Letter 17 of 28 · Ages 4–7 · Pre-K – Grade 1
Arabic Letter Zah (ظ) — Free Tracing Worksheet
Free one-page Zah (ظ) tracing worksheet: the letter large in Naskh, its four joined forms, graded tracing rows and 3 words to trace. Pronounced "ẓāʾ". No email, no signup.
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The four shapes of Zah (ظ)
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 Zah
“ẓāʾ”. Place the tongue tip between your front teeth like the 'th' in 'this', but make it heavy and dark by raising the back of the tongue and filling the mouth. It is the emphatic, voiced partner of ذ — a deep 'th' with weight behind it.
No English equivalent — it is the 'th' of 'this' made heavy and dark. Don't flatten it into a plain voiced 'th' or a 'z'; keep the tongue between the teeth and the mouth full and deep.
The classic mix-up: Confusing ظ with ز or with the light ذ. Remind the child the tongue must show between the teeth (not behind them like z), and the sound must be heavy and full (not light like ذ).
Words your child already knows with Zah
These are the example words printed on the worksheet — trace them together, then find more around the house.
One activity for this week
Play shadow puppets (Zill) on the wall and name the deep 'Zaby' gazelle shape with a big, heavy voice. Linking ظ to a dark, deep shadow reinforces its heavy quality.
Questions
How do you pronounce the Arabic letter Zah (ظ)?
Place the tongue tip between your front teeth like the 'th' in 'this', but make it heavy and dark by raising the back of the tongue and filling the mouth. It is the emphatic, voiced partner of ذ — a deep 'th' with weight behind it. No English equivalent — it is the 'th' of 'this' made heavy and dark. Don't flatten it into a plain voiced 'th' or a 'z'; keep the tongue between the teeth and the mouth full and deep.
How many dots does the Arabic letter Zah (ظ) have?
Zah (ظ) has one dot above it.
What is the most common mistake with Zah?
Confusing ظ with ز or with the light ذ. Remind the child the tongue must show between the teeth (not behind them like z), and the sound must be heavy and full (not light like ذ).
How should I use this Zah worksheet with my child?
Start by tracing the grey letters with a finger — saying "ẓāʾ" out loud each time — then move to pencil on the dotted row, and finish with the empty boxes. Play shadow puppets (Zill) on the wall and name the deep 'Zaby' gazelle shape with a big, heavy voice. Linking ظ to a dark, deep shadow reinforces its heavy quality.
Every letter has its own page
Want all 28 in one file? Download the complete alphabet pack →