With the help of this free online typing tool, you can easily type in Urdu using a regular English keyboard.
Abjad System: Like the Arabic script, the Urdu script follows an abjad system, where each character represents a consonant sound with an inherent vowel sound ('a'). Vowel sounds are typically represented using diacritics or additional letters, but they are not always written in full, especially in everyday writing.
Consonant Characters: The script consists of characters representing consonant sounds. Each consonant character typically has an inherent vowel sound ('a'), which can be modified or suppressed using diacritics.
Vowel Diacritics: Diacritic marks, known as "harakat" or "zabar, zabar, pesh", are used in the Urdu script to represent vowel sounds. These diacritics are placed above or below consonant characters to indicate short vowels ('a', 'i', 'u') and long vowels ('ā', 'ī', 'ū').
Additional Letters: The Urdu script includes additional letters not found in the Arabic script to represent sounds unique to Urdu, such as retroflex sounds and nasalized vowels. These additional letters are often indicated by modifying existing Arabic letters with dots or other diacritics.
Writing Direction: The Urdu script is traditionally written from right to left, although it can also be written horizontally from left to right in some contexts, such as digital media. Each character is connected to the next, forming a cursive script.
Calligraphic Styles: The Urdu script has several calligraphic styles, including Nasta'liq, Naskh, and Thuluth, each with its own aesthetic and artistic characteristics. Nasta'liq is the most commonly used style for everyday writing and printing.