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Alphabet Urdu

Nastaliq (Arabic-based)

Urdu is written in the Nastaliq style of the Perso-Arabic script, read right-to-left. It has 38 letters including special sounds unique to Urdu like aspirated consonants (kh, gh, bh, ph) and retroflex sounds.

S'écrit de droite à gauche

Urdu Vowels (حروف علت)

CaractèreNomRomanisationPrononciation
اAlifa/ālike 'a' in 'father'
وWaou/w/olike 'oo' in 'moon'
یYei/y/elike 'ee' in 'see'
ےBari Yeai/elike 'ay' in 'day'
آAlif Maddaālong 'a' sound
ہHeh/alike 'h' in 'hat'

Urdu Consonants (حروف صحیح)

CaractèreNomRomanisationPrononciation
بBeblike 'b' in 'ball'
پPeplike 'p' in 'park'
تTetlike 't' in 'top'
ٹTe (retroflex)retroflex t
ثSeslike 's' in 'sun'
جJimjlike 'j' in 'jam'
چChechlike 'ch' in 'church'
حBari Hehpharyngeal h
خKhekhlike 'ch' in Scottish 'loch'
دDaldlike 'd' in 'day'
ڈDal (retroflex)retroflex d
ذZalzlike 'z' in 'zone'
رRerrolled r
ڑRe (retroflex)retroflex r
زZezlike 'z' in 'zone'
ژZhezhlike 's' in 'measure'
سSinslike 's' in 'sun'
شShinshlike 'sh' in 'shoe'
صSuadsemphatic s
ضZuadzemphatic z
طToetemphatic t
ظZoezemphatic z
عAinʿvoiced pharyngeal
غGhainghlike French 'r'
فFeflike 'f' in 'fun'
قQafquvular stop
کKafklike 'k' in 'king'
گGafglike 'g' in 'go'
لLamllike 'l' in 'love'
مMimmlike 'm' in 'moon'
نNunnlike 'n' in 'no'
ںNoon Ghunnañ/n̈nasal n (no puff)
وWaow/vlike 'w' in 'wet'