10 free tools and guides

Learn something new about the Arab world

Write your name in Arabic, read the alphabet, convert Hijri dates, pick up everyday phrases and explore 22 countries, their dishes and the scholars who shaped science. Free, and in four languages.

Interactive tool The Arabic Alphabet: All 28 Letters, Forms and Sounds The Arabic alphabet has 28 letters written right to left. See each letter's four forms, its sound, an example word and whether it is a sun or moon letter. Open Interactive tool Write Your Name in Arabic: Free Phonetic Converter Type your name and see it written in Arabic script, letter by letter. A free phonetic converter with common name spellings and tips for checking it. Open Interactive tool Arabic Numerals Converter: Western and Eastern Arabic Digits Convert numbers between Western digits (0 to 9) and Eastern Arabic digits (٠ to ٩) instantly. See each digit's Arabic name and where each system is used. Open Interactive tool Hijri to Gregorian Date Converter (and Back) Convert any date between the Hijri (Islamic) and Gregorian calendars using Umm al-Qura, and learn why Hijri dates shift about 11 days each year. Open Guide The 12 Islamic Months: Names, Meanings and Key Dates The 12 months of the Hijri calendar in order, with Arabic names, meanings, the four sacred months and key dates such as Ramadan, Eid and the Hajj. Open Guide 50 Essential Arabic Phrases for Travel and Everyday Life Learn 50 essential Arabic phrases with script, transliteration and set replies, from greetings to ordering food, plus how the main dialects differ. Open Fact file The 22 Arab League Countries: Capitals, Currencies and Facts The Arab League has 22 member states across Asia and Africa. See each country’s capital, currency, calling code, official languages and year it joined. Open Guide Arab Dishes by Country: 24 Classics and Where They Come From From hummus and mansaf to kabsa, koshari and couscous: 24 classic Arab dishes, what they are made of and the countries where each is most loved. Open Fact file Scholars of the Islamic Golden Age: A Timeline of Big Ideas Meet 16 scholars of the Islamic Golden Age, from al-Khwarizmi and Ibn Sina to Ibn Khaldun, with dates, cities and what each one is remembered for. Open Fact file Everyday Words From Arabic in English, French and Spanish Algebra, coffee, sugar, sofa: explore 36 everyday words that came from Arabic into English, French and Spanish, with their meaning and route, plus a quiz. Open

Why we built these

Our stories are about people. These tools are about the things around them: the script, the calendar, the words, the food and the history that connect hundreds of millions of Arabic speakers. Everything here is written by our editors from established sources, listed on each page.