Best Noto Fonts for Arabic Script – Supporting 19 Languages
Best Noto Fonts for Arabic Script: The Arabic script is the world’s most widely used writing system. It originally developed for the Arabic language but later adapted for many other languages across Asia, Africa, and Europe.
In today’s guide, (Best Noto Fonts for Arabic Script) we’ll talk about the 19 languages that use or historically used the Arabic script. We’ll explore how these languages have uniquely adapted the Arabic script, highlight the regions where they are spoken, and share links to downloadable fonts.
Why Choosing the Right Arabic Font Matters
A good font brings ease and beauty to reading. That is why, it is important to have a font that looks clear and legible in different languages. Especially in Arabic script, the font style can be different according to each language. For this reason, I have selected the best Noto fonts that are suitable for 19 languages and make writing beautiful and easy.
Related for you: 30 Best Google Fonts For Graphic Design
1. Arabic (العربية)
People originally developed the Arabic script for the Arabic language. More than 25 countries recognize Arabic as their official and native language. People use Modern Arabic for writing, while Classical Arabic appears in religious texts.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Middle East, North Africa |
| Script Variation | Naskh, Ruqʿah, Diwani, Kufi |
| Number of Speakers | ~400 million |
| Writing Direction | Right to Left (RTL) |
Text Preview
مرحبا بالعالم (Hello, World!)
2. Urdu (اُردُو)
Urdu is the national language of Pakistan, and people in India also speak it. The Urdu language uses the Nastaliq script, which gives it a beautiful and flowing style.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Pakistan, India |
| Script Variation | Nastaliq |
| Number of Speakers | ~230 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL |
Text Preview
مجھے اردو پسند ہے (I love Urdu)
3. Persian (Farsi) (فارسی)
People speak the Persian language as Dari in Iran and Afghanistan, and it was historically spoken in Tajikistan. It uses a modified Arabic script.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan |
| Script Variation | Naskh, Nastaliq |
| Number of Speakers | ~80 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL |
Text Preview
من فارسی صحبت میکنم (I speak Persian)
4. Pashto (پښتو)
People mostly speak Pashto in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pashto uses a slightly modified Arabic script with additional letters.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Afghanistan, Pakistan |
| Script Variation | Naskh |
| Number of Speakers | ~50 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL |
Text Preview
زه پښتو وایم (I speak Pashto)
5. Punjabi (Shahmukhi) (پنجابی)
People write Punjabi in two scripts.
- Gurmukhi (used in India)
- Shahmukhi (used in Pakistan, based on Arabic script)
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Pakistan (Shahmukhi), India (Gurmukhi) |
| Script Variation | Shahmukhi (based on Naskh) |
| Number of Speakers | ~120 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL |
Text Preview
میں پنجابی بولدا ہاں (I speak Punjabi)
Download Noto Sans Punjabi Shahmukhi
6. Sindhi (سنڌي)
People mostly speak Sindhi in Pakistan, and some in certain areas of India. The language is written in the Arabic script with some additional letters.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Pakistan, India |
| Script Variation | Arabic script |
| Number of Speakers | ~30 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL |
Text Preview
مان سنڌي ڳالهائيندو آھيان (I speak Sindhi)
7. Dari (دری)
Dari is a variety of Persian, spoken primarily in Afghanistan. It uses a script similar to Persian, but with some differences in pronunciation and vocabulary. Pashto and Dari are both official languages of Afghanistan.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Afghanistan |
| Script Variation | Persian-based script |
| Number of Speakers | ~15 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL |
Text Preview
من دری صحبت میکنم (I speak Dari)
8. Tajik (historically in Arabic script) (تاجیکی)
Tajik, a variety of Persian spoken in Tajikistan, was originally written in the Arabic script, but was converted to Cyrillic during the Soviet era. Some people, especially older people and religious circles, still use the Arabic script.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Tajikistan, Uzbekistan |
| Script Variation | Persian-based (historically) |
| Number of Speakers | ~10 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL (historically) |
9. Kashmiri
People in Jammu and Kashmir and India speak Kashmiri, and they write it in both Arabic and Devanagari scripts. The Arabic script has also been used for this language.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Jammu & Kashmir (India, Pakistan-administered Kashmir) |
| Script Variation | Naskh-based script |
| Number of Speakers | ~7 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL |
