🇵🇰Pakistan

Learn Urdu with real humans

Urdu is the official language of Pakistan, the world's 5th-most populous country with 230 million inhabitants, and is understood by more than 700 million people across South Asia as a lingua franca. Sister language to Hindi in spoken form but written in the Perso-Arabic Nastaliq script and enriched with Persian and Arabic vocabulary, Urdu is also the language of one of the world's greatest poetic traditions. The Pakistani diaspora, one of the largest in the UK and Europe, makes Urdu a highly useful language in the West.

Small groupsNative teachersTwice a week

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First words in Urdu

کیا حال ہے؟ (Kya haal hai?), How are you?

a-DAAB arz hai / kya HAAL hai

آداب عرض ہے (Adaab arz hai), Respectful formal greeting

Formal greeting

Did you know? Urdu is the poetic language par excellence of South Asia. The Urdu ghazal, a poetic form of 5 to 12 couplets with strict rhyme, is a thousand-year-old art practiced from Lahore to Mumbai. Mirza Ghalib (1797–1869), considered the greatest Urdu poet, is still recited and sung today in both countries. A fascinating feature: Urdu and Hindi are mutually intelligible in everyday spoken conversation, but their scripts are radically different, Urdu is written in Nastaliq (Perso-Arabic calligraphy, right to left), Hindi in Devanagari (left to right). To learn Urdu is also to access spoken Hindi.

Small

Class groups

2×

Live classes / week

100%

Native teachers

30d

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Live classes

Learn Urdu live with a native teacher

2 live classes per week in small groups. Ask questions, practice conversation, progress fast.

Native teacher in class - Urdu | Targumi

Conversation with a teacher - Urdu | Targumi

classes per week

Small

groups

100%

certified native teachers

Live classes

Your typical Urdu week

2 live video classes per week, Mondays and Thursdays at 8pm (Paris time). Small groups.

Week of

1 – Jun 7, 2026

Mon1

Tue2

Wed3

Thu4

20:00

At the restaurant: ordering

Role-playBeginner

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Fri5

Sat6

Sun7

Ready to get started?

Try Targumi risk-free for 30 days. Money-back guarantee, no commitment.

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Risk-free trial · 30-day refund · Small groups of 2-5

The platform

Progress in Urdu between classes, at your own pace

Interactive lessons with native audio, vocabulary, dialogues and quizzes. Everything you need to reinforce your skills between live sessions.

Ready to improve?

Access all interactive exercises and online courses.

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Risk-free trial · 30-day refund · Small groups of 2-5

The community

Join Targumi's Urdu community

Dedicated WhatsApp group, exchanges between learners, resource sharing. You're never alone in your learning journey.

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Free · Lifetime access · Native speakers present

🇲🇦

Urdu School - Community

Anissa

Hi everyone 🙌

4:22 PM

Fatiha

Hey, welcome back!

4:23 PM

I’m not on desktop, is it mobile-friendly too?

4:23 PM

Mrhd

Yes, it works on phone and computer together 📱💻

4:24 PM

Message

Full program

Your Urdu curriculum

Exactly what you'll find inside the platform: 41 modules, 0+ structured lessons, quizzes and exercises.

🇵🇰

Ourdou Débutant

🔤L'alphabet nastaliq et les sons

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👋Les salutations — سلام و دعا

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👨‍👩‍👧‍👦La famille — خاندان

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🛍️Le marché — بازار

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🍛La nourriture — کھانا

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🗺️Les directions — راستہ

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🌧️La météo — موسم

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🏥Le corps et la santé — جسم اور صحت

🎨La culture pakistanaise — ثقافت

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🇵🇰

Parcours Intermédiaire Complet

🏙️رہائش — Logement & vie urbaine

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🏥صحت — Santé & médecine

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🍛کھانا — Gastronomie pakistanaise

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👨‍👩‍👧‍👦خاندان — Famille, mariage & relations

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🏛️معاشرہ — Société & politique

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🏔️قدرت — Nature & géographie

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🎶ثقافت زندہ — Musique & cinéma

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💻ٹیکنالوجی — Tech & travail moderne

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🌿ماحولیات — Environnement & nature

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🏥صحت — Santé & médecine

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🏛️سیاست و معاشرہ — Politique & société

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🍛پکوان — Gastronomie avancée

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🇵🇰

Ourdou Avancé

🌹La ghazal — poésie classique ourdoue

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🗣️مناظرہ — Argumentation et rhetorique

