Silent letters in English create spelling and pronunciation challenges for learners. Many words contain hidden letters that are written but not spoken, making them difficult to master. Understanding these words can improve pronunciation, fluency, and spelling skills. In this blog post, we will list common words with silent letters along with their Urdu meanings, helping learners recognize patterns and avoid common mistakes. To expand your vocabulary, check out our English to Urdu vocabulary section.
Table of Contents
Words with Silent Letters
Silent Letter “L”
In words where “L” is silent, the pronunciation remains unchanged despite its presence in spelling.
Examples:
- Alms (آمز) – خیرات
- Calm (کام) – سکون
- Palm (پام) – ہتھیلی
- Psalm (سام) – حمد و ثناء
- Balm (بام) – مرہم
Silent Letter “D”
The letter “D” is silent in various words, often appearing before “J” or in complex vowel combinations.
Examples:
- Adjacent (اجے سینٹ) – ملحق
- Adjudge (اجج) – جانچ کرنا
- Adjutant (اجوٹینٹ) – فوج کا ماتحت آفیسر
- Adjust (اجسٹ) – مطابق بنانا
- Adjective (ایجکٹیو) – اسم صفت
Silent Letter “G”
The letter “G” is silent when it appears before “N” in certain words.
Examples:
- Sign (سائن) – دستخط
- Design (ڈیزائن) – نمونہ
- Resign (ریزائن) – استعفیٰ دینا
- Benign (بی نائن) – رحم دل
- Reign (رین) – دور حکومت
- Feign (فین) – مکر کرنا
Silent Letter at the Beginning of Words
Some words have a silent first letter, making pronunciation tricky for learners.
Examples:
- Psychology (سائیکالوجی) – نفسیات
- Psychiatry (سائیکاٹری) – نفسیاتی امراض کا علاج
- Pseudo (سوڈو) – جعلی
- Know (نو) – جاننا
- Knee (نی) – گھٹنا
- Knife (نائف) – چاقو
- Wrong (رانگ) – غلط
- Write (رائٹ) – لکھنا
- Wright (رائٹ) – گھڑنا/بنانا
- Gnat (ناٹ/نیٹ) – کیڑے کا نام
- Knowledge (نالچ) – علم
- Pneumonia (نمونیا) – نمونیا
- Gnash (نیش) – دانت چبانا
- Honest (آنسٹ) – ایماندار
- Gnaw (نا) – کاٹنا
Silent Letter “C”
The letter “C” is silent in some words where it appears before “S” or “H”.
Examples:
- Scene (سین) – منظر
- Science (سائنس) – سائنس
- Scent (سینٹ) – عطر، خوشبو
- Obscene (اوبسین) – فحش
- Schism (شزم) – کٹاؤ
Silent Letter “B”
The letter “B” is often silent when it appears after “M” or before “T”.
Examples:
- Doubt (ڈاؤٹ) – شک
- Debt (ڈیٹ) – قرض
- Subtle (سٹل) – لطیف
- Lamb (لیم) – بھیڑ کا بچہ
- Climb (کلائم) – اوپر چڑھنا
- Dumb (ڈم) – گونگا
- Thumb (تھم) – انگوٹھا
- Bomb (بام) – بم
- Comb (کوم) – کنگھی
- Tomb (ٹوم) – گنبد
Silent Letter “R”
In some words, the letter “R” is silent, especially in non-rhotic accents.
Examples:
- Park (پاک) – پارک
- Part (پاٹ) – حصہ
- Party (پاٹی) – پارٹی
- Depart (ڈی پاٹ) – جدا ہونا
- Articulate (آرٹی کولیٹ) – لفظ ادا کرنا
Silent Letter “N”
The letter “N” is silent in a few words, usually at the end.
Examples:
- Column (کالم) – کالم
- Solemn (سالم) – سنجیدہ
- Autumn (آٹم) – خزاں
- Damn (ڈیم) – لعنت
Silent Letter “T”
The letter “T” is silent in some common English words, especially when paired with “S”.
Examples:
- Listen (لسن) – سننا
- Fasten (فاسن) – باندھنا
- Soften (سافن) – نرم کرنا
- Hasten (ہیسن) – جلدی کرنا
Silent Letter “U”
The letter “U” is silent in some words, often between “G” and a vowel.
Examples:
- Guess (گیس) – اندازہ
- Guard (گارڑ) – محافظ
- Guilt (گلٹ) – جرم
More Examples:
- Signature (سگنیچر) – دستخط
- Resignation (ریزگنیشن) – استعفیٰ
- Designation (ڈیزگنیشن) – عہدہ
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FAQs
Silent letters exist due to historical linguistic changes, foreign language influences, and the evolution of pronunciation over time. Many were once pronounced but became silent as the language evolved.
The best way to recognize silent letters is by learning common word patterns and practicing pronunciation through listening and speaking exercises. Using a dictionary or phonetic transcription can also help.
No, silent letters do not change the meaning of words, but they can affect pronunciation and spelling.
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