Urdu Letters & Alphabet Guide

Complete reference for Urdu Nastaliq script letters and numbers with English pronunciation

About Urdu Script: Urdu is written in the Nastaliq style of the Perso-Arabic script, written from right to left. The Urdu alphabet has 38 letters, including letters unique to Urdu like پ (pe), چ (che), ڈ (ḍāl), ژ (zhe), ں (nun ghunna), ہ (he), and ے (bari ye). Urdu is the national language of Pakistan, spoken by over 230 million people worldwide.
Letters Vowel Marks Numbers Translate Now →

Urdu Letters — حروف تہجی

UrduNamePronunciationExample Word
اAlifa / aa soundادب (adab - respect)
بBeb as in "bat"باپ (baap - father)
پPep as in "pen"پانی (paani - water)
تTet as in "top"تارہ (taara - star)
ٹṬeretroflex tٹوپی (topi - hat)
ثSes as in "sun"ثابت (sabit - firm)
جJimj as in "jar"جل (jal - water)
چChech as in "chair"چاند (chaand - moon)
حBaṛī Heh (pharyngeal)حق (haq - truth)
خKhekh as in "loch"خدا (khuda - God)
دDald as in "dog"دل (dil - heart)
ڈḌalretroflex dڈاکٹر (doctor)
ذZalz as in "zoo"ذکر (zikar - mention)
رRer (rolled)رات (raat - night)
ڑṚeretroflex flap rبڑا (bara - big)
زZez as in "zoo"زمین (zameen - earth)
ژZhezh as in "measure"ژالہ (zhala - hail)
سSins as in "sun"سورج (suraj - sun)
شShinsh as in "ship"شہر (shehar - city)
صSuads (emphatic)صبح (subh - morning)
ضZuadz (emphatic)ضرور (zaroor - necessary)
طToet (emphatic)طالب (talib - student)
ظZoez (emphatic)ظلم (zulm - oppression)
عAinvoiced pharyngealعشق (ishq - love)
غGhaingh (guttural)غم (gham - sorrow)
فFef as in "fan"فول (fool - flower)
قQafq (uvular)قلم (qalam - pen)
کKafk as in "kit"کتاب (kitab - book)
گGafg as in "go"گھر (ghar - home)
لLaml as in "lip"لال (laal - red)
مMimm as in "man"ماں (maan - mother)
نNunn as in "not"نام (naam - name)
ںNun Ghunnanasal n (no sound)ہاں (haan - yes)
وWaov / w / oo soundوقت (waqt - time)
ہChhoṭī Heh as in "hat"ہوا (hawa - air)
یChhoṭī Yey / ee soundیار (yaar - friend)
ےBaṛī Yeay / e soundہے (hai - is)

Urdu Vowel Marks — اعراب (Aʿrāb)

MarkNameSoundExample
َZabara (short)کَتَب (katab - wrote)
ِZeri (short)کِتاب (kitāb - book)
ُPeshu (short)کُتب (kutub - books)
ًTanwin Zabaran (nunation)شکرًا (shukran - thanks)
ّTashdiddouble consonantقُرآن (Quran)

Urdu Numbers — اعداد (Aʿdād)

NumberUrduPronunciation
0صفرsifar
1ایکek
2دوdo
3تینteen
4چارchaar
5پانچpaanch
6چھchhay
7ساتsaat
8آٹھaath
9نوnau
10دسdas
100سوsau
1000ہزارhazaar
Right-to-Left Script: Urdu is written from right to left, like Arabic and Persian. The Nastaliq style used for Urdu is one of the most aesthetically beautiful calligraphic styles in the world, characterized by its flowing, diagonal baseline. Urdu and Hindi share a common spoken base (Hindustani) but use different scripts.

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