Are you familiar with Urdu Verbs? Don’t worry if not! Let’s learn them together.
Yet before that, remember that Urdu verbs can make or break your sentences. So, learning to use them accurately according to tenses, gender, and number is a big step toward fluency.
With this in mind, this article will explore the conjugation of Urdu verbs and add a few tips to master them quickly. By the end, you’ll be able to use them naturally in your sentences!
Table Of Contents
The Basics Of Urdu Verbs
The most fundamental function of a verb is to express an act of doing, happening, or being in a state. To start, let’s look at some examples of Urdu verbs.
| English | Urdu | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | چلنا | Chalna |
| Drinking | پینا | Peena |
| Stopping | رکنا | Rukna |
| Eating | کھانا | Khaana |
Urdu Verb Conjugation Rules: 3 Common Variations
Now that you know what Urdu verbs are, let’s explore the 3 most common variations of Urdu verbs and their conjugation rules so you can use them in sentences easily.
1. Variations Based On Tense
We will first look at how Urdu verbs change with the tense.
As you may know, there are three tenses –present simple, past simple, and future simple– in Urdu grammar, and each has different verb conjugation rules. Let’s look at them one by one.
- In the simple present tense, we use the verbs “is/am” – hai (ہے) and “are” – hain (ہیں). We use hai (ہے) with singular subjects and hain (ہیں) with plural subjects.
- We use “was/were” – tha/thi/thy (تھا/ تھی/ تھے) for conjugation in the past tense. Here, “was” – tha (تھا) is for a singular masculine subject, “was” – thi (تھی) is for a singular feminine subject, and “were” – thy (تھے) is for a plural subject.
- In the simple future tense, we use the verb “will/shall” – ga/gi (گا/گی) at the end of the sentence. Here, again, we use ga (گا) for a singular masculine subject and gi (گی) for a singular feminine subject.
Infinitive verbs in Urdu conclude with the syllable na (نا), although the final syllables alter depending on the tenses. This means that there are no irregular verbs in Urdu!
Furthermore, the intransitive verb has no use in Urdu, so you don’t need to understand the intricacies of transitive and intransitive verbs.
Let’s see some more examples below.
| English | Urdu | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Do | کرنا | Karna |
| Does | کرتا ہے | Karta hai |
| Did | کیا | Kiya |
| Will do | کرے گا | Kerey ga |
2. The Impact Of Gender In Urdu Verbs – Grammatical Role
An essential Urdu grammar rule is to match the verb with the subject’s gender. Masculine and feminine genders have an impact on singular and plural words.
So, it’s important to understand proper gender usage according to the nature of the sentence.
Here are the masculine and feminine ending syllables we use in Urdu.
- Masculine ending syllables include ta hai (تا ہے), ya/ya tha (یا / یا تھا), and karay ga (کرے گا).
- Feminine ending syllables are ti hai (تی ہے), yi/ yi thi (یی/یی تھی), and karay gi (کرے گی).
3. Helping Verbs In Urdu – Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary verbs express the tense or highlight a point. In other words, they support the main verb. Urdu has three basic auxiliary verbs, each of which has several forms.
These are some of the auxiliary verbs:
| English | Urdu | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Am | ہوں | Hoon |
| Is | ہے | Hai |
| Are | ہیں | Hain |
| Was | تھا/تھی | Tha/ Thi |
| Have | چکے ہیں | Chukey hain |
| Did | کیا/کیا تھا | Kiya/ Kiya tha |
| Does | کرتا ہے/کرتی ہے | Kerta hai/ Kerti hai |
Quick Tips To Master Urdu Verbs
Below are a few quick tips for you to remember while mastering Urdu Verbs:
- Focus on one verb form at a time. No need to rush. Learn the purpose and usage of each one before moving on to the next.
- Locate the subject and verb in Urdu sentences and see how they match. This will help you understand subject-verb agreement.
- Remember, always conjugate verbs according to the subject’s tense, gender, and number.
- Practice making sentences using each Urdu verb conjugation rule to retain them more easily.
- Finally, listen to native Urdu speakers to learn how they use verbs in their daily conversations.
Commonly Asked Questions Related To Urdu Verbs
1. Are There Compound Verbs In Urdu?
Yes, there are several compound verbs in Urdu that we use to make our conversation more expressive and nuanced. They help add depth and drama to our otherwise boring sentences. For instance, say,
- Cry later – Baad main ro lena (بعد میں رو لینا)
Instead of,
- Cry later – Baad main rona (بعد میں رونا)
Isn’t the former expression more emphasized and stronger than the latter one? That’s because of Urdu compound verbs.
2. What Are Infinitive Verbs In Urdu?
In Urdu, an infinitive verb is the base form of the verb that ends in the syllable na (نا). For instance, “to eat” – khana (کھانا), “to write” – likhna (لکھنا), and “to move” – chalna (چلنا), etc.
3. How Do Imperative Verbs Work In Urdu?
We use imperative verbs, or hukmia fael (حکمیہ فعل), in Urdu to give commands. For instance,
- Sit – betho (بیٹھو)
- Read – parho (پڑھو)
- Let’s go – chalo (چلو)
Wrapping Up!
Urdu verbs set the sentence’s purpose. So, choosing the correct verb form is important to convey a clear meaning. However, don’t stress over Urdu verb conjugation rules if you find them tricky. These aren’t as difficult as they seem.
Just start slow. Begin with the basics, like mastering masculine and feminine verb forms. Practice using them in your daily conversations, even if it’s a little, and try to make them feel natural before you move to the new variation.
It’s all about learning slowly and steadily, and you’ll get the hang of it soon!
Explore More Urdu Grammar And Language
The Ling app is one of the best apps for practicing Urdu. What makes it so good are its short, beginner-friendly lessons. These lessons are categorized into different sections to let you learn Urdu at your own pace.
After signing up for the Ling app, you can access practice exercises and fun quizzes to test what you have learned to retain the concepts better.
What’s more interesting is that you can take Urdu classes online and master your favorite language from the comfort of your home. What’s more, you can even engage in dialogs with a chatbot to practice speaking Urdu.
It is an all-in-one deal, indeed!
So, are you ready to make Ling your language partner? Become a member and start learning Urdu today!
Wish you all the best!
