English to Arabic Typing
Write Arabic with the Latin letters you already know. Type the sound of the word — mr7ba, 3arabi, salam — and this free english to arabic typing tool converts it to Arabic script instantly, right in your browser. No download, no sign-up.
Last updated: June 2026
Quick answer: To type Arabic from English, switch the keyboard above to Transliteration and spell the word the way it sounds — salam becomes سلام. For Arabic sounds that have no English letter, use numbers: 3 = ع, 7 = ح, 9 = ق. The Arabic appears as you type — then tap Copy.
How English-to-Arabic phonetic typing works
Instead of learning where each Arabic letter sits on the keyboard, you simply write the sound in English letters and this tool maps it to Arabic script in real time. Type kitab and you get كتاب; type madrasa and you get مدرسة. It reads common letter pairs too — sh → ش, kh → خ, th → ث, gh → غ. This is the easiest on-ramp if you can speak some Arabic but don’t know the Arabic keyboard layout.
The Franco-Arabic / Arabizi number key
A few Arabic sounds have no Latin letter, so chat writers borrow numbers whose shape resembles the Arabic letter. These are the numbers this tool understands:
| Number | Arabic letter | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | ء (hamza) | glottal stop | so2al → سؤال |
| 3 | ع (ʿayn) | deep “a” from the throat | 3een → عين |
| 5 | خ (khaa) | “ch” as in Bach | 5aled → خالد |
| 6 | ط (ṭaa) | heavy “t” | 6areeq → طريق |
| 7 | ح (ḥaa) | breathy “h” | 7abibi → حبيبي |
| 8 | غ (ghayn) | like a French “r” | 8areeb → غريب |
| 9 | ق (qaf) | deep “k” | 9alb → قلب |
Conventions vary a little by country — in some regions people write kh for خ and gh for غ instead of 5 and 8, and a few use 8 for ق. This tool accepts the letter pairs as well, so either way works.
Why Arabs type Arabic with numbers
This “chat alphabet” — Franco-Arabic in the Maghreb, Arabizi in the east — appeared in the 1990s and 2000s, when phones, early forums and SMS didn’t support Arabic letters. People wrote Arabic with the Latin keys they had, using numbers for the handful of sounds English can’t spell. It’s still everywhere in texting today, especially in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, where French and Arabic mix freely.
Transliteration vs translation — what this tool does
This is a transliteration tool, not a translation tool. It changes the script, not the meaning: type marhaba and you get مرحبا (the Arabic spelling of “marhaba”), not the English word “hello”. If you want the meaning of an Arabic word, use the Translate button on the keyboard above to open a translator.
Examples you can copy
| Type this | You get | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| salam | سلام | peace / hi |
| shukran | شكرا | thank you |
| 7abibi | حبيبي | my dear |
| 3eed mubarak | عيد مبارك | blessed Eid |
| 9alb | قلب | heart |
| 5alas | خلاص | enough / done |
Adding harakat & typing on mobile
After a word is converted, you can add the short-vowel marks from the diacritics row, or open the dedicated Arabic keyboard with harakat. On a phone, this works the same way — type in your browser with your normal English keyboard, convert, and Copy the Arabic into WhatsApp, Instagram or any app. New to Arabic typing? Try the full Arabic keyboard, the French clavier arabe, or the Arabic typing test.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between translation and transliteration?
Translation changes the meaning (marhaba → “hello”); transliteration changes only the script (marhaba → مرحبا). This tool transliterates.
How do I type Arabic using an English keyboard?
Spell the word how it sounds — shukran → شكرا — and the tool maps the sounds to Arabic letters as you type.
What does 7 mean in Arabic chat?
It’s ح (ḥaa), a breathy H — 7abibi → حبيبي.
What does 3 mean in Arabic texting?
It’s ع (ʿayn), a throat sound with no English letter — 3een → عين.
What is Franco-Arabic / Arabizi?
An informal system for writing Arabic in Latin letters and numbers, born in the 1990s before devices supported Arabic script.
Can I add harakat when typing phonetically?
Yes — convert the word, then add the marks from the diacritics row or use the harakat keyboard.
Does this work on a phone?
Yes — type in your phone browser with your English keyboard, no app needed, then copy the Arabic.
Do you store what I type?
No — conversion happens in your browser and your text never leaves your device.