The Dari alphabet is the Persian alphabet: 32 letters, written right to left, with the same shapes and spelling as in Iran. This guide lists every letter with its sound, a note on Dari pronunciation and an Afghan example word, followed by practical tips for teachers of Afghan newcomer students.
For free printable alphabet sheets, go to our Persian printables page. They work for Dari because the script is identical.
The 32 letters with Dari pronunciation notes
The letter names below are the standard ones; Afghan teachers may say some of them slightly differently. Example words are common Afghan forms, with Kabul pronunciation.
| Letter | Name | Sound | Dari note | Example | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ا / آ | alef | â, a (and the start of vowels) | آب | âb | water | |
| ب | be | b | برادر | barâdar | brother | |
| پ | pe | p | پدر | padar | father | |
| ت | te | t | تشکر | tashakor | thank you | |
| ث | se | s | Arabic loanwords only | ثانیه | sâniya | second (time) |
| ج | jim | j | جوان | jawân | young | |
| چ | che | ch | چای | chây | tea | |
| ح | he-ye jimi | h | Same sound as ه | حال | hâl | state, health |
| خ | khe | kh | خانه | khâna | house | |
| د | dâl | d | دست | dast | hand | |
| ذ | zâl | z | Arabic loanwords only | کاغذ | kâghaz | paper |
| ر | re | r | روز | roz | day | |
| ز | ze | z | زبان | zabân | language | |
| ژ | zhe | zh | Rare | ژاله | zhâla | dew; a girl’s name |
| س | sin | s | سلام | salâm | hello | |
| ش | shin | sh | شیر | sher / shir | lion / milk | |
| ص | sâd | s | Arabic loanwords only | صبح | sob(h) | morning |
| ض | zâd | z | Arabic loanwords only | رمضان | ramazân | Ramadan |
| ط | tâ | t | Arabic loanwords only | طیاره | tayyâra | airplane |
| ظ | zâ | z | Arabic loanwords only | ظهر | zohr | noon |
| ع | ayn | glottal stop / vowel carrier | Often silent in casual speech | عصر | asr | afternoon |
| غ | ghayn | gh | Distinct from ق in Dari | غار | ghâr | cave |
| ف | fe | f | فامیل | fâmil | family | |
| ق | qâf | q | A deep q, distinct from غ in Dari | قلم | qalam | pen |
| ک | kâf | k | کابل | kâbul | Kabul | |
| گ | gâf | g | گپ | gap | talk, chat | |
| ل | lâm | l | لطفاً | lotfan | please | |
| م | mim | m | مکتب | maktab | school | |
| ن | nun | n | نان | nân | bread | |
| و | wâw (Iran: vâv) | w; also the vowels u, o | w in Dari, v in Iran | وطن | watan | homeland |
| ه | he-ye havvaz | h; final -a | Word-final ه is usually -a in Dari (-e in Iran) | هفت | haft | seven |
| ی | ye | y; also the vowels i, e, ay | Can stand for sher-type e | یک | yak | one |
Five things that differ from Iranian Persian
- و is w. Afghan children say وطن watan, not vatan. Do not correct this; it is standard Dari.
- ق and غ are different sounds. In Dari, قلم qalam and غار ghâr begin with different sounds. Use this in spelling lessons: students can hear which letter to write.
- ی and و can stand for e and o. Dari keeps the vowels in شیر sher (lion) and روز roz (day). Iranian materials will write shir and ruz in transliteration.
- Final ه is usually -a. خانه is khâna in Dari, khâne in Iran.
- The letters with the same sound. As in Iran, ت/ط both say t; س/ص/ث say s; ز/ذ/ض/ظ say z; and ح/ه say h. Students must learn the spelling of each word.
For a fuller comparison, see Dari vs Farsi. For letter forms (initial, medial, final), use our Persian alphabet guide and Farsi alphabet lesson.
Teaching Afghan newcomer students: practical tips
Find out what each student already knows
- Literacy varies widely. Some students read and write Dari fluently; others have had little or interrupted schooling. Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, girls in Afghanistan have been barred from school beyond primary level (UNESCO), so older girls in particular may have gaps.
