Alif Maksura (ى) — Arabic Letter Guide
Long "ā" — identical in sound to the regular alif. Visually distinguished by appearance only.
Last updated: May 2026 · Variant / non-alphabet letter
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Alif Maksura — alif maqṣūra (أَلِف مَقْصُورَة)
- Transliteration
- ā
- IPA
- aː
- Unicode
- U+0649
- Keyboard
- N
- Finger
- right index
- Connects?
- No (non-connecting on the left)
What is the letter Alif Maksura?
Alif maksura (literally "shortened alif") is a long "ā" sound written at the end of certain words using a ya-like shape without dots. It looks identical to final ya (ـي) minus the two dots. It is not part of the 28-letter alphabet but is a common word-ending variant.
The four forms of Alif Maksura
Arabic letters change shape depending on their position in a word. Alif Maksura has two distinct visual forms (it does not connect on the left):
| Position | Shape | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Isolated | ى | Standing alone |
| Initial | ى | Identical to isolated — does not change at word start |
| Medial | ـى | Identical to final — connects only to the preceding letter |
| Final | ـى | At the end of a word, connecting only on the right |
How to type Alif Maksura on Arabic keyboard
Arabic 101 key: press N.
Finger: right index finger.
The key for Alif Maksura is mapped via the standard Arabic 101 keyboard layout, which is the default Arabic input source on Windows, macOS (as “Arabic - PC”), and most Linux distributions.
How to pronounce Alif Maksura
Same sound as regular alif (long "ā"). Alif maksura is purely a spelling variant — used in certain words at the end. Pronunciation: like "a" in "father".
Example words with Alif Maksura
Letters often confused with Alif Maksura
ya
Identical shape; alif maksura has no dots below, ya has two dots below.
alif
Same sound (long ā), different shape and different word positions.
Build muscle memory for the whole alphabet
Knowing where Alif Maksura sits on the keyboard is one thing — being able to touch-type it without thinking is another. Our drills work through every letter in the alphabet with structured progression.
Frequently asked questions
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How do I type alif maksura (ى) on the Arabic 101 keyboard?
Press the N key — alif maksura is on the bottom row under your right index finger.
When is alif maksura used instead of regular alif?
Alif maksura appears at the end of certain Arabic words — typically those whose final root letter is ي (e.g. مَشَى "he walked", from root م-ش-ي). The rule is etymological: words whose final root letter was historically "y" but is now pronounced "ā" use alif maksura. Words from roots ending in و use the regular alif (e.g. دَعَا "he called" from root د-ع-و).
Is alif maksura pronounced like ya?
No — despite the visual similarity, alif maksura is pronounced as a long "ā", identical to a regular alif. Ya is "y" or long "ī". The two dots below ya are the only visual difference.
Related Arabic letters
Or see the full Arabic 101 keyboard layout.