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Alphabet · Alifbeetada · Consonants

Q

Q

qa (from the back of the mouth) · Say k with the back of the tongue as far back as it will go.
Alphabet topic in the Luuqad app

The sound

Q is a k made much further back, against the soft palate at the very back of the mouth, like the Arabic letter qāf. English speakers tend to say a normal k; Somali listeners hear the difference clearly, because k and q distinguish words.

Example words

Qalinpen
Qadolunch
Qorraxsun

Related letters

B the letter BT the letter TJ the letter JX the letter XKH the letter KHD the letter D

All 26 Alphabet letters →

Teaching the letter Q

Say the letter with a short a after it, "qa", the way Somali children chant the alphabet, then say each example word slowly and let your child find the letter in it. Somali spelling is completely regular, so once a child knows the sound of Q they can read it in any word.

← F All Alphabet K →

Learn all 26 Alphabet letters with real voices

B, T, J, X, KH, D and more. Then take the quiz.

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