Basic words in Urdu
313 words in Urdu on the topic “basic words”: جی ہاں — yes, جی نہیں — no, ٹھیک ہے — okay, خراب — bad.
313 words on the topic
- جی ہاںdzhi hanyesJi is the respect mark, haan is the yes itself. The full ji haan sounds more polite than a bare haan — the "yes, yes, of course" of courtesy
- جی نہیںdzhi nahinnoThe polite no: the same respectful ji rides in front. The soft refusal ji nahin, shukriya works just like "no, thank you" at home
- ٹھیک ہےthik haiokayTheek carries the retroflex t — tongue curled back, the sound thicker. The universal answer to "how are you" and to every arrangement
- خرابkharabbadThe partner of theek hai. People say kharab about themselves reluctantly: politeness prefers sab theek hai — everything is fine
- بہترینbehtarinexcellentLiterally "the best". A stronger answer than theek hai: it means it cannot get better. Said of food and views alike
- میں ٹھیک ہوںmain thik hunI am fineLiterally "I well-am": the little is glues onto the end of the line, where English keeps a separate word. The full answer: main theek hoon, shukriya
- بھیbhitooWith a breath: b-h-i in one puff. It follows the word it agrees with: main bhi — me too
- تھوڑاthoraa littleWith a breath: th-ora. The answer thora to the language question means "a little" — the polite understatement everyone uses
- کے ساتھke sathwithSaath — along with: it stands AFTER the word — chai doodh ke saath, "tea, with milk". The word beside it does not bend
- اورaurandWritten apart, said with an au at the start: a-ur. In a list it stands between the words: chai aur roti
- لیکنlekinbutThe conversational but; the bookish partner is magar. It opens the second half of the phrase: theek hai, lekin mehanga
- بہتbehotveryThe intensifier stands before the word: bohat mazedar — very tasty. And "much" at the same time: kaam bohat hai — there is much work
- اچھاachchhaokayA double breathy chch. The universal response: achchha is "good", "I see" and "fine then" at once. And "good" — of a person and a thing
- کلوگرامkilogramkilogramAt the bazaar it is said short — kilo: ek kilo seib. The half gets the word aadha
- آدھاadhahalfHalf of anything: aadha kilo — half a kilo, aadha roti — half a flatbread. About a feminine thing one says aadhi
- مجھے نہیں چاہیےmujhe nahin chahiyeI don’t need itThe polite refusal runs through "me": mujhe — to me — and nahin — not. A refusal without rudeness: this language speaks of wanting through "me" altogether
- ایک اورek aurone moreLiterally "one and": "more" is folded through aur — the same word as the conjunction "and". Do aur — two more
- کافیkafienoughKaafi is both "sufficient" and "quite". And the short bas — the bus you know — at the bazaar means "that will do": two words for one thought
- سب مل کرsab mil karin totalLiterally "everything joined": the till total here "joins up" rather than "runs up". The verb milna — to join — lives in "see you" too
- قطارqatarqueueThe same word means "train" in the old sense of "a string": a queue is a string of people too. Qataar mein — in the queue
- سائزsaizsizeAn international word written in the local script. About clothes and shoes one asks exactly this — size, not the bookish words
- زیادہzyadamoreBoth "more" and "too much": the context splits them. The comparison runs through se — "than": bazaar se zyada — more than at the bazaar
- کمkamlessA short kam — less. Do not confuse it with the long kaam — work: different spellings keep them apart on paper
- بھاریbhariheavyWith a breath: bh-ari. Of weight and of seriousness alike: bhaari baat — a weighty word, as at home
- ہلکاhalkalightThe partner of heavy. Halka is light in weight and light as food: halka khaana — what does not sit like a stone
- نیاnaianewIt follows gender: naya makan — a new house, nayi sari — a new sari. The trader is as pleased with "New!" as a shopkeeper anywhere
- پراناpuranaoldThe partner of new. Of things — old; of a person one says boorha: the age of a thing and of a person are named with different words here
- ٹوٹاtutabrokenThe retroflex t — the tongue taps the roof of the mouth. Toota is snapped in two; a device that does not work is kharab, as you already know
- انسانinsanhumanThe human as a living, thinking being: the same root as "humane". The plural is insaan — the count does not bend it
- سب ٹھیک ٹھاک ہےsab thik thak haiall is wellTheek thaak — a rhymed "all-all": the doubling here means "in perfect order". The reassuring answer to any alarm
- سب خیر ہےsab khair haiall is fineLiterally "all is good": khair is the good. A stronger answer to "how are you" than "all okay": said when things truly are
- گیارہgyarahelevenIts own row after ten: eleven is not "ten-and-one" here but a separate word. The noun after any number stays singular — gyarah roti
