The Arabic Letter Laam (ل) — How to Pronounce & Write

Laam is the twenty-third letter of the Arabic alphabet. It makes the “l” sound — exactly like the English “l” in “lamp” or “light.” It’s one of the most versatile letters in Arabic because it connects seamlessly to nearly every other letter, appearing constantly in common words and grammatical structures.

How to pronounce it

Laam is a voiced alveolar lateral approximant. It’s pronounced /l/ — the same sound as English “l” in “lamp” or “leaf.”

• Tip: Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge just behind your upper front teeth, and let the air flow around the sides of your tongue. It’s identical to the English “l.”
• Common mistake: Don’t confuse laam with the definite article “al” (ال). In the definite article, laam is often pronounced as a “dark l” (like the “l” in “full”), but when laam appears in other positions, it’s a “clear l” (like the “l” in “light”). Pay attention to this distinction.

Short vowels with ل

Try saying these — each one is the same letter with a different short vowel:

Short vowels are the small marks above or below consonants. They’re not always written in everyday Arabic, but they’re essential when you’re learning. Listen to how the vowel changes the sound.

Words with ل

Here are common words where laam appears in different positions. Tap a card to hear the word, flip it to see the meaning.

How to write it

Laam is unique because it connects to almost everything. It changes shape significantly depending on its position, but always maintains a vertical stroke that anchors it.

Key rule: Laam always has a tall vertical stroke. In connected forms, it extends upward like a mast. When it starts a word, the vertical stroke is prominent. When it ends a word after another letter, it curves gently at the bottom.

Practice tip

Write laam ten times in each position — alone, start, middle, end. Then try these words:

لَ + يل = ليل (night) لَ + عب = لعب (played)

Say them out loud. The “l” sound should be clear and light — tongue tip up, air flowing around the sides. Pay attention to the tall vertical stroke that makes laam so distinctive.

Watch out for: ل and the definite article ال

Laam plays a special role in Arabic as part of the definite article “al” (ال). This is different from how laam behaves in regular words:

When laam appears in the definite article, it’s pronounced as a dark “l” (like in “full”). Before “sun letters” (ت، ث، د، ذ، ر، ز، س، ش، ص، ض، ط، ظ، ل، ن), the laam is silent and the following letter is doubled. This is an important rule to remember.

Frequently asked questions

Why is laam special in the definite article?

Arabic writes the as al- (ال), and that laam begins thousands of nouns: kitab becomes al-kitab. Mastering laam early unlocks the entire definite-article system.

What is the laam in Allah pronounced like?

In the word Allah specifically, the laam is traditionally pronounced heavy and velarized — a unique rule tied to this single word.

How tall should laam be?

It is the tallest connector after alif. Keep its vertical stroke proportional to alif in your handwriting — roughly the alif height minus a little.