Urdu Phrases for Travellers 2026: 25 Words That Change Your Pakistan Trip

By the Kimi Travels Team | Updated September 2026

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You can travel Pakistan on English alone — and you will miss half the country. Urdu is the national lingua franca of Pakistan, spoken or understood by virtually everyone, and while English works fine in hotels, airlines and the cities, a traveller who opens with a warm "Assalamualaikum" and closes with a "shukriya" gets invited to tea, given better prices and treated as a guest rather than a tourist. This guide gives international visitors the 25 phrases that matter — greetings, thanks, numbers, food and transport words — with simple pronunciation, plus an honest note on where English gets you by. Pair it with our guides to ordering through Lahore's food streets and the storytelling bazaars of Qissa Khwani, Peshawar, where every phrase below has been field-tested.

Greetings: The Words That Open Every Door

Pakistani social life runs on greetings, and getting them right matters more than grammar. "Assalamu Alaikum" (as-salam-oo-ah-LAI-kum) — "peace be upon you" — is the universal hello, answered with "Wa Alaikum Assalam"; the reply to everything good is "Alhamdulillah", and farewells are "Khuda Hafiz" (khoo-DAH HAH-fiz), "may God protect you". A few more that earn instant smiles: "Kya haal hai?" (How are you?) answered with "Theek hai" (I'm fine), "Ji" for a respectful yes, "Nahin" for no, and "Maaf kijiye" (ma-AF kee-JEE-eh) for excuse me or sorry — the single most useful phrase for crowded bazaars and full buses. Use these before any English sentence and the temperature of every interaction drops ten degrees in your favour.

Thank You, Please and the Politeness Toolkit

The core courtesy kit is short and powerful. "Shukriya" (shook-REE-ya) is thank you, "Mehrbani" (mehr-BAH-nee) is please or kindness, "Bahut shukriya" is thank you very much, and the all-purpose deflection "Koi baat nahin" means "no problem" — the phrase you will hear most often in Pakistan. Two travelers' essentials round it out: "Kitne ka hai?" (KIT-nay ka HAI) — "how much is it?" — the opening move of every bazaar negotiation, and "Bohat mehnga hai" (very expensive), the playful counter that begins haggling in the cloth markets and the truck-art workshops. Add "Aap ka naam kya hai?" (What is your name?) and you have the complete opening sequence of Pakistani hospitality.

Food and Numbers: Ordering Like a Local

Restaurant English works in the cities, but street food runs on Urdu — and the street food is the point. Know "pani" (water), "chai" (tea — the national answer to everything), "thanda" (cold) and "garam" (hot), plus the universal "mazedaar" (ma-ZAY-dar) — "delicious" — the compliment that makes a cook your friend for life. Numbers unlock prices and bus counts: ek, do, teen, chaar, paanch (1-5), chhay, saat, aath, nau, dus (6-10) — and "kitna door hai?" (how far is it?) for the inevitable long rides. Vegetarians should memorise "gosht nahin khata" (I don't eat meat); gluten-free and allergy conversations are harder, so keep a translation app for medical specifics.

Getting Around: Transport and Directions

Ride-hailing apps cover the big cities, but Pakistan's great journeys — the buses, the shared jeeps, the Northern Areas — still run on spoken Urdu. "Bus stand kahan hai?" (Where is the bus stand?), "Yahan ruk jaye" (stop here) for drivers, "seedha" (straight), "dayen" (right) and "bayen" (left) will reconstitute most navigation conversations. For the legions of helpful strangers who will offer directions anyway, "Shukriya, samajh gaya" (thank you, I understood) and the graceful exit "Insha'Allah" — God willing — close any conversation kindly; note that "Insha'Allah" as an answer to "will it leave on time?" is often a polite maybe, so confirm departure times twice.

Where English Works — and the Language of Respect

Be realistic about what you need. English is an official language, airport, hotel, airline and big-city restaurant staff generally speak it well, and signage on major roads is bilingual — you could tour Pakistan's headline sights with zero Urdu. But the moment you step into bazaars, villages, mountain jeep stands or family homes, Urdu takes over, and even five phrases transform the experience from observation to participation. Pronunciation cheat code: stress falls evenly, "a" as in "car", "kh" as a throaty Scottish "loch" — and nobody expects perfection; the attempt itself is read as respect, which is the real language of travel in Pakistan. For deeper trip planning, our month-by-month guide and honest safety briefing for European visitors cover the rest of the preparation.

Want a guided trip with hosts who handle every language bridge? Kimi Travels runs English-guided tours across Pakistan — drivers, guides and itineraries built for international visitors. Plan My Guided Pakistan Trip

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I travel Pakistan with only English?
Yes — English is official and works in airports, hotels and cities, but basic Urdu phrases transform bazaars, transport and hospitality interactions.

What is the most important Urdu phrase for visitors?
"Assalamu Alaikum" as the greeting, followed by "shukriya" for thanks — those two words alone change how you are received.

How do I say thank you and please in Urdu?
"Shukriya" is thank you (bahut shukriya = thank you very much), "mehrbani" covers please and kindness, and "koi baat nahin" means no problem.

Which phrases help with street food and shopping?
"Kitne ka hai?" (how much?), "bohat mehnga hai" (very expensive), "mazedaar" (delicious), "chai" and "pani" — the street-level essentials.

Is Urdu written in a script I cannot read?
Urdu uses the Nastaliq script, but all phrases in this guide are romanised, and major signage is bilingual — translation apps cover the rest.