1
Daad
Arabic A1 · Unit 4
GoalRead and write ض (ḍaad), the heavy partner of dal.
New words
ضَ (ḍa) · syllable ḍaضَبَاب (ḍabāb) · fogضَجِيج (ḍajīj) · noiseبَيْض (bayḍ) · eggsنَبْض (nabḍ) · pulse, heartbeatحَاضِر (ḥāḍir) · presentنَاضِج (nāḍij) · ripeحَضَرَ (ḥaḍara) · he attended
Explanation
Daad (ض) is the heavy partner of dal (د). Say a “d” with the tip of the tongue behind the upper teeth, then pull the back of the tongue up and back, as for ṣ. Round your lips a little: the sound is deeper and fuller than a plain “d”. Many learners find this the hardest Arabic letter, so be patient. Daad has the same body as saad, with one dot above, and it joins on both sides.
ضalone
ضـstart
ـضـmiddle
ـضend
Worked examples
Light and heavy. Listen to da and then ḍa; the second one is deeper.
ص
ض
Two words with ḍ: fog and noise. Press Listen.
Class activity
Heavy d. Look in a mirror. Say da with a flat tongue, then ḍa with round lips and the tongue pulled back. Write ض five times and add a fatha, a kasra and a damma.
Practice
1
Which letter is the heavy partner of د?
ض (daad).
2
Press Listen. Does the word begin with light d or with heavy ḍ?
Heavy ḍ. The word is ضَجَر (ḍajar), “boredom”.
3
Read the word aloud and say what it means: نَبْض.
nabḍ, pulse or heartbeat.
4
Which of these letters is daad?
ص
ض
د
The middle one. Daad has a loop like saad and one dot above.
5
Look at the picture. Which Arabic word is it: بَيْض or ضَبَاب?
بَيْض (bayḍ), eggs.