Long Vowels

In Urdu, there are five long vowels represented by five letters of the alphabet.

Independent	Final	Medial	Initial	Transliteration	Remarks on Pronunciation
ﺍ بڑا	ﺎ اپنا		ﺁ آنا	aa	Pronounced like the English a in father. Examples: ﺁ + ﻧ + ﺎ =آنا aanaa 'to come' ﭼ + ﺎ + ﺭ =چار caar 'four' ﺍ + ﭘ + ﻨ + ﺎ =اپنا aapNaa 'one's own' ﺑ + ﮍ + ﺍ =بڑا baRaa 'big, great' Note: This letter is not joined to the letter following it.
Independent	Final	Medial	Initial	Transliteration	Remarks on Pronunciation
	ﮧ فاقہ			aa	See above. This letter can represent the long vowel aa only in the final position. Examples: ﻓ + ﺎ + ﻗ + ﮧ =فاقہ faakaa 'starvation'
Independent	Final	Medial	Initial	Transliteration	Remarks on Pronunciation
ﻭ دو	ﻮ لو			uu o	This letter may represent both the long vowel uu (pronounced like the English oo in moon or root) and the vowel o, the pronunciation of which resembles that of the English au in daughter. Examples: ﺍ + ﻭ + ﺭ = اور or 'side, direction' ﺩ + ﻭ + ﺭ + =دور duur 'far' ﻣ + ﻮ + ﮌ = موڑ moR 'turning' ﻟ + ﻮ = لو lo 'take!' ﺧ + ﻮ + ﺷ + ﺒ + ﻮ = خوشبو kh'ushbuu 'fragrance' ﺩ + ﻭ = دو do 'two' Note 1: This letter is not joined to the letter following it. Note 2: Listen to native speakers to learn the correct pronunciation of this vowel for a particular Urdu word.
Independent	Final	Medial	Initial	Transliteration	Remarks on Pronunciation
ﻯ گھوڑی	ﻰ بلی	ﻴ کیلا	ﻳ ایمان	ii	Pronounced like the English ee in deep or sleep. Examples: ﺍ + ﻳ + ﻤ + ﺎ + ﻥ =ایمان iimaan 'belief, trust' ﮐ + ﯿ + ﻟ + ﺍ =کیلا kiilaa 'a nail, a stake' ﺑ + ﻠ + ﻰ =بلی billii 'a cat' ﮔ + ﮭ + ﻮ + ﮌ + ﻯ =گھوڑی ghoRii 'a mare'
Independent	Final	Medial	Initial	Transliteration	Remarks on Pronunciation
ﮮ گھوڑے	ﮯ کتے	-	-	e	This letter has no initial and medial forms of its own. Instead, the corresponding forms of the letterﻯ (ye-maaruuf) are used. This letter is pronounced alike the English e in pet or set, but the sound is longer. Examples: ﺍ + ﻳ + ﮏ =ایک ek 'one' ﻣ + ﻴ + ﺰ = میز mez 'a table' ﮐ + ﺘ + ﮯ =کتے kutte 'dogs' ﮔ + ﮭ + ﻮ + ﮌ + ﮮ =گھوڑے ghoRe 'horses' Note: Listen to native speakers to learn the correct pronunciation of this vowel for a particular Urdu word.