This is the list of the Khowar letters, giving the consonant pronunciation. Many of these letters also represent vowel sounds. Vowels in Khowar are represented by letters that are also considered consonants. Many vowel sounds can be represented by one letter. Confusion can arise, but context is usually enough to figure out the correct sound. This is a list of Khowar vowels found in the initial, medial, and final positions. Short vowels ("a", "i", "u") are represented by marks above and below a consonant. Alif (ا) is the first letter of the Khowar alphabet, and it is used exclusively as a vowel. At the beginning of a word, alif can be used to represent any of the short vowels, e.g. ابدار abdar, اسم ism, اردو Urdu. Also at the beginning, an alif (ا) followed by either wā'o (و) or ye (ی) represents a long vowel sound. However, wā'o (و) or ye (ی) alone at the beginning represents a consonant. Alif also has a variant, call alif madd (آ). It is used to represent a long "ā" at the beginning of a word, e.g. آپک āpak, آدیمزاد ādmzaad. At the middle or end of a word, long ā is represented simply by "alif" (ا), e.g. باغ bāgh, آرام ārām. Wā'o is used to render the vowels "ū", "o", and "au". It also renders the consonants "w" and 'v', but many people get confused between these two sounds. Ye is divided into two variants: choṭī ye and baṛī ye. "Choṭī ye" (ی) is written in all forms exactly as in Persian. It is used for the long vowel "ī" and the consonant "y". "Baṛī ye" (ے) is used to render the vowels "e" and "ai" ( and respectively). "Baṛī ye" is distinguished in writing from choṭī ye only when it comes at the end of a word.