Many UK children, and children from some home languages, say ذ as “z”. In the Quran it appears constantly, in words like الَّذِينَ.
The difference
| ذ (dhal) | ز (zay) | |
|---|---|---|
| English sound | “th” in “this” | “z” in “zoo” |
| Tongue | Tip slightly between the teeth | Behind the top teeth |
| Mirror check | Tongue visible | Tongue not visible |
Why it matters
Swapping them can change meaning: ذَلَّ (was humbled) vs زَلَّ (slipped).
A 5-minute daily drill
- Mirror: say “this, that, the” in English, then ذَ. Tongue visible?
- Pairs: ذَ زَ، ذِ زِ، ذُ زُ.
- Quran words with ذ: الَّذِينَ، ذٰلِكَ، إِذَا، ذِكْر.
- With ز: الزَّكَاةَ، زَيْتُون، زِدْنِي.
The English trick
Your child already says ذ in English every day: “this, that, the”. Tell them: “Say the ‘th’ from ‘this’.” Most children get it instantly.
Teacher’s tip: fix ذ together with ث and ظ, the other “tongue-out” letters. See ث ذ ظ.
Related: Hardest letters.
