If you’re learning Urdu, you might have heard people speaking differently depending on whom they’re talking to. This is because Urdu has both formal and informal language.
For example, you can’t speak to your teacher or elders in the same way you speak to your siblings and friends. And you’ll fall into an awkward situation if you refer to your boss with “you” – tum (تم) instead of “you” – aap (آپ). This is why learning about formal vs informal Urdu grammar is important.
So, to help you avoid such awkward situations, this article highlights some key differences in formal vs informal Urdu grammar. We’ll also discuss a few quick tips to make you speak Urdu confidently in different situations.
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Table Of Contents
An Introduction To Formal Vs Informal Urdu Grammar
Imagine talking to your mother the same way you do to your friend. Like asking “How are you?” by saying Tum kesi ho? (تم کیسی ہو) instead of Aap kesi hain? (آپ کیسی ہیں).
I can see a “flying chappal” (slipper) coming my way, even in my imagination.
Although just the slight change in subject and verb makes the formal sentence informal, understanding the right usage can make a huge difference in your speech.
Let’s look at these one by one for better understanding!
Formal Urdu Grammar
We use formal Urdu grammar when talking to our elders or in a professional setting. It’s a polite and respectful way of structuring sentences in Urdu.
In formal Urdu, we use the pronoun aap (آپ) to say “you” and use “are” – hain (ہیں) as the verb.
Let’s see the following examples.
| English | Urdu | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| How are you? | آپ کیسے ہیں؟ | Aap kese hain? |
| What are you doing? | آپ کیا کر رہے ہیں؟ | Aap Kia kar rahe hain? |
| Where are you going? | آپ کہاں جارہے ہیں؟ | Aap kahan jarahe hain? |
| Please, help me | براہِ کرم، میری مدد کریں | Barah-e-karam Meri madad karain |
In all these sentences, we referred to the other person as “you” – aap (آپ), which is followed by the verb “are” – hain (ہیں).
However, in the last example, we added a polite phrase, “please” – barah-e-karam (براہِ کرم) to request help. We use such polite markers to maintain a respectful tone.
We’ll explore this in detail in the next section. Let’s first briefly look at informal Urdu grammar first.
Informal Urdu Grammar
We use informal Urdu grammar to make our speech casual and friendly, especially when talking to our friends, siblings, or peers.
Let’s use the same phrases as above and write them in informal form.
| English | Urdu | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| How are you? | تم کیسے ہو؟ | Tum kese ho? |
| What are you doing? | تم کیا کر رہے ہو؟ | Tum Kia kar rahe ho? |
| Where are you going? | تم کہاں جارہے ہو؟ | Tum kahan jarahe ho? |
| Please, help me | میری مدد کرو | Meri madad Karo |
See, in informal Urdu, we changed the pronoun “you” – aap (آپ) to “you” – tum (تم), and the verb “are” – hain (ہیں) to ho (ہو).
3 Key Differences In Formal Vs Informal Urdu Grammar
When it comes to formal and informal Urdu, even if it’s the same language, there are key differences between the two. So, let’s see what these differences are:
1. Second-Person Pronoun: You
The major difference in formal vs informal Urdu grammar is how you use the second-person pronoun “you.” Your choice of pronoun will indicate how polite your tone is.
In Urdu, there are three second-person pronouns, these are:
- Aap (آپ) – a formal pronoun
- Tum (تم) – an informal pronoun
- Tu (تو) – an extremely informal pronoun
Here, the pronoun aap (آپ) adds politeness and a layer of formality to your speech.
On the other hand, we use the pronouns tum (تم) and tu (تو) in more casual and friendly speech.
For instance, when we talk to our friends, peers, or siblings, we refer to them with the pronoun tum (تم).
If you know the person very well and are frank with them, you can even use the pronoun tu (تو).
However, in Pakistan, tu (تو) is generally used by boys to talk to their friends. Even though now even girls use it to ‘look cool,’ it’s considered culturally inappropriate. So, be extra careful when using this pronoun.
The pronouns decide how formal or rude your tone is. So, choose them wisely.
2. Verb Conjugation
Now that you’ve learned the pronouns, it’s time to adjust the verb conjugations to fit them.
In Urdu,
- are – hain (ہیں) is the formal verb form.
- is – hai (ہے) and is – ho (ہو) are informal verb forms.
For instance,
When we use the formal “you” pronoun aap (آپ), we use the auxiliary verb “are” – hain (ہیں) with it.
In the case of the informal “you” pronoun tum (تم), we use the verb “is” – ho (ہو) with it.
And, if we are using tu (تو), we pair it with the verb “is” – hai (ہے).
Let’s look at some examples.
- Formal: You are eating – Aap kha rahe hain (آپ کھا رہے ہیں)
- Informal: You are eating – Tum kha rahe ho (تم کھا رہے ہو)
- Very Informal: You are eating – Tu khaa raha hai (تو کھا رہا ہے)
Did you notice the change in the verb endings?
It’s an Urdu grammar rule to match the verb endings with the pronouns to show the right level of respect or informality.
It would be wrong to say,
- You are eating – Tum khaa rahe hain (تم کھا رہے ہیں)
- You are eating – Aap kha rahe ho (آپ کھا رہے ہو)
So, save yourself from awkward situations and choose the verb endings according to the pronouns used.
3. Polite Phrases
Another element that adds formality to an otherwise informal sentence is the use of polite Urdu phrases.
