Wāw
وَاو
Shapes in a word
و
alone
و
start
ـو
middle
ـو
end
و never joins the letter after it.
Like “w” in “wet” — never “v”. After a damma it can also be a long “oo”.
In the Quran
Voiced · الجَهْرSoft (flowing) · الرَّخَاوَةLowered (light) · الاسْتِفَالOpen · الانْفِتَاحRestrained · الإِصْمَاتSoftness · اللِّين
16
Both lips
ب and م close the lips (م hums through the nose); و rounds them without closing.
Round the lips without closing them.
More words with و
وَWith fatha
وِWith kasra
وُWith damma
وْWith sukun
Characteristics (ṣifāt)
| Voiced | الجَهْر | The breath is held back and the voice carries the letter. |
| Soft (flowing) | الرَّخَاوَة | The sound flows on while the letter is held. |
| Lowered (light) | الاسْتِفَال | The tongue stays low, so the letter sounds light. |
| Open | الانْفِتَاح | The tongue stays apart from the palate. |
| Restrained | الإِصْمَات | Made further in, so it takes more care to say. |
| Softness | اللِّين | و or ي with sukun after a fatha, said smoothly (as in خَوْف، بَيْت). |