Translate Urdu to English
Urdu text appears in Pakistani business correspondence, government documents, news from Dawn and Geo, literary works, and messages from the Urdu-speaking diaspora in the UK, US, Middle East, and Canada. The elegant Nastaliq script reads right-to-left. Paste your text above.
Common Urdu to English translations
| Urdu | English | Pronunciation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| اسلام علیکم | Hello | ahs-SAH-lahm ah-LAY-koom | ||
| صبح بخیر | Good morning | soobh bah-KHAYR | ||
| شکریہ | Thank you | shoo-KREE-yah | ||
| برائے مہربانی | Please | bah-RAH-eh meh-her-BAH-nee | ||
| یہ کتنے کا ہے؟ | How much is this? | yeh KIT-neh kah hay | ||
| باتھروم کہاں ہے؟ | Where is the bathroom? | BAHTH-room kah-HAHN hay | ||
| مجھے سمجھ نہیں آیا | I do not understand | MOO-jheh sahm-JAHJ nah-HEEN AH-yah | ||
| کیا آپ میری مدد کر سکتے ہیں؟ | Can you help me? | kyah AHP meh-REE mah-DAHD kar sak-TEH hain | ||
| مجھے چائے چاہیے | I would like tea | MOO-jheh CHAI-eh chah-HEE-yeh | ||
| بل دیجیے | The bill, please | bil DEE-jee-yeh | ||
| آپ سے مل کر خوشی ہوئی | Nice to meet you | AHP seh mil kar KHOO-shee hoo-EE | ||
| الوداع | Goodbye | ahl-vee-DAH | ||
| مجھے ڈاکٹر کی ضرورت ہے | I need a doctor | MOO-jheh DOK-tar kee zah-ROO-raht hay | ||
| معاف کیجیے | Excuse me | MAHF kee-jee-yeh |
Tips for Urdu to English translation
Urdu text is right-to-left. The connected Nastaliq script can be hard to segment for word boundaries, but the translator handles this automatically.
Urdu from Pakistan may include English loanwords transliterated into Urdu script. These “Urglish” words are standard in modern Pakistani Urdu and translate back to English origins easily.
Urdu poetry (ghazal, nazm) is culturally significant. Automated translation captures the literal meaning but often misses the metaphorical and emotional layers that make Urdu poetry famous.
Pakistani and Indian Urdu have some vocabulary differences. Gaari means car in Pakistan but train in India. The translator handles standard Urdu from both countries.
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. Unlimited.
Yes. Both Nastaliq and Naskh renderings are processed.
Yes.
Results are very similar for everyday text. Formal Urdu with heavy Persian/Arabic vocabulary may differ.
Good for everyday texts. Literary and legal texts benefit from professional review.
The translator processes Urdu script. Roman Urdu (Urdu written in Latin letters) is not supported.
Visit our English to Urdu page.
No.
Urdu adds letters for sounds not found in Arabic: ٹ, ڈ, ڑ, ژ, گ, and the aspirated forms.
Over 60 pairs including Hindi, Arabic, Persian, and more.
Looking for the reverse? Try English to Urdu translation.