Most of these Urdu words are derived from Arabic and Persian, and many words have their roots in the Hindi language. For example, mamnoon (ممنون) is a Persian word that we use to show that we are grateful, and shukria (شکریہ) is an Arabic word that means thank you.
So, we add these polite markers to make the tone more respectful and polite.
Imagine saying,
- Please, close the door – Barah-e-Karam darwaza band karain (براہِ کرم ، دروازہ بند کریں)
Instead of,
- Close the door – Darwaza band karo (دروازہ بند کرو)
Look how respectful, polite, and convincing the former version sounds just with the word “please” – barah-e-karam (براہِ کرم).
In fact, if someone asked me in this polite way, I would instantly stand up to do it.
That’s why we use polite Urdu vocabulary to soften our speech and make the tone more respectful.
When To Use Formal Vs Informal Urdu Grammar
You now know what formal vs informal Urdu grammar is. Now, let’s quickly look at some different situations to know which one to use in both written and spoken Urdu.
| Formal Urdu Grammar | Informal Urdu Grammar |
|---|---|
| Talking to elders | Talking to friends and siblings |
| Meeting someone new | Meeting someone you know very well |
| In professional settings | In casual and friendly social settings |
| Writing emails | Texting |
Quick Tips To Efficiently Use Formal Vs Informal Urdu Grammar
Here are a few quick tips to make switching between formal vs informal Urdu grammar easy for you:
- Remember the key Urdu pronouns and their usage. Like, aap (آپ) is a formal pronoun, tum (تم) is an informal one, and tu (تو) is a very informal pronoun (and you should be very careful using it).
- Match verbs with pronouns. As we have learned, we use the verb “are” – hain (ہیں) with formal pronoun and “is” – hai (ہے) or ho (ہو) with informal pronouns. So, practice matching verbs and pronouns. For instance, “you go” – aap jate hain (آپ جاتے ہیں) is formal, and “you go” – tum jate ho (تم جاتے ہو) is informal.
- Start learning formal Urdu grammar. Using formal pronouns and verbs is the safest option when you’re choosing between formal vs informal Urdu grammar and are unsure. It’s always better to be extra respectful and polite than accidentally rude. Urdu-speaking people appreciate respect and politeness the most.
- Observe the tone of the person you’re talking to and try to adapt to it. It’s even sometimes fine to use the same tone as them. Yet, it’s not always recommended, especially with parents, as they can speak to you informally, but you can’t.
- Practice daily conversations using formal and informal Urdu grammar. Try speaking formally with your parents and elders and practice informal speech with your siblings and friends. It will help you gain confidence, and with time, you can switch between them naturally.
FAQs About Formal Vs Informal Urdu Grammar
1. What Makes Urdu Grammar Formal?
Urdu grammar becomes formal by using:
- The respectful pronoun “you” – aap (آپ).
- Polite Urdu vocabulary like “please” – barah-e-karam (براہِ کرم) or “kindly sit” – tashreef rakhain (تشریف رکھیں).
- The polite verb form “are” – hain (ہیں).
- Honorific words like “sir” – janaab (جناب) or “madam” – mohtarma (محترمہ).
Adding all of these to your conversation will make your speech formal and more respectful.
2. Does Informal Urdu Grammar Mean Slang?
Not really! Informal Urdu grammar is a casual and friendly way of speaking, like the one we use to talk to our friends and siblings. For instance, “Where are you going?” – Tum kahan jarahe ho? (تم کہاں جارہے ہو) uses informal Urdu grammar.
On the other hand, slang is simply a trendy and non-conventional language with which most people aren’t familiar. For instance, some Urdu slang words are jugaar lagana (جگاڑ لگانا) or miss karao (مِس کراؤ).
Here, jugaar lagana (جگاڑ لگانا) means finding a solution by hook or crook, and miss karao (مِس کراؤ) means canceling the plan due to lack of interest.
3. What Is The Difference Between Formal And Informal Letters In Written Urdu?
The main difference between formal and informal letters in Urdu is the tone and structure.
Formal letters in Urdu follow a proper structure, with greetings, honorific words, and respectful language.
For instance, we start formal Urdu letters with “greetings sir” – assalam-u-alaikum janab (السلامُ علیکم، جناب) or “respected sir” – ba-khidmat janaab (بخدمت جناب).
Informal letters in Urdu, on the other hand, are casual and more relaxed letters that we write to our friends and family. We start with friendly greetings like “loving friend” – pyare dost (پیارے دوست) or “loving father” – pyare abaa jaan (پیارے ابا جان).
So, formal Urdu letters are more structured and filled with polite words, while informal Urdu letters are more friendly and filled with heartfelt conversations.
Balance Formality And Informality Naturally
To become a confident Urdu speaker, having a strong understanding of formal vs informal Urdu grammar is essential. After all, just a few words can totally change your speech’s tone.
You can easily adjust your speech naturally once you get the hang of it. Just remember, practice is the key.
Practice using the formal Urdu pronoun “you” – aap (آپ) with the verb “are” – hain (ہیں), and informal Urdu pronouns “you” – tum (تم) and “you” – tu (تو) with the verbs “is” – ho (ہو) and “is” – hai (ہے), respectively.
Also, try using polite markers in your daily conversations to make your speech formal.
Keep practicing until you become proficient at picking up social cues and adjusting your speech accordingly.
The best way to do this is to immerse yourself in the language, either through Urdu media or conversing with native speakers.
But don’t stress out! Simply follow the tips mentioned above and practice formal and informal phrases consistently, and you’ll see how quickly you can switch between the two like a pro!
Explore More About The Urdu Language
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