Qalqalah in Tajweed: The Five Letters and How to Read Them

Qalqalah is a light echo or bounce added to five letters, ق ط ب ج د, when they carry a sukoon. It happens because these letters are strong and tightly closed, so when they are stopped without a vowel, a small burst of sound follows. It is a short, clean bounce, not an extra vowel and not a noise.

Last updated: 14 November 2026

The five qalqalah letters

The letters are ق, ط, ب, ج and د. Many learners memorise them as a single phrase taught by their teacher. If you want to know where each is formed in the mouth, the makharij chart shows them.

When does qalqalah apply?

Qalqalah applies when one of the five letters has a sukoon, whether the sukoon is written in the text or appears because you stop on the letter at the end of a word. The sound is released in the same place the letter is made, as a small bounce, and then you carry on.

The stronger and the lighter kind

• Lighter (in the middle of a word or between words). The letter has a sukoon but you continue reading, so the echo is soft.
• Stronger (when you stop). The letter is at the end of the word you are stopping on, so the echo is clearer, because there is nothing after it to carry the sound forward.

Teachers name these degrees differently and some describe a third, strongest degree when a stopped letter also carries a shaddah. Follow the terms your teacher uses, because the aim here is a clean, controlled bounce rather than the names.

What qalqalah is not

• It is not an extra vowel. If you hear "buh" or "duh", the echo is too long.
• It is not a loud pop. The bounce is small and quick, and it must not change the pitch of the line.
• It is not a pause. The rhythm of the recitation continues unbroken.

How to practise

• Step 1. Say each of the five letters alone with a sukoon and feel the closed position, then release a tiny echo.
• Step 2. Say them again after a short vowel, for example a letter with a fatha followed by the qalqalah letter with a sukoon.
• Step 3. Find the letters on a page you already read well and mark them lightly in pencil.
• Step 4. Compare your lighter echo (continuing) with your stronger echo (stopping) and keep both small.
• Step 5. Record a short passage and ask your teacher to listen for extra vowels.

The Tajweed quiz includes qalqalah questions with the reason for each answer, and the Tajweed cheat sheet keeps the five letters on one printable page.

Common mistakes

• Turning the echo into a full vowel sound.
• Forgetting the echo when a qalqalah letter carries a sukoon in the middle of a word.
• Making the stronger echo so loud that it breaks the flow.
• Adding an echo to letters that are not among the five.

Next step

Qalqalah is a sound, so the best correction is from someone listening. Book a free trial class and a teacher will hear your echo and your pace. Our Tajweed course teaches it alongside the other rules in a gentle order, and the course overview shows what else is covered.

Frequently asked questions

What are the qalqalah letters?

The five qalqalah letters are ق ط ب ج د.

Is qalqalah applied when I stop reading?

Yes. When you stop on a qalqalah letter, the echo is usually clearer and stronger, because nothing follows it.

Is qalqalah an extra vowel?

No. It is a light bounce of sound. If you can hear a vowel after the letter, the echo is too long.

Do all teachers describe qalqalah the same way?

The five letters are the same everywhere, but some teachers describe two degrees of qalqalah and others three. Follow your own teacher and keep the sound small and clean.