The standalone form
زOne dot above the descending curveMeet the letter
Zaay زَاي
Zaay looks like raa with one dot above. It has a voiced z sound and joins only to a letter on its right. A following letter stays separate.
In the Arabic word زَهْرَة (“flower”), the first letter is zaay. Notice the dot and the gap before haa.
One letter. Two shapes.
The standalone form is above. Compare the joined form inside a word and at its end.
Inside a word
Joins from the right onlyZaay joins to yaa on its right. It cannot join to the alif on its left.
End of a word
Joins from the right onlyZaay joins to baa on its right at the end of khubz.
The name stays zaay in every shape. A connected form does not add a new sound. Gold highlights this letter in each example.
1Three short vowelsA little mark changes the sound.
The letter’s name is zaay. Follow the Arabic tiles from right to left.
2Stretch the vowelZaay with alif, yaa and waaw.
Keep the same consonant and stretch the vowel. These are sound practice units.
3Zaay without a vowelSukūn · no following vowel.
The circle above زْ means there is no vowel on this consonant. Here is a complete noun, read when stopping.
Listen to the whole word.
Finish with z and no following vowel. Zaay is voiced: its sound can continue with a gentle buzz.
4Two letters, one written shapeShaddah · three vowel sounds.
A shaddah joins two of the same consonant. The first has sukūn; the second has the vowel. Read each Arabic sequence from right to left.
Fatḥah · a
Kasrah · i
Ḍammah · u
5One word, three tanwīn endingsSee the ending in a real word.
Compare three full endings on the same noun. The doubled vowel mark adds an n sound when the ending is pronounced in full.
Where next?
Follow your curiosity.
When you feel ready
Choose your next adventure.
Find the Arabic Letter
Dot Detective
Explore every Arabic letter through dots, shapes, connected forms and short words. Start with a few letters or choose your own practice.
8 questions · no timer · beginner starterPlay Dot Detective →
Arabic Letter Connections
Letter Linkers
New shapes. Clever connections. Match changing letter forms, discover joining breaks and build simple words.
8 puzzles · no timer · guided starterPlay Letter Linkers →
Arabic Sounds and Reading
Build the Sound
Listen, spot the vowel and build what you hear. Explore short and long vowels, sukūn, shaddah, tanwīn and simple words.
8 questions · no timer · hear and buildPlay Build the Sound →