If you are learning Urdu, you might have noticed that, apart from writing, one of the most challenging aspects is pronunciation. As the national language, Urdu is widely celebrated and spoken throughout Pakistan. Still, it is also a bit challenging, specifically for the non-natives, to pronounce certain words.
Generally, it is because of the intricate phonetic sounds that it could be difficult for both native speakers and learners to articulate. This article will explore a few such hard to pronounce Urdu words with their English meaning, Urdu translation, and pronunciation tips to ease articulation. Let’s get started!
Table Of Contents
List Of Hard To Pronounce Urdu Words
Let’s explore some of the most challenging Urdu words and how to pronounce them.
1. Perseverance/Steadfastness — Istiqamat (استقامت)
Divide the word into syllables: is-ti-qa-mat. Here, the middle qaaf (ق) and meem (م) sounds that blends together requires the slight tightening of the throat, making it a little hard to pronounce the Urdu word.
2. Prejudice/Bigotry — Ta’asub (تعصب)
Ta-AH-sub has 3 syllables, where only the second syllable is stressed with the exclamation ‘AH’ sound.
3. Anxiety/Restlessness — Iztirab (اضطراب)
The word iz-ti-raab has 3 syllables, where the third syllable is stressed upon, and the ‘r’ sound is rolled like the ‘r’ in rob.
4. Complexity— Pechidgi (پیچیدگی)
This word is divided into three syllables: peh-cheed-gi. It reads by pronouncing ‘ch’ in the second syllable as the ‘ch’ in cheese and stressing the same syllable as a whole.
5. Hypocrisy – Munafiqat (منافقت)
This word is pronounced as moo-na-fi-qat. Put a slight emphasis on ‘mu’ and ‘na,’ say ‘fi’ softly, and pronounce ‘qat’ like ‘cut.’
6. Astonished/Stunned — Shashdar (ششدر)
This is a short, two-syllable word, shash-dar, pronounced with a soft ‘r’ sound and an emphasis on the second syllable, ‘dar.’
7. Opposite/Antonym — Mutazad (متضاد)
This word is divided into 3 syllables, ‘mu-ta-zaad,’ which is pronounced by stressing the syllable ‘zaad’ and uttering a deep ‘z’ sound.
8. Hardship/Labor — Mushaqat (مشقت)
The word mushakkat is pronounced with the ‘q’ in ‘qut’ articulated deeply in the throat to give it a strong, bold sound.
9. Hardworking And Resilient — Jafakash (جفاکش)
The word Ja-FAA-kash reads by uttering a small ‘a’ like in cat and stressing on ‘faa.’
10. Invincible/Unconquerable — Naqabl-e-taskheer (نا قابلِ تسخیر)
This word is divided into 6 syllables: Na-QAA-bil-e-tas-KHEER. Utter the ‘Q’ and the ‘Kh’ sound deep in the throat.
How Do You Say “Hard” In Urdu?
The common Urdu word for hard is mushkil (مشکل), or thos (ٹھوس). However, this word is translated in different ways depending on the context. For instance:
| English Description | Urdu | Pronunciation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Used for something tough or rigid in physical terms. | سخت | sakht | A hard surface – sakht satah (سخت سطح); Gruff – sakht mizaj (سخت مزاج) |
| Used to refer to something challenging. | مشکل | mushkil | Difficult/hard question – mushkil sawal (مشکل سوال) |
| Used to refer to severe or tough tasks or challenges. | کڑی | kari | Hard work – kari mehnat (کڑی محنت) |
Frequently Asked Questions Related To Hard To Pronounce Urdu Words
1. What Is The Longest Word In Urdu?
In Urdu, long words are generally created through compound constructions. Therefore, it is a little difficult to find a single, simple, long word. Yet, one of the longest standalone Urdu words is غیر مشتعلانہ (ghair mushtialana), which translates in English as unprovocative or something that doesn’t provoke. Let’s break it down:
- Not – Ghair (غیر)
- Provoked – Mushta’il (مشتعل)
- Suffix indicating manner or state – ‘-ana’ (انہ)
This Urdu word, along with words like ghair zimedarana (غیر ذمہ دارانہ – irresponsible) and khud mukhtari (خود مختاری – independence), is recognized as the longest word because it combines the prefix, root word, and suffix.
2. What Is The Top 1 Hardest Word To Pronounce In Urdu?
The hardest word to pronounce in Urdu is chhachhoondar (چھچھوندر), which refers to a small burrowing animal, specifically a mole or shrew. The difficulty in pronouncing this word lies in the repeated چھ (“chh”) sound and the challenge of transitioning smoothly between them. Also, it’s not commonly used, so its pronunciation often feels unfamiliar, even to native speakers.
Let’s see two example sentences using this word:
- Yesterday, I saw a mole in the garden. – Kal baagh main mujhe ek chhachhoondar nazar ayi. (کل باغ میں مجھے ایک چھچھوندر نظر آئی۔)
- Mole makes tunnels underground. – Chhachhondar zameen ke andar surangain banate hain. (چھچھوندر زمین کے اندر سرنگیں بناتی ہیں۔)
Apart from this, there are other Urdu tongue twisters and hard-to-learn Urdu words that are challenging but not impossible to master.
3. What Are The Most Difficult Words In Urdu?
As with any other language, Urdu has some difficult words that need careful attention, regular practice, and good memory to learn. Here are 10 difficult Urdu words you need to learn to start challenging your pronunciation skills:
- Continuous / Ongoing – Musalsal (مسلسل)
- Reliable / Trustworthy – Qaabil-e-aitemad (قابلِ اعتماد)
- Self-centeredness / Egotism – Khud Kasheedigi (خود کشیدگی)
- Unbalanced – Ghair Mutwazun (غیر متوازن)
- Strong / Stable – Mustahkum (مستحکم)
- White-collar person – Safaidposh (سفید پوش)
- Irrational / Absurd – Na maqool (نا معقول)
- Independently / The one who doesn’t take anyone’s help – Khud inahsari (خود انحصاری)
- Collective- Ijtama’i (اجتماعی)
- Analysis – Tajzia (تجزیہ)
Explore The Urdu Language
Have you found these pronunciation tips helpful? We’ve highlighted a few hard-to-pronounce Urdu words that even we Urdu speakers find difficult to articulate. With the English meanings, Urdu pronunciations, and tips for accurately producing the sounds of each word, these challenging Urdu words have indeed become easier to speak.
Nonetheless, learning doesn’t end here. There’s still a lot to explore and learn to master the Urdu language; you can skim through the articles on the Urdu alphabet and beautiful Urdu words to take your language skills even further. Until next time!
