4
Shadda and tanween
Arabic A1 · Unit 6
GoalRead the shadda ّ, which doubles a letter, and the three tanween marks at the end of a word.
New words
أُمّ (ʾumm) · motherجَدّ (jadd) · grandfatherجَدَّة (jadda) · grandmotherسُكَّر (sukkar) · sugarشُكْرًا (shukran) · thank youمَرْحَبًا (marḥaban) · helloأَهْلًا (ʾahlan) · welcome, hiجِدًّا (jiddan) · very
Explanation
A shadda is a small mark shaped like a tiny w above a letter. It means the letter is doubled: written once, said twice. أُمّ is ʾumm, not ʾum, and سُكَّر is suk-kar. Tanween is a doubled vowel mark at the end of a word. It adds an n sound after the vowel: -un, -an or -in. With the fatha form an extra alif is usually written: شُكْرًا is shukran. For now simply read these endings; you do not need the grammar yet.
| Ending | Read as | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -un | kitābun | كِتَابٌ |
| -an | kitāban | كِتَابًا |
| -in | kitābin | كِتَابٍ |
Worked examples
سُsu+كْk+كَka+رr
Shadda in steps. The doubled kaaf closes one syllable and starts the next: suk + kar.Three family words with shadda: mother, grandfather, grandmother.
Tanween in everyday words: thank you, welcome, very.
Class activity
Double it. Say ʾum and then ʾumm, holding the m a little longer the second time. Write أُمّ with its shadda, drawing the small w last. Then say “shukran” to someone today and greet them with “marḥaban” or “ʾahlan”.
Practice
1
Press Listen. Is there a doubled letter in the word?
Yes, the ṭ is doubled. The word is قِطَّة (qiṭṭa), “cat”.
2
What does a shadda tell you?
That the letter is doubled: written once and said twice.
3
Read aloud: شُكْرًا. How does it end?
shukran, thank you. The tanween is read as an n after a.
4
Press the cards. Which one ends with -in?
بَابٍ (bābin): the tanween is a double kasra below the letter.
5
Which letter is doubled in جِدًّا: ج or د?
د: jid-dan, very.