ك and ق
Hear and read k versus the deeper q.
About this unit
ك is k. ق is a different sound, made deeper in the throat. MSA keeps the two apart.
- ك
k, as in “kite”كَلْب · dog - ق
q: a k deep in the throatقَلْب · heart
One letter, several shapes
A letter's shape depends on its neighbours. At the start it joins only the next letter, in the middle both neighbours, at the end only the letter before it.
كَلْب, dog, and قَلْب, heart, differ only in this first sound.
More words to read
كِتَاب
bookkitāb
قَلَم
penqalamمَكْتَب
deskmaktab
دِيك
roosterdīkدَقِيق
flourdaqīqReading tips
ك and ق are distinct in MSA. Keep the same a vowel in the ear pair, then read the real dog/heart pair. Arabic ك and ي are the code points used here, unlike Persian ک and ی.
Reading practice
Listen before looking
Do the two recordings sound the same or different?
Listen before looking
Do the two recordings sound the same or different?
Letters in words
Match each sign to the same sign in its example.
Shapes in the middle
Match each letter to its shape in the middle of a word.
Letters inside words
Match each letter to the marked shape in the word.
Find the sound
Match the sounds to the signs. Tap a sign to check.
Read with support
Match the words to their pictures.
Read with support
Match the words to their pictures.
Read without a sound cue
Match the words to their pictures.
Read without a sound cue
Match the words to their pictures.
Sound to spelling
Listen. Choose the spelling.
Spelling to sound
Read the word. Choose its sound.
Sound to spelling
Listen. Choose the spelling.
Spelling to sound
Read the word. Choose its sound.
Build the word
Listen and build the word in typing order.
Build the word
Listen and build the word in typing order.
Build the word
Listen and build the word in typing order.
Recall the spelling
Listen and build the word without its picture.
Recall the spelling
Listen and build the word without its picture.
Recall the spelling
Listen and build the word without its picture.
Finish practice to save this unit.
You can read and write this
Hear and read k versus the deeper q.
كَلْب
dog
قَلْب
heartكِتَاب
bookقَلَم
penمَكْتَب
deskدِيك
roosterدَقِيق
flourUse a Arabic keyboard
Standard Arabic keyboard or course tiles. Enter logical letters; the font shapes joins. Numbers retain normal digit order. Optional vowel marks are separate inputs.
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