Table of Contents
Understanding Nastaliq Script and Roman Urdu
In this chapter you will learn what the Urdu writing system looks like, how it differs from Roman Urdu, and how both are used in real life. You do not need to memorize the entire script yet. The goal here is to recognize the basic ideas so that later chapters about letters and writing make more sense.
What is Nastaliq Script?
Urdu is traditionally written in a script called Nastaliq. It is a beautiful, flowing style that comes from the Persian writing tradition.
Some key points:
- It is written from right to left, not from left to right like English.
- Most letters connect to the letters before and after them.
- The shapes of letters change depending on whether they are at the beginning, middle, or end of a word.
- Nastaliq is usually used in books, newspapers, signs, and formal writing.
Here is a simple visual comparison of direction:
| Language | Example text | Direction of writing |
|---|---|---|
| English | URDU | Left to right → |
| Urdu | اردو | ← Right to left |
If you imagine a page with English on it, you start reading from the top left. With Urdu in Nastaliq, you start from the top right.
What is Roman Urdu?
Roman Urdu is Urdu language written with the English / Latin alphabet. People use it a lot on:
- WhatsApp and SMS
- Social media posts and comments
- Informal emails and chats
- When they cannot easily type Urdu script on a device
For example, the Urdu word for “peace” which is written as:
- نہ سلام (in Nastaliq, full form below)
- is often written as salaam in Roman Urdu.
Roman Urdu is not standardized. Different people may write the same word in different ways:
| Meaning | Common Roman Urdu spellings |
|---|---|
| hello / peace | salaam, salam, slm |
| how are you | kaisay ho, kaise ho, kese ho |
| okay | theek, thik, thek |
All of these can be understood in context, but there is no single “correct” spelling system for Roman Urdu.
Why Urdu Uses Two Writing Forms
You can think of it this way:
- Nastaliq is the official and traditional script of Urdu. It appears in books, exams, TV news, and education.
- Roman Urdu is informal and practical for quick digital communication, especially when a person cannot type in Nastaliq.
Many native speakers are comfortable in both. For a beginner, it is useful to read Roman Urdu at the start, but you should plan to learn Nastaliq if you want to truly read and write Urdu.
Important rule:
To read real Urdu in books, newspapers, signs, and most online news, you must learn Nastaliq, not just Roman Urdu.
Visual Comparison: The Same Words in Both Systems
Below you can see some common words written in both ways. Do not worry if you cannot read the Nastaliq yet. Just notice the difference in shape and direction.
| English meaning | Nastaliq Urdu | Roman Urdu |
|---|---|---|
| hello / peace | سلام | salaam |
| thanks | شکریہ | shukriya |
| yes | ہاں | haan |
| no | نہیں | nahin / nahi |
| water | پانی | paani |
| home | گھر | ghar |
| friend | دوست | dost |
| Urdu | اردو | Urdu |
Observe:
- Nastaliq words are aligned to the right.
- The same sounds are represented with Latin letters in Roman Urdu.
How Nastaliq Looks on the Page
Nastaliq is not only a script, it is also a calligraphic style. It has:
- sloping lines
- elegant curves
- letters that often drop below the main line
Compare a very simple line:
- Nastaliq:
- آج میں ٹھیک ہوں۔
- Roman Urdu:
- Aaj main theek hoon.
- English:
- Today I am fine.
You can see that the Urdu script looks like one continuous flow, while Roman Urdu looks like separate words similar to English.
Direction and Word Order in Writing
The sentence order in Urdu is different from English, but that will be studied in later chapters on sentence structure. Here you only need to focus on writing direction.
Example:
- English:
- My name is Ali.
- Urdu (Nastaliq):
- میرا نام علی ہے۔
- Roman Urdu:
- Mera naam Ali hai.
On the page:
| Aspect | English | Urdu (Nastaliq) |
|---|---|---|
| Writing direction | Left to right | Right to left |
| Start of line | My → name → is → Ali | ہے۔ → علی → نام → میرا |
Even though the words have their own order, the main new idea here is where your eyes move. With Urdu, you read from right to left.
