Dhal (ذ) — Arabic Letter Guide
Voiced "th" as in English "this" or "that".
Last updated: May 2026 · Letter 9 of 28
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Dhal — dhāl (ذَال)
- Transliteration
- dh
- IPA
- ð
- Unicode
- U+0630
- Keyboard
- `
- Finger
- left pinky
- Connects?
- No (non-connecting on the left)
What is the letter Dhal?
Dhal is the ninth letter of the Arabic alphabet and one of seven non-connecting letters. It shares its base shape with dal and adds a single dot above. The sound is the voiced "th" of English "this".
The four forms of Dhal
Arabic letters change shape depending on their position in a word. Dhal has two distinct visual forms (it does not connect on the left):
| Position | Shape | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Isolated | ذ | Standing alone |
| Initial | ذ | Identical to isolated — does not change at word start |
| Medial | ـذ | Identical to final — connects only to the preceding letter |
| Final | ـذ | At the end of a word, connecting only on the right |
How to type Dhal on Arabic keyboard
Arabic 101 key: press `.
Finger: left pinky finger.
The key for Dhal is mapped via the standard Arabic 101 keyboard layout, which is the default Arabic input source on Windows, macOS (as “Arabic - PC”), and most Linux distributions.
How to pronounce Dhal
Place the tip of your tongue between your teeth and make a buzzing "th" sound with vocal-cord vibration. The voiced counterpart of tha (ث) — same position, voice on. In many Arabic dialects, dhal merges with dal (d) or zay (z).
Example words with Dhal
Letters often confused with Dhal
dal
Dal has no dot; dhal has one dot above.
tha
Tha is voiceless ("th" as in "thin"); dhal is voiced ("th" as in "this").
zay
Zay is "z" — some dialects merge dhal with zay.
Build muscle memory for the whole alphabet
Knowing where Dhal sits on the keyboard is one thing — being able to touch-type it without thinking is another. Our drills work through every letter in the alphabet with structured progression.
Frequently asked questions
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How do I type dhal (ذ) on the Arabic 101 keyboard?
Press the ` (backtick / grave accent) key, top-left of the keyboard — your left pinky reach.
Is dhal the same as the English "th"?
Dhal is the voiced "th" — like "this", "that", "the". Tha (ث) is the voiceless "th" — like "think", "thumb". Arabic distinguishes the two; English uses the same spelling for both.
Why does dhal sound like "z" in some Arabic accents?
Spoken Arabic dialects often merge sounds that are kept separate in Modern Standard Arabic. In many Egyptian and Levantine speakers, dhal is pronounced as either "d" or "z" depending on the word. In standard Arabic and Quranic recitation, the voiced "th" is preserved.
Related Arabic letters
Or see the full Arabic 101 keyboard layout.