Looking for useful Urdu words and phrases for Pakistan? Start with السلام علیکم (assalām-o-alaikum) for a customary greeting, شکریہ (shukriya) for thank you, معاف کیجیے (maaf kijiye) for excuse me or sorry, یہ کتنے کا ہے؟ (yeh kitne ka hai?) for how much is this, and باتھ روم کہاں ہے؟ (bathroom kahan hai?) for where is the bathroom.
This guide explains 50 essential Urdu words and phrases in original Urdu script with approximate romanisation, English meanings and examples of actual use. The five sections move from social greetings to asking for clarification, ordering food, moving around a city and getting everyday assistance. They are useful for learners, residents, families and colleagues as well as people visiting Pakistan.
Pakistan is linguistically diverse. Urdu is the national language and a shared language for many people, but Punjabi, Pashto, Sindhi, Saraiki, Balochi and other languages are important in homes and communities. English is also used in a range of institutional and professional settings. This guide does not assume Urdu is everyone’s first language; begin by learning the speaker’s preferred language.
Quick answer: eight phrases to learn immediately
- Greeting: السلام علیکم — assalām-o-alaikum
- Thank you: شکریہ — shukriya
- Excuse me: معاف کیجیے — maaf kijiye
- Please (formal): براہِ کرم — barāh-e-karam
- How much is this?: یہ کتنے کا ہے؟ — yeh kitne ka hai?
- Where?: کہاں؟ — kahān?
- I don’t understand: مجھے سمجھ نہیں آئی — mujhe samajh nahin āī
- Please help me: میری مدد کیجیے — meri madad kijiye
Find what you need: 50 essential phrases · Examples · Mistakes · Four-week plan · FAQs.
How Urdu works: what a phrasebook does not explain
Urdu’s role in a multilingual Pakistan
Article 251 of Pakistan’s Constitution identifies Urdu as the national language and addresses the use of English for official purposes. That is a statement about national and administrative language, not proof that Urdu is the mother tongue of every Pakistani. A person in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta or another city may move between Urdu and different regional languages.
Urdu script is right-to-left and has a distinctive style
Urdu is commonly written in a Perso-Arabic script, often in Nastaliq style. Written letters change shape depending on position, and short vowels are not usually shown. Latin letters do not convey all the consonant distinctions, so learn to recognise شکریہ, پانی, اسپتال and پولیس in their original writing.
Respectful address changes the grammar
آپ (aap) is a respectful or plural form of ‘you’. تم (tum) is familiar. Requests with کیجیے (kijiye), دیجیے (dijiye) and کہیے (kahiye) are useful polite patterns. You do not need to master every grammar rule to begin; learn the full phrase and the person it suits.
Hindi and Urdu share much everyday speech but are not the same written standard
Speakers may understand a large amount of ordinary conversation across colloquial Hindi and Urdu. However, standard Urdu generally uses a Perso-Arabic writing system while standard Hindi uses Devanagari, and higher-register vocabulary may differ considerably. Treat the shared spoken patterns as helpful bridges, not permission to mix scripts or claim the languages are identical.
Learn the context of a greeting
السلام علیکم is a widely used Muslim greeting with the response وعلیکم السلام. Other greetings and respectful forms such as آداب (ādāb) also exist. Choose wording according to the setting, speaker and relationship; do not assume one greeting is mandatory for every person.
Romanisation is an approximation
Vowel length, retroflex consonants and aspirated sounds can change meaning. The Latin-letter readings below are learner aids rather than precise IPA. Listen to native speech and match the sound with the original letters.
50 essential Urdu words and phrases with English meanings
Read the phrase first, notice its original writing and then use the English meaning and context column. The romanised reading is an approximation. Learn one section, try a dialogue, and return for the next section rather than trying to recite all fifty in one sitting.
