Learning to Read Uyghur - Part 7

Uyghur Alphabet

Here is part 7 of this learning to read series. In part 6 we learned four more Uyghur letters. In this lesson, let's finish learning the remaining vowels.

Remember that there are eight vowels in the Uyghur alphabet. We have already learned four of them:

a - ئا ـا ـئا ا

o - ئو و ـو ـئو

i - ئى ى ىـ ـىـ ـىـى

u - ئۇ ۇ ـۇ ـئۇ

Here are two more vowels:

e - This letter has the a sound as in bat or cat. But can sometimes sound like the e as in bet (usually when following a consonant). Here are the different ways the letter looks:

ئە ـە ـئە ە   

Watch this video to hear it pronounced: YouTube Clip

é - This letter has the e sound as in pet or let. Here are the different ways the letter looks:

ئې ې ېـ ـېـ ـىـې 

Now the last two vowels might be a little harder because they do not occur in English:

ö - as in the ö sound in French oeuf. Here are the different ways the letter looks:

ئۆ ۆ ـۆ ـئۆ

Watch this video to hear it pronounced: YouTube Clip

ü - as in the ü sound in German für. The key is to keep your lips rounded. Here are the different ways the letter looks:

ئۈ ۈ ـۈ ـئۈ

Watch this video to hear it pronounced: YouTube Clip

Vowels can be tricky to hear and pronounce so watch this video to review all eight vowels: YouTube Clip

Let's try reading some Uyghur words with these vowels:

مەن - men = I, me
بەش - besh = five
ئالتە - alte = six
ئېلىپبە - élipbe = alphabet
بېكەت - béket = station
لېكىن - lékin = but
ئۆي - öy = house, home
تۆت - töt = four
سۆز - söz = word
ۈچ - üch = three
ئۈستەل - üstel = table
گۈل - gül = flowers

Continue to Part 8