Text Preview
کٲشر زَبان یَوانزِ (I speak Kashmiri)
10. Balochi (بلوچی)
People speak Balochi in Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. It is mainly written in the Arabic script, with extra letters for unique sounds.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan |
| Script Variation | Arabic-based script |
| Number of Speakers | ~10 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL |
Text Preview
من بلوچی گپ زندگ (I speak Balochi)
11. Uighur (ئۇيغۇرچە)
Uighur, a Turkic language, is spoken in China’s Xinjiang region. The language has historically used the Arabic script, but China has also promoted the Latin and Cyrillic scripts for Uighur in the past.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | China (Xinjiang) |
| Script Variation | Modified Arabic script |
| Number of Speakers | ~12 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL |
Text Preview
مەن ئۇيغۇرچە سۆزلەيمەن (I speak Uighur)
12. Kazakh (historically in Arabic script) (قازاق)
Kazakh, a Turkic language, was originally written in the Arabic script. Later, Kazakhstan adopted Cyrillic, and more recently, Latin. However, some Kazakh communities in China still use the Arabic script.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Kazakhstan, China |
| Script Variation | Arabic-based script (historical) |
| Number of Speakers | ~15 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL (historically) |
13. Kurdish (Sorani) (کوردی)
Kurdish has several dialects, but people in Iraq and Iran write Sorani Kurdish in the Arabic script.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Iraq, Iran |
| Script Variation | Arabic-based Sorani script |
| Number of Speakers | ~8 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL |
Text Preview
من کوردی دەزانم (I speak Kurdish)
14. Malay (Jawi script) (جاوي)
People primarily write Malay in the Latin script, but some communities in Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia still use the Arabic-based Javanese script.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia |
| Script Variation | Jawi (Arabic-based script) |
| Number of Speakers | ~5 million (Jawi users) |
| Writing Direction | RTL |
Text Preview
سأيا منچنتا بهاس ملايو (I love the Malay language)
15. Hausa (Ajami script) (هَوُسَ)
People mainly speak Hausa in Nigeria, Niger, and Ghana. Most writing uses the Latin script, but the Arabic-based Ajami script remains common in religious and traditional texts.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Nigeria, Niger, West Africa |
| Script Variation | Ajami script (Arabic-based) |
| Number of Speakers | ~50 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL |
Text Preview
نِي سَوِّي حَوْسَا (I speak Hausa)
Download Noto Sans Hausa Ajami
16. Rohingya (Arabic script) (رُحَنجا)
Rohingya is the language of the Rohingya people of Myanmar. Although it has a Latin-based script, many people still use the Arabic-based script for religious and cultural purposes.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Myanmar, Bangladesh |
| Script Variation | Arabic-based script (historical) |
| Number of Speakers | ~1.5 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL |
Text Preview
موي رُحَنجا لوحَي (I speak Rohingya)
17. Manding (Ajami script) (𞤅𞤢𞤥𞤢𞥄𞤪𞤢)
Manding is the language of the people of West Africa, including Mali, Guinea, and Senegal. It is an Arabic-based script used in Islamic literature and historical records.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Mali, Guinea, Senegal |
| Script Variation | Ajami (Arabic-based script) |
| Number of Speakers | ~15 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL |
Text Preview
𞤋𞤨𞤼 𞤃𞤢𞤤𞤵𞥅 (I speak Manding)
18. Wolof (Ajami script) (وُلُف)
Wolof is the common language of Senegal and Gambia. Today, most people use the Latin script, but the Arabic-based Ajami script is still used for religious and cultural writing.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Senegal, Gambia |
| Script Variation | Ajami (Arabic-based script) |
| Number of Speakers | ~10 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL |
Text Preview
مان وولف نانگ (I speak Wolof)
19. Swahili (Ajami script) (سُوَاحِلِي)
People in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) speak Swahili. It primarily uses the Latin script, but coastal communities once used an Arabic-based Ajami script.
Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Regions | Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda |
| Script Variation | Ajami (Arabic-based script) |
| Number of Speakers | ~75 million |
| Writing Direction | RTL (historically) |
Text Preview
نينازونگومزا كيسواحلي (I speak Swahili)
Download Noto Sans Swahili Ajami
Final Thoughts – Best Noto Fonts for Arabic Script
The Arabic script extends beyond Arabic in these 19 languages. Google’s Noto Fonts offers clear and modern Arabic script fonts to support your writing. Thank You Google 😊
Related
Discover more from WeMTC
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.