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Arabic Transliteration Tool
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Convert Arabic to English letters (Latin script), or type in Latin letters and convert them to Arabic script, with this free online Arabic transliteration tool. It works for words, names, phrases and full sentences, in both directions, instantly in your browser.
What Is Arabic Transliteration?
Arabic transliteration represents Arabic words and text using Latin letters, making them readable without the original Arabic script — for example, the word سلام becomes "salam". This is different from translation, which would render سلام as its English meaning, "peace".
Because Arabic has several sounds that don't exist in English (such as ع, ح, ق, and the emphatic consonants ص، ض، ط، ظ), no single transliteration system is universally used. Academic systems like IJMES or ALA-LC use diacritical marks for precision, while everyday transliteration — the kind used in news, social media, and casual writing — favors readability over strict phonetic accuracy. Our tool follows this everyday convention, so results are easy to read without any prior training. See how the main transliteration systems differ.
English to Arabic Transliteration
To transliterate English (Latin) letters to Arabic, type an Arabic word the way it sounds and the tool converts it into Arabic script instantly. No Arabic keyboard needed. For a converter dedicated to this direction, use Latin to Arabic.
Arabic to English Transliteration
To transliterate Arabic to English letters, paste Arabic script and get a readable Latin transliteration — useful for reading words or names you've copied from elsewhere, without knowing the Arabic script. For a converter dedicated to this direction, use Arabic to Latin.
Different transliteration systems may spell the same Arabic word differently. Our tool favors readable, commonly used Latin spellings over strict academic notation.
Arabic Transliteration Examples
You can transliterate individual Arabic words, names, phrases, full sentences or paragraphs. The tool preserves spaces and punctuation so longer text stays easy to read. These examples show the Latin-to-Arabic output of the tool.
| Latin letters | Arabic | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| marhaba | مرحبا | hello |
| shukran | شكرا | thank you |
| ahlan wa sahlan | أهلا وسهلا | welcome |
| habibi | حبيبي | my dear |
| Sarah | سارة | a first name |
The “Meaning” column is a translation, shown only for reference. For more names, see Arabic Names.
Which Arabic Transliteration System Does This Tool Use?
This tool uses an everyday, readable romanization of its own. It does not implement any of the formal systems below, which exist for different purposes and often spell the same word differently.
| System | Mainly used for |
|---|---|
| ALA-LC | Library cataloguing; uses diacritical marks. |
| IJMES | Scholarly writing in Middle East studies. |
| DIN 31635 | Scholarly, letter-for-letter transliteration. |
| ISO 233 | International standard for letter-for-letter transliteration. |
| UNGEGN | Geographical names only, not general text. |
| Everyday romanization | News, social media and casual writing; this tool. |
For passports, visas or legal documents, use the spelling already shown in your official document. To see how each letter is commonly written in Latin script, see the Arabic Alphabet.
When Transliteration Is Useful
Reading Unfamiliar Text
Reading unfamiliar Arabic text found in articles, subtitles, or social media, without knowing the Arabic script.
Writing Arabic Words
Writing Arabic words in an English-language document, book, or academic paper.
Learning Arabic
Using transliteration as a stepping stone before mastering the script itself.
Transliterating Names
For passports, forms, or citations (see our dedicated Arabic Names page).
Looking for a specific direction? Try our dedicated Arabic to Latin or Latin to Arabic converters. To see how each Arabic letter corresponds to a Latin representation, see our Arabic Alphabet guide.