- بارہbaratwelveA long aa opens the word. Noon is barah baj — twelve strokes — and more eyes land on this number than on any other
- تیرہterathirteenThe whole row up to nineteen is built the same way and is not derived from "ten" — learned as a list. Thirteen is terah, and it is short
- چودہchaudafourteenYou can hear the kinship with chaar — four — but the word has gone its own way. After any number the noun stands in the singular, and that is correct
- پندرہpandrafifteenA quarter of an hour gets no special name — time is told in numbers: pandrah minute. And pandrah rupe — the price of a roadside glass of chai
- سولہsolasixteenKeep your ear sharp: cheh is six, solah is sixteen — one sound apart. The row to twenty is learned whole
- سترہsatraseventeenKin of saat — seven — but already a word of its own. The tens come later; for now the list runs to twenty
- اٹھارہatharaeighteenWith the retroflex th — tongue curled back. At eighteen one votes and gets a licence here: the number is grown-up
- انیسunaisnineteenThe last of the row to twenty, and the least expected: no trace of nau — nine — survives in it. The tens follow
- بیسbistwentyThe start of the second row, the tens. From here the count is not derived by rule: the tens are learned the way one learns an alphabet
- تیسtisthirtyKeep your ear sharp: teen is three, tees is thirty — one sound apart
- چالیسchalisfortyIts own word, like the whole row of tens: forty is not derived from "four" here. A long ee closes it
- پچاسpachasfiftyHalf a hundred and the middle of the bazaar haggle: at pachaas rupe the trader starts to give in
- ساٹھsathsixtyWith the retroflex th. It sounds like saath — "with" — but it is the number: the context tells them apart by ear, the dot under the letter by eye
- سترsattarseventyA double t in the middle: sat-tar. Do not confuse it with the short saat — seven: there one syllable, here two
- اسیassieightyLong ee at the end. Digits are written like European ones but said their own way — assi, eighty — and so it is remembered
- نوےnaweninetyA faint trace of nau — nine — but the word is its own. The last ten before the hundred
- سوsuone hundredOne syllable and everywhere: sau rupe — one hundred rupees. The hundreds are folded out of it: do sau — two hundred, teen sau — three hundred
- ہزارhazarone thousandThe same word as the old military title hazar, a commander of a thousand: counting and service grew from one root. A thousand is the threshold of the big prices
- ملینmilianmillionAn international word written in the local script. News and population figures say million, while traders count in lakhs — hundreds of thousands
- صفرsifarzeroThe same sifar as in arithmetic: zero came out of this region’s counting antiquity. Every cricket fan knows the score nil-nil
- پہلاpehlafirstThe ordinals follow gender: pehla din — the first day, pehli kitab — the first book. It stands before the word
- دوسراdusrasecondFrom do — two: the second is "the other one of the two", and that is the same word. Doosri chai — the second tea — needs no explanation at the tea-house
- تیسراtisrathirdFrom teen — three, as doosra from do. The ordinals here grow out of the numbers themselves, and the rule is easy to carry
- آخریakhirilastFrom aakhir — the end: the last is the final one. Aakhiri rail gaari — the last train — and at the station this word decides
- کتناkitnahow muchThe singular of the familiar kitne: one thing is asked with kitna, many with kitne. Price, time and weight are all counted with it
- جوڑاdzhorapairWith the retroflex r in the middle. A jora is both a pair of shoes and a couple: husband and wife in conversation are a jora too
- ٹکڑاtukrapieceWith the retroflex t. Piece, chunk and shard are one word: do tukre — two pieces — is how one counts them
- فیصدfisadpercentAn international word written in the local script. The discount is announced with it: das fisad riayat — ten percent off
- ہرhareveryA short har — every: the same word as in the familiar har roz. After it the noun stands in the singular: har din — every day
- کونkaunwhoOne word for "who" and "which": ye kaun hai? is both "who is this?" and "which one is it?". Gender and number do not bend it at all
- کیوںkyunwhyThe nasal sign closes it: kyun escapes through the nose. The answer opens with kyunke — because — in the same way as at home
- کس لیےkis liyewhat forLiterally "for what": liye — for — stands AFTER the word. Kyun asks the cause, kis liye the purpose — the split you know
- کیساkaisawhat kind ofIt follows gender: kaisa mausam — what weather, kaise log — what people. Haal kaisa hai? — how are you — is of the same family
- کس کاkis kawhoseLiterally "of whom": possession here runs through the familiar ka. Kis ki chaabi? — whose key? — agrees with the thing
