Arabic Touch Typing

How the Arabic layout is organised, how to sit, and where your fingers rest.

• 1.1Getting to know the Arabic layoutFind the two anchor letters: ب and ت.
• 1.2Posture and comfortSit in a position you can hold for a long session.
• 1.3Middle fingers: ي and نPlace your middle fingers on ي (D) and ن (K).
• 1.4The full home rowRest all eight fingers: ش س ي ب — ت ن م ك
• 1.5Thumbs and spacingSeparate letter groups with smooth, light spaces.

The most common Arabic letters live here — including ا and ل.

• 2.1ب and ت anchorsReturn to ب and ت without looking.
• 2.2Left hand: ش س ي بControl every left-hand home key.
• 2.3Right hand: ت ن م كControl every right-hand home key.
• 2.4Both handsAlternate between the two hands smoothly.
• 2.5Reaching for ل and اReach inward with your index fingers: ل (G) and ا (H) — two of the most used Arabic letters.
• 2.6First Arabic wordsType real words using home-row letters.
• 2.7The ط keyReach right with your right pinky for ط.
• 2.8Home-row wordsBuild fluency with a wider set of words.
• 2.9Home-row word mixType a longer mix without pausing between words.
• 2.10Home-row phrasesType short phrases that read naturally.
• 2.11Home-row checkShow steady accuracy across the whole home row.

ض ص ث ق ف غ ع ه خ ح ج د — reach up and return home.

• 3.1ق and فReach up with your left index finger for ق (R) and ف (T).
• 3.2غ and عReach up with your right index finger for غ (Y) and ع (U).
• 3.3Words with ق ف غ عUse the four new index-finger letters in words.
• 3.4ث and هReach up with your middle fingers for ث (E) and ه (I).
• 3.5ص and خReach up with your ring fingers for ص (W) and خ (O).
• 3.6ض and حReach up with your pinkies for ض (Q) and ح (P).
• 3.7ج and دStretch your right pinky to ج ([) and د (]).
• 3.8Top-row wordsCombine the full top row with the home row.
• 3.9Common letter pairsPractise frequent Arabic letter combinations: ال، من، في، عن.
• 3.10Top-row phrasesType phrases using both rows learned so far.
• 3.11Top-row checkType top-row words accurately.

ئ ء ؤ ر لا ى ة و ز ظ and ذ — the final letter keys.

• 4.1ر and وReach down for ر (V, left index) and و (comma key, right middle).
• 4.2Words with ر and وUse ر and و — two very frequent letters — in words.
• 4.3Hamza keys: ء ؤ ئFind ئ (Z), ء (X) and ؤ (C) on the bottom-left.
• 4.4ى and ةType ى (N) and ة (M) — not to be confused with ي and ه.
• 4.5ز and ظReach down with your ring finger for ز and your pinky for ظ.
• 4.6The lam-alef keyUse the single لا key (B) — or type ل then ا; both are accepted.
• 4.7The ذ keyReach up and left with your left pinky for ذ (the key left of 1).
• 4.8Bottom-row wordsType words that lean on the bottom row.
• 4.9All lettersType words that cover every Arabic letter key.
• 4.10Three-row sentencesType short sentences without punctuation.
• 4.11Letters checkProve control of every Arabic letter key.

أ إ آ, lam-alef forms, and Arabic punctuation: ، . ؟ ؛ : ! "

• 5.1Sign inAlef with hamza above: أType أ with Shift + ا (H).
• 5.2Sign inAlef with hamza below: إType إ with Shift + غ (Y).
• 5.3Sign inAlef madda: آType آ with Shift + ى (N).
• 5.4Sign inLam-alef forms: لأ لإ لآUse the shifted lam-alef keys (G, T, B) — or type ل then the alef.
• 5.5Sign inTelling hamza forms apartType words where the hamza form changes the spelling.
• 5.6Sign inThe Arabic comma ،Type the Arabic comma with Shift + ن (K).
• 5.7Sign inThe full stopType . with Shift + ز (period key).
• 5.8Sign inThe Arabic question mark ؟Type ؟ with Shift + ظ (slash key).
• 5.9Sign inSemicolon ؛ and colon :Type ؛ (Shift + ح) and : (Shift + ك).
• 5.10Sign inExclamation and quotation marksType ! (Shift + 1) and " (Shift + ط).
• 5.11Sign inHamza and punctuation checkType a punctuated paragraph with correct hamza forms.

Fatha, damma, kasra, sukun, shadda and tanween — typed with Shift.

