Arabic Punctuation Marks: A Complete Usage Guide

5. Quotation Marks ( « » )

While many Arabs use the standard (") marks in casual chat, formal writing uses the **Guillemets**. These provide a much more professional and authentic look to high-end documents and books.

Common Usage Rules

• No Space Before: Just like in English, never place a space before a comma, full stop, or question mark. The mark should "hug" the preceding word.
• One Space After: Always place exactly one space after a punctuation mark before starting the next word.
• The "And" Exception: Remember that the word for "and" (*Waw* - و) is treated as a prefix. It should never have a space after it, even if it follows a comma.

Comparison Table

Conclusion

Punctuation is the "roadmap" of your writing. By using the correct Arabic marks, you respect the flow and visual rhythm of the language. Start practicing your Shift-key combinations today and watch your documents look significantly more polished!