Zay (ز) — Arabic Letter Guide
Identical to English "z" as in "zebra".
Last updated: May 2026 · Letter 11 of 28
Practice this now
Move from reading to hands-on typing with Arabic Typing 101.
Zay — zāy (زَاي)
- Transliteration
- z
- IPA
- z
- Unicode
- U+0632
- Keyboard
- .
- Finger
- right ring
- Connects?
- No (non-connecting on the left)
What is the letter Zay?
Zay is the eleventh letter of the Arabic alphabet and one of seven non-connecting letters. It shares its base shape with ra and adds a single dot above. The sound is straightforward "z".
The four forms of Zay
Arabic letters change shape depending on their position in a word. Zay has two distinct visual forms (it does not connect on the left):
| Position | Shape | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Isolated | ز | Standing alone |
| Initial | ز | Identical to isolated — does not change at word start |
| Medial | ـز | Identical to final — connects only to the preceding letter |
| Final | ـز | At the end of a word, connecting only on the right |
How to type Zay on Arabic keyboard
Arabic 101 key: press ..
Finger: right ring finger.
The key for Zay 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 Zay
No special technique — same as English "z". The voiced counterpart of sin (س); same tongue position, but with vocal-cord vibration.
Example words with Zay
Letters often confused with Zay
ra
Ra has no dot; zay has one dot above.
dhal
Dhal is voiced 'th' (as in 'this'); some dialects merge it with zay.
zaa
Zaa (ظ) is the emphatic counterpart with a heavier, darker quality.
Build muscle memory for the whole alphabet
Knowing where Zay 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 zay (ز) on the Arabic 101 keyboard?
Press the . (period) key — zay is reached by your right ring finger on the bottom row.
Is zay always pronounced like English "z"?
Yes — in Modern Standard Arabic and all major dialects, zay is consistently "z". Unlike dhal, which can shift between dialects, zay is stable.
What's the difference between zay (ز) and zaa (ظ)?
Zay is the soft, non-emphatic "z". Zaa (ظ) is the emphatic version — the tongue is pulled back, the sound is darker. They are completely different letters with different shapes.
Related Arabic letters
Or see the full Arabic 101 keyboard layout.