Introduction to the Arabic Letter Kaaf ك
The Arabic letter ك /kāf/ is the twenty-second letter of the Arabic alphabet.
It sounds just like the English K, but it looks way more stylish. You’ll see it in tons of everyday words, like كِتاب (kitāb) “book” and كبير (kabīr) “big.”
In this post, we’ll get to know ك in detail, how it’s written, how it changes shape in words, and its pronunciation. We will also learn how to distinguish it from the letter qaaf in the Arabic language, which is articulated deeper in the throat. This will help you sound more like a native speaker.
Correct Pronunciation of letter ك
The letter Kaaf is pronounced as a voiceless velar stop. Begin by pressing the back of the tongue against the soft palate and release it with a burst of air, similar to the English k in cat and kite.
Keep the sound light and soft, and place the tongue slightly forward, unlike the deep ق.
Avoid also voicing it, so it doesn’t sound like /g/.
How to Write the Shape and Form of Kaaf ك
The letter Kaaf is special in the Arabic alphabet. Its initial and medial forms differ significantly from its isolated and final forms. Let’s learn how to write the letter kaaf step by step.
Isolated
Initial
Medial
Final
ك
كـ
ـكـ
ـك
Isolated Form of Letter Kaaf (ك)
Draw a vertical line above the line down to the baseline, then curve back and draw a horizontal line to the left with a small hook at the end. Draw a small Hamza (ء), like a small S inside the curve.
This form comes at the end of a word, when the letter stands alone with no connections on either side. Check the following example:
English
Pronunciation
Arabic
Window
Shubbāk
شُبّاك
I opened the kitchen window.
Fataḥtu shubbāk almaṭbakh
فَتَحْتُ شُبّاك الْمَطْبَخ
Letter Kaaf in Initial Position
This form appears at the beginning of the word. Draw a straight line down to the baseline, then curve back to the right, and make a right angle at the baseline.
Draw a horizontal connecting line to the left, as this will be connected by another letter. Finally, draw a horizontal line across the top of the letter.
Ball
Kurah
كُرَة
The child lost the ball
aḍā‘a aṭ-ṭiflu al-kurata
أَضاعَ الطِّفلُ الكُرَةَ
Glass
Kaʼs
كَأْس
I drank a glass of water.
sharibtu ka’sa mā’in
شَرِبتُ كأسَ ماءٍ
Cherries
Karaz
كَرَز
I bought some cherries.
ishtaraitu ba‘ḍa al-karaz
اشتَرَيتُ بَعضَ الكَرَز
Dog
Kalb
كَلْب
I have a small dog.
ladayya kalbun ṣaghīr
لديَّ كَلْبٌ صَغِير
Chair
Kursy
كُرسِي
I sat on the chair.
jalastu ‘alā al-kursiyy
جَلَسْتُ على الكُرْسِيّ
Letter Kaaf in Medial Position
This form is identical to the initial one, but we add a small connecting line from the right, as this form has letters connecting to it from both sides when it is in the middle of a word.
Net
Shabakah
شَبَكَة
The fisherman throws the net into the sea.
yarmī aṣ-ṣayyādu ash-shabakata fī al-baḥr
يَرمِي الصَيّادُ الشَّبَكةَ في البَحر
Sugar
Sukkar
سُكّر
I added some sugar to the tea.
aḍaftu as-sukkar lil-shāy
أضفتُ السُكّرَ للشَّاي
Office
Maktab
مَكْتَب
The office is clean.
al-maktabu naẓīfun
المَكتَبُ نَظيفٌ
Idea
Fikrah
فِكْرَة
This is a smart idea!
hādhihi fikratun dhakiyyah
هَذِهِ فِكْرَةٌ ذَكِيَّةٌ!
Crying
Bukāʼ
بُكَاء
I heard the child crying.
sami‘tُ bukā’a aṭ-ṭifl
سمعتُ بُكَاءَ الطِّفْلِ
Letter Kaaf in Final Position
It is exactly like the isolated form, but we have a small addition. You need to add a small connecting line to the right, as it is connected to a letter that comes before it ـك.
Wire
Silk
سِلْك
This is a long wire.
hādhā silk-un ṭawyl.
هذا سِلكٌ طَويل
Rooster
Ddīk
ديك
The rooster crows in the morning.
yaṣīḥu ad-dīku fī aṣ-ṣabāḥ
يَصِيحُ الدِّيكُ في الصَّباح
King
Malik
مَلِك
The king listens to his ministers’ suggestions.
yastami‘u al-maliku ilā muqtaraḥāti wuzarā’ih
يَسْتَمِعُ الْمَلِكُ إِلَى مُقْتَرَحَاتِ وزَرَائِهِ
Doubt
Shakk
شَكّ
Overcome doubt with faith.
taghallab ‘alā ash-shakki bi-l-īmān
تَغَلَّبَ عَلَى الشَّكِّ بِالإِيمَان
Bank
bank
بَنْك
I withdrew money from the bank.
saḥabtu nuqūdan mina al-bank
سَحَبْتُ نُقُودًا مِنَ البَنْكِ
Review The Arabic Alphabet: Arabic Letter ك (kaaf)
Learning and Practicing Kaaf ك
To learn the letter Kaaf, start by practicing its sound with the short vowels كَ، كُ، كِ, as in the examples:
dog
Kalb
كَلب
chair
Kursy
كُرسي
book
Kitāb
كِتاب
Then use simple words like كِتاب and مَلِك in your daily conversations. For writing, practice Kaaf in all its forms (كـ، ـكـ، ـك). Build familiarity by reading vocabulary lists that include ك in different positions, like the group of words and their examples, which we used in this blog.
Consistent daily practice in listening, speaking, reading, and writing will help you recognize and use ك confidently and improve your fluency.
Kaf vs Qaf: Differences and Similarities
Kaaf and Qaaf may sound quite similar, but knowing the difference is fundamental and of high importance, as mixing them can cause a lot of misunderstanding and can change the whole meaning of your sentence.
Qaaf has no equivalent in English. It’s one of the 7 heavy letters in Arabic. It is produced further back in the throat, using the very back of the tongue against the uvula.
It is stronger and deeper than Kaaf, which is produced by the back of the tongue against the soft palate, similar to the English “k” in kite, but softer and less aspirated.
This is an example that can show how confusing these two letters ك and ق can alter the meaning and affect speaking and reading:
heart
Qalb
ق
قَلْب
dog
Kalb
ك
كَلْب
Quick Quiz
Take this brief quiz to practice the letter ك (kaaf). Choose the correct answer for every question and review your score in the answer key.
Which of the following words starts with the Arabic letter ك (Kāf)?
A. مَلِك
B. كِتاب
C. سُكَّر
D. بُكاء
What is the English translation of كُرة?
A. Sugar
B. Ball
C. King
D. Book
Which of these words contains the Arabic letter ك in the middle?
A. سُكَّر
B. كلب
C. كَأس
D. باب
Which of these words does NOT contain the Arabic letter ك?
A. بندمَكْتَب
B. مَلِك
C. دَرس
D. سُكَّر
- B. كِتاب
- B. Ball
- A. سُكَّر
- C. دَرس
Final word
Now that we have learned everything about the letter Kaaf, you can recognize it in Arabic words in all its different forms depending on its position in words. Make sure to practice pronouncing it with short vowels (كَ، كُ، كِ).
Recognizing the letter Kaaf from Qaaf is essential and will help you master both letters.
Use them in your conversations daily, as with practice and regular use, they will come naturally.
Don’t forget to give the AlifBee App a try! It’s a handy tool to support your Arabic studies, and you can explore it for free for 14 days.
