---
title: "The Arabic letter ح (ḥāʾ): sound, forms and words"
description: "ح (ḥāʾ) is letter 6 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/hha"
language: "en"
direction: "ltr"
---

# The Arabic letter ح (ḥāʾ): sound, forms and words

ح, called ḥāʾ, is letter 6 of the 28 in the Arabic alphabet. How it sounds: a breathy h from deep in the throat. It joins the letter after it, so it has four written forms.

## How ح is written

- Alone: ح
- Start: ح‍
- Middle: ‍ح‍
- End: ‍ح

## Arabic words that begin with ح

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

- [حَرْف](https://fasaha.app/w/harf) — ḥarf, letter (of the alphabet) (A0)
- [حُبّ](https://fasaha.app/w/hubb) — ḥubb, love (A1)
- [حِمَار](https://fasaha.app/w/himar) — ḥimār, donkey (A1)
- [حَيَاة](https://fasaha.app/w/hayat) — ḥayāt, life (A1)
- [حَيَوَان](https://fasaha.app/w/hayawan) — ḥayawān, animal (A1)
- [حَلْوَى](https://fasaha.app/w/halwa) — ḥalwā, sweets, halva (A1)
- [حَتَّى](https://fasaha.app/w/hatta) — ḥattā, until; even (A2)
- [حَبِيب](https://fasaha.app/w/habib) — ḥabīb, beloved, dear (A2)
- [حِكَايَة](https://fasaha.app/w/hikayat) — ḥikāya, tale, story (A2)
- [حَرَكَة](https://fasaha.app/w/harakat) — ḥaraka, movement; antic (A2)
- [حَيّ](https://fasaha.app/w/hayy) — ḥayy, alive; neighbourhood (A2)
- [حَجّ](https://fasaha.app/w/hajj) — ḥajj, pilgrimage (A2)

## Questions about ح

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

ح (ḥāʾ) sounds like this: a breathy h from deep in the throat.

### Does ح join the next letter?

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

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

ح is letter 6 of 28, after ج (jīm) and before خ (khāʾ).

- Previous letter: [ج (jīm)](https://fasaha.app/arabic-alphabet/jim)
- Next letter: [خ (khāʾ)](https://fasaha.app/arabic-alphabet/kha)

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