- کوئی نہیںkoy nahinnobodyLiterally "someone — no": the negation here is doubled and mandatory. Yahan koi nahin — there is nobody here
- کچھkuchhsomethingWith a breath at the end: kuchh. Both "something" and "a little": kuchh chai — a spot of tea — a word for all occasions
- دونوںdononbothFrom do — two: donon — these two. With it the verb stands in the plural: donon theek hain — both are fine
- مجھے نہیں معلومmujhe nahin malumI don’t knowLiterally "to me it is not known": even knowing lives on "me" here. Maloom — the known — the same word as in "the particulars"
- دیکھناdekhnato seeBoth see and look; the breathy kh in the middle. Ye dekho! — here, look! — is the first phrase at the shop window
- سنناsunnato hearBoth hear and listen; long oo in the middle. Suno, meharbani — listen, please — is the polite opening of a request
- سوناsonato sleepSona is to sleep; sota is sleeping. And sona is also gold: the color is named with the same word — a separate gift of the language
- لے جاناle dzhanato carry (away)Literally "take and go": to carry here is a junction of two verbs you already know. The direction is always from here to there
- رکھناrakhnato putTo lay, to set, to leave: one word for every way of placing a thing. Chai yahan rakho — put the tea here
- توڑناtornato breakKin of the familiar toota — broken: that one breaks, this one is broken. Ye kaun tora? — who broke this? — the question of every household
- بناناbananato buildTo make and to build at once: a house here is "made", like tea. Ghar banao is both "build a house" and "start a family"
- بہت ساbehot samuch (of)Literally "very much-of": bohat you know as "very", and sa adds "much of something". Bare bohat is "very"; this is already "a lot of"
- چندchanda fewMore than one, fewer than many. Chand rupe — a few rupees — is how one speaks of small change
- نرمnarmsoftNarm — soft: a pillow, bread and a person without roughness are all narm. One syllable carrying a whole manner
- سختsakhthardWith a breath: sakh-t. Sakht is both hard and stern: bread and a boss can be equally sakht
- گیلاgilawetWet, soaked through: after the rain the most needed word. To dry is sookhna — a verb of the same family
- خشکkhushkdryThe same khushk as in the old word for rusk: dry here is the air, the bread and the season alike. Khushk mausam — dry weather
- پتلاpatlathinBoth thin and watery: thin cloth and thin soup are one word. Of a thick thing one says mota
- گہراgehradeepWith a breath in the middle: ge-h-ra. Gehra is deep and dark in color at once: deep water and dark blue are one word
- گولgolroundA short gol — round; hence goli — the round pill you know. The circle rules this family
- کدھرkidharwhere to?Kidhar — whither, in which direction: kahaan asks about place, this about direction. The answer opens with seedha — straight
- ہر جگہhar dzhagaeverywhereLiterally "every place": har — every — and jagah — the place. Everywhere and all over are one word, and jagah will return in "where to"
- کہیں نہیںkahin nahinnowhereLiterally "somewhere — no": the doubled negation, as in koi nahin. Kahin — somewhere — with nahin turns into nowhere
- خطرہkhatrariskThe danger: the same word as in the road signs
- پلان بیplan biplan BExactly the plan B at home: the second one, for when the first fails
- دقتdikkattroubleThe bother, the fuss: what plans are made against
- وجہwadzhacauseThe cause: the same word the Persians keep. Asked as "what is its cause?"
- نتیجہnatidzharesultThe outcome: what was gotten at the end
- اس لیےis liyethereforeLiterally "for this": it stands in the second half of the phrase, after the comma
- کیونکہkyunkebecauseThe because: it answers the why and opens the cause
- اس وجہ سےis wadzha sebecause of thisLiterally "from this cause": the tails sew the phrase together
- منحصر ہوناmanhasar honato depend onLiterally "to be locked onto": dependence as a lock
- وجہ بتاناwadzha batanato explain the causeLiterally "to tell the cause": the telling you met
- منزلmanzilgoalThe goal and the final stop at once: the road’s end and the wish’s
- مطلبmatlabmeaningThe sense and "that is" at once: it both means and glosses
- نتیجہ نکالناnatidzha nikalnato draw a conclusionLiterally "to pull out the result": the conclusion as something extracted
- موقعmawqaopportunityA chance, an opening: what comes and must be caught
- شایدshaiyadpossiblyThe maybe: the word that removes the promise from the phrase
- ناممکنnamumkinimpossibleLiterally "the not-possible": the possible you met; the na turns it
- ضرورتzaruratnecessityThe necessity: what brooks no waiting
- ضرورzarurcertainlyThe surely: a promise said with weight
- مجھے کرنا پڑے گاmujhe karna pare gaI will have toLiterally "to me doing will fall": compulsion arrives to "me", as everything does
- اجازت ہےidzhazat haiit is allowedLiterally "there is permission": asked as "is there permission?"
