Everyday Kabul Speech: How این and آن Sound

Level 2

Write the full این and آن every time, and listen for the short sounds when people talk.

How It Works

Written Dari has one spelling for this and that, and Kabul speech says them short. The letters spell īn and ān. A speaker says ī for این and ū for آن, and the spelling does not change.

Everyday speechWritten DariMeaning
ī kitābاین کتابthis book
ū kitābآن کتابthat book
ī chāyاین چایthis tea
ū dukānآن دکانthat shop

Listen for ī and ū right before a noun. They are quick, so catch the noun after them: ī chāy points to tea that is close, and ū dukān points to a shop that is far.

Write the full این and آن in a letter, an essay or a lesson. The short sounds belong to talking. Listen for ī and ū when friends from Kabul talk.

Examples (5)

  1. این موتر مال کاکایم است.

    This car is my uncle's.

    Everyday speech: ī motar. In writing: این موتر.

  2. آن موتر مال کی است؟

    Whose car is that?

    Everyday speech: ū. In writing: آن. It comes right before موتر.

  3. این چای بسیار گرم است.

    This tea is very hot.

    Everyday speech: ī. In writing: این. It comes right before چای.

  4. آن مکتب نزدیک خانهٔ ما است.

    That school is near our house.

    Everyday speech: ū. In writing: آن. It comes right before مکتب.

  5. این نان تازه است، آن کهنه است.

    This bread is fresh, and that one is old.

    Everyday speech: ī and ū. In writing: این and آن.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing the short sound ī as ای in a letter or an essay.

    ای موتر مال پدرم است.
    این موتر مال پدرم است.

    The letters ای spell a different word, the one used to call out to someone. Write the full این, even when you say ī.

  • Writing the short sound ū as او in a letter or an essay.

    او موتر مال کی است؟
    آن موتر مال کی است؟

    او means he or she. Write آن for that, even when you say ū.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Everyday Kabul Speech: How این and آن SoundLevel 2

Learn This First

This row is for listening. The written این and آن come first, and people in Kabul say them as *ī* and *ū*.

Words in This Pattern

اینآنآن