Lesson 7Alphabet & ScriptBeginner12 min
Urdu Alphabet Lesson 7: Laam, Meem, Noon, Noon Ghunna and Wao
لام، میم، نون، نون غنہ، واؤThese are some of the most common letters in Urdu. Two of them need special attention: ں (Noon Ghunna) makes the sound nasal, and و (Wao) can be a consonant or a vowel.
The letters
لLaam /l/
لیموںLeemo (Lemon)
مMeem /m/
مورMor (Peacock)
نNoon /n/
ناکNaak (Nose)
ںNoon Ghunna / ̃/ (Nasal)
ماںMaa (Mother)
وWao /ʋ/ or /oː/
وردیWardi (Uniform)
Two letters with jobs to learn
| Letter | How it works |
|---|---|
| ں | No dot. Comes at the end of a word and sends the vowel through your nose: ماں (maan), ہاں (haan). |
| و | Can be v or w (وقت waqt), long oo (دودھ doodh, milk), o (مور mor) or au (کون kaun). |
Words to read
نامnaamname
دلdilheart
لالlaalred
نمکnamaksalt
دوستdostfriend
ماںmaanmotherThe ں at the end makes the 'aa' nasal. Do not say a full n.
Tips
- ن has a dot and is a full n sound. ں has no dot and is only a nasal hum.
- و never joins to the next letter, just like د and ر.
- Say ماں and ہاں slowly and feel the air in your nose.
Practice
Choose the right answer. You will see the correct one straight away.