2
Kaaf
Arabic A1 ยท Unit 5
GoalRead and write ู (kaaf) and keep the light k apart from the deep q.
New words
ูู (ka) ยท syllable kaููุจููุฑ (kabฤซr) ยท bigููุซููุฑ (kathฤซr) ยท much, manyููุชูุงุจ (kitฤb) ยท bookูููุณ (kฤซs) ยท bagููููู (kayf) ยท howููุงุชูุจ (kฤtib) ยท writer
Explanation
Kaaf (ู) is the โkโ of โkeyโ and has no dots. Alone and at the end it has a small zigzag mark inside; at the start and in the middle it has a long slanted stroke on top. Both are part of the letter, not dots. The sound is made a little further forward in the mouth than q, so it is lighter. Say โkeyโ and then โqaโ to feel the difference. Kaaf joins on both sides, and the picture shows its four shapes.
ูalone
ููstart
ูููmiddle
ููend
Worked examples
Compare q and k. In each pair the first sound is deep and the second is light.
Read the words and press Listen: big, many, bag. Each one starts with kaaf.
ููka+ููy+ูf
Break ููููู into steps: ูู + ูู + ู. The sukun on the yaa gives the โayโ sound, so you say kay and then f: kayf, how.Class activity
Two sounds game. Write ู five times from right to left and add the small mark inside last. Then say ka and qa aloud ten times, switching each time, and feel your tongue move forward for k and back for q.
Practice
1
Press Listen. Which sound starts the word: k or q?
k. The word is ููุชูุจู (kataba), โhe wroteโ.
2
Does kaaf have dots?
No. The small mark inside (or the slanted stroke on top) is part of the letter.
3
Read aloud and say what it means: ููููู.
kayf, how.
4
Which of these two letters has two dots above it?
ู
ู
ู (qaaf). The kaaf has no dots.
5
The picture shows a bag. Which word is it: ูููุณ or ููุจููุฑ?
ูููุณ (kฤซs). ููุจููุฑ (kabฤซr) means big.