Lesson 6Alphabet & ScriptBeginner10 min
Urdu Alphabet Lesson 6: Fay, Qaaf, Kaaf and Gaaf
فے، قاف، کاف، گافف and ق look alike: ف has one dot and ق has two. ک and گ look alike too: گ has an extra line on top. In this lesson you will also learn the deep q sound.
The letters
فFay /f/
فوارہFawwara (Fountain)
قQaaf /q/
قلمQalam (Calligraphy Pen)
کKaaf /k/
کتابKitaab (Book)
گGaaf /ɡ/
گڑیاGuriya (Doll)
Tell them apart
| Letter | What to look for | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| ف | 1 dot above | f as in fan |
| ق | 2 dots above, deeper tail | q, a k sound made further back in the throat |
| ک | one slanted line on top | k as in kite |
| گ | two lines on top | g as in go |
Words to read
کبkabwhen? (a question)
گاجرgaajarcarrot
کاغذkaaghazpaper
فرشfarshfloor
قدرqadrvalue, respect
قلمqalampenUses ل and م from the next lesson.
Tips
- In casual speech many people say ق like ک. Try to make it deeper, but do not worry if it sounds close.
- Quick trick: an extra line on top turns ک (k) into گ (g).
- کب (kab) asks 'when?'. You will use it a lot.
Practice
Choose the right answer. You will see the correct one straight away.