ک (kâf) is the 25th letter of the Persian alphabet. It is pronounced k, as in “kite”, as in کتاب (ketâb, book).
How to write ک (kâf)
Persian is written from right to left, and most letters change shape depending on where they sit in a word. These are the four forms of ک:
| On its own | Start of a word | Middle | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| ک | کـ | ـکـ | ـک |
ک joins the letter that comes after it.
How to pronounce ک (kâf)
Pronounced k, as in "kite". It is the same as the English k.
Persian words with ک
| Persian | Pronunciation | English | Where ک is |
|---|---|---|---|
| کتاب | ketâb | book | start |
| کار | kâr | work | start |
| کوه | kuh | mountain | start |
| سکه | sekke | coin | middle |
| شکر | shekar | sugar | middle |
| دکتر | doktor | doctor | middle |
| کوچک | kuchak | small | end |
| نمک | namak | salt | end |
Good to know
- In Persian spelling ک is written with a plain line at the top; the Arabic form of this letter, which has a small mark inside instead, is not used.
- گ looks like ک with an extra line on top.
Quiz: the letter ک
Check yourself on ک (kâf): 7 quick questions with instant answers.
1. Which sound does ک (kâf) make?
2. Which word starts with ک?
3. What does کار (kâr) mean?
4. Does ک join the letter that comes after it?
5. What is the name of the letter ک?
6. Where is ک in the word سکه (sekke, coin)?
7. What is the position of ک in the 32-letter Persian alphabet?
Answer key with explanations
- D. k: ک is pronounced k. Pronounced k, as in “kite”.
- B. کتاب (ketâb): کتاب (ketâb) means “book” and begins with ک.
- A. work: کار (kâr) means “work”.
- B. Yes, it joins the next letter: ک joins the next letter, so it has four forms.
- D. kâf: ک is called kâf.
- A. In the middle: In سکه, ک comes in the middle, so it uses its middle form.
- C. 25th: ک is the 25th letter: ا ب پ ت ث ج چ ح خ د ذ ر ز ژ س ش ص ض ط ظ ع غ ف ق ک گ ل م ن و ه ی
Common questions
How do you pronounce ک in Persian?
ک (kâf) is pronounced k. Pronounced k, as in “kite”. It is the same as the English k.
Does ک connect to the next letter?
Yes. ک joins the letter after it, so it has four forms: on its own, at the start, in the middle and at the end of a word.
Is the Persian ک the same as the Arabic kâf?
It is the same letter and the same k sound, but the shapes differ: Persian ک has a slanted line on top, while the Arabic form has a small mark inside. When typing Persian, use a Persian keyboard so you get ک.
The Farsi alphabet (Farsi: /alefbâye fârsi/ الفبای فارسی) consists 32 letters, most of which have two forms, short and full. In Farsi, words are written from right to left while numbers are written from left to right. Farsi is a writing style based on the Arabic script. It is entirely written cursively. That is, the majority of letters in a word connect to each other. Therefore, the appearance of a letter changes depending on its position: beginning (joined on the left), middle (joined on both sides), end (joined on the right) of a word and some letters are written isolated.
This writing style is also implemented on computers. Whenever the Farsi script is typed, the computer connects the letters to each other.
Following is a table showing the Farsi alphabet and how it is pronounced in English. There are also some examples of how those letters would sound if you place them in a word.
| ح | چ | ج | ث | ت | پ | ب | الف |
| ش | س | ژ | ز | ر | ذ | د | خ |
| ق | ف | غ | ع | ظ | ط | ض | ص |
| ی | ه | و | ن | م | ل | گ | ک |
“کـ – ک” called “kâf”, is the twenty-fifth letter of the Persian alphabet. It has short and full forms. “ک” sounds /ke/ like “k” in “kettle”.
How to write it:
Sample Words:
 |
 |
 |
| کَباب | کَر | کَسر |
| Previous< | >Next |
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Get the 14-page printable Starter Pack (all 32 letters, a 7-day reading plan, 100 core words and 20 survival phrases) and a short 5-email course. Free.