The Arabic Letter Thaa (ث) — How to Pronounce & Write

Thaa is the fourth letter of the Arabic alphabet. It shares the same “boat” shape as baa (ب) and taa (ت), but is distinguished by three dots above. It makes the “th” sound — the same sound as the “th” in the English word “think.”

How to pronounce it

Thaa is a consonant. It’s pronounced /θ/ — a voiceless dental fricative, the sound you make when you say “th” in “think” or “three.”

• Tip: Place the tip of your tongue lightly between your upper and lower teeth, then blow air through the gap. Your vocal cords should not vibrate — it’s a “whispery” sound. It’s the same position as English “th” in “think.”
• Common mistake: Don’t confuse it with the voiced “th” in “the” or “this.” Thaa is voiceless — your vocal cords don’t vibrate. Say “think” (voiceless) vs. “this” (voiced) and you’ll feel the difference. Thaa is the “think” sound.

Short vowels with ث

Words with ث

Thaa appears at the start, in the middle, and at the end of words. Tap a card to hear the word, flip it to see the meaning.

Note: Thaa is one of the less common letters in everyday Arabic. You’ll encounter it most often in formal or literary words. The word ثَلْج (snow/ice) is useful in everyday conversation, especially in regions with cold weather.

How to write it

Thaa follows the same shape rules as baa and taa — the boat shape changes depending on position, but the three dots above remain in all forms.

Key rule: The three dots above are the defining feature of thaa. In handwriting, they may be joined into a small triangle or a short line, but when you’re learning, keep them as three clear dots in a triangle formation — two at the base, one on top.

Watch out for: ب ت ث

Thaa belongs to the “dot family” — three letters that share the same basic boat shape but differ by the number and position of dots:

The pattern: One dot below = baa. Two dots above = taa. Three dots above = thaa. This is the most important letter-family in Arabic. Once you can instantly tell them apart, reading becomes much faster.

Practice tip

These words use letters from the dot family — try reading them and pay attention to the dot count:

Now try writing each letter from the family ten times in a row:

• Write ب (1 dot below) — say “baa” out loud
• Write ت (2 dots above) — say “taa” out loud
• Write ث (3 dots above) — say “thaa” out loud

The key is to build muscle memory for the dot positions so you never confuse them when reading or writing. Say the sounds out loud as you write — the combination of hand, eye, and ear will lock it in.

Frequently asked questions

Is thaa the same sound as English “th”?

It matches the voiceless “th” in think, thank, and three — tongue lightly between the teeth, no vibration in the throat. It never sounds like the “th” in this.

How do I tell thaa from taa at a glance?

Count the dots: three above means thaa, two means taa. In handwriting the three dots may stack into a tiny triangle or a circumflex-like mark.

Which common English words use the thaa sound?

Think, three, thanks, month, and teeth all begin or end with the same voiceless dental fricative as ث.