Ṣaad and ḍaad

Recognize the broad body and two emphatic consonants.

Look at the letter then pronounce it

Emphatic sounds involve a retracted tongue body and can darken nearby vowels. They are not simply louder consonants. The dot underneath a Latin letter is our pronunciation cue; it is different from a dot in the Arabic letter itself.

ص ض

ṣaad / ḍaad

ṣaad

A broad closed body with no dot above. ṣ is emphatic s: compare ordinary s in س.isolated: صinitial: صـmedial: ـصـfinal: ـص

ṣaad

ḍaad

The ṣaad body with one dot above. ḍ is emphatic d in Standard Arabic: compare ordinary d in د.isolated: ضinitial: ضـmedial: ـضـfinal: ـض

ḍaad