The
tanween is an "n" sound added to the
end of the word in certain circumistances, usually it functions just like the "a" and "an" in English. The word
tanween, usually translated as "nunation", means "to 'n'", or "'n'ing"; making an "n" sound.
Tanween is indicated by doubling the short vowel at the end of the word. If a word ends with a "kesra" tashkeel, then the
tanween is indicated by writing two "kesra"s (one above the other), same with the "dhamma", you write
two dhammas, one beside the other . However, with the "fat-ha", you don't only double the "fat-ha", but you add an "Alif" and put the double fat-ha's on the "alif" letter. (remember, the "Alif" is the first letter in the alphabet).
So, we can say there are three types of tanween:
- fat-ha tanween.
- kesra tanween.
- dhamma tanween.
The fat-ha
tanween is pronounced "en", as in "then", "when", "men", etc. Even though a lot of native Arabic speakers would use "an" to indicate it, since "a" maps to the "aaaa" sound. However, "en" is probably more accurate.
The kesra tanween is pronouced "in", as in "in", "sin", "fin", "min", etc.
Again, some native Arabic speakers might indicate a kesra
tanween with an "en", thinking that "e" sounds like the Arabic "yaa" letter ("ii" vowel). This is a mistake that stems from not knowing how native English speakers pronounce the "e" sound.
The dhamma
tanween is pronounced as a short "oo" followed by an "n". I'm not sure whether this sound occurs in English or not, maybe it occurs in the word "pun", but I'm not sure.
If the
tanween is the last thing in the sentence, it's not pronounced, (maybe the fatha-tanween is an exception, since most Arabs usually pronouce it, but I'm not sure if this is correct or a common mistake).
Again,
tanween is added only to the ends of words, it functions as the indefinite article "a" in English.
The following works for all letters {حُرُوف}, in all forms.
Pronounce the "i" as the "i" in bit OR a really short "ee" sound.
Pronounce the "u" as a really short "oo" sound.
Pronounce the "a" as the "a" sound in "cat".
|
ٍب
(bi) |
بٌ
(bu) |
بً
(ba) |
|
تٍ
(ti) |
تٌ
(tu) |
تً
(ta) |
|
ثٍ
(thi) |
ثٌ
(thu) |
ثً
(tha) |
|
سٍ
(si) |
سٌ
(su) |
سً
(sa) |
EditUnimportant Note
In all reality,
سً should be written as
ساً OR
سًا.
And
بً should be written as
باً OR
بًا
.
This is due to stopping (waqf) pronounciation, and spelling rules.
Any letter except for ء (-hamza-) and ة (-taa marbooTah), always ends in an alif when it ends in fatHataan ("fatHataan" means "two fatHa s").