Lesson 10Sounds & PhoneticsBeginner12 min
Urdu Long Vowels: aa, ee, oo, o, ay and ai
لمبی آوازیںUnlike short vowels, long vowels are always written. Urdu uses four letters for them: ا و ی ے. One letter can stand for more than one sound, so you learn them with words.
Which letter makes which vowel
| Sound | Letter | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| aa | ا | بات | baat · talk |
| ee | ی | تین | teen · three |
| e (as in 'they') | ی / ے | سیب | seb · apple |
| ai (as in 'hen', long) | ی / ے | ہَیں | hain · are |
| oo | و | دُور | door · far |
| o | و | بول | bol · speak |
| au | و | کون | kaun · who |
At the end of a word, ee is written with ی and the e / ai sounds with ے.
Words to read
باتbaattalk, matter
تینteenthree
سیبsebapple
میزmeztable
دورdoorfar
بولbolspeak (informal)
کونkaunwho
ہےhaiis
Tips
- When you meet و in a new word, it could be oo, o or au. Listen first or check the Roman Urdu.
- Long vowels are your anchors: they are always written, so they help you guess the word.
- Say pairs slowly: بول (bol) and دور (door) use the same letter for different sounds.
Practice
Choose the right answer. You will see the correct one straight away.