- منع ہےmana haiit is forbiddenLiterally "there is a ban": short and final
- انتخابintikhabchoiceThe choice: the same word, in the plural, as the elections
- طریقہtariqaoptionA way, a variant: how it is done
- شکshakkdoubtShort and hard: a doubt as a knot
- شک ہوناshakk honato doubtLiterally "for doubt to be": here too the feeling owns the person
- یقین ہےyaqin haiI am sureLiterally "certainty there is": certainty as a possession
- مشکل سےmushkil sehardlyLiterally "with difficulty": hardly, scarcely
- غالباًghalibanprobablyFor the most part: probably, most likely
- بالکلbalkulexactlyThe completely: as an intensifier it means exactly, precisely
- میرا خیال ہےmera khaial haiit seems to meLiterally "my thought is": opinion as a thing one holds
- دراصلdarasalactuallyLiterally "in the root": how things really stand
- اندازہ لگاناandaza laganato estimateLiterally "to apply a guess": the guess laid on like a measure
- یقین نہیںyaqin nahinI am not sureLiterally "there is no certainty": the polite hedge
- تجربہtadzhurbaexperienceThe experience: one’s own and another’s, both teachers
- صورتsuratcaseThe look, the shape — and in the phrase, a case: "in this case"
- مثالmisalexampleThe example: teachers are asked for it, sellers give it
- مثلاًmasalanfor exampleFrom the same example: "for instance" — the door into any list
- فرقfarqdifferenceThe difference: what lies between two things
- کمپیر کرناkampair karnato compareThe international compare plus the doing: comparison as a deed again
- الگ ہوناalag honato differThe separate, the particular: to differ is "to be apart"
- ملتا جلتاmilta dzhaltasimilarLiterally "meeting and shining": the resemblance as a likeness caught in light
- ایک جیساek dzhaisaidenticalLiterally "alike as one": the as doing the comparing
- تبدیلیtabdilichangeThe change: from the verb of altering. Welcomed and feared in the same breath
- پہلے توpahle tofirst of allLiterally "first, after all": the after-all gives the list its opening beat
- دوسری باتdusri baatsecondlyLiterally "the second matter": the continuation of the count
- سب سے پہلےsab se pahleabove allLiterally "before everyone": the superlative of the first
- اس کے علاوہis ke alawabesidesLiterally "apart from this": the apart you met, now building lists
- ویسےwaiseby the wayLiterally "in that manner": and by the way — the sideways entrance into talk
- عمومی طور پرumumi tor perin generalLiterally "on the common manner": the common manner you met
- مختصراًmukhtasarin shortThe abbreviated: the long tale folded short
- دوسرے الفاظ میںdusre alfaz mainin other wordsLiterally "in different words": the words — met at the dictionary
- اہم باتaham baatthe main thingLiterally "the important matter": the important — a word of documents and hearts alike
- آخرکارakharkarin the endFrom the end: literally "at-last-ly"
- اگرچہagarchealthoughThe although: from the if — a conditional grown concessive
- بدلے میںbadle mainon the other hand (but)Literally "in the exchange": the exchange — dear, but fresh
- الٹاultaon the contraryThe inverted: on the contrary. Said of thinking and of clothes alike
- کے باوجودke bawadzhuddespiteLiterally "despite the existence of": the standing exists — and one goes anyway
- مگرmagarhoweverThe but, however: the bookish partner of the everyday but
- ایک طرفek tarafon the one handLiterally "one side": the side you met at the directions
- دوسری طرفdusri tarafon the other handThe pair of the one side: the second pan of the scales
- پھر بھیphir bhineverthelessTwo familiar words: again and even — yet still
- اس کی جگہis ki dzhagainstead of thisLiterally "this one’s place": the place you met, now doing grammar
- کوئی حرج نہیںkoy haradzh nahinnever mindLiterally "there is no harm": the harm of the old ledgers
- اتفاقاًittifaqanby chanceBy coincidence: from the agreeing of two accidents
- جان بوجھ کرdzhan bojh karon purposeLiterally "with soul and sense": not by accident, by design
- ناکامیnakamifailureThe no-arrival: failure as the goal not reached, not the person condemned
- قدم بہ قدمqadam be qadamstep by stepLiterally "step by step": the step you met at the stairs, doubled
- طریقہ کارtariqa karprocedureLiterally "the manner of work": the procedure as the agreed order
- تفصیل سےtafsil sein detailLiterally "with detail": the detail asked for at the clinic and the contract alike
- اپنے لفظوں میںapne lafzon mainin your own wordsLiterally "in one’s own words": the retelling that proves the understanding
- آسان لفظوں میںasan lafzon mainsimply putLiterally "in easy words": the simplifying kindness of a good explainer
- مثال دوmisal dogive an exampleLiterally "give an example": the example you met, now commanded
