Diacritics · 5 min read
How to Type Arabic Tashkeel and Diacritics
Tashkeel marks are small signs written above or below Arabic letters. They can show short vowels, pronunciation, or grammatical endings. Most everyday Arabic is written without full vowel marks, but learners, children’s materials, dictionaries, and carefully read phrases often benefit from them.
Recognize the common marks
Fatha (َ) is a short a-like vowel above a letter; damma (ُ) is a short u-like vowel above it; and kasra (ِ) is a short i-like vowel below it. Sukun (ْ) marks the absence of a short vowel, while shadda (ّ) indicates a doubled consonant. Tanwin forms add an n sound at the end in relevant grammatical contexts.
A mark modifies the letter beside it; it is not a separate letter. For instance, adding a fatha to ك gives كَ. The intended pronunciation still depends on the word and context, so use a trusted dictionary or teacher when accuracy matters.
Insert a mark at the cursor
In harf, write the Arabic letter first, place the cursor after that letter, and open the tashkeel control. Choose the mark you want. The mark is inserted at the cursor, so if it appears beside the wrong letter, undo or delete it and place the cursor again.
Try a short example such as كَتابٌ while watching where each sign appears. Some text boxes display combining marks differently depending on font and browser; judge the final reading rather than the visual position alone.
Use only the amount of tashkeel you need
Full vocalization can make a passage easier for a beginner to pronounce, but it can also add visual density. For a name or short phrase, mark only the letters whose pronunciation needs clarification. For teaching or publishing, follow the spelling and editorial conventions required by that context.
Tashkeel is optional in harf and is not added automatically. You choose each mark yourself, and the text remains in your browser unless you explicitly request translation.
Put what you learned into practice.
Open the harf keyboard and try a short phrase. Click the letters or use your physical keyboard.
Open the keyboard