8.3.1: The sound of ‘zhe’

Let’s take another look at the letter ‘zhe’ now. Note that its Devanagari equivalent is denoted as ‘झ़ॆ’.

Above: The letter ‘zhe’

It is very important in spoken Urdu to pronounce ‘zhe’ correctly. Its sound is a bit typical and is often mistaken for ‘z’ (ज़), ‘j’ (ज) or even ‘jh’ (झ). Listen carefully to the comparative sounds below to understand the difference:

Above: Comparing between the sounds of ‘zh’, ‘z’, ‘j’ and ‘jh’

Hear the difference? This distinction is very important. Here are a few words where the letter ‘zhe’ makes an appearance:

'mizhgaa.n' plural of mizha

Above: Various examples with the letter ‘zhe’ in them. Pay close attention to their pronunciation.

NOTE

It is of utmost importance that ‘zhe’, in a word, be pronounced correctly. It is strongly advised for you to practice this regularly in the company of someone who is fluent in its correct pronunciation.

And now, let’s move on to learning new words we can create with the letters of the ‘re’ group.