Arabic Letter Daal (د): Sound, Writing Forms & Examples

SaudiDialect Arabic Letters Lab
Meet Daal (د)
حرف الدال

Meet Daal (د), the eighth letter of the Arabic alphabet. This dotless letter has a familiar d sound. In addition, it follows an important connection rule that beginners should recognize early.

Arabic letter: د Name: Daal Letter #8 No dots Does not connect forward
LETTER 08
د
DAAL
01
MEET THE LETTER

What Is the Arabic Letter Daal (د)?

Daal is the eighth letter of the Arabic alphabet. This dotless letter makes a sound similar to the English d in “door.” In addition, Daal follows a special connection rule that makes it different from many other Arabic letters.

Arabic Letter د
Letter Name Daal
Alphabet Order #8
Basic Sound d
02
LETTER FAMILY

Daal (د) and Dhaal (ذ): Learn the Difference

Daal (د) and Dhaal (ذ) share the same basic shape. However, there is one easy visual difference between them. Daal has no dots, while Dhaal has one dot above.

د Daal — no dots
ذ Dhaal — one dot above
LETTER LAB TIP

Daal (د) has no dots. By contrast, adding one dot above the same basic shape gives you Dhaal (ذ).

03
DOT LAB

Does the Arabic Letter Daal (د) Have a Dot?

د No dots

Look at the clean shape.

The Arabic letter Daal has no dots. Therefore, checking for a dot is one of the quickest ways to distinguish it from Dhaal (ذ), which has one dot above.

04
SHAPE SHIFT

How to Write the Arabic Letter Daal (د)

Unlike letters such as Baa or Jeem, Daal does not connect to the letter that follows it. However, a compatible letter before Daal can still connect into it. As a result, beginners only need to recognize two distinct visual forms.

ISOLATED د by itself
WORD BEGINNING د no forward connection
AFTER CONNECTION ـد connected from before
WORD END ـد may connect from before
IMPORTANT CONNECTION RULE

Daal does not connect to the letter after it. A compatible preceding letter may connect into Daal; however, the connection stops there.

05
SOUND LAB

How Do You Pronounce the Arabic Letter Daal?

The sound of Daal (د) is close to the English d in “door.” Therefore, many beginners find this letter easier to pronounce than some other Arabic sounds. Next, practice Daal with the three short vowels.

دَ da FatHa
دِ di Kasra
دُ du Damma
06
WORD SHELF

Arabic Words with the Letter Daal (د)

Now look for Daal in these simple Arabic words. For example, notice how the letter after Daal begins separately because Daal cannot connect forward.

دار daar house / home
دجاج dajaaj chicken
ورد ward roses / flowers
DAAL MINI WORKSHEET

Practice the Arabic Letter Daal

LETTER 08
1

Find every Daal (د).

ذ د ر د ذ د ز
2

Trace Daal.

د د د د د
3

Compare Daal and Dhaal.

د
ذ
د
4

Read these Daal sounds.

دَ
دِ
دُ
5

Find Daal inside these words.

دار
دجاج
ورد
08
QUICK QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions About Arabic Daal

What is Daal in Arabic?

As the eighth letter of the Arabic alphabet, Daal (د) has no dots and produces a clear d sound.

How is the Arabic letter Daal pronounced?

In pronunciation, the sound is similar to the English d in a word such as “door.”

Does Daal have a dot?

No. Unlike Dhaal (ذ), which has one dot above, the letter Daal (د) is completely dotless.

Does Daal connect to the next Arabic letter?

No. However, a compatible preceding letter can connect into Daal. The connection then stops before the following letter.

How many forms does Daal have?

Because Daal cannot connect forward, it has two distinct visual forms: د by itself and ـد when connected from before.

What are some Arabic words with Daal?

For example, you can find Daal in دار (daar), دجاج (dajaaj), and ورد (ward).