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Why learn Urdu?
Urdu is one of the 67 languages you can learn on Lingocard with frequency-ranked flashcards, spaced repetition, and live speaking partners. Build vocabulary and pronunciation at your own pace, on web and mobile.
Urdu is written in the Perso-Arabic script. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Urdu is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers. Urdu belongs to the Indo-European (Indo-Aryan) family - if you enjoy it, a natural next step is Hindi or Punjabi.
The 50 most common Urdu words
Start with the words you will actually meet: learn these and you will recognize something in almost every Urdu sentence.
| # | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | کا | kah | of |
| 2 | میں | mehn | in |
| 3 | اور | owr | and |
| 4 | کو | koh | to |
| 5 | سے | seh | from |
| 6 | پر | par | on |
| 7 | یہ | yeh | this |
| 8 | وہ | voh | that |
| 9 | نے | neh | (ergative marker) |
| 10 | بھی | bhee | too |
| 11 | نہیں | nah-heen | no |
| 12 | تو | toh | then |
| 13 | ہی | hee | only |
| 14 | کہ | keh | that (conjunction) |
| 15 | ہم | ham | we |
| 16 | تم | toom | you |
| 17 | آپ | ahp | you |
| 18 | کیا | kyah | what |
| 19 | ایک | ek | one |
| 20 | اپنا | AHP-nah | own |
| 21 | سال | sahl | year |
| 22 | وقت | vahkt | time |
| 23 | دن | din | day |
| 24 | اچھا | ach-CHHAH | good |
| 25 | بڑا | bah-RAH | big |
| 26 | آدمی | AHD-mee | man |
| 27 | جاننا | JAHN-nah | know |
| 28 | کہنا | KEH-nah | say |
| 29 | کرنا | kar-NAH | do |
| 30 | جانا | jah-NAH | go |
| 31 | دیکھنا | DEKH-nah | see |
| 32 | دینا | deh-NAH | give |
| 33 | نیا | nah-YAH | new |
| 34 | چیز | cheez | thing |
| 35 | بہت | bah-HOOT | very |
| 36 | دو | doh | two |
| 37 | پہلا | PEH-lah | first |
| 38 | چاہنا | CHAH-nah | want |
| 39 | کہاں | kah-HAHN | where |
| 40 | کیوں | kyohn | why |
| 41 | پھر | phir | then |
| 42 | وہاں | vah-HAHN | there |
| 43 | ساتھ | sahth | with |
| 44 | کام | kahm | work |
| 45 | زندگی | zin-dah-GEE | life |
| 46 | اب | ahb | now |
| 47 | دوسرا | DOOS-rah | second |
| 48 | لیکن | LEH-kin | but |
| 49 | ہونا | hoh-NAH | be |
| 50 | لوگ | lohg | people |
Useful phrases in Urdu
- السلام علیکم · as-sa-LAA-mu a-LAI-kum · Hello / Good day
- آپ کیسے ہیں؟ · aap KAI-se hain · How are you?
- شکریہ · shuk-ri-YA · Thank you
- برائے مہربانی · ba-RAA-ye meh-ra-BA-ni · Please
- میرا نام... ہے · ME-ra naam ... hai · My name is...
- ... کہاں ہے؟ · ka-HAAN hai · Where is...?
- خدا حافظ · khu-DAH HAH-fiz · Goodbye
- معاف کیجیے · mu-AHF KEE-jee-yeh · Excuse me
- میں نہیں سمجھتا · mein na-HEEN sa-MAJH-tah · I don't understand
- کیا آپ میری مدد کر سکتے ہیں؟ · kya aap MEH-ree MAH-dad kar SAK-te hain · Can you help me?
- یہ کتنے کا ہے؟ · yeh KIT-ne ka hai · How much is it?
- کل ملتے ہیں! · kal MIL-te hain · See you tomorrow!
Learn Urdu with comprehensive language resources
- Pronunciation
- Numbers
- Verbs and adjectives
- Frequency dictionaries
- Basic sentences
- Thematic dictionaries
- Politeness
- Idioms
Learn Urdu, wherever you are
- AI-powered spaced repetition learning system on the go
- Audio processing for pronunciation
- Creation of visual language flash cards with images
- Search for speaking practice partners
- Frequency and thematic dictionaries for any language
- Alert system with exercise reminders
- Live video and messaging to facilitate learning
Join our global Urdu learning community
Collaborate with native Urdu speakers and fellow learners: exchange messages, correct each other's cards, and practice real conversation.
Send friend requests to the speakers you click with and build your own friends list - many practice partners become real friends.
Are you an educator? Teach Urdu online · Create an online Urdu school · Build a Urdu curriculum
Frequently asked questions about learning Urdu
How difficult is it to learn Urdu?
How difficult Urdu is depends on your background, but every language becomes manageable with consistent daily practice. Focusing on the most frequent words first means you can understand and say a lot early on. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Urdu is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers.
What should I learn first to reach a basic level in Urdu?
Start with the 100-500 most frequent words (free in our apps) and the thematic dictionaries most relevant to your daily life. Set clear goals and practise a few minutes every day - consistency is what produces results. Then connect with other learners to build confidence at your new basic level.
How long does it take to learn Urdu?
Most learners reach a comfortable conversational level in Urdu within 8-18 months of consistent daily study. Practising vocabulary with spaced repetition and speaking regularly speeds this up considerably. About 230 million people across 2 countries speak Urdu, so you will never run short of practice partners.
How do I improve my Urdu vocabulary?
Use the spaced-repetition and flashcard systems in the app. You can set daily, weekly, or yearly goals in our mobile apps and steadily reach the vocabulary size you’re aiming for.
Is Urdu pronunciation hard?
Every language has a few sounds that take practice, but Urdu pronunciation becomes consistent with regular listening and speaking. Hearing the language often matters more than memorising rules.
How do I get Free Urdu speaking practice?
Open the Practice or Friends page in the app, send practice requests, and start real conversations with other learners - don’t be shy! You can also mention that you want speaking practice when you create your account, and the platform will help match you with suitable partners.
Do I need to learn the Urdu alphabet first?
If Urdu uses a different script, learning it early unlocks reading - and it's usually faster than people expect. On Lingocard you'll find every alphabet, with example words, free.