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🎵Qawwali et arts musicaux

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📜کلاسیکی ادب — Litterature classique (Ghalib, Iqbal, Faiz, Manto)

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📰Presse et ourdou officiel

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🧠فلسفہ — Philosophie et pensee

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📰پاکستانی ذرائع ابلاغ — Medias pakistanais

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✍️Maîtrise orale et écrite avancée

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🔤لسانیات — Linguistique : famille indo-aryenne et hindoustani

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🎩رسمی اردو — Registres soutenus, politesse et étiquette

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💼معاشی و کاروباری زبان — Economie, affaires, finance islamique

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🎓ماہرانہ مہارت — Synthèse C2 et maîtrise experte (quiz final)

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🍛کھانا — Cuisine pakistanaise et culture culinaire ourdoue

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The method

Our method for learning Urdu

Step 01

Quick level test

Assess your current knowledge in 5 minutes

Step 02

Structured modules

Progressive learning path with native audio and exercises

Step 03

Interactive live classes

2 sessions per week with your native teacher

Step 04

Level certification

Validate your progress with an official certificate

Why Targumi

What makes us different for Urdu

100+

Available languages

Including rare languages you won't find anywhere else.

Free trial days

Try everything with no commitment. Classes, exercises, community.

3-en-1

Complete platform

Video classes + interactive exercises + WhatsApp community. All included.

24/7

Unlimited access

Learn whenever you want. Exercises and content are available 24/7.

The curriculum

What you'll learn in Urdu

A curriculum designed to get you speaking Urdu in the situations that actually matter to you.

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01
Urdu Nastaliq script: calligraphy and right-to-left writing
02
Conversational Urdu, Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad
03
Urdu vs Hindi: intelligibility and key differences
04
Urdu poetry: ghazal, nazm and the traditions of Mirza Ghalib
05
Business Urdu for Pakistan and the UK/European diaspora
06
Bollywood and Lollywood music: understanding the songs

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Try free for 30 days, no commitment.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions about learning Urdu

What's the difference between Urdu and Hindi?

In spoken form and everyday conversation, Urdu and Hindi are nearly identical, a Pakistani and a North Indian can understand each other perfectly. The differences lie mainly in the script (Perso-Arabic Nastaliq for Urdu, Devanagari for Hindi) and in formal vocabulary (Urdu borrows from Persian and Arabic, Hindi from Sanskrit). Learning Urdu therefore gives you access to both communities.

Is the Urdu Nastaliq script difficult to learn?

Nastaliq is considered one of the world's most beautiful calligraphies but also one of the hardest to read for beginners, letters connect differently than in standard Arabic and some texts are highly stylized. In practice, learners start with Latin transliteration and gradually introduce Nastaliq. Our teachers guide you based on your goal, conversation or reading texts.

Is Urdu useful in the UK and Europe?

The Pakistani diaspora in the UK is the 2nd-largest after the Indian community (1.6 million). In France, the Pakistani community numbers 100,000 to 150,000 people. Urdu is one of the most spoken languages in mosques and cultural associations in Europe. For professionals in healthcare, social work, education or business, speaking Urdu is a significant advantage.

Can you learn Urdu to understand Pakistani films?

Absolutely. Lollywood (the Lahore film industry) produces popular Urdu-language films, and Pakistani TV series (dramas) are widely watched by the global diaspora. Titles like Humsafar and Zindagi Gulzar Hai have millions of fans. Qawwali music (the Sufi genre championed by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) is also a perfect gateway into the language.

How long does it take to learn to speak Urdu?

The good news: Urdu grammar is similar to Hindi, and if you already know some Hindi or Persian basics, progress will be very fast. For a beginner with no background, expect 8 to 12 months to reach conversational B1. The Nastaliq script requires 4 to 6 weeks of intensive practice. The tone and rhythm of Urdu come quickly through listening to music and podcasts.

How much do Urdu courses cost on Targumi?

Targumi offers 3 plans: quarterly, yearly, and lifetime access. All plans include live small-group classes with native teachers, interactive lessons, and the community. See full pricing on the pricing page.

Are the Urdu courses online or in person?

100% online. Live classes happen twice a week in small groups via Google Meet. You can join from anywhere in the world. The mobile and web app stay accessible 24/7 for interactive lessons.

Is there a money-back guarantee?

Yes. Targumi offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans. If you are not satisfied, just email [email protected] for a full refund.

How do I cancel my subscription?

You can cancel anytime from your profile (“My subscriptions” section) with no hidden fees. Your access stays active until the end of your paid period.

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