The Nuqta: Reading Urdu Sounds in Devanagari

Look closely at Hindi shayari and you will see small dots under some letters. This dot is called the nuqta (नुक़्ता).

Why it exists

Urdu, which is written in a Perso-Arabic script, has sounds that standard Devanagari does not. The nuqta lets Devanagari represent them, especially in words borrowed from Persian and Arabic.

The common nuqta letters

Letter	Sound	Example
ज़	z	ज़िंदगी (zindagee), life
फ़	f	फ़ासला (faasla), distance
क़	a deep q	क़रीब (qareeb), near
ख़	a throaty kh	ख़ुशी (khushee), joy
ग़	a throaty gh	ग़म (gham), sorrow

Without the dot

In everyday Hindi, many speakers pronounce these sounds as the plain letters: j, ph or f, k, kh and g. In poetry, readers and reciters often keep the original sounds.

Words you will see

• इश्क़ (ishq), love
• ज़िक्र (zikr), mention
• ख़्वाब (khwaab), dream
• ग़ज़ल (ghazal), ghazal
• फ़िक्र (fikr), worry
• ख़ामोशी (khaamoshee), silence

Typing the nuqta

Many keyboards place the nuqta letters under a long-press, or as a separate combining mark. If your message loses the dot, it will usually still be understood.

Reading aloud

• Try the throaty sound of ख़ and ग़.
• Make ज़ a buzzing z.
• Say फ़ with your teeth on your lip.

Why it matters

Poets sometimes choose words for their sound, and the nuqta letters add colour and depth. Reading them correctly makes a verse richer.

Tips

1. Notice the dot.
2. Practise the five common letters.
3. Read verses aloud to feel their rhythm.

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