Urdu ()Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language with about 104 million speakers, including those who speak it as a second language. It is the national language of Pakistan and is closely related to and mutually intelligible with Hindi, though a lot of Urdu vocabulary comes from Persian and Arabic, while Hindi contains more vocabulary from Sanskrit. Linguists consider Standard Urdu and Standard Hindi to be different formal registers both derived from the Khari Boli dialect, which is also known as Hindustani. At an informal spoken level there are few significant differences between Urdu and Hindi and they could be considered varieties a single language.Urdu is also spoken in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Botswana, Fiji, Germany, Guyana, India, Malawi, Mauritius, Nepal, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, the UAE, the UK and Zambia.Urdu has been written with a version of the Perso-Arabic script since the 12th century and is normally written in Nastaliq style. The word Urdu is Turkish for 'foreign' or 'horde'.Urdu abjad

The letter nn-e unnah appears only at the ends of words and nasalises the preceding vowel.A recording of the Urdu alphabet by (Mohammad Shakeb Baig) from (Bhopal, India)NoteThis recording does not include nn-e unnah or the aspirated consonants.Urdu numerals

Sample text in Urdu

TransliterationTamm insn zd r uqq-o izzat ke tibr se barbar peid h'e hei. Inhe amr r aql vadat h' he. Isli'e inhe ek dsre ke sth bh' re k sulk karn hi'e.Useful Urdu phrasesA collection of useful phrases in Urdu. Click on the English phrases to see them in many other languages.Key to abbreviations: m = said by men, f = said by women, >f = said to women, >m = said to menEnglish(Urdu)

Welcome(khush amdid)

Hello(General greeting)send as text(assalam 'alaykum) reply - (wlaikum assalm) inf - (salm) on phone - (helo)

How are you?

I'm fine, thanks. And you?>f (ap kaisi hain) >m (ap kaise hain) (kya haal hai)

! (main thik hun, shukriya! aur ap?)

Long time no see(kafi weqt se ap ko dekha nehin)

What's your name?My name is ...(apka nam kya hai)

(mera nam ... hai) ...

Where are you from?I'm from ...(ap ka taluq kahan se hai?)

(mera taluq ... se hai) ...

Pleased to meet you(ap se milker khushi huwi!) !

Morning greeting(s)(subha bkhair)

Afternoon greeting(s)/evening(roz bkhair)

Nighttime parting phrase(s)(shab bkhair)

Parting phrase(s)(khuda hafiz)

Good luck(allah ka fazal ho) !

Good health!(ache sehat kay leyae) !

Have a nice day(ap ka din acha guzrae)

Bon appetit /Have a nice meal(maze karein)

Bon voyage /Have a good journey(ap ka safr acha guzrae)

I don't understand(main samjha nahin [m] / main samjhi nahin [f])

Can you speak slowly?(kya ap ise ahistah keh sakte hain?)

Can you say it again?(kya ap ise dobarah keh saktay hain?)

Write it down please(barae mihr bani likhye)

Do you speak Urdu?Yes, a little(kya ap Urdu bolte hain?)

(sirf thori si)

How do you say ... in Urdu? (aap ... ko Urdu main kya kehte hain?)

Excuse me(ma'zarat)!(maf kijiye) !

How much is this?(yeh kitne ka hai?)

Sorry(maf karna)

Thank youResponse (No problem)(bahut) shukriya()

(koi baat nahin)

Where's the toilet?(bayt-ul-khala khana kahan hay?)

This gentleman/lady will pay for everything man - (yeh sahib sab chizon ke paise dain ge) lady - (yeh sahiba sab chizon ke paise dain gi)

Would you like to dance with me? m>f (keya ap mare sath nachna pesand karane gay?) f>m (keya ap mare sath nachna pesand karane ge?)

I love you m (mein ap say muhabat karta hoon) f (mein ap say muhabat karti hoon)

Get well soon(jaldi theek ho jaen)

Leave me alone!(mujhae akela chore do)

Help!Fire!Stop!(madad)(aagh)(roko)

Call the police!(police ko bula)

Christmas and New Year greetings 'Merry Christmas' = (krismas mubarak) 'New Year's blessings to you' = (naya sal mubarik hu) 'Big day's blessings to you' = (burda din mubarik hu) (Merry Christmas and happy new year)

Easter greetings

Birthday greetings(salgirah mubarak)

One language is never enough (ek zabn kabh bh kfi nahn hot)

Urdu numbers ()Urdu numbers from 0 to 1 million with numerals and transliterations.NumeralTransliteration(Urdu)

sifar0

ek1

do2

tn3

chr4

pch5

chha6

st7

h8

nau9

das10

gyrah11

brah12

trah13

chaudah14

padrah15

solah16

satrah17

ahrah18

unnis19

bs20

ikks21

bs22

ts23

chaubs24

pachchs25

chhabbs26

sattis27

ahis28

unts29

ts30

ikts31

batts32

taits33

chauts34

paits35

chhatts36

saits37

ats38

untls39

chls40

pachs50

sh60

sattar70

ass80

nabb90

sau100

hazr1,000

lkh100,000

das lkh1 million

karo10 million

The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11: 1-9)(Urdu)1. 2. 3. 4. " "5. 6. " " " 7. "8. 9. If you say any of these tongue twisters repeatedly, youre bound to stumble!

