The letter zayn ﺯ
The letter zayn is a part of the the Arabic alphabet. Here you will learn how to pronounce and write zayn.
How zayn is pronounced
The Arabic letter zayn is pronounced z like the English voiced z, for example in the word 'zero'.
In the phonetic alphabet, the pronunciation of zayn is written [z]. On this website, I write the pronunciation z.
How zayn is written
The letter zayn has two forms: isolated and final.
| final | isolerad |
|---|---|
| ـﺰ | ﺯ |
Which of the shapes to use depends on the letter's position in the word and surrounding letters. Do not forget that Arabic is written from right to left.
The letter zayn is right joining. That means that it wants to connect to the right (with the letter before it) but not no the left (with the letter after). If there is a letter before that is dual joining, then zayn is connected to it. But zayn is never connected to the letter after. How to write with right joining letters.
zayn isolerad form
This is how the Arabic letter zayn is written in its isolerad form:
This form is used in the following situations:
zayn alone
When zayn stands by itself, the isolaetd form is used.
zayn in the beginning of words
When zayn is the first letter of a word, the isolated form is used. It i free to the right since there is no letter before, and it is free to the left since it refuses to connect to the letter after.
zayn in the middle after right joining letter
When zayn is in the middle of a word and follows another right joining letter, the isolated form is used. It is free to the right since the letter before it refuses to connect, and it is free to the left since it refuses to connect with the letter after.
zayn in the end after right joining letter
When zayn is the last letter of a word and follows another right joining letter, the isolated form is used. It is free to the right since the letter before it refuses to connect, and it is free to the left since there is no letter after (and even if it was, zayn would refuse to connect with it).
zayn final form
This is how the Arabic letter zayn is written in its final form:
This form is used in the following situations:
zayn in the middle of words
When zayn is in the middle of a word, e.g. when zayn is neither the first nor the last letter, the medial form is often used. It has a tail to the right to connect with the letter before, but it is free to the left since it refuses to connect with the letter after.
zayn in the end of words
When zayn is the last letter of a word, the final form is often used. It has a tail to the right to connect to the letter before it, and it is free to the left since there is no letter after.
Conclusion: how zayn is written
The letter zayn has two shapes.
The isolated shape ﺯ is used when zayn stands by itself, in the beginning of words, in the middle of words (after a right joining letter) and in the end of words (after a right joining letter).
In other words: When there is no letter before that wants to connect with it.
The final shape ـﺰ is used in the middle of words (if the letter before is not right joining) and in the end of words (if the letter before is not right joining).
In other words: When there is a letter before that wants to connect with it.
That's it!
The rules you have learned can be applied to all Arabic right joining letters.
zayn is a moon letter
You get the definite form of a word by putting the definite article al in front of it.
The Arabic letter zayn is a moon letter. That means that the definite article is pronounced al and nothing else. The letters that are not moon letters are called sun letters, and they are assimilated with the definite article al.
For example the Arabic word for husband is pronounced zawj and written ﺯَﻭﺝ. In definite form, it is pronounced alzawj and written اَلﺯَﻭﺝ.
Read more about definite form