Arabic 101 Standard
Arabic 101 is the standard Arabic keyboard layout that ships with every Windows PC and is printed on physical keyboards across the Arab world — its home row is ش س ي ب ل ا ت ن م ك. LearnType teaches it step by step, alongside an Arabic Phonetic course where you type the way you chat ("salam" → سلام) using the Arabizi conventions you already know (2=ء, 3=ع, 7=ح).
How to learn Arabic touch typing
- 1Pick your layout: Arabic 101 (the standard keyboard) or Arabic Phonetic (Arabizi transliteration).
- 2Start with the home row — ش س ي ب on the left hand, ل ا ت ن م ك on the right.
- 3Learn the top and bottom rows, then the Shift layer: hamza forms (أ إ آ) and the dedicated lam-alef (لا) key.
- 4On Arabic 101, finish with harakat — fatha, damma, kasra, tanween, shadda and sukun are all on Shift.
- 5Drill real words, sentences and proverbs daily; 15 minutes a day reaches comfortable speed in weeks.
Arabic Phonetic vs Arabic 101: which should you learn?
| Feature | Arabic Phonetic | Arabic 101 |
|---|---|---|
| Input method | Phonetic — Latin letters and Arabizi digits | Fixed key → character |
| Learning curve | Easiest — you already know Arabizi | Moderate — memorize key positions |
| Built into OS | No (needs an IME like Yamli/Google) | Yes — default on Windows, printed on keyboards |
| Best for | Chat, social media, getting started | Office work, professional typing, exams |
| Harakat (vowel marks) | Not covered (Arabizi omits them) | Full Shift-layer support (fatha, damma, …) |
Key facts
- Arabic 101 (Microsoft KLID 00000401) is the de facto standard Arabic layout on Windows, macOS and Linux.
- The lam-alef ligature لا has its own dedicated key — one keystroke types two letters.
- All eight harakat (vowel marks) live on the Shift layer of the Arabic 101 layout.
- Arabizi digit conventions (2=ء, 3=ع, 7=ح, 5=خ) are accepted throughout the Phonetic course.
- Arabic is written right-to-left; LearnType's lesson player renders every drill in proper RTL with a Naskh typeface.
Real-time feedback
Every keystroke validated instantly with live WPM and accuracy.
Sequential progress
Lessons unlock as you complete each one, locking in muscle memory.
Built-in curriculum
114 structured lessons from beginner to advanced.
Frequently asked questions
What is the standard Arabic keyboard layout?+
Arabic 101 — the layout that ships with Windows and is printed on physical keyboards across the Arab world. Its home row is ش س ي ب ل ا ت ن م ك, and hamza forms and harakat sit on the Shift layer.
What is Arabizi / Franco-Arabic typing?+
Writing Arabic with Latin letters and digits for sounds Latin lacks: 2 for ء, 3 for ع, 7 for ح, 5 for خ. LearnType's Arabic Phonetic course uses these exact conventions, so you can type real Arabic script with the spelling habits you already have from chat.
How do I type لا on an Arabic keyboard?+
On Arabic 101, لا has its own dedicated key (the B key position) — one keystroke produces both letters. The variants لأ, لإ and لآ are on the Shift layer of the G, T and B keys.
How do I type harakat (fatha, damma, kasra)?+
Hold Shift on Arabic 101: Shift+Q is fatha, Shift+E is damma, Shift+A is kasra, Shift+X is sukun, and shadda is Shift on the ذ key. LearnType has dedicated harakat lessons in the Arabic 101 course.
Which Arabic course should I start with?+
If you already chat in Arabizi, start with Arabic Phonetic — you will type real Arabic within minutes. Learn Arabic 101 if you want the standard professional layout used in offices and on every physical Arabic keyboard. Many learners do both: Phonetic first, then 101.
Is the Arabic typing course free?+
Yes. Both Arabic courses — 225+ lessons across the two layouts — are completely free, run in your browser with no installation, and track your WPM, accuracy and problem keys.
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