Letter 11 of 28 · Ages 4–7 · Pre-K – Grade 1
Arabic Letter Zay (ز) — Free Tracing Worksheet
Free one-page Zay (ز) tracing worksheet: the letter large in Naskh, its four joined forms, graded tracing rows and 3 words to trace. Pronounced "zāy". No email, no signup.
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The four shapes of Zay (ز)
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 Zay
“zāy”. Bring the tip of your tongue just behind your top front teeth, with the air aimed down at your lower teeth, and push a buzzing stream of air through — like the 'z' in 'zebra' or 'zoo'. The voice is on and the air hisses with a buzz.
Same as English 'z'. It is the voiced partner of 's': identical tongue position, but the voice buzzes for z and stays off for s. Don't let it harden into 's' at the ends of words.
The classic mix-up: Devoicing it into 's'. Place your child's hand on the throat: the buzz must stay on through the whole 'zzz'. Stretching the sound ('zzzebra') makes the voicing obvious.
Words your child already knows with Zay
These are the example words printed on the worksheet — trace them together, then find more around the house.
One activity for this week
Buzz around the room like a bee or a tiny plane saying 'zzz' until you 'land' on a flower (zahra). The continuous buzz trains the voicing that separates z from s.
Questions
How do you pronounce the Arabic letter Zay (ز)?
Bring the tip of your tongue just behind your top front teeth, with the air aimed down at your lower teeth, and push a buzzing stream of air through — like the 'z' in 'zebra' or 'zoo'. The voice is on and the air hisses with a buzz. Same as English 'z'. It is the voiced partner of 's': identical tongue position, but the voice buzzes for z and stays off for s. Don't let it harden into 's' at the ends of words.
How many dots does the Arabic letter Zay (ز) have?
Zay (ز) has one dot above it.
What is the most common mistake with Zay?
Devoicing it into 's'. Place your child's hand on the throat: the buzz must stay on through the whole 'zzz'. Stretching the sound ('zzzebra') makes the voicing obvious.
How should I use this Zay worksheet with my child?
Start by tracing the grey letters with a finger — saying "zāy" out loud each time — then move to pencil on the dotted row, and finish with the empty boxes. Buzz around the room like a bee or a tiny plane saying 'zzz' until you 'land' on a flower (zahra). The continuous buzz trains the voicing that separates z from s.
Every letter has its own page
Want all 28 in one file? Download the complete alphabet pack →