What is the difference between the Arabic letter Sin and the letter Saad?

Question

How do you pronounce each of them? I'm having trouble distinguishing them, and knowing how to say them.

Answer 1

um...siin is similar to the english "s". It is pronounced as the "s" in the words seen and sew.

Saad has no english equivilent but it is similar to an "s". It's like a 'hard' "s". It's a deeper "s" pronounced with the tongue on the roof of the mouth rather than up against the teeth.

You probably need someone who is fluent in Arabic to speak these sounds for you. Good luck.

Answer 2

Hi Heron!
I consulted with a friend of mine who is a linguist and who speaks Arabic. He explained the difference in phonetic terms.

Sin is pronounced with the same "s" sound that we have in English at the beginning of words like "snake", "sample" and so forth.

Saad represents a pharyngealized "s". The pharynx is the part of the vocal tract between the back of the mouth and larynx. That is, it's the top of the throat. When Arabic speakers make this sound, they make the same mouth gestures required for the "s" sound you are already familiar with, and add to it a pharyngeal constriction. The tip of the tongue should be close to, but not touching, the alveolar ridge, giving a "hissing" sound, and then the pharynx is also somewhat constricted.

As for coaching you to pronounce this sound, I have never taught Arabic, so I'm not aware of any special tricks for teaching pharyngealization. However, I am aware that pharyngealization exists in English when we say the "r" sound. The "r" sound includes a gesture with the tongue and also pursing of the lips, but if you pay close attention you'll notice that there is also somewhat of a constriction in your upper throat. This is pharyngealization. So if you can figure out how to do just the pharyngealization by itself, which you already know how to do when you say "r", you should be able to start with an "s" sound and then add that gesture to get the pharyngealized "s".

I should also add that "s" is not the only sound in Arabic that has pharyngealized and non-pharyngealized versions. "T" and "d" are two others that I am aware of, and there very well could be more.

Answer 3

Saad In Arabic

Answer 4

Most Arabic speakers will tell you that Saad is an emphatic s sound. To me (as a non-native speaker) the difference is in how it affects the following vowel - after Sin the vowel sounds "normal" (s in "sample") and after Saad the vowel sounds rather nazalised (almost like the psa in "psalm").

Answer 5

Dear it's difficult to "write" down the difference, it's about hearing it from someone's mouth !

All I can say is that "sin" is softer and comes directly from between the teeth (the front ones)

"sad" is "thicker"

Here you are a website where you can hear the proper pronounciation of all the letters in Arabic alphabet:

http://www.sunna.info/teaching/

good luck!

Answer 6

س is a little lightly pronounces "siiin" ص where el SAAAD has more of an effort to make it sound deeper and stronger... its like C & S!