghayn)](https://fasaha.app/arabic-alphabet/ghayn)
- Next letter: [ق (qāf)](https://fasaha.app/arabic-alphabet/qaf)

[All 28 letters in the alphabet chart](https://fasaha.app/arabic-alphabet-chart)