Urdu alphabet: every letter to copy
Urdu (اردو) is the national language of Pakistan and an official language in several Indian states. Together with Hindi, it is understood by hundreds of millions of people. Urdu is written right to left in an Arabic-based script, usually in the flowing Nastaliq style. This page lists the Urdu alphabet (حروف تہجی) in order: ا ب پ ت ٹ ث ج چ ح خ د ڈ ذ ر ڑ ز ژ س ش ص ض ط ظ ع غ ف ق ک گ ل م ن ں و ہ ھ ء ی ے.
After the letters come Arabic-script marks and digits. Tap any letter to copy it.
Letters special to Urdu
- ٹ ڈ ڑ: Retroflex sounds, like the t in “tamatar”, marked with a small ط on top.
- پ چ ژ گ: Letters shared with Persian for p, ch, zh and g.
- ں (noon ghunna): A nasal n at the end of words, as in ہاں.
- ھ (do-chashmi he): Used to make aspirated sounds like بھ and کھ.
- ے (bari ye): The long ye used at the end of many words.
- ہ (gol he): The round he used in Urdu instead of Arabic ه.
Right to left and joined letters
Urdu is written from right to left, and most letters join to the next one in a word. Each letter can change shape depending on whether it is at the start, middle or end of a word, or standing alone. You do not need to pick these shapes yourself. Copy the basic letter, and your device’s font will draw the right shape automatically when it sits next to other letters.
Some apps may show mixed Urdu and English text in a confusing order. If that happens, try putting the Urdu on its own line.
Aerab: the vowel marks
Urdu usually leaves out short vowels, but marks called aerab can be added to help with reading: zabar (a short a above the letter), zer (a short i below), pesh (a short u above), jazm (no vowel) and tashdeed (a doubled letter). They are common in children’s books, the Quran and poetry. On this page they appear after the main letters.
Urdu digits
Urdu uses Eastern Arabic-Indic digits that look slightly different from Arabic ones: ۰ ۱ ۲ ۳ ۴ ۵ ۶ ۷ ۸ ۹. Many people also use 0 to 9 in everyday writing. Copy the Urdu digits for poetry, wedding cards and formal documents.
Urdu poetry and greetings
Urdu is famous for its poetry, from Mir and Ghalib to Faiz and Iqbal. People often share shayari, Eid greetings like عید مبارک and messages of love in Urdu. Copy letters here to write a short line, a name or a greeting when you do not have an Urdu keyboard.
Typing Urdu
Gboard and the iPhone keyboard both include Urdu. Windows and Mac have Urdu layouts, and phonetic tools let you type Urdu using English letters. For a single letter, an aerab mark or a digit, copy it from this page.
Frequently asked questions
- How many letters are in the Urdu alphabet?
- The Urdu alphabet is usually taught with 38 or 39 letters, depending on how ھ and ء are counted.
- Is Urdu written right to left?
- Yes. Urdu, like Arabic and Persian, is written from right to left.
- What is the difference between Urdu and Arabic letters?
- Urdu uses the Arabic letters plus extra ones like ٹ ڈ ڑ ں ھ ے for sounds that Arabic does not have.
- Why do Urdu letters change shape?
- Most letters join to the next one, so their shape changes at the start, middle or end of a word. The font does this automatically.
- What are Urdu numbers?
- Urdu digits are ۰ ۱ ۲ ۳ ۴ ۵ ۶ ۷ ۸ ۹.