Want to write words? Open the Urdu keyboard.
About the Urdu alphabet
Urdu is written right to left in an extended Perso-Arabic script, usually in the Nastaliq style. It adds letters for sounds Arabic and Persian lack: the retroflex ٹ ڈ ڑ, the nasal ں, the aspiration marker ھ and ے (baṛī ye).
Letters with the same sound
Several letters share one sound because they come from Arabic words: ث س ص all sound like s, ذ ز ض ظ like z, ت ط like t and ح ہ like h. Spelling depends on the word.
Aspirated sounds
Urdu writes aspirated consonants with do-chashmī he: بھ پھ تھ ٹھ جھ چھ دھ ڈھ کھ گھ.
Frequently asked questions
How many letters are in the Urdu alphabet?
The Urdu alphabet is usually taught with 39 letters. Some lists count 37 or 38 depending on whether ء, ھ and ں are counted separately.
What is the first letter of the Urdu alphabet?
The first letter is alif (ا) and the last is baṛī ye (ے).
Is Urdu written left to right?
No. Urdu is written right to left, while numbers are written left to right.
Which Urdu letters are not in Arabic?
ٹ, ڈ, ڑ, ں, ھ, ے and the Persian letters پ, چ, ژ and گ are not part of the Arabic alphabet.