Unlike English, in Arabic there are three type of vowels; (1) short vowel signs (2) long vowels (3) Diphthongs
(1) vowel signs "Haraka"
also known as short vowels
and "u" which are not part of Arabic alphabet but they are merely oral, and used
only in teaching texts for guiding the learner
(2) vowels letters long vowels "aa" "ii" and "uu" one of their function is to slightly lengthened the short vowels described in (1) above
(3) Diphthongs Alif and Ya "ay" and Alif and Waw "aw"
In linguistics term, diphthongs are complex speech sound or glide that begins with one vowel and gradually changes to another vowel within the same syllable.
(1) VOWEL SIGNS (SHORT VOWELS)
Fathah (Zabar) sign; an oblique dash over a consonant like represents "a" sound
Kasra (Zer) sign;an oblique dash under a consonant like represents "i" sound
Damma (Pesh) sign; a loop over ,resembles like comma, like represents "u" sound
(2) LONG VOWELS LETTERS
Letter Alif which lengthen the Fathah (zaber) "aa"
Letter Ya which lengthen the Kasra (Zer) short vowel "ii"
Letter Waw which lengthen the Damma (Pesh) short vowel "uu"