Sound Representation in Roman Urdu
Roman Urdu tries to show Urdu sounds through English letters, but some Urdu sounds do not exist in English. People then use different tricks, like:
- adding h to show aspiration
- پ → p
- پھ → ph
- using double letters to show a longer sound
- aa for a long “a”: paani
- oo for long “u”: dhoop
Examples:
| Urdu sound | Example word (Nastaliq) | One Roman Urdu form | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| long “a” | پانی | paani | “aa” for a long vowel |
| long “u” | دُودھ / دودھ | doodh | “oo” for long “u” |
| aspirated “kh” | خود | khud | “kh” is one sound, not k + h |
| aspirated “bh” | بھاگنا | bhagna | breathy “b” |
Since there are no fixed spelling rules for Roman Urdu, you might see:
- paani, pani
- doodh, dudh
- khulna, khulna (same but context guides pronunciation)
This flexibility makes Roman Urdu easy to use but less reliable for exact pronunciation.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Nastaliq and Roman Urdu
Advantages of Nastaliq
- It is the authentic writing system of Urdu.
- Spelling rules are more consistent.
- It shows many helpful details, such as:
- where words begin and end
- which letters are connected
- sometimes, short vowel marks in educational texts
- You will be able to read:
- books and stories
- newspapers and websites
- public signs and menus
- poetry in its original visual form
Disadvantages of Nastaliq for Beginners
- It takes time to learn.
- Letter shapes change based on position in the word.
- Typing in Nastaliq requires Urdu keyboard settings.
Advantages of Roman Urdu
- Very easy to start for people who know English letters.
- Quick to type and use on any keyboard.
- Useful in chat, notes, and first steps of learning.
Disadvantages of Roman Urdu
- No standard spelling, which can confuse learners.
- Does not always show exact Urdu sounds clearly.
- Not accepted in formal writing or exams.
- You cannot read most written Urdu with it.
Key learning advice:
Roman Urdu can help you start speaking and listening, but do not rely on it if your goal is to really read and write Urdu. Start moving to Nastaliq as early as possible.
Mixed Use in Everyday Life
In many places, especially in Pakistan and India, you will see a mix of forms:
- A shop sign may be in Nastaliq Urdu and also in English.
- A TV show might use Nastaliq subtitles, while people tweet about it in Roman Urdu.
- A person’s name may appear in:
- Nastaliq on official documents
- Roman Urdu in their email address or social media
Example of mixed representation of the same sentence:
- Nastaliq Urdu:
- میں اردو سیکھ رہا ہوں۔
- Roman Urdu:
- Main Urdu seekh raha hoon.
- English:
- I am learning Urdu.
Both Urdu versions are the same sentence, but written in different scripts.
How This Course Will Use Both Scripts
Because you are a beginner, this course will:
- Show Nastaliq for real Urdu writing.
- Give Roman Urdu alongside in early chapters to help you pronounce words.
- Always provide English meanings.
For example, new words may appear as:
- سلام (salaam)
- English: hello, peace
Over time, the goal is that you depend less on the Roman Urdu and read directly in Nastaliq.
Practical Tips for Getting Comfortable
Here are some small steps you can take now, even before you fully study the alphabet:
- Train your eyes for direction
- Whenever you see Urdu script, practice noticing that it goes from right to left.
- Look at a line and find the first and last word.
- Match shapes to Roman forms
- When you see a word like سلام on a sign, think “This is salaam.”
- Compare the same word in both forms
- If you have a textbook or website that shows both scripts, look at them side by side.
- Do not worry about perfection
- At this stage, recognizing that these are two ways to write the same language is enough.
Vocabulary List
Below is a list of useful words that appeared in this chapter. You do not have to memorize them all now, but you can start becoming familiar with them.
| Urdu (Nastaliq) | Roman Urdu | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| اردو | Urdu | Urdu |
| رسم الخط | rasm al-khat | script |
| نستعلیق | Nastaliq | Nastaliq (Urdu script style) |
| رومن اردو | Roman Urdu | Roman Urdu |
| دائیں | daaein | right |
| بائیں | baaein | left |
| اوپر | ooper | up / above |
| نیچے | neechay | down / below |
| کتاب | kitaab | book |
| اخبار | akhbaar | newspaper |
| سوشل میڈیا | social media | social media |
| پیغام | paighaam | message |
| سلام | salaam | hello / peace |
| شکریہ | shukriya | thank you |
| ہاں | haan | yes |
| نہیں | nahin / nahi | no |
| پانی | paani | water |
| گھر | ghar | home / house |
| دوست | dost | friend |
| نام | naam | name |
| آج | aaj | today |
| میں | main | I |
| اردو سیکھنا | Urdu seekhna | to learn Urdu |
| لکھنا | likhna | to write |
| پڑھنا | parhna | to read |
In the next chapters you will start exploring the letters, shapes, and connections inside the Nastaliq script in a more systematic way.