"Why Arabic Speakers Struggle with 'P' and 'B' in English — and How to Practice"

May 9

If you're an Arabic speaker learning English, chances are you've been told, "It’s not 'bizza'… it’s 'pizza'!"
Don’t worry — you’re not alone. The confusion between the English /p/ and /b/ sounds is one of the most common pronunciation challenges for Arabic learners. But why does this happen? And more importantly — how can you fix it?

Why the Confusion Happens:

In Arabic, the sound /b/ exists (like in the word باب), but /p/ does not.
That means your brain and mouth have never been trained to separate these two sounds — so when you hear "p", your ears treat it like a "b".

This makes words like "pen" and "Ben", or "pat" and "bat", sound identical — which can lead to funny or even embarrassing misunderstandings.

Quick Sound Guide:

Sound Example Word Arabic Equivalent

/b/ bat, boy (exists in Arabic)

/p/ pat, pen (no native Arabic equivalent)

How to Hear the Difference:

1. Minimal Pairs Listening Practice
Try listening to pairs like:

Pat / Bat
Cap / Cab
Pin / Bin

You can find many of these on YouTube or language learning apps. Listen repeatedly and try to guess before reading the answer.

How to Pronounce /p/ Correctly:

P is voiceless — meaning your vocal cords don't vibrate.
Put your hand on your throat and say "puh" — you should feel no vibration.
Now try "buh" — feel the buzz? That’s your vocal cords!

P is also a "plosive" — air pops out. Try saying:

pen (watch the puff of air if you hold paper in front of your mouth)

Practice Time!

Here are some practice ideas:

1. Mirror Practice:
Say these word pairs slowly:
pat – bat, pea – bee, pack – back
Watch your lips and listen to your own voice.

2. Tongue Twister Challenge:
Try: "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."
Then compare with: "Beater Biper bicked a beck of bickled beppers."
See the difference?

3. Record Yourself:
Use your phone to record and compare your pronunciation. Most learners are surprised when they hear their own speech.