Waw (و) — Arabic Letter Guide
A "w" sound (consonant) or long "ū" vowel (like "oo" in "moon"), depending on context.
Last updated: May 2026 · Letter 27 of 28
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Waw — wāw (وَاو)
- Transliteration
- w / ū
- IPA
- w / uː
- Unicode
- U+0648
- Keyboard
- ,
- Finger
- right middle
- Connects?
- No (non-connecting on the left)
What is the letter Waw?
Waw is the twenty-seventh letter of the Arabic alphabet and one of seven non-connecting letters. It is a small rounded head with a long descending tail. Waw doubles as a consonant ("w") and as a long-vowel carrier ("ū"). It is also the Arabic conjunction "and" — the prefix و attached to any word.
The four forms of Waw
Arabic letters change shape depending on their position in a word. Waw has two distinct visual forms (it does not connect on the left):
| Position | Shape | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Isolated | و | Standing alone |
| Initial | و | Identical to isolated — does not change at word start |
| Medial | ـو | Identical to final — connects only to the preceding letter |
| Final | ـو | At the end of a word, connecting only on the right |
How to type Waw on Arabic keyboard
Arabic 101 key: press ,.
Finger: right middle finger.
The key for Waw 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 Waw
When waw stands at the start of a syllable or carries a vowel mark, it is the consonant "w" (as in English "win"). When it appears in the middle or end of a word as a vowel-carrier, it represents the long "ū" sound (as in "moon").
Example words with Waw
Letters often confused with Waw
ra
Final ra and final waw both descend below the line, but waw has a small round head, ra is a single curving stroke.
waw with hamza
Waw with hamza above represents the glottal-stop + waw sound, used in spellings like مُؤْمِن "believer".
Build muscle memory for the whole alphabet
Knowing where Waw 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 waw (و) on the Arabic 101 keyboard?
Press the , (comma) key — waw is reached by your right middle finger on the bottom row.
Is waw a consonant or a vowel?
Both, depending on context. As a consonant it is "w" (English-style). As a vowel-carrier it represents long "ū" (oo). The damma diacritic combined with waw means "long ū"; waw with sukun is the consonant "w".
How is the conjunction "and" written?
The Arabic word for "and" is "wa" — written as a single waw (و) attached as a prefix directly to the following word, without a space. For example, "the boy and the girl" is الْوَلَدُ وَالْبِنْتُ — note that the second "and" attaches directly to the next word.
Related Arabic letters
Or see the full Arabic 101 keyboard layout.