Ghunnah (غُنّة) is a soft nasal sound that emerges from the nasal passage rather than the mouth. It's one of the defining features of correct Tajweed, giving recitation its smooth, resonant quality rather than a flat, clipped one.

Which Letters Actually Produce It

Only two letters carry ghunnah: noon (ن) and meem (م), and only under specific conditions, not every time they appear.

How Long to Hold It

Roughly two counts is the standard target, consistent across the various rules that involve ghunnah. Too short and it barely registers, too long and it starts sounding exaggerated.

Noon and Meem Mushaddad

When either letter carries a shaddah (doubling mark), the ghunnah appears in its fullest, clearest form, this is often the easiest place for a beginner to first hear and practice it.

Where Else Ghunnah Shows Up

• Idghaam with ghunnah: when noon sakinah or tanween merges with certain letters, a nasal sound accompanies the merge.
• Ikhfa: the noon sound is partially hidden and carries ghunnah before fifteen specific letters.
• Iqlab: noon sakinah or tanween converts to a hidden meem with ghunnah before ba.
• Ikhfa Shafawi: a hidden meem sound with ghunnah before ba, the meem-sakinah counterpart to regular Ikhfa.

Mistakes Worth Watching For

Skipping the ghunnah entirely where it's required flattens the recitation noticeably. Holding it too long makes it sound unnatural and stretched. And rushing through a mushaddad noon or meem without letting the nasal quality register properly undercuts the whole point of the rule.