Lesson 4Alphabet & ScriptBeginner10 min
Urdu Alphabet Lesson 4: Seen, Sheen, Suad and Zuad
سین، شین، صاد، ضادس and ش look like a row of small teeth. ص and ض have a loop instead. Here is a surprise: Urdu has three letters that all make the s sound (ث س ص). They come from Arabic, where they sounded different.
The letters
سSeen /s/
سورجSooraj (Sun)
شSheen /ʃ/
شیرSher (Lion / Tiger)
صSuad /s/
صابنSaabun (Soap)
ضZuad /z/
ضعیفZaeef (Elderly)
Same sound, different letter
| Sound | Letters that make it |
|---|---|
| s | ث س ص |
| z | ذ ز ض ظ |
| sh | ش |
س is by far the most common s letter. When you are not sure how to spell a word, س is the best guess.
Words to read
بسbasenough; also a bus
سچsachtruth
شاباشshaabaashwell done!
شبshabnight (formal, used in poetry)
صبرsabrpatience
ضدzidstubbornness
Tips
- ش is س with three dots on top. Dots on top turn s into sh.
- Use شاباش to praise children when they read a word correctly!
- Many Arabic-origin words use ص or ض. Learn their spelling one word at a time.
Practice
Choose the right answer. You will see the correct one straight away.