Urdu is spoken by around 230 million people in Pakistan and northern India. The language of ghazal poetry, Lollywood cinema and a refined literary tradition, it is written in an elegant Perso-Arabic alphabet. With this kit, you have the basics to greet, eat and ask for directions from Karachi to Lucknow.
Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by around 230 million people, mainly in Pakistan, where it is the national language, and in northern India, where it is one of the recognized official languages. Spoken Urdu and Hindi are so close that linguists sometimes refer to their common base as "Hindustani". The clear difference appears in writing: Urdu uses a Perso-Arabic alphabet in the flowing, calligraphic Nastaliq style, while Hindi uses Devanagari.
Urdu developed from the 12th century in the Indian subcontinent, absorbing Persian, Arabic and Turkish brought by the Mughal and Delhi empires. This history gives it a formal vocabulary of great richness and an exceptional poetic tradition: the ghazal, a short literary form with refined rhymes, stands at its summit. Mirza Ghalib, Allama Iqbal and Faiz Ahmad Faiz are among the greatest poets of the language.
In terms of pronunciation, Urdu features sounds unusual for a French speaker: retroflex consonants (the "t" and "d" pronounced with the tongue tip against the palate), audible aspiration after certain consonants, and a guttural "q" inherited from Arabic. This kit gathers the essentials to greet, ask for directions, order a meal, handle an emergency and take leave respectfully. Memorize these phrases before leaving and you will be welcomed warmly, from Karachi to Lahore via Lucknow.
Here is how these phrases play out in real life. Each scene sets the stage and gathers the useful expressions.
You land in Karachi in the early evening. The immigration line moves slowly, you greet the officer with "Assalamu alaikum". When your turn comes, you wish him a good evening and take your leave respectfully.
You take a rickshaw to reach your accommodation. You tell the driver that you want to go to your host's home, passing the local school, then making a detour through the bazaar before the restaurant.
You enter a dhaba (small popular restaurant) in the middle of the bazaar. The waiter hands you a laminated menu and you point at what you want: warm bread, fresh water, salty yogurt and a little grilled meat.
You catch a strong headache after a day in the sun. At the pharmacy, you point to your head and eye to explain the pain, then your ears are buzzing and you reach out your hand to take the medicine.
On the morning of departure, your host walks you to the car. You thank him warmly, say "thank you", then "sorry to bother you so early" and finally "how are you this morning?" before hitting the road.
What you need to know before travelling to a ourdou-speaking country.
The greeting "Assalamu alaikum" (peace be upon you) is universal in Pakistan. The expected reply is "Wa alaikum assalam". It works at any time of day and instantly conveys respect.
Urdu and Hindi are very similar when spoken: an Indian and a Pakistani can often understand each other without difficulty. The main differences sit in formal vocabulary and writing (Perso-Arabic versus Devanagari).
Hospitality plays a central role. If you are invited for tea (chai), it is considered rude to decline without a good reason. Accept at least a symbolic cup to avoid offending your host.
Politeness is strongly marked in Urdu: "aap" is the respectful form, "tum" the intermediate form, "tu" reserved for intimacy. With a stranger, always go for "aap".
Eat and give with the right hand. The left hand is reserved for hygiene tasks and using it at the table can be shocking, especially in a traditional setting.
During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public during the day. Most restaurants close or hide their dining room, and iftar (breaking the fast at sunset) is a warm moment to share if you are invited.
Poetry holds an enormous place in Urdu culture: reciting a sher (couplet) is a sign of refinement. If someone recites one to you, gentle applause or repeating the last verse is appreciated.
Dress code stays rather modest. For women, covered shoulders and legs avoid persistent stares. To visit a mosque, plan something to cover your head.
Preview. The full glossary (30 words) and all the phrases are in the PDF.
خوش آمدید
welcome
میں
I
تم
you (familiar)
آپ
you (formal, respectful)
وہ
he, she, that
یہ
he, she, this
ہم
we
وہ لوگ
they (people)
میں ہوں
I am
آپ ہیں
you are (formal)
A hundred words, thirty key phrases, as a printable PDF. Instant download, also sent by e-mail.
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Every translation is cross-checked against at least two concordant sources among the references below.
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