Greetings and polite endings — phrases 1–10
| # | Original writing | Romanisation (approx.) | English meaning | Useful situation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | السلام علیکم | assalām-o-alaikum | Peace be upon you | Offer a customary greeting |
| 2 | وعلیکم السلام | wa-alaikum-assalām | And peace be upon you | Reply to the greeting |
| 3 | آداب | ādāb | Respectful greeting | Greet formally in some settings |
| 4 | صبح بخیر | subah bakhair | Good morning | Morning greeting |
| 5 | شام بخیر | shām bakhair | Good evening | Evening greeting |
| 6 | آپ کیسے ہیں؟ | aap kaise hain? | How are you? (commonly to a man) | Ask about someone’s wellbeing |
| 7 | میں ٹھیک ہوں | main theek hoon | I am fine | Answer how you are |
| 8 | شکریہ | shukriya | Thank you | Express gratitude |
| 9 | بہت شکریہ | bohat shukriya | Thank you very much | Express stronger thanks |
| 10 | خدا حافظ | khudā hāfiz | Goodbye | Part respectfully |
Practice this group as a complete social exchange. A greeting, thanks and goodbye are more memorable when they occur in one scene.
Questions and conversation repair — phrases 11–20
| # | Original writing | Romanisation (approx.) | English meaning | Useful situation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | معاف کیجیے | maaf kijiye | Excuse me / I’m sorry | Get attention or apologise |
| 12 | براہِ کرم | barāh-e-karam | Please (formal) | Make a formal request |
| 13 | کیا آپ انگریزی بولتے ہیں؟ | kya aap angrezi bolte hain? | Do you speak English? (commonly to a man) | Find a shared language |
| 14 | مجھے سمجھ نہیں آئی | mujhe samajh nahin āī | I did not understand | Explain confusion |
| 15 | آہستہ بولیے | āhista boliye | Please speak slowly | Follow a fast reply |
| 16 | دوبارہ کہیے | dobāra kahiye | Please say it again | Ask for repetition |
| 17 | یہ کیا ہے؟ | yeh kya hai? | What is this? | Identify something |
| 18 | کہاں ہے؟ | kahān hai? | Where is it? | Ask for a place |
| 19 | یہ کتنے کا ہے؟ | yeh kitne ka hai? | How much is this? (masculine item) | Ask a price |
| 20 | میری مدد کیجیے | meri madad kijiye | Please help me | Ask for assistance |
These are the rescue phrases that keep a conversation working when the reply is faster or more complicated than expected.
Food, shops and paying — phrases 21–30
| # | Original writing | Romanisation (approx.) | English meaning | Useful situation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | پانی | pāni | Water | Ask for a drink |
| 22 | چائے | chāy | Tea | Order tea |
| 23 | دودھ | dūdh | Milk | Ask about milk |
| 24 | کھانا | khānā | Food / meal | Discuss a meal |
| 25 | روٹی | roṭi | Flatbread | Ask about bread |
| 26 | مینو | menyū | Menu | View food choices |
| 27 | مجھے یہ چاہیے | mujhe yeh chāhiye | I would like / need this | Select an item |
| 28 | بل دیجیے | bil dijiye | The bill, please | Ask to pay |
| 29 | کم مرچ | kam mirch | Less chilli | State a taste preference |
| 30 | مجھے … سے الرجی ہے | mujhe … se allergy hai | I am allergic to … | Name the exact allergen |
A food order requires the correct item, quantity and restrictions. Avoid assuming an approximate allergy phrase guarantees safety.
Transport, roads and directions — phrases 31–40
| # | Original writing | Romanisation (approx.) | English meaning | Useful situation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | ریلوے اسٹیشن | railway station | Railway station | Find a train station |
| 32 | ٹرین | train | Train | Discuss railway service |
| 33 | بس | bas | Bus | Find a bus route |
| 34 | رکشہ | rikshā | Rickshaw | Recognise a transport option |
| 35 | ٹکٹ | ṭikaṭ | Ticket | Ask about fare or entry |
| 36 | سڑک | saṛak | Road / street | Read an address |
| 37 | دائیں | dāyen | Right | Follow a direction |
| 38 | بائیں | bāyen | Left | Follow a direction |
| 39 | سیدھا | sīdhā | Straight ahead | Follow a direction |
| 40 | باہر | bāhar | Outside | Understand a location |
Learning visual signs is part of vocabulary mastery. Recognise a station or exit before you try a longer explanation.