- Home language varies. Not every Afghan student speaks Dari at home. Many speak Pashto, Uzbek, Turkmen, Hazaragi or another language, and may know Dari as a second language.
- Do a quick, low-pressure check: ask the student to write their name, read a few common words, and copy a short line. This tells you more than a formal test and avoids embarrassment.
Build on their strengths
- Students who read Dari already understand right-to-left reading and letter joining. Use that as a bridge when teaching English print.
- Pashto-literate students know most of these letters. Pashto adds letters such as ټ ډ ړ ښ ږ ځ څ ڼ, so expect them to recognise more shapes, not fewer.
- Let students teach classmates a greeting or their name in Dari script. It gives them a moment of expertise.
Make the materials Afghan-friendly
- Use Afghan vocabulary in examples: motar (car), tashakor (thank you), maktab (school), chawki (chair). Our vocabulary table lists common pairs.
- Accept Dari pronunciation (w, sher, roz). Treating Iranian pronunciation as “correct” can feel like a correction of the student’s identity.
- Use the same transliteration every time, and show the Dari script next to it so families can help at home.
- Greet students in Dari: سلام salâm, چطور هستی؟ chetor hasti?, مانده نباشی mânda nabâshi. See Dari greetings and phrases.
A simple lesson sequence for letters
| Step | What to do | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Show one letter in large print; say its name and sound. | 2 min |
| 2 | Show the letter in two or three Afghan words students know. | 3 min |
| 3 | Trace and copy the letter on a printable sheet. | 5 min |
| 4 | Show how it joins: start, middle and end of a word. | 5 min |
| 5 | Read a short word list; students circle the letter. | 5 min |
Free tracing sheets and letter cards are on our Persian printables page. For school sets and class packs, see Persian books for schools and our teaching Persian articles.
Classroom resources
Our books use Iranian Persian vocabulary, so swap in Afghan words where needed.
- Read and Write Persian Language in 7 Days – a step-by-step alphabet workbook; the script is the same for Dari
- Let’s Learn Farsi: 11-book kids’ set – letters, words and activities for younger learners
- Farsi Children’s Books Bundle
Sources
- Adam Baker (2016), “Dari (Afghan Persian)”, Journal of the International Phonetic Association 46(2): 229–234. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-international-phonetic-association/article/dari-afghan-persian/E6FE187B387C9A3C2C2B79A3278BC697
- Rawan Farhadi and John R. Perry (2009), “Kāboli” [Kabuli colloquial Persian], Encyclopaedia Iranica. https://iranicaonline.org/articles/kaboli-colloquial-persian
- Wikipedia, “Dari” (accessed 30 Oct 2026). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dari
- UNESCO, “Afghanistan: Four years on, 2.2 million girls still banned from school” (14 Aug 2025). https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/afghanistan-four-years-22-million-girls-still-banned-school
- Persian Language Online, “Introduction to Afghan Persian (Dari) Part 2: Vocabulary and Expressions”. https://persianlanguageonline.com/introduction-to-afghan-persian-dari-part-2-vocabulary-and-expressions/
FAQ
Is the Dari alphabet the same as the Persian alphabet?
Yes. Dari uses the same 32 letters as Iranian Persian, with the same spelling rules. Only the pronunciation of some letters and vowels differs.
How many letters are in the Dari alphabet?
32: the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet plus four Persian additions, پ (p), چ (ch), ژ (zh) and گ (g).
Can I use Iranian Persian worksheets with Afghan students?
Yes, for letters and spelling. Check the example words, though: choose words Afghan children use (motar, not mâshin) and accept Dari pronunciation such as w for و.
My Afghan student speaks Pashto, not Dari. Will this help?
Partly. Pashto uses the same basic script plus extra letters such as ټ, ډ, ړ, ښ, ږ, ځ, څ and ڼ. A Pashto-literate student will already know most Dari letters, but Pashto is a different language, so vocabulary will be new.
Where can I find printable Dari alphabet sheets?
Our free Persian printables page has alphabet tracing and practice sheets. Because the script is the same, they work for Dari.