- دکھاؤ یہ کیسے ہوتا ہےdikhau ye kaise hota haishow how it is doneLiterally "show how this happens": the showing you met at the shop
- سمجھ آئی؟samajh ai?is that clear?Literally "has it become understood?": the understanding arriving of itself again
- اب سمجھ آئیab samajh ainow I seeLiterally "now it has become understood": the click of comprehension
- میں الجھ گیاmain ulajh gayaI got tangled upLiterally "I became entangled": the knots of grammar made flesh
- یاد آناyad anato recallLiterally "for the memory to come": recall as an arrival, not an effort
- بھول جاناbhul dzhanato forgetThe forgetting you met at the name: to go past the memory
- ارادہiradaintentionThe intention: what the road asks of the walker
- ارادہ بدلناirada badalnato change one’s mindLiterally "to change the intention": the changing again, now inward
- سب کچھ منصوبے کے مطابقsab kachh mansube ke mutabiqeverything according to planLiterally "everything according to the plan": the plan as the ruler of the day
- اگر ہو سکےagar ho sakeif possibleLiterally "if it can happen": the if hedging every promise
- ابھی فیصلہ نہیں ہواabhi faisla nahin huanot decided yetLiterally "the decision has not yet happened": decisions arriving here too
- سب کچھ بدل گیاsab kachh badal gayaeverything changedLiterally "everything changed": the change arrived whole
- بہتری کی طرفbehtari ki taraffor the betterLiterally "toward the better": the direction of improvement
- بگاڑ کی طرفbigar ki taraffor the worseLiterally "toward the spoiling": the spoiling you met at the milk
- کا ہوناka honato belong toLiterally "to be of": the book belongs to Omar — is "of Omar"
- پرایاparayaalien (other’s)The other’s: the alien dog barks; the word carries distance
- مشترکmushtaraksharedThe shared: one room between two sisters, and peace
- دھکہ دیناdhakka denato pushLiterally "to give a shove": the stuck car pushed by all
- کھینچناkhinchnato pullThe pulling: the rope pulled from both sides
- مارناmarnato strikeLiterally "to strike": the ball struck hard; the word carries weight
- میٹرmitarmetrethe first vowel is an ee: MEET-ar, never MET-er
- سینٹی میٹرsenti mitarcentimetreThe centimetre: the shirt tight by two of them
- کلومیٹرkilomitarkilometreThe kilometre: from here to the station, one of them
- لٹرlitarlitreThe litre: two of them of milk needed, said at the dairy counter
- گرامgaramgramThe gram: five hundred of sugar in this cake
- وزنwazanweightThe weight: mine has grown, says the scale
- لمبائیlambailengthThe length: how long this road runs, asked of every map
- چوڑائیchoraiwidthThe width: the river’s is great, and the bridge matches it
- بلندیbulandiheightThe height: this mountain’s is two thousand metres
- گہرائیgerhaidepthThe depth: this pond’s is small — the children wade without fear
- لگ بھگlag bhagabout (approximately)Literally "near-touching": about ten people came
- تقریباًtaqribanalmostThe nearly: almost all came in time, and the rest had reasons
- عینainexactlyThe very: the train came at exactly ten
- اوسطاًausatanon averageThe average: twice a day I drink tea on it
- دو گناdo gunatwice as muchLiterally "two-fold": the salary grew so this year
- ہندسہhindsadigitThe digit: a phone number is built of ten of them, no more
- چوتھائیchauthaia quarterThe quarter: a quarter of the book read
- تولناtolnato weighThe weighing: the shopkeeper weighs the flour honestly
- اضافیizafispare (extra)The extra: these things are spare — give them away
- خالیkhaliemptyThe empty: the bottle, the pocket and the promise alike
- پرہیز کرناparehez karnato avoidThe abstaining: with sugar, sweets must be avoided
- حقیقتhaqiqatfactThe truth: the thing that stays put however one pushes it
- سوالsawalquestionThe question you met at the solving: half the understanding
- اہمahamimportantThe important: the word of documents and of mothers alike
- مثبتmusbatpositiveThe positive: said of tests, attitudes and balances alike
- منفیmanfinegativeThe negative: the partner of the positive, less welcome
- کے مقابل میںke muqabil maincompared toLiterally "in the face of": the facing that compares
- ایسا ہیaisa hijust the sameLiterally "like this very": the sameness asserted
- فائدہfaidaadvantageThe benefit: counted before every deal and every move
- خامیkhamidrawbackThe shortcoming: what the salesman never counts
- نتائجnataidzhconsequencesThe results in the plural: consequences arriving after the deed
- مدنظر رکھناmadnazar rakhnato take into accountLiterally "to keep before the eye": the factor kept in view
- بہت ممکن ہےbehot mumkin haimost likelyLiterally "it is very possible": the possibility at full strength
- یقیناًyaqinancertainlyThe certainty adverb: said with the chin up
- امکانimkanprobabilityThe possibility: what the odds are made of
