9.2: Letter Qaaf

Learning Objectives

In this section, you will be able to:

• Read and write ق in its different shapes.
• Pronounce the letter ق with short and long vowels.

Introduction

The Arabic letter ق (pronounced "Qaf") is the twenty-first letter of the Arabic alphabet. It is one of the most distinctive and unique sounds in Arabic, characterized by a deep, guttural pronunciation that does not have a direct equivalent in English. The sound is produced by constricting the throat and raising the back of the tongue towards the uvula, creating a strong, emphatic quality.

The letter ق is an essential component of Arabic phonetics and appears frequently in both formal and colloquial Arabic. It is used in many common words, such as قَلْب (qalb, meaning "heart"), قَمَر (qamar, meaning "moon"), and قَرْيَة (qaryah, meaning "village"). Mastering the pronunciation of ق is crucial for Arabic learners, as it significantly impacts the meaning of words and enhances the authenticity of spoken Arabic.

Understanding the use of ق is vital for reading and writing Arabic as well. It appears in various forms depending on its position in a word (initial, medial, final, or isolated), and recognizing these forms helps in accurately interpreting and constructing sentences. By practicing the pronunciation and usage of ق, learners can improve their fluency and comprehension, making their Arabic communication more effective and nuanced.

The Letter Qaaf

The articulation place of the letter “ق” is the tongue. The letter “ق” is articulated from the deepest part of the tongue and what lies opposite to it from the roof of the mouth in the area of the soft palate. The letter “ق” is emphatic counterpart to the sound of “k”. Like the other emphatic sounds, it is pronounced with the tongue low in the mouth, and it impacts the quality of the surrounding vowels so that the fatha sounds like “u” in “but”. The letter “Qaaf” “ق” is pronounced at the very back of the tongue. Open your mouth and say aah, as if you were at a doctor’s appointment. Your tongue should be flat in your mouth. Without raising your tongue pull it back so that the base of it closes off air by pulling back against the throat. The only thing that should move in your mouth is your tongue, and only at the very back, as if you were sliding it back like a sliding door. At this point you should be able to breathe through your mouth, although it is wide open. Listen to yourself pronouncing the letter “ق”.

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Pronunciation of Letter ق

Common Mistakes in pronouncing the letter “ق”

• Either the letter is articulated on the hard palate or close to it, so it ends up sounding like an English “k”.

Or the letter is pronounced not from the tongue, but from the throat, and the resultant incorrect sound is a cross between the letter “غ” and “ق”

The letter with short vowels and sukun

Pronunciation of letter Qaaf "ق" with short vowels الحركات and absence of short vowels السكون.

Pronunciation of the Letter Qaaf ق with Short Vowels and Sukoon

The Marks (Harakat الحركات)	The Letter with the mark	Audio
Fataha الفتحة	قَ
Dhama الضمة	قُ
Kasra الكسرة	قِ
Absence of short vowel Sukoon السكون	ْق

Pronunciation of the letter Qaaf "ق" with long vowels.

Pronunciation of Letter ق with Long Vowels

The Long Vowel المدود	The Letter with a long vowel	Audio
The long vowel "ا"=aa	قا
The long vowel "و"= oo/uu	قو
The long vowel "ي"=ee/ii	قي

How to Write The Letter Qaaf

The letter “ق” is a connector letter, and its shape is similar to the letter “ق” in its connected positions. However, “ق is written with two dots above it. In the independent and final positions, the “ق” has a deep semicircle tail that drops well below the line.

To write the independent “ق”, make the same loop you made for “ق, then drop below the line to draw the tail and bring the tail back up to the line. The final “ــق” has a tail that drops well below the line.

Writing Letter ق

Final	Medial	Initial	Isolated
ــق	ــقــ	قــــ	ق

Watch the video to learn how to write the letter Qaaf

Watch the video to learn more about the letter Qaaf الحرف قاف. The letter changes shape depending on their position in a word.

Activities

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