Letter 9 of 28 · Ages 4–7 · Pre-K – Grade 1
Arabic Letter Thal (ذ) — Free Tracing Worksheet
Free one-page Thal (ذ) tracing worksheet: the letter large in Naskh, its four joined forms, graded tracing rows and 3 words to trace. Pronounced "dhāl". No email, no signup.
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The four shapes of Thal (ذ)
Arabic letters change shape depending on where they sit in a word. The same sheet your child traces shows all four, so the changing shape is learned from day one instead of coming as a surprise later.
How to pronounce Thal
“dhāl”. Place the tongue tip lightly between your front teeth and buzz with your voice on — the 'th' in 'this', 'that', and 'mother'. It is the voiced partner of ث: same tongue-between-teeth posture, but now the voice hums.
Identical to the voiced 'th' in 'they'. Don't mix it with the voiceless ث ('thin'): feel the throat — ذ buzzes, ث only hisses. Avoid replacing it with a plain 'z'.
The classic mix-up: Saying it as 'z' or as the voiceless ث. Cue the tongue out between the teeth and a hand on the throat to feel the buzz — both checks must pass for a correct ذ.
Words your child already knows with Thal
These are the example words printed on the worksheet — trace them together, then find more around the house.
One activity for this week
Play 'wolf and corn': hold up a toy wolf (dhiʾb) and a corn cob (dhura) and have your child name each with the tongue poking out. Pairing two ذ words back to back reinforces the posture.
Questions
How do you pronounce the Arabic letter Thal (ذ)?
Place the tongue tip lightly between your front teeth and buzz with your voice on — the 'th' in 'this', 'that', and 'mother'. It is the voiced partner of ث: same tongue-between-teeth posture, but now the voice hums. Identical to the voiced 'th' in 'they'. Don't mix it with the voiceless ث ('thin'): feel the throat — ذ buzzes, ث only hisses. Avoid replacing it with a plain 'z'.
How many dots does the Arabic letter Thal (ذ) have?
Thal (ذ) has one dot above it.
What is the most common mistake with Thal?
Saying it as 'z' or as the voiceless ث. Cue the tongue out between the teeth and a hand on the throat to feel the buzz — both checks must pass for a correct ذ.
How should I use this Thal worksheet with my child?
Start by tracing the grey letters with a finger — saying "dhāl" out loud each time — then move to pencil on the dotted row, and finish with the empty boxes. Play 'wolf and corn': hold up a toy wolf (dhiʾb) and a corn cob (dhura) and have your child name each with the tongue poking out. Pairing two ذ words back to back reinforces the posture.
Every letter has its own page
Want all 28 in one file? Download the complete alphabet pack →