• 6.1Sign inFathaAdd a fatha with Shift + ض (Q).
• 6.2Sign inDammaAdd a damma with Shift + ث (E).
• 6.3Sign inKasraAdd a kasra with Shift + ش (A).
• 6.4Sign inSukunAdd a sukun with Shift + ء (X).
• 6.5Sign inShaddaAdd a shadda with Shift + ذ (the key left of 1), with or before its vowel.
• 6.6Sign inTanweenType fathatan (Shift + ص), dammatan (Shift + ق) and kasratan (Shift + س).
• 6.7Sign inVocalised wordsType fully vocalised words accurately.
• 6.8Sign inVocalised sentencesType short vocalised sentences.
• 6.9Sign inPartly vocalised textMost real text marks only key letters; type it exactly as shown.
• 6.10Sign inDiacritics checkType vocalised text with complete accuracy.

Digits, dates, times, prices and percentages in Arabic text.

• 7.1Sign inDigits 1 to 5Reach the left side of the number row.
• 7.2Sign inDigits 6 to 0Reach the right side of the number row.
• 7.3Sign inNumbers in sentencesSwitch between Arabic letters and digits.
• 7.4Sign inDates: Hijri and GregorianType dates in both calendars.
• 7.5Sign inTimes and durationsType times and durations clearly.
• 7.6Sign inPercentagesType % with Shift + 5.
• 7.7Sign inPrices in riyalsType prices and amounts in Saudi riyals, with the Latin comma (Shift + و) as a thousands separator.
• 7.8Sign inPhone numbers and referencesType long numbers accurately in groups.
• 7.9Sign inArabic-Indic digitsText shows Arabic-Indic digits (١٢٣); type them with the number row — both digit forms are accepted here.
• 7.10Sign inNumbers checkType a numeric note accurately.

Real Arabic writing mixes in English names, terms and addresses.

• 8.1Sign inOne English wordSwitch to English for a single word, then back.
• 8.2Sign inBrand and product namesType mixed sentences with product names.
• 8.3Sign inEmail addresses and linksType email addresses inside Arabic sentences.
• 8.4Sign inTechnical termsMix Arabic explanations with English technical terms.
• 8.5Sign inUnits and abbreviationsType units and abbreviations with numbers.
• 8.6Sign inBilingual sentencesType a sentence in Arabic followed by one in English.
• 8.7Sign inCodes and identifiersType mixed letter-number codes precisely.
• 8.8Sign inNames in two scriptsType names in Arabic and their Latin spelling, in brackets.
• 8.9Sign inMixed paragraphSwitch languages smoothly inside a paragraph.
• 8.10Sign inSwitching checkType a realistic mixed-language message.

Emails, official letters, minutes, reports and customer replies.

• 9.1Sign inA workplace emailType a clear, courteous work email.
• 9.2Sign inAn official letterType a formal letter with standard phrasing.
• 9.3Sign inMeeting minutesRecord decisions and action items.
• 9.4Sign inReport summaryType a structured report paragraph.
• 9.5Sign inCustomer service replyType an empathetic, helpful reply.
• 9.6Sign inInternal announcementType a concise announcement to staff.
• 9.7Sign inFinancial summaryType figures and percentages without errors.
• 9.8Sign inProject updateReport progress, risks and next steps.
• 9.9Sign inAn invitationType a formal event invitation.
• 9.10Sign inA formal requestType a polite, structured request.
• 9.11Sign inProfessional checkType a realistic work message at professional pace.

Long passages, speed and accuracy work, and the final assessment.

• 10.1Sign inLong passage: the desertSustain accuracy across a longer passage.
• 10.2Sign inLong passage: readingKeep rhythm through varied vocabulary.
• 10.3Sign inLong passage: technologyType dense informational text accurately.
• 10.4Sign inSpeed burstPush past your comfortable speed with short, common words.
• 10.5Sign inSpeed passageHold a high pace on easy, flowing text.
• 10.6Sign inAccuracy passageType a detail-heavy passage with near-perfect accuracy.
• 10.7Sign inConsistency challengeType at an even pace from start to finish.
• 10.8Sign inEndurance passageStay accurate when you begin to tire.
• 10.9Sign inSpeed assessmentReach your top sustainable speed.
• 10.10Sign inAccuracy assessmentType complex text with near-perfect accuracy.
• 10.11Sign inProfessional assessmentType a realistic business document at pace.
• 10.12Sign inFinal course assessmentComplete the course with a comprehensive final passage.