Kasra (ِ) - short i

Arabic letters are mostly consonants. Imagine the letter Baa (ب). On its own, it is just a 'B' sound. To make it say 'Bi,' you need a Kasra. You place a small diagonal line below it: بِ. Now it has a voice. This system allows Arabic to stay compact. You do not need to cram extra letters into a word. Just add a little stroke underneath. It functions like a musical note. It tells you exactly how to pitch your voice. Most of the time, you will see these in textbooks. In newspapers, people often leave them out. They expect you to know the word. But for now, they are your best friends. They are like training wheels for your pronunciation.

1. 1Adding a Kasra is as easy as drawing a line. Follow these simple steps:
2. 2Identify your target letter. Let's use Seen (س).
3. 3Move your pen directly below the letter's main body.
4. 4Draw a short, diagonal stroke from top-right to bottom-left: سِ.
5. 5Pronounce the letter's sound first, then follow with a quick 'i'.
6. 6Practice this with the whole alphabet to get the rhythm.
7. 7It is like a little basement for your letters. Keep the stroke short. If you make it too long, it might look like a different mark entirely. Precision is key here. Think of it like a tiny scratch on the floor. It is subtle but powerful.

You will use the Kasra in three main scenarios. First, it appears in the middle of words. Words like Bint (girl) use it: بِنْت. Second, it shows up at the beginning. An example is Min (from): مِنْ. Third, it serves a grammatical purpose. This is called the 'Genitive' case. When a word follows a preposition, it often ends in a Kasra. Imagine you are at a cafe. You ask for a coffee 'with' sugar. The word 'sugar' will likely get a Kasra at the end. It signals how words relate to each other. It acts like a grammar traffic light. It tells the listener that this word belongs to the previous one. It is very common in daily speech.

Do not use a Kasra when you want a long 'ee' sound. For long sounds, you use the letter Ya (ي). If you want to say 'Saeed' (happy), a Kasra is too short. Use the full letter instead. Also, avoid it when a letter has a Sukun. A Sukun means 'silence' or no vowel. If you see a little circle above, keep it quiet. Do not put a Kasra under a letter that already has a Fatha or Damma. They do not like to share. One vowel per letter is the golden rule. It is like a seat on a bus. Only one person can sit there at a time.

New learners often confuse Kasra with Fatha. A Fatha (َ) sits on top. A Kasra (ِ) sits below. Just remember: 'Fatha is for the ceiling, Kasra is for the cellar.' Another mistake is making it too long. If you stretch the sound, you are accidentally adding a Ya. This can change the whole meaning. For example, Min (from) becomes Meen (who). That is a big difference! Yes, even native speakers mess this up when writing quickly. Think of it like a grammar typo. Stay sharp and keep your 'i' sounds clipped. Don't let them drag on like a Monday morning.

Let's compare our three main short vowels. The Fatha gives an 'a' sound (like 'cat'). The Damma gives an 'u' sound (like 'blue'). Our Kasra gives the 'i' sound. Look at the letter Dal (د). دَ is 'Da'. دُ is 'Du'. دِ is 'Di'. See how the position changes everything? It is a visual language. The location of the mark tells the whole story. It is like a secret code. Once you know the positions, you can read anything. It’s much easier than English spelling rules. No 'I before E except after C' here!