Here come the trickier ones: ش (“sh”), ص (a deep “s”), and ض (a heavy “d”). Arabic even has a famous nickname because of ض — it’s called the language of the daad. Tap each card to hear them.
Sheen
sheen
Saad
saad
Daad
daad
Meet the letters
| Letter | Transliteration | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| ش | sheen | the “sh” in “ship” |
| ص | saad | a deep, throaty “s” |
| ض | daad | a heavy, “emphatic” d |
Tip: Arabic has two kinds of “s” — light س and heavy ص. Heavy letters are pronounced with a deeper, fuller sound, and they pull the whole word down with them.
Letters in action
| Alone | Start | Middle | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| ش | شـ | ـشـ | ـش |
| ص | صـ | ـصـ | ـص |
| ض | ضـ | ـضـ | ـض |
A real conversation
A guest arrives for dinner — the perfect chance to use ضيف (guest), شاي (tea), and صحة (health). Listen to the exchange.
A guest arrives
- Amarhaban, anta dayfuna al-kareemWelcome, you are our honored guest
- Bshukran, baytukum jameelThanks, your house is beautiful
- Atafaddal koob shaayHave a cup of tea
- Bbil-hanaa' wash-shifaaEnjoy your meal / good health
- Asihatuk ya akheeTo your health, my brother
- Bal-hamdu lillah, kullu shay' tamaamPraise be to God, everything is fine
Hear ش in شاي and شفاء, ض in ضيف and تمام, ص in صحة. Now hit Hide translations and listen again.
Your first words
Flip each card to reveal the meaning, then flip it back and test yourself.
ش in شمس and شاي, ص in صبر and صديق, ض in ضيف. Spot them all?
Test yourself
Cover the answer first — say it out loud, then reveal and compare.
How do you say 'sun' in Arabic?
hint: shams
Which letter sounds like the 'sh' in 'ship'?
hint: sheen
Which letter is the deep, throaty 's'?
hint: saad
Match the letters
Match each pair — start with Arabic (left)
0 / 3Arabic
English
← Select an Arabic word, then tap its meaning →
Wrap up
Fifteen letters done. ص and ض take extra practice — repeat them until your throat remembers the feeling. You’re more than halfway through the alphabet! Scroll down to the final quiz and prove it. 🎯
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