Language/Urdu/Grammar/Introduction-to-Urdu-Alphabets

Urdu Grammar → Alphabets and Sounds → Introduction to Urdu Alphabets

As a Urdu language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I believe that mastering the basics of any language is crucial for becoming fluent. That's why in this lesson, we will focus on learning the 39 alphabets used in Urdu language and practice their pronunciation.

Urdu Alphabets

Urdu language is written from right to left, and it is an Indo-Aryan language, which means it is related to Hindi and Punjabi. The Urdu language has a total of 39 alphabets, and out of these, 37 alphabets are used to write sounds, and two alphabets are used to represent nasal sounds. The Urdu alphabets comprise of vowels, consonants, and a special diacritical mark called zabar, which shows a vowel sound.

Here is an overview of the Urdu alphabets:

Urdu	Pronunciation	English
ا	a	I
ب	b	B
پ	p	P
ت	t	T
ٹ	ṭ
ث	s̱
ج	j	J
چ	ch	Ch
ح	ḥ	H
خ	kh	Kh
د	d	D
ڈ	ḍ
ذ	ẕ
ر	r	R
ڑ	ṛ
ز	z	Z
ژ	ž
س	s	S
ش	sh	Sh
ص	ṣ	Ṣ
ض	ẓ
ط	ṭ̈
ظ	ẓ̱
ع	‘	‘
غ	gh	Gh
ف	f	F
ق	q	Q
ک	k	K
گ	g	G
ل	l	L
م	m	M
ن	n	N
و	w	W
ہ	h	H
ھ	ḥ
ی	y	Y
ے‎	é	E

These Urdu alphabets are then combined to form words and sentences.

Please note that the above table only highlights the basic concept of the Urdu alphabets. There are some specific rules and regulations for how to pronounce these alphabets, which we will cover later in this course. It is essential to practice their pronunciation to avoid any miscommunication.

Practice Exercises

Now that you have learned the Urdu alphabets, let's practice their pronunciation.

• Practice pronouncing each alphabet sound repeatedly until you feel comfortable with the pronunciation.

• Try to form simple words and sentences using these alphabets. For example, try to form simple words like “کتاب” (kitaab) which means book or “فلم” (film), which means movie.

• Listen to Urdu speakers, watch Urdu movies or TV shows, and immerse yourself in the language to improve your pronunciation and understanding of the language.

Conclusion

Learning the Urdu alphabets is the first step towards mastering the Urdu language. With regular practice and immersion, you can become fluent in Urdu. In the next lessons, we will learn how to join sounds to form words and how to correctly pronounce them.

Sources

• Urdu - Wikipedia
• Learn Urdu Through Urdu (2022) - biergartenbaycity.com
• Urdu alphabet - Wikipedia
• Urdu language | History, Origin, Script, Words, & Facts | Britannica

Table of Contents - Urdu Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Introduction to Urdu Script

• Urdu Alphabet
• Connecting Letters

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Basic Vocabulary

• Greetings and Introductions
• Numbers and Counting
• Days of the Week and Months

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Basic Sentence Structure

• Nouns and Pronouns
• Verbs and Tenses
• Adjectives and Adverbs

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Everyday Vocabulary

• Colors and Shapes
• Food and Drinks
• Clothing and Accessories

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Forming Questions and Negations

• Question Words
• Negation

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Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Directions and Locations

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Urdu Culture and Traditions

• Festivals and Celebrations
• Urdu Literature and Poetry