- اندازہandazaestimate (guess)The guess again: laid on like a measure, as often wrong
- لگتا ہے کہlagta hai keit seems thatLiterally "it seems that": the seeming you met at the looking
- ضرور ہوگاzarur hogait must beLiterally "it will surely be": the inference in the future tense
- نہیں ہو سکتاnahin ho saktait cannot beLiterally "it cannot become": the impossibility said flat
- کم از کمkam az kamat leastLiterally "least from least": the floor set under the hope
- ہر حال میںhar hal mainin any caseLiterally "in every state": the case that holds in all weathers
- احتیاطاًihtiyatanjust in caseThe precaution: the umbrella taken so, the sweater packed so
- کاشkashif onlyThe would-that: the little word of every regret
- بشرطیکہbushartikeprovided thatLiterally "with the condition that": the condition you met at the contract
- چاہےchaheeven ifThe even-though of wishes: come what may, the plan holds
- تو پھرto phirin that caseLiterally "then so": the conclusion of the if
- ورنہwarnaotherwiseThe otherwise: the other road the sentence warns of
- تبtabthenThe then: the consequence’s little door
- تاکہtakeso thatThe so-that: the purpose riding behind the deed
- گویاgoyaas ifThe as-if: the word of poets and of excuses alike
- کے بجائےke badzhaeinstead of (doing)Literally "in place of": the doing replaced
- عموماًumumanmostlyThe generally: what holds in most cases
- عام طور پرaam taur peras a ruleThe common manner again: the rule of habit
- تقریباً سبtaqriban sabalmost allThe nearly again: almost all, with exceptions uncounted
- استثناistisnaexceptionThe exception: what proves the rule, says the saying
- وغیرہwaghairaand so onThe etcetera of the region: the list waved shut
- کے برعکسke baraksunlikeLiterally "in the opposite of": the contrast drawn sharp
- سوائےswaeexceptThe excepting: everyone came except the driver
- مکمل نہیںmukammal nahinnot quiteLiterally "not complete": the half-agreement
- اچھا خاصاachchha khasamore or lessLiterally "well, distinct": the approximation of the satisfied
- دقت سےdikkat sewith difficultyThe trouble again: done with trouble, not with ease
- کوشش کرنی چاہیےkoshish karni chahiyeit is worth tryingLiterally "the trying should be done": the effort recommended
- چاہیے تھاchahiye thashould haveLiterally "it was needed": the past of every regret
- سب سے بہترsab se behtarbest of allLiterally "better than all": the superlative of the good
- سب سے براsab se buraworst of allLiterally "worse than all": the floor of the scale
- جلد از جلدdzhald az dzhaldas soon as possibleLiterally "quickest from quickest": the urgency doubled
- بے کارbe karin vainThe without-work: the effort spent for nothing
- سنبھل جاناsambhal dzhanato copeLiterally "to gather oneself": the coping as the gathering
- کوششkoshishattemptThe attempt: the deed’s first draft, revised as often as needed
- یعنیyaanithat isThe that-is again: the gloss of the speaker
- معلوم ہواmalum huait turned outLiterally "it became known": the finding-out as an arrival
- نتیجے میںnatidzhe mainas a resultLiterally "in the result": the result you met, now a bridge
- کا باعث بنتا ہےka bais banta haileads toLiterally "becomes the cause of": the cause wearing its outcome
- کی بدولتki badolatthanks toLiterally "by the exchange of": the thanks owed to the means
- پہلی ہی بار میںpehli hi bar mainon the first tryLiterally "in the very first time": success without rehearsal
- دو سوdo sutwo hundredHundreds are always two words here: the number plus sau, hundred. You already heard do sau as a bazaar answer about price — now it is your word
- تین سوtin suthree hundredThe noun does not change after the number: teen sau rupe — three hundred rupees. The rest of the row assembles itself: chaar sau, paanch sau…
- چار سوchar sufour hundredA shirt is feminine, so the line closes with ki, not ka. The number itself ignores gender: chaar sau either way
- پانچ سوpanch sufive hundredKiraya — rent: housing prices are quoted by the month here. Five hundred is already talk about a room, not a rickshaw
- چھ سوchhe susix hundredLife in a village costs less: gaon mein — in the village. Log — people: the same word as in aap log, you all
- سات سوsat suseven hundredListen to the start: saat sau — seven hundred, aath sau — eight hundred. One sound apart, and the price is not
- آٹھ سوath sueight hundredA book is feminine, hence ki at the end. Eight hundred rupees buy a good textbook here — dictionary included
- نو سوnau sunine hundredThe last hundred before hazaar — the thousand you already have. Every price in town is built out of hundreds and hazaar
- چوتھاchauthafourthThe ordinal follows gender: chautha din — the fourth day, but chauthi manzil — the fourth floor, for manzil is she
