The Arabic letter ذ is called ذال (dẖāl). It is the 9th letter of the Arabic alphabet and represents the voiced dental fricative /ð/, the same sound as th in the English words this, that, and mother.
How to Write the Letter ذ
The letter ذ is identical to د (dāl), with the only difference being one dot above it.
Independent Form
ذ
Initial Form
ذ (does not connect to the following letter)
Medial Form
ـذ (connects only to the letter before it)
Final Form
ـذ
Important: Like ا، د، ر، ز، و, the letter ذ does not connect to the letter that follows it. It only joins to the letter before it.
Stroke Order
- Draw a short curved stroke from left to right.
- Continue the curve downward.
- Place one dot above the letter.
How to Pronounce ذ
To pronounce ذ correctly:
- Place the tip of your tongue lightly between your upper and lower front teeth.
- Let your vocal cords vibrate.
- Push the air out gently.
It sounds like the th in:
- this
- that
- those
- mother
It is not pronounced like د (d) or ز (z).
Common Mistakes
Many learners pronounce ذ as د or ز because the /ð/ sound does not exist in many languages.
For example:
- ذَهَبَ (dẖahaba – he went) ❌ Not dahaba
- ذِئْب (dẖiʾb – wolf) ❌ Not ziʾb
Practicing the English word “this” can help you master the correct sound.
Examples of Words with ذ
| Arabic | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ذَهَب | dẖahab | Gold |
| ذَهَبَ | dẖahaba | He went |
| ذِئْب | dẖiʾb | Wolf |
| ذِرَاع | dẖirāʿ | Arm |
| ذَكِيّ | dẖakiyy | Intelligent |
| مَذْهَب | maḏhab | School of thought |
Writing Practice
Practice writing the letter several times:
ذ ذ ذ ذ ذ
ذَ ذِ ذُ
ذه ذي ذو
ذهب
ذئب
ذراع
Compare ذ with Similar Letters
| Letter | Name | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| د | dāl | d as in dog |
| ذ | dẖāl | th as in this |
| ز | zāy | z as in zoo |
Notice that ذ differs from د only by the single dot above, but their pronunciations are completely different.
Tips for Mastering ذ
- Think of the English th in this every time you see ذ.
- Keep your tongue gently between your teeth.
- Avoid turning the sound into d or z.
- Listen to native Arabic speakers and repeat aloud.
- Practice reading words containing ذ every day.
Summary
The Arabic letter ذ (dẖāl) is the ninth letter of the Arabic alphabet. It is written like د with one dot above and is pronounced like the English th in this or that. Because it does not connect to the letter after it, learning its writing pattern is straightforward. Therefore, with regular practice reading and writing words such as ذَهَب (gold), ذِئْب (wolf), and ذَكِيّ (intelligent), you’ll quickly become comfortable recognizing and pronouncing this distinctive Arabic letter.
