A story
Rayyan, Nuqta and the Raa That Spins Like a Millstone
Rayyan loved the letter Raa (ر), but he used to say it like Ghayn (غ). He said "Ghayyan" instead of "Rayyan", and some children laughed.
In the holidays, Rayyan visited his grandmother in the village. On the edge of her old stone millstone (رَحى)... hop, hop! Nuqta sat down.
"The letter Raa doesn't need me," she said, "but I love it! Look, it's like a little slide: ر. Wheee!" And she slid down it.
Grandma turned the millstone, grinding the wheat: rrrrrr.
"Listen, Rayyan, that's the sound of Raa!" said Grandma. "Put the tip of your tongue behind your top teeth and let it flutter like a butterfly's wing."
Rayyan tried: "ghhh..." No.
He tried again: "ghr..." Close!
"Try an engine sound," said Nuqta. "Drrrr! Like a little car!"
"Don't give up," said Grandma. "A little every day."
Can you say it too? رَ (ra), رُ (ru), رِ (ri)... rrrr!
Every morning Rayyan practised words with Raa:
«رُمّان» (pomegranate), as he picked red pomegranates.
«رَمْل» (sand), as he built a castle by the door.
«مَطَر» (rain), when drops fell: tap, tap.
«أَرْنَب» (rabbit), a little one hopping in the field: hop, hop! "He hops like me!" said Nuqta.
Nuqta sang the Raa song:
Red pomegranate, soft sand,
Rain falling, a smiling land,
A rabbit running, a millstone turning,
Rrr... rrr... the sound keeps turning!
On the seventh day, Rayyan suddenly said, "رُمّان!" and the Raa was clear, spinning like the millstone.
Grandma clapped, Nuqta jumped, and Rayyan said proudly, "My name is Rayyan!"
Back at school, he saw a little boy stumbling over the letter Seen (س) while some children laughed. Rayyan sat beside him. "Don't be sad. A little every day, and I'll practise with you."
Let's practise (هيّا نتمرّن):
1. Where is the Raa: beginning, middle or end? رَأْس (head) — وَرْدَة (rose) — قَمَر (moon)
2. Complete with Raa: ـــمّان, مَطَـــ, أَـــنَب
3. Circle the word with a Raa: غَيْمَة (cloud) — رَمْل (sand) — قِطّ (cat)
4. Make the engine sound: drrrr!
Answers: 1) رَأْس: beginning, وَرْدَة: middle, قَمَر: end. 2) رُمّان, مَطَر, أَرْنَب. 3) رَمْل.
In the holidays, Rayyan visited his grandmother in the village. On the edge of her old stone millstone (رَحى)... hop, hop! Nuqta sat down.
"The letter Raa doesn't need me," she said, "but I love it! Look, it's like a little slide: ر. Wheee!" And she slid down it.
Grandma turned the millstone, grinding the wheat: rrrrrr.
"Listen, Rayyan, that's the sound of Raa!" said Grandma. "Put the tip of your tongue behind your top teeth and let it flutter like a butterfly's wing."
Rayyan tried: "ghhh..." No.
He tried again: "ghr..." Close!
"Try an engine sound," said Nuqta. "Drrrr! Like a little car!"
"Don't give up," said Grandma. "A little every day."
Can you say it too? رَ (ra), رُ (ru), رِ (ri)... rrrr!
Every morning Rayyan practised words with Raa:
«رُمّان» (pomegranate), as he picked red pomegranates.
«رَمْل» (sand), as he built a castle by the door.
«مَطَر» (rain), when drops fell: tap, tap.
«أَرْنَب» (rabbit), a little one hopping in the field: hop, hop! "He hops like me!" said Nuqta.
Nuqta sang the Raa song:
Red pomegranate, soft sand,
Rain falling, a smiling land,
A rabbit running, a millstone turning,
Rrr... rrr... the sound keeps turning!
On the seventh day, Rayyan suddenly said, "رُمّان!" and the Raa was clear, spinning like the millstone.
Grandma clapped, Nuqta jumped, and Rayyan said proudly, "My name is Rayyan!"
Back at school, he saw a little boy stumbling over the letter Seen (س) while some children laughed. Rayyan sat beside him. "Don't be sad. A little every day, and I'll practise with you."
Let's practise (هيّا نتمرّن):
1. Where is the Raa: beginning, middle or end? رَأْس (head) — وَرْدَة (rose) — قَمَر (moon)
2. Complete with Raa: ـــمّان, مَطَـــ, أَـــنَب
3. Circle the word with a Raa: غَيْمَة (cloud) — رَمْل (sand) — قِطّ (cat)
4. Make the engine sound: drrrr!
Answers: 1) رَأْس: beginning, وَرْدَة: middle, قَمَر: end. 2) رُمّان, مَطَر, أَرْنَب. 3) رَمْل.