- پانچواںpanchwanfifthThe nasal sign closes it — panchwaan escapes through the nose, like paanch, five. Holidays here are counted in days
- چھٹاchhatasixththe breathy th and the retroflex t: the tongue taps the roof of the mouth
- ساتواںsatwanseventhThe week opens on Sunday, Itwaar, so the seventh day is Saturday, hafta. The phrase rescues you when someone asks which day it is
- آٹھواںathwaneighthThe ordinal grew out of aath — eight — by one syllable. Offices and flats are counted in floors: athvin manzil
- نواںnauwanninthBuses here are waited for by number: nauwaan number bas — route nine. Not the ninth bus — the ninth number
- دسواںdaswantenthThe tenth grade is the graduating one: after it come the big exams. Dasvin class is the pride of the whole family
- سواںsauwanhundredthFrom sau, the hundred. A round date — the hundredth day of school or a shop’s anniversary — is the occasion to say this word aloud
- یاyaorOne letter and the whole choice: it works both inside a question and between whole affairs, exactly where or stands
- اسی طرحisi tarahlikewiseLiterally "in that same manner" — just like you. The familiar bhi follows a word; this is a whole word about resemblance
- صرفsirfonlyStands right before what is left over: sirf ek kitab — only one book, the rest have fallen away
- ابabnowBoth "now" and "already": ab der ho gayi — it is already late. One short word holds both senses
- ابھیabhistillIn writing it is one letter from ab, and to the ear no different: the matter decides. Abhi waqt hai — there is still time
- حد سے زیادہhad se zyadatooLiterally "beyond the measure": had is the limit, and this steps over it. The tail se draws the line
- اکٹھےakathetogetherFrom "to gather": what was gathered lives together — walk together, sit together, eat together
- اجازت نہیںidzhazat nahinnot allowedLiterally "permission [there is] not": ijaazat is the leave, the allowance. Politer than a ban — said of someone’s yard and someone’s things alike
- ضروری ہےzaruri haiit is necessaryLiterally "obligatory is": zaroor — obligatory. The familiar chaahiye wants; this one insists
- زندگیzindagilifeFrom the verb "to live": not just the years but the way they are lived. It names a biography as readily as life itself
- چاہناchahnato wantThe infinitive of the familiar chaahiye: mujhe chaahiye — I need, main chahta hoon — I want. One desire, two words
- سکناsaknato be ableIt never walks alone: it hooks onto a verb — aana sakna, to be able to come. Main aa sakta hoon — I can come
- لفظlafzwordA word of the dictionary is lafz, talk is baat. The poets Iqbal and Faiz believed one right lafz is worth more than a thousand
- معاملہmuamlamatterA matter as a question in hand: ye muamla hal ho jayega — the matter will settle. Agreement with everything — muafiq
- اندازandazmannerThe same word means style: everyone has their own andaaz of working and of joking. The way of doing — karne ka andaaz
- آسانی سےasani seeasilyFrom aasaan — easy: aasaani is the ease. To do a thing aasaani se is to do it without effort, as if it were no trouble
- دشواری سےdushwari sewith difficultyFrom mushkil — difficult — comes dushwari, the difficulty. One breathes, walks and reads dushwari se — through effort
- کہkethat (so that)Both "that" and "so that" — the little word inside "said that…" and "came so that…". Shorter and more frequent than the bookish take
- اگرagarifYou know it from agar chahe — even though — and from "if it works out"; here it is the condition itself. The consequence is led in by the short to
- جس وقتdzhis waqtwhileLiterally "at which time": while the rain fell, we sat at home. You know jab tak — until; this one is about two things at once
- چونکہchunkesinceA cause both sides know: since you are tired — rest. The phrase opens with it and the conclusion follows
- بسbasif onlyYou know bas from "bus"; the same spelling — a different word: "if only". Bas der na ho jaye — if only we are not late
- توtosoAfter the comma you simply carry the thought on: was late, so took a rickshaw. Is liye — therefore — you had; this is shorter and more conversational
- کے بیچke bichbetweenBetween — ke beech: between the table and the wall, between two houses. Darmiyan — amid — you had; this one is the more exact gap
- پاسpasnearPaas — at, by, near: dukaan ke paas — by the shop, ghar ke paas — near the house. One syllable says everything that stands beside
- کے بدلےke badleinstead ofInstead of — ke badle: instead of tea — milk, instead of you — me. Ke bajaye — instead of doing — was about verbs; this one is about things
- خلافkhilafagainstAgainst — khilaf: against the law, against the decision. You know the word from khilaf warzi, a violation — there it sat inside
- کے بغیرke beghairwithoutWithout — ke baghair: without sugar, without meat — you have seen both phrases; now the word whole
