Aap and jee
آپ (aap) is the polite you for anyone you don't know well. جی (jee) softens almost anything: جی ہاں (jee haan) is a polite yes and جی نہیں (jee nahin) a polite no.
Urdu course · 27 languages in one app
Learn Urdu by speaking it
Urdu is Pakistan's national language and is spoken by more than 200 million people. Talvo teaches it in Urdu script with Roman Urdu alongside, starting with the polite everyday phrases you'll use first, and gives you a tutor to practice with out loud.
First lesson free · iPhone and Mac, one subscription
Urdu · First phrasesالسلام علیکم
assalaam-o-alaikum
Hello
Waiterجی، کیا لیں گے؟Yes, what will you have?
Your first Urdu phrases
Twelve polite phrases for greeting people, shopping and getting around. They use آپ (aap), the respectful you, so they work with anyone.
| Urdu | Say it like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| السلام علیکم | assalaam-o-alaikum | HelloLiterally “peace be upon you”. The reply is walaikum assalaam |
| آپ کیسے ہیں؟ | aap kaise hain? | How are you?To a man; to a woman, kaisi hain |
| میں ٹھیک ہوں، شکریہ | main theek hoon, shukriya | I'm fine, thank you |
| آپ کا نام کیا ہے؟ | aap ka naam kya hai? | What's your name? |
| میرا نام سیم ہے | mera naam Sam hai | My name is Sam |
| آپ سے مل کر خوشی ہوئی | aap se mil kar khushi hui | Nice to meet you |
| یہ کتنے کا ہے؟ | yeh kitne ka hai? | How much is this? |
| بہت مہنگا ہے | bohat mehenga hai | It's too expensive |
| واش روم کہاں ہے؟ | washroom kahaan hai? | Where's the washroom? |
| مجھے سمجھ نہیں آئی | mujhe samajh nahin aayi | I didn't understand |
| آہستہ بولیں، پلیز | aahista bolen, please | Please speak slowly |
| خدا حافظ | Khuda haafiz | Goodbye |
Roman Urdu has no fixed spelling, so you'll see bohat, bohot and bahut for the same word. Double vowels here are long: aa as in father, ee as in see, oo as in food.
A conversation you'll practice
Tea at a dhaba in Lahore. The tutor plays the waiter, and you order out loud.
Waiterجی، کیا لیں گے؟jee, kya lein ge?Yes, what will you have?
Youایک کپ چائے، پلیز۔aik cup chaaye, please.A cup of tea, please.
Waiterچینی ڈالوں؟cheeni daaloon?Shall I put sugar in?
Youجی، تھوڑی سی۔jee, thori si.Yes, just a little.
Waiterٹھیک ہے۔ سو روپے۔theek hai. sau rupay.OK. A hundred rupees.
Mistakes Talvo helps you fix
Verbs follow gender
The verb changes with who's speaking: a man says میں گیا (main gaya) and a woman says میں گئی (main gayi), both meaning I went.
Urdu script and Roman Urdu
Urdu is written right to left, traditionally in the flowing Nastaliq style. Many Pakistanis text in Roman Urdu, and Talvo accepts romanized answers while you learn the script.
Urdu and Hindi
Everyday Urdu and Hindi are close enough that speakers understand each other easily. They use different scripts, and formal Urdu draws more on Persian and Arabic. See Hindi.
How Talvo teaches Urdu
- Every phrase in Urdu script with Roman Urdu alongside, and Roman Urdu answers are accepted while you learn the script
- Standard Urdu as spoken in Pakistan
- Every unit, from beginner (A1) to advanced (C1), is written around your interests and the words you already know
- Role-play a café, a market, a taxi or meeting someone new. The tutor speaks first, waits for your answer and corrects you with the reason
- Use the live interpreter when you're talking with a native speaker for real
- Every new word goes into your review deck and comes back right before you'd forget it
Questions about learning Urdu
Can I type in Roman Urdu?
Yes. While you learn the Urdu script, you can answer in Roman Urdu and Talvo still checks what you meant.
Is Urdu the same as Hindi?
In everyday conversation they're very close. Urdu is written in the Perso-Arabic script and Hindi in Devanagari, and formal vocabulary differs. Talvo has both: see Hindi.
Can I learn Urdu with Talvo for free?
Yes, to start. Your first lesson, three live-interpreter exchanges, your reviews and your deck are free. Talvo Pro unlocks unlimited lessons and conversations, and the yearly plan starts with a 7-day free trial.
Can I use Talvo on my Mac?
Yes. Talvo is a native app for iPhone and Mac, and one subscription covers both.
More language guides
Say your first Urdu sentence today.
The first lesson is free. It takes about five minutes.