[Samajh samajh ke samajh ko samjhoSamjh samjhana bhee ek samajh haiSamajh samjh ke bhee jo na samjheMeri samjh mein wo naasamajh hai.]

In an understanding way, understand the understanding. Understanding the understanding is an understanding in itself.He who doesn't understand the understanding, in my understanding, is a 'non-understanding'.

[Chunnu kay chacha ne,chunnu ki chachi ko,chandni raat mein,chandi ki chamach se,chatni chatai.]

The little boy's uncle made the little boy's auntie lick the sauce with a silver spoon on a moonlit night.

[Katcha papad pakka papad.]Uncooked poppadum, cooked poppadum.

: : [Aik mota aadmi apney dubley dost sey kehta hey: jab bhi mey tumhey dekhta hoon, lagta hey dunya mey qehet par gaya hey.Dubla foran jawab deta hey: Aur tumhey dekh key koi bhi asaani sey ye samajh sakta hey key ye qehet kioon para hey.]

A chubby man says to a thin friend: When I look at you, I feel the world is hit by a famine.The thin man replies: And looking at you I feel it is you who has caused this famine.

: : : [Bacha baap sey: Abbu lagta hey key aap ka qad barh raha hey.Baap: tumhey kesey pata chala?Beta: aap ka sar balon sey bahar aaraha hey.]

A little boy says to his father: Dad! You look like youre getting taller.Dad: How do you know this?Boy: Your scalp is coming out of your hair.

[Sabaat aik taghayyur ko hey zamaney mey.]Only change is permanent.Famous Urdu poet Allama Iqbal (1877-1938)

[Adaalat ki na-insafion ki fehrist bari toolani hey. Tareekh aaj tak iskey maatam sey farigh na hosaki.]The list of injustices of judiciary is so long that history still could not end its mourning.Indian congress leader and famous Urdu writer, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (1888-1958).

9. First written recordsThe first book in Urdu is known to be [Sabras], written in 1635-36 by Mullah Asadullah Wajhi. Its an allegorical mystical romance translated from the Persian Masnavi Dastur-e-Ushshaq and Husn-o-dil by Mohammad Yahya Ibn-e-Saibak, written about two centuries earlier. The copies of Sabras were handwritten as the printing press had not yet reached India at that time.

The first Urdu book printed by a printing press brought to India by the Portuguese, was [Bagh-o-bahar]by Mir Amman, published in 1801.

10. How to be polite and show respectUrdu is a delicate and sophisticated language and many of its words are used to show respect and civility. This emphasis on politeness in vocabulary is known as[adab], respector[takalluf], politeness. This polite vocabulary is generally used when talking to seniors or people youre not familiar with.

For example, the English pronounyoucan be translated into three words in Urdu:[tu]informal, extremely intimate or offensive[tum]informal and showing closeness[aap](the plural form) formal and respectful

Similarly, different request forms of verbs can be used to give degrees of formality in three ways. For example, when telling someone 'to go', using the verb[jaanaa]to go, there are three forms you could choose from:[jaa]extremely informal, very intimate, but also derogatory depending on who it is addressed to[jaao]informal[jaaiye]formal and respectful

Some small things are considered very bad manners in an Urdu speaking society even in the family circle. For example, smoking, sitting cross-legged or shouting in the presence of elders, not standing up and paying regards when an elder appears or talking while eating.In Urdu there are three commonly used verbs which are very similar:[kehna],to say[khana],to eat[karna],to doLearners often mix these up, so pay careful attention to them.

The informal Urdu word forheyorhellois[oey]but dont use this with anyone in the street or any other public place because it is an extremely informal, almost intimate, word. You may only use the word with a respectful suffix like[bhai]brotheror[dost]friend.

To attract someones attention in a polite way, you may use a variety of different words like[sunye], similar toexcuse mein English - [bhai jaan]elder brotheror[Janab]mister, sir. To get the attention of a woman you may use polite words like[baaji],older sisteror [behen jee], a respectful word forsister. With older women you can use [bibi]ladyor [amma jee]dear mother.