ABSTRACT
This chapter briefly outlines the salient properties of Urdu (Perso-Arabic) script and Urdu pronunciation. Even if you are not learning the script, this chapter is indispensable because you need to know the pronunciation value of the Roman/English letters used in the conversation units. Furthermore, one or two unfamiliar symbols are drawn from the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The transcription scheme followed here is used widely in the teaching of Urdu and in works on Urdu language and linguistics. We would strongly recommend you learn the Urdu script; however, if it is not possible due to constraints of time, you still will need to refer to the vowel and consonant charts until you have mastered the letters and their pronunciation.
