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Origin of Seen
The letter Seen comes from the Arabic script, which Urdu borrows extensively. In Arabic, س holds the same pronunciation and purpose as in Urdu, representing the “S” sound. This sound is common across many languages, such as the English S.
How Many Seen-Letters Exist in Urdu?
In Urdu, we have two versions of Seen:
- Seen (س) – The soft, straightforward "S" sound.
- Sheen (ش) – A sibling of Seen, but with a dot added on top, changing it to the "Sh" sound, like in shama (candle).
While both letters are related, Sheen is treated as a distinct letter in the Urdu alphabet.
Forms of Seen
Like all Urdu letters, Seen adapts its shape based on its position in a word:
Initial (Beginning of a Word): ســ
- Example: سلام (Salaam – Greetings)
Medial (Middle of a Word): ــســ
- Example: بسنت (Basant – Spring festival)
Final (End of a Word): ــس
- Example: چارس (Chaaras – Resin)
These forms help in connecting letters seamlessly to form words in Urdu script.
Pronunciation and Use
Seen represents the soft “S” sound, just like the English “S.” It’s pronounced by letting air flow through the tongue and teeth, making it crisp and clear. Here are its common uses:
As the Start of Words:
Seen often begins words of everyday use, like:- سکول (School)
- سبز (Sabz – Green)
- سلامت (Salamat – Safe/Healthy)
In the Middle:
Seen frequently appears in compound words:- حسین (Haseen – Beautiful)
- پسند (Pasand – Liked)
At the End:
It also finishes words elegantly:- چارس (Chaaras – Resin)
- نارس (Naaras – Unripe)
Learning Seen Through Vocabulary
To master Seen, try these simple and commonly used words:
- سبزی (Sabzi – Vegetables)
- سردی (Sardi – Cold)
- سورہ (Surah – Chapter of the Quran)
- سانپ (Saanp – Snake)
Unique Features of Seen
- Connection Flexibility: Seen connects smoothly with nearly all other letters in Urdu, except for a few (like Alif (ا) or Ray (ر)) that don’t link forward.
- Sibling Sheen (ش): Adding a dot to Seen transforms its sound, giving Urdu writers more versatility with just a slight modification.