Let’s meet ر (a rolled “r”), ز (a “z”), and س (a hissing “s”) — three sounds you already know from English. Tap each card to hear them.
Raa
raa
Zay
zay
Seen
seen
Meet the letters
| Letter | Transliteration | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| ر | raa | a lightly rolled “r” |
| ز | zay | the “z” in “zebra” |
| س | seen | the “s” in “sun” |
Tip: ر and ز, like د and ذ, don’t connect to the letter that follows. This makes reading words with them a little easier.
Letters in action
| Alone | Start | Middle | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| س | سـ | ـسـ | ـس |
And a word to see ر and ز in action — زيت (oil) and رأس (head):
| Word | Meaning | Letters you know |
|---|---|---|
| زيت | oil | ز + ي + ت |
| رأس | head | ر + أ + س |
A real conversation
Time for the souq (market) — the heart of Arabic daily life. Listen to a quick shopping exchange full of ر، ز، س.
At the market
- Aahlan, kayfa haaluk?Hello, how are you?
- Bana bikhayr, wal-hamdu lillahI'm fine, praise be to God
- Akam si'ru haadhi-hi az-zayt?How much is this oil?
- Bhaadhi-hi az-zayt rakheesThis oil is cheap
- Asa'khudh litran min fadlikI'll take a liter, please
- Btafaddal, shukran li-ziyaaratikHere you go, thanks for visiting
Count the letters: س in سعر and سآخذ, ز in زيت and زيارة, ر in رخيص and لتر. Try Hide translations and listen once more.
Your first words
Flip each card to reveal the meaning, then flip it back and test yourself.
Test yourself
Cover the answer first — say it out loud, then reveal and compare.
How do you say 'man' in Arabic?
hint: rajul
Which letter is a rolled 'r'?
hint: raa
Which letter sounds like the 's' in 'sun'?
hint: seen
Match the letters
Match each pair — start with Arabic (left)
0 / 3Arabic
English
← Select an Arabic word, then tap its meaning →
Wrap up
Twelve letters done — almost halfway! You’re already reading words like رجل (man) and سوق (market). Keep going — the alphabet is almost yours. Scroll down to the final quiz and prove it. 🎯
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