Are you confused with the Similar Sounding Arabic Letters kasra ِ – yaa ى.
Yes It is confusing because both have very similar sounds. Both are not letters but they are different in following aspects.

- Yaa ى is a letter while Kasra ِ is a sign.
- Yaa ى can carry kasra ِ but kasra can never carry yaa ىِ
- Yaa ى and kasra ِ together can make different combinations like بِىْ ىِ
- Both Yaa and Kasra make sound like “i” in English.
- Sound of kasra ِ is short but yaa ى make a long sound.Actually kasra ِ is short vowel “i” and yaa ى makes long vowel “ii”.
Words With kasra ِ
Words With yaa ى
- آمِن safe
- عِد count [tmp,v]
- سَلِمَ to be safe
- عَمِلَ to work
- عَلِمَ to know
- آمين amen
- عيد festival
- سَليم safe ,sound
- عَميل client, agent
- عَليم knowledgeable