Services, signs and everyday needs — phrases 41–50
| # | Original writing | Romanisation (approx.) | English meaning | Useful situation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | باتھ روم | bāth rūm | Bathroom / toilet | Find facilities |
| 42 | اسپتال | aspataal | Hospital | Find medical care |
| 43 | دواخانہ | dawākhāna | Dispensary / medicine shop | Find medical supplies |
| 44 | پولیس | polīs | Police | Request official help |
| 45 | روپے | rupay | Rupees | Understand prices |
| 46 | نقد | naqd | Cash | Discuss payment |
| 47 | کارڈ | kārḍ | Card | Ask about payment |
| 48 | کھلا | khulā | Open | Read business information |
| 49 | بند | band | Closed | Read business information |
| 50 | بکنگ | booking | Booking / reservation | Discuss an arrangement |
Keep these phrases available in written form. When a practical issue matters, show the writing and confirm that the other person understood.
Real-life Urdu conversation examples
Learn the social pattern behind the words: open politely, state the request, listen, repair misunderstanding if needed, and say thanks. The dialogues are examples rather than promises about how every person will answer; phrasing varies by region, speaker and situation.
At a tea stall
- You: السلام علیکم. (Assalām-o-alaikum.) — Peace be upon you.
- Server: وعلیکم السلام. (Wa-alaikum-assalām.) — And peace be upon you.
- You: مجھے چائے چاہیے. (Mujhe chāy chāhiye.) — I would like tea.
- You: بل دیجیے. (Bil dijiye.) — The bill, please.
- You: شکریہ. (Shukriya.) — Thank you.
The useful part is the complete pattern mujhe + item + chahiye. Once you know that structure, you can substitute a different object. If an allergy matters, state the precise ingredient in Urdu and get confirmation about the preparation and shared utensils.
Asking how much a purchase costs
- You: معاف کیجیے، یہ کتنے کا ہے؟ (Maaf kijiye, yeh kitne ka hai?) — Excuse me, how much is this?
- Seller: پچاس روپے. (Pachās rupay.) — Fifty rupees.
- You: بہت شکریہ. (Bohat shukriya.) — Thank you very much.
The exact question may change with grammatical gender, and prices often come back quickly. Learn the numbers next and ask for the written amount when you need to confirm it.
Finding a railway station
- You: ریلوے اسٹیشن کہاں ہے؟ (Railway station kahān hai?) — Where is the railway station?
- Helper: سیدھا، پھر دائیں. (Sīdhā, phir dāyen.) — Straight ahead, then right.
- You: شکریہ. (Shukriya.) — Thank you.
The words kahān (where), dāyen (right) and bāyen (left) can be recombined in many everyday situations. Confirm the actual address, route and platform using current signs.
When you need the speaker to slow down
- You: مجھے سمجھ نہیں آئی. (Mujhe samajh nahin āī.) — I did not understand.
- You: آہستہ بولیے. (Āhista boliye.) — Please speak slowly.
- You: دوبارہ کہیے. (Dobāra kahiye.) — Please say it again.
A good beginner can ask for clarification. The person may be able to write an address, number or appointment time, which is often more reliable than a second fast answer.
At a clinic or pharmacy
- You: اسپتال کہاں ہے؟ (Aspataal kahān hai?) — Where is the hospital?
- You: میری مدد کیجیے. (Meri madad kijiye.) — Please help me.
- You: شکریہ. (Shukriya.) — Thank you.
These phrases can help locate assistance but cannot communicate medication instructions or detailed symptoms safely. Use appropriate professional support for health decisions.
Common mistakes and how to prevent them
- Do not assume every Pakistani speaks Urdu as a mother tongue. Pakistan has many regional languages, and local preferences matter.
- Do not copy standard Hindi’s Devanagari writing into an Urdu phrasebook. Urdu normally uses a Perso-Arabic script.
- Do not treat tum as a polite default for everyone. Aap and respectful verb forms are useful with strangers.
- Do not ignore grammatical gender. Common questions and descriptions may change depending on the noun or person.
- Do not equate kam mirch (‘less chilli’) with allergy safety. The exact ingredient and cross-contact need confirmation.
