Learning How to Read Urdu
With approximately 104 million speakers worldwide, the Indo-Aryan language of Urdu is the national language of Pakistan. Urdu is also spoken in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and India. Since the 12th century, Urdu has been written with a version of the Perso-Arabic script, which is read from right to left. Learning how to read Urdu takes time, but is possible with dedicated study and practice.
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Instructions
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Learn the Urdu script. Print off an alphabet chart, such as the one on the Columbia University website, which shows the letters arranged in dictionary order. Pin it in a prominent place in your home. Study the letters one by one and practice drawing them out by hand. Even if you don't wish to learn to write Urdu as well as read it, the process of doing this will help to embed the characters in your memory.
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Understand that each letter looks slightly different depending on whether it is at the start, middle or end of a word, or written entirely on its own. Study the variations of each letter until you can recognize them in all their different forms. Concentrate in particular on learning the final forms of each letter as this makes it easier to understand where one word starts and another word finishes when reading.
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Study Urdu vocabulary. The more words you learn, the easier it will be for you to read Urdu sentences. Start by learning basic words and phrases that are necessary for everyday communication before progressing to more advanced vocabulary. If you are learning to read Urdu for a specific reason, for example to assist you at work, focus on learning words that are related to your job.
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Take a course in Urdu grammar. In order to be able to read the language, you need to gain an understanding of its grammar. Ukindia's course "Learn to Read Urdu" is one example of a set of Urdu lessons available free online. Choose a course that suits your learning style and complete the lessons in a logical order. Pay particular attention to the areas where Urdu grammar is different from English grammar. The word "the" is frequently omitted in Urdu, for example, and the verb is typically found at the end of a sentence.
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Practice reading Urdu. Once you are confident that you have mastered the alphabet and grammar, start trying to read basic texts in Urdu. Purchase a children's book online, as the simple sentence structures and vocabulary are perfect for language beginners. Once you are confident in your reading ability, try reading the news in Urdu. Websites such as Urdu Times publish Urdu-language news on a daily basis, which is great for beginners looking for fresh material with which to practice.
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References
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