1.2.1 Urdu letters (isolated, initial, medial, final)

Understanding Urdu Letter Shapes in Words

In Urdu, most letters change their shape depending on their position in a word. This is very different from English, where the shape of a letter usually stays the same inside a word.

To read and write Urdu, you must understand the four main forms of letters:

1. Isolated
2. Initial (at the beginning of a word)
3. Medial (in the middle of a word)
4. Final (at the end of a word)

This chapter focuses on how letters connect and how their shapes change in these positions.

Four Positions of Urdu Letters

Every Urdu letter is written on a baseline, from right to left. Many letters connect to the letters before and after them, so their shape changes.

The four basic positions are:

In Urdu, the shape of the letter in each of these positions may look different, although it is the same letter.

Connecting vs Non‑Connecting Letters

Some Urdu letters can join on both sides. Others join only on the right side and never connect to the following letter.

Non‑connecting letters

These letters do not connect to the letter that follows them. A new word‑segment starts after them.

Common non‑connecting letters are:

For learning at beginner level, it is enough to understand the concept: some letters do not take a following connection.

Connecting letters

All other letters are "connecting letters." They join to the letter after them, so they can have 4 distinct shapes.

For example, the letter ب (b) is connecting and has all four forms.

Example: The Letter ب (b)

The letter ب is a good model for understanding letter positions, because it is very regular and very common.

You will often see the medial and final shapes with a small baseline bar that continues to the right or left.

Examples with ب (b)

1. Isolated:
• Just the letter: ب
2. Initial:
• با (bā)
• Here, ب is at the start and connects to ا.
3. Medial:
• بابا (bābā, "father" in baby talk)
• First ب is initial, middle ب is medial, last ا is final.
4. Final:
• اب (ab, "now")
• Here ا is initial, ب is final.

Look at باب (bāb, "door"):

• First ب: initial
• ا: medial (after a connecting letter, before another)
• Final ب: final

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Example: The Letter ن (n)

Another useful letter is ن (n), which also connects on both sides.

Examples with ن (n)

1. Isolated:
• ن
2. Initial:
• نا (nā)
3. Medial:
• منہ (munh, "mouth")
• ن is medial, between م and ہ.
4. Final:
• من (man, "I" in Persian, used in some phrases)
• ن is final.

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Non‑connecting Letter Example: ا (alif)

The letter ا does not connect to the letter that comes after it. It connects only to the letter before it (on the right).

So ا has only:

• one shape when it stands alone or at the beginning of a word,
• one extended form when it appears after a connecting letter.

Examples with ا (alif)

1. Isolated:
• ا as a single letter.
2. Initial (no connection to next):
• اب (ab, "now")
• ا is initial and stands alone on its left side.
• ب begins a new connection segment.
3. Final (after a connecting letter):
• با (bā)
• Here بـ connects to ـا.
• The alif does not connect onward.

You never see a "medial" alif that connects on both sides, because ا cannot join to what follows it.

Reading Word Examples by Position

Let us look at some simple words and identify isolated, initial, medial, and final forms inside them. We will use just a few letters at first.

Word 1: بابا (bābā)

Spoken: bābā

You can see that ب appears as initial and medial, and ا appears as medial and final forms that connect only to the right.

Word 2: بن (ban)

Spoken: ban

Only two letters, so we see initial and final shapes.

Word 3: دن (din, "day")

Spoken: din

Here, د does not connect to ن. So ن appears in its isolated/final style, not in a medial form.

Visual Pattern: The Baseline

Most connected Urdu letters share a straight or slightly curved baseline. Letters attach to this baseline, and their "bodies" rise above or fall below it.

In the four positions, what often changes is:

• the start of the baseline,
• the end of the baseline,
• and sometimes where the dots are placed.

For many letters, the internal "body" stays similar:

Notice that ت and ث have the same skeleton as ب, but with different dots.

Groups of Letters with Similar Shapes

Many Urdu letters come in "families" that share a shape but change the position or number of dots.

Here is the "b‑family" pattern:

Learning these families helps you recognize letters more quickly inside words.

Another family is the "j‑family":

The basic skeleton is similar, with different dots or marks.

Practising Identification of Forms

To get comfortable, you can practise by taking a word and labeling each letter.

Example word set

Consider these simple words (you will meet the meanings later in the course, focus only on shapes now):

1. باب
2. تن
3. پن
4. بن
5. جب

Let us analyse جب as an example.

• ج at the start: initial form جـ
• ب at the end: final form ـب

So:

You can make a small exercise for yourself:

• Write the isolated form of each letter you know, such as ب, ن, ت, ج, پ, چ.
• Then next to each, write its initial form by adding a horizontal line to the left.
• Then its medial form by adding a line to both sides.
• Then its final form by adding a line only to the right.

Even without full calligraphic accuracy, this will help your eye see the pattern.

Mixed Examples with Non‑connecting Letters

Look now at combinations with a non‑connecting letter.

Example 1: باو

Spoken: similar to bāo (nonsense syllable)

Letters: ب + ا + و

• بـ is initial and connects to ـا
• ا connects only to the right, does not connect to و
• و appears in its isolated / final shape

So visually:

• Segment 1: با (connected)
• Segment 2: و (separate)

Example 2: درب

Spoken: darb (a word in some contexts)

Letters: د + ر + ب

• د is non‑connecting, isolated/initial
• ر is also non‑connecting, isolated/medial
• ب starts a new connection segment at the end, isolated/final

Because د and ر cannot join to the following letters, we do not see any initial or medial forms for them that extend to the left.

This contrast is very important when reading. You will see little "breaks" in the word wherever a non‑connecting letter appears.

Practical Tips for Beginners

1. Think in segments

When you read a word, look for breaks where non‑connecting letters appear. Each break divides the word into connected segments.

Example: بابو

You can see:

• با is one connected segment
• بو is another connected segment

2. Learn by families, not one letter at a time

Instead of memorizing 38 separate shapes, learn groups:

• ب, پ, ت, ث
• ج, چ, ح, خ
• etc.

Within each family:

• The skeleton is the same.
• Only dots and marks change.

3. Always check the dots

Dots are crucial:

• Their number and position change the letter.
• In connected forms, dots may appear above or below the baseline in slightly different positions, but they always identify the letter.

Example:

• ب has 1 dot below.
• ت has 2 dots above.
• ث has 3 dots above.

In all their forms, this rule stays true.

Summary of Key Concepts

• Urdu letters can appear as isolated, initial, medial, or final forms inside words.
• Most letters are connecting, so they can have all four shapes.
• Some letters are non‑connecting, like ا, د, ر, و, and they do not join to the letter that follows.
• Letter "families" share a common skeleton, and are differentiated mainly by dots.
• Practise recognizing letters in each position and in real words.

Vocabulary List (for Examples in This Chapter)

These words are mostly for shape recognition at this stage. Meanings are given only to help you remember.

And some key letters mentioned:

Use this chapter to become comfortable seeing how the shapes of these letters change in isolated, initial, medial, and final positions. You will build on this knowledge in later chapters when learning to read and write full words and sentences.