The letter O: listen, repeat, and write
Owl · بومة
Letter name: أو · Letter sound: أُ / آ مفتوحة /ɒ/
How to say the letter O
Round your mouth and say a short, open 'o' as in octopus. In American English it is close to 'ah'.
Note: The long O sound says its name, as in nose and boat.
In phonics we teach the sound of a letter before its name, because the sound is what the child uses when reading. The name of O is "أو" in Arabic script, but when we read Owl we hear the sound /ɒ/.
Words that start with O
Tap a word to hear it, then repeat it with your child
Short sentence
The octopus has an orange.
الأخطبوط لديه برتقالة.
Trace the letter Oo
Write with your finger or mouse over the faded letter, then try the small letter
Letter O worksheets to print
Trace capital O
Dotted tracing rows for capital O with a Owl picture.
Trace small o
Dotted tracing rows for small o on handwriting lines.
Picture and word
Oo with a Owl picture and words that start with the letter to read, trace and colour.
Colour the letter O
Big outline capital and small letters to colour with the word Owl.
Find and circle O
A grid of mixed letters: find capital O and small o and circle them.
Which words start with O?
8 words in English and Arabic: colour the star next to the words that start with the O sound.
Tip for parents and teachers
Ask your child to make a round mouth like the letter O itself. The letter's shape recalls the mouth shape.
What comes after O?
FAQ about the letter O
How is the letter O pronounced?
The letter name is "O". Its reading (phonics) sound is /ɒ/, closest to the Arabic فتحة مُدوّرة قصيرة (أُو خفيفة). Round your mouth and say a short, open 'o' as in octopus. In American English it is close to 'ah'.
What is the difference between the name and the sound of O?
We use the name when spelling, but the sound is what we hear at the start of Owl. In phonics we teach the sound first because it is what the child needs to read words. The long O sound says its name, as in nose and boat.
Which words start with O for kids?
Owl (بومة), Octopus (أخطبوط), Orange (برتقالة), Ox (ثور), Olive (زيتونة). Listen to each one on this page.
How do I teach my child the letter O at home?
Ask your child to make a round mouth like the letter O itself. The letter's shape recalls the mouth shape. Then print the free tracing sheet and write capital O and small o together.