- کے لیےke liyeforFor — ke liye: for the children, for you. A tail after the owner-word, like ke saath — with
- کے بارے میںke bare mainaboutAbout — ke baare mein, literally "about the matter": about work, about a film. The English about maps onto it whole
- کے بعدke baadafterAfter — ke baad: after work, after the meal — you know the phrases; now the word whole
- دورانdauranduringDuring — dauraan: during the trip, during the meal. Us dauraan — meanwhile — you had; bare dauraan simply demands a word after it
- کی وجہ سےki wadzha sebecause ofWajah — the cause — you know; with ki and se it becomes "on account of". Because of repairs the shop is shut — exactly so
- چاروں طرفcharon tarabaroundLiterally "from all four sides": around the table stand chairs. Gard you know from "dusty" — this is a different word
- کے پارke paracrossAcross — ke paar: on the other side — across the road, across the bridge. Parking and parcel are no kin of it
- اندر سےandar sefrom the insideAndar — inside — you had; se turns the look outward. The room is locked from the inside — that is how you say it
- آس پاسas pasnearbyA doubling, like "here and there": close this way and that. There is not one pharmacy nearby — exactly so
- مسئلہmaslaproblemThe word behind kitchen "masala"? No: masla is a matter demanding a decision, a problem. Koi masla nahin — "no problem" — the usual reassuring reply
- بے حدbe haddextremelyLiterally "without limit": what has no measure. A step stronger than bohat — said of feelings: behadd khushi — joy without end
- مددmadadhelpYou know the cry Madad! — the same word means help: the cry, the request and the noun are one word here. Mujhe aap ki madad chaahiye — I need your help
- ہےhaithere isNo separate "there is" for existence: the ordinary hai works, the one from theek hai and kahan hai. The place opens the line, hai closes it: yahan bazaar hai — there is a bazaar here
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How it sounds in a sentence
A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.
What is worth knowing about these words
جی ہاں (dzhi han) — yes. Ji is the respect mark, haan is the yes itself. The full ji haan sounds more polite than a bare haan — the "yes, yes, of course" of courtesy.
جی نہیں (dzhi nahin) — no. The polite no: the same respectful ji rides in front. The soft refusal ji nahin, shukriya works just like "no, thank you" at home.
ٹھیک ہے (thik hai) — okay. Theek carries the retroflex t — tongue curled back, the sound thicker. The universal answer to "how are you" and to every arrangement.
خراب (kharab) — bad. The partner of theek hai. People say kharab about themselves reluctantly: politeness prefers sab theek hai — everything is fine.
Test yourself
Recalling a spelling from meaning is harder than recognizing a familiar word — and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “yes” in Urdu?
Ji is the respect mark, haan is the yes itself. The full ji haan sounds more polite than a bare haan — the "yes, yes, of course" of courtesy
- How do you say “a little” in Urdu?
With a breath: th-ora. The answer thora to the language question means "a little" — the polite understatement everyone uses
- How do you say “half” in Urdu?
Half of anything: aadha kilo — half a kilo, aadha roti — half a flatbread. About a feminine thing one says aadhi
- How do you say “more” in Urdu?
Both "more" and "too much": the context splits them. The comparison runs through se — "than": bazaar se zyada — more than at the bazaar
- How do you say “human” in Urdu?
The human as a living, thinking being: the same root as "humane". The plural is insaan — the count does not bend it
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
Yes, no, good, bad, very. The small change of a language — and no sentence assembles without it.
A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.
- Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many timesAdesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
- Study spread over days wins not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many timesMawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.
Frequently asked
How do you say “yes” in Urdu?
«جی ہاں», read “dzhi han”. Ji is the respect mark, haan is the yes itself. The full ji haan sounds more polite than a bare haan — the "yes, yes, of course" of courtesy. It is one of 313 words in the set “basic words” — the rest are in the table above.
How many basic words do you need to start?
The whole set on this page is 313 words, but there is no need to start with all of it: the words you will need in the next few days are enough. Take them a few at a time — five to seven new ones per session.