Sometimes you don't have time to learn long lists of words and phrases. All you want to know are the bare essentials for communicating to get what you need, or where you need to go.
Here are the bare minimum of Urdu words and phrases you need to know to survive.
Learn the Top 10 Phrases if you only have time for the barest minimum. If you need or want more, then take a look at the Top 20 Phrases, Top 30 Phrases and the Extra Phrases.
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Hello.
How much is it?|
Here are ten more phrases that will help you make new friends and ask for directions ...
The Top 20 ... |
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aap kaa naam kyaa hai? What is your name? meraa naam ... hai. My name is ... kyaa haal hai? How are you? mãĩ THiik hũũ. aur aap? Fine. And you? ... kahãã hai? Where is ...? bait-ul-khalaa kahãã hai? mardaanaa/zanaanaa Where is the toilet? Men/Women mujhe afsos hai. mu'aaf kiijiye. maa'zirat. Sorry. Excuse me. no praublam. koii baat nahĩĩ. koii maslaa nahĩĩ hai. No problem. ... caahtaa hũũ. (man) ... caahtii hũũ. (woman) I want ... ... nahĩĩ caahtaa hũũ. (man) ... nahĩĩ caahtii hũũ. (woman) I don't want ... |
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Here are another ten phrases to help you make a little more conversation and to get around ...
The Top 30 ... |
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aap kahãã ke hãĩ?
(man) aap kahãã kii hãĩ? (woman) Where are you from? mãĩ aasTreliyaa kaa hũũ. (man) mãĩ aasTreliyaa kii hũũ. (woman) I am from Australia. bil laaiye. The bill, please. mãĩ raastaa bhuul gayaa hũũ. (man) mãĩ raastaa bhuul gayii hũũ. (woman) I'm lost. rukiye! intazaar kiijiye! Stop! Wait! yahãã, vahãã. Here, there. Taiksii. hoTal. havaaii aDDaa. sTeśan. Taxi. Hotel. Airport. Station. mujhe ... pasand hai. I like ... mujhe ... pasand nahĩĩ hai. I don't like ... ek, do, tiin, caar, pããc. one, two, three, four, five. chai (chah), saat, aaTh, nau, das. six, seven, eight, nine, ten. *Or choose your country: amriikaa - America kainaDaa - Canada inglainD - England aayarlainD - Ireland nyuuziilainD - New Zealand |
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Here are some extra words and phrases you might find useful, especially if you have dietary needs or allergies ...
Useful Extras ... |
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ciiyars! acchii sehata! Cheers! acchaa / buraa good / bad baRaa / choTaa big / small qariib / duur near / far kam / aur less / more ek aur / kaafii another / enough mãĩ sabziikhoor hũũ. I am vegetarian. mãĩ gośt nahĩĩ khaataa hũũ. (man) mãĩ gośt nahĩĩ khaatii hũũ. (woman) I don't eat meat. ... murghii ... ... chicken. ... macchlii ... ... fish. mujhe meve se elarjii hai. I am allergic to nuts. ... mũũgphalii ... ... mũũgfalii ... ... peanuts. ... macchlii ... ... fish. ... siifuuD ... ... samudrii bhojan ... ... seafood. ... aNDe ... ... eggs. |
Vowels:
~ (tilde) over the vowel indicates a nasal vowel
a is pronounced weakly as schwa ə (e as in brother)
ai is pronounced as ɛ (e as in pet)
au is pronounced as ɔ (o as in pot)
i is pronounced as i as in bit
ii is pronounced as ee as in deep (IPA i:)
Consonants:
c is pronounced as ch (without a puff of air)
gh is pronounced as gh, a voiced velar fricative (ɣ)
h adds a puff of air after the consonant, eg. th = tʰ
kh is pronounced as kh as in loch or Bach (x)
ś is pronounced as sh
q is pronounced as a uvular k, far back in the throat (IPA q)
~ (tilde) over the vowel indicates a nasal vowel
a is pronounced weakly as schwa ə (e as in brother)
ai is pronounced as ɛ (e as in pet)
au is pronounced as ɔ (o as in pot)
i is pronounced as i as in bit
ii is pronounced as ee as in deep (IPA i:)
Consonants:
c is pronounced as ch (without a puff of air)
gh is pronounced as gh, a voiced velar fricative (ɣ)
h adds a puff of air after the consonant, eg. th = tʰ
kh is pronounced as kh as in loch or Bach (x)
ś is pronounced as sh
q is pronounced as a uvular k, far back in the throat (IPA q)
v is pronounced as ʋ (midway between w and v)
Capital letters indicate retroflex consonants.
eg. D = ɖ (retroflex d)
(Hint: Retroflex consonants are made with the tongue curled back against the palate.)