- Do not trust a Latin transcription as if it captures every consonant and long vowel. Listen to real Urdu speech.
- Do not confuse a medicine shop with a clinical diagnosis service. Location vocabulary does not replace professional assistance.
Four-week practice plan: from words to real communication
A useful word has a sound, a written form, a meaning, a social setting and a purpose. Build your vocabulary outward from a small area you can control. Rather than testing how many items you can read, test which situations you can handle without guessing.
- Week 1 — confident beginnings: Learn the eight quick answers and the first ten greetings. Hear native audio, repeat a phrase aloud and practise opening and closing three small conversations. Spend roughly ten minutes each day.
- Week 2 — ask and clarify: Learn the question and repair phrases. Practise explaining that you do not understand, asking for repetition and requesting a written price or address. Use a real object or map in each practice session.
- Week 3 — solve practical problems: Learn the food, transport and direction phrases. Build a café scene, a market scene and a station scene. Change the item or destination without changing the useful request pattern.
- Week 4 — transfer and review: Learn the final ten terms. Cover the meaning column and test all fifty. Make ten new short dialogues. Review missed items after one day, three days and a week instead of rereading the entire list indiscriminately.
Vocabulary becomes useful when it connects to the world
Take the word for a station in Pakistan. A definition tells you what the word refers to. A real journey adds its written sign, its location, a spoken question, a route and the possibility of misunderstanding directions. A learner who knows these connections has a stronger vocabulary than someone who has only memorised the translation.
The same is true of courtesy. A word for ‘please’ does not always have exactly the same social function as English ‘please’. It may depend on whom you address, the level of formality, the person speaking and whether you are asking for a product or for permission. Learn to recognise these relationships as you practise.
Check whether you can actually use the phrases
Close the table. Can you greet a person politely, ask a price, explain that you did not understand, find an exit and request help? Can you do those five things in a second setting, not just the example you rehearsed? If the answer is yes, the words have begun to transfer from memorisation into a usable skill. If not, return to the smallest uncertain step and retry it.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say hello in Urdu?
السلام علیکم (assalām-o-alaikum) is a customary greeting. آداب (ādāb) is another respectful greeting used in some contexts.
How do you say thank you in Pakistan?
شکریہ (shukriya) means thank you. بہت شکریہ means thank you very much.
How do you ask the price in Urdu?
یہ کتنے کا ہے؟ (yeh kitne ka hai?) means ‘How much is this?’ for a grammatically masculine item.
How do you say I don’t understand?
مجھے سمجھ نہیں آئی (mujhe samajh nahin āī) means ‘I did not understand’.
How do you ask where the bathroom is?
باتھ روم کہاں ہے؟ (bathroom kahān hai?) is an everyday way to ask where the bathroom is.
Is Urdu Pakistan’s national language?
Yes. Urdu is identified as the national language in Article 251 of Pakistan’s Constitution. English and regional languages have important roles as well.
Are Urdu and Hindi the same language?
They share a large amount of everyday spoken vocabulary but differ in standard writing systems and in some formal vocabulary and conventions.
Is Urdu written from right to left?
Yes. Urdu uses a Perso-Arabic writing system, commonly in Nastaliq style, read right to left.
What should I learn after 50 Urdu phrases?
Learn the script, numbers, polite request patterns, grammatical gender and everyday audio before progressing to longer dialogues.
Continue reading with eduKate
These linked country and language guides give you the wider context or a deeper way to practise. The vocabulary series continues across countries; each language has its own script, social conventions and local varieties.
- Everything About Pakistan
- How to Learn Urdu Quickly and Correctly
- Vocabulary for India | Basic Hindi phrases
- Vocabulary for Bangladesh | Bangla phrases
- Vocabulary for Nepal | Nepali phrases
Sources and editorial accuracy
These resources were used to check core wording and national language context. The phrase list and explanations are original teaching material. Romanisation is an aid, and speech may vary with dialect, region and register. For critical health, legal, safety or financial information, seek reliable written translation or qualified interpretation.
- Omniglot: Useful Urdu phrases with script and audio
- Pakistan Code: Constitution, Article 251 national language
Reviewed: 6 November 2026.