Urdu, a Central Indo-Aryan language, is the national language of Pakistan and one of the 22 scheduled languages of India. With its roots in the Persian and Arabic languages, Urdu is renowned for its poetic and expressive qualities. Learning Urdu can significantly enhance your cultural understanding and communication in regions where it’s spoken. This lesson covers essential conversational phrases and questions in Urdu, including transliterations for pronunciation help, to facilitate various social interactions.
Greetings
- Hello/Hi – “ہیلو/سلام” (Hello/Salaam)
- Good morning – “صبح بخیر” (Subah bakhair)
- Good afternoon – “دوپہر بخیر” (Dopahar bakhair)
- Good evening – “شام بخیر” (Shaam bakhair)
- Goodbye – “خدا حافظ” (Khuda hafiz)
Introducing Yourself or Others
- My name is [name]. – “میرا نام [name] ہے” (Mera naam [name] hai)
- This is [name]. – “یہ [name] ہیں” (Yeh [name] hain)
- I am from [country]. – “میں [country] سے ہوں” (Main [country] se hoon)
- I live in [city/place]. – “میں [city/place] میں رہتا/رہتی ہوں” (Main [city/place] mein rehta/rehti hoon)
Asking for Directions or People
- Where is the [place]? – “[Place] کہاں ہے؟” ([Place] kahan hai?)
- How do I get to [place]? – “میں [place] کیسے جاؤں؟” (Main [place] kaise jaoon?)
- Is this the way to [place]? – “کیا یہ راستہ [place] کو جاتا ہے؟” (Kya yeh rasta [place] ko jata hai?)
- Can you show me on the map? – “کیا آپ مجھے نقشے پر دکھا سکتے ہیں؟” (Kya aap mujhe naqshay par dikha sakte hain?)
Solving a Misunderstanding
- Sorry, I don’t understand. – “معاف کیجیے، مجھے سمجھ نہیں آیا” (Maaf kijiye, mujhe samajh nahi aaya)
- Can you please repeat that? – “براہ کرم، کیا آپ دوبارہ کہہ سکتے ہیں؟” (Barah-e-karam, kya aap dobara keh sakte hain?)
- I mean… – “میرا مطلب ہے…” (Mera matlab hai…)
- What does [word] mean? – “[Word] کا کیا مطلب ہے؟” ([Word] ka kya matlab hai?)
Farewell Expressions
- See you later – “پھر ملیں گے” (Phir milenge)
- Take care – “اپنا خیال رکھنا” (Apna khayal rakhna)
- Have a good day – “آپ کا دن اچھا گزرے” (Aap ka din acha guzre)
Travel and Dining
- I would like to book a room. – “میں ایک کمرہ بک کرنا چاہتا/چاہتی ہوں” (Main ek kamra book karna chahta/chahti hoon)
- Can I see the menu, please? – “کیا میں مینو دیکھ سکتا/سکتی ہوں؟” (Kya main menu dekh sakta/sakti hoon?)
- I am vegetarian. – “میں سبزی خور ہوں” (Main sabzi khor hoon)
- The bill, please. – “بل براہ کرم” (Bill barah karam)
Shopping
- How much does this cost? – “اس کی قیمت کیا ہے؟” (Is ki qeemat kya hai?)
- Do you have this in another size? – “کیا یہ دوسرے سائز میں دستیاب ہے؟” (Kya yeh doosray size mein dastiyab hai?)
- I’m just looking, thanks. – “میں صرف دیکھ رہا/رہی ہوں، شکریہ” (Main sirf dekh raha/rehi hoon, shukriya)
- Can I pay by card? – “کیا میں کارڈ سے ادائیگی کر سکتا/سکتی ہوں؟” (Kya main card se adaigi kar sakta/sakti hoon?)
Dating and Love
- You look beautiful. (to a woman) / You look handsome. (to a man) – “آپ بہت خوبصورت لگ رہی ہیں” / “آپ بہت خوبصورت لگ رہے ہیں” (Aap bohot khoobsurat lag rahi hain / Aap bohot khoobsurat lag rahe hain)
- I miss you. – “مجھے آپ کی یاد آ رہی ہے” (Mujhe aap ki yaad aa rahi hai)
- I love you. – “میں آپ سے محبت کرتا/کرتی ہوں” (Main aap se mohabbat karta/karti hoon)
- Would you like to go out with me? – “کیا آپ میرے ساتھ باہر جانا چاہیں گے؟” (Kya aap mere sath bahar jana chahenge?)
Emergencies
- Help! – “مدد!” (Madad!)
- Call the police! – “پولیس کو بلاؤ!” (Police ko bulao!)
- I need a doctor. – “مجھے ڈاکٹر کی ضرورت ہے” (Mujhe doctor ki zarurat hai)
- Where is the nearest hospital? – “قریبی ہسپتال کہاں ہے؟” (Qareebi hospital kahan hai?)
These phrases provide a solid foundation for basic communication in Urdu. Practice speaking and listening regularly, engage with Urdu media, and don’t hesitate to converse with native speakers. Remember, language learning is a journey—embrace mistakes as learning opportunities and continue to explore the rich linguistic and cultural nuances of the Urdu language.