Translate English to Urdu
Urdu is spoken by about 230 million people, serving as the national language of Pakistan and a widely spoken language in parts of India. It shares its grammar and basic vocabulary with Hindi but uses the Nastaliq variant of Arabic script and draws formal vocabulary from Persian and Arabic. Paste your English text above.
Common English to Urdu translations
| English | Urdu | Pronunciation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hello | اسلام علیکم | ahs-SAH-lahm ah-LAY-koom | ||
| Good morning | صبح بخیر | soobh bah-KHAYR | ||
| Thank you | شکریہ | shoo-KREE-yah | ||
| Please | برائے مہربانی | bah-RAH-eh meh-her-BAH-nee | ||
| How much is this? | یہ کتنے کا ہے؟ | yeh KIT-neh kah hay | ||
| Where is the bathroom? | باتھروم کہاں ہے؟ | BAHTH-room kah-HAHN hay | ||
| I do not understand | مجھے سمجھ نہیں آیا | MOO-jheh sahm-JAHJ nah-HEEN AH-yah | ||
| Can you help me? | کیا آپ میری مدد کر سکتے ہیں؟ | kyah AHP meh-REE mah-DAHD kar sak-TEH hain | ||
| I would like tea | مجھے چائے چاہیے | MOO-jheh CHAI-eh chah-HEE-yeh | ||
| The bill, please | بل دیجیے | bil DEE-jee-yeh | ||
| Nice to meet you | آپ سے مل کر خوشی ہوئی | AHP seh mil kar KHOO-shee hoo-EE | ||
| Goodbye | الوداع | ahl-vee-DAH | ||
| I need a doctor | مجھے ڈاکٹر کی ضرورت ہے | MOO-jheh DOK-tar kee zah-ROO-raht hay | ||
| Excuse me | معاف کیجیے | MAHF kee-jee-yeh |
Tips for English to Urdu translation
Urdu uses the Nastaliq script, a calligraphic variant of Arabic script that reads right-to-left. It is visually distinct from the Naskh style used for Arabic and Persian. Digital Nastaliq rendering can be challenging, and some systems display Urdu in Naskh instead, which is readable but less aesthetically authentic.
Urdu and Hindi are essentially the same language in grammar and everyday vocabulary. The differences are in script (Urdu uses Arabic-based Nastaliq, Hindi uses Devanagari), formal vocabulary (Urdu draws from Persian/Arabic, Hindi from Sanskrit), and cultural context. A conversation between an Urdu and Hindi speaker is mutually intelligible.
Urdu word order is SOV (subject-object-verb), identical to Hindi. Postpositions replace prepositions. The translator rearranges to English SVO automatically.
Urdu has elaborate honorific and politeness systems. Aap (formal you), tum (informal you), tu (very intimate/rude). Verb forms change with each level. The translator outputs polite forms by default.
About the Urdu language
Urdu developed from the Hindustani lingua franca of northern India during the Mughal period (16th-19th centuries). It absorbed Persian, Arabic, and Turkish vocabulary through centuries of Muslim rule in South Asia. Urdu was declared the national language of Pakistan at independence in 1947 and is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India.
Pakistan has about 230 million people, making it the fifth most populous country. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca, though most Pakistanis speak a regional language (Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi) at home. The Urdu-speaking diaspora is large in the UK (over 1 million), the Middle East, the US, and Canada. Urdu literature, music (qawwali, ghazals), and cuisine have significant global reach.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. No sign-up needed.
Yes. Right-to-left Nastaliq/Naskh script.
Yes. Click the speaker icon.
Same grammar and everyday vocabulary. Different script and formal register.
Good for everyday use. Professional review for legal or literary texts.
Both variants work. Minor vocabulary differences exist.
Visit our Urdu to English page.
No.
Use the English to Hindi translator for Devanagari text.
Over 60 pairs including Hindi, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and more.
Need the reverse? Try Urdu to English translation.
