The words that make you sound human instead of textbook: feelings, hunger, and the blessing-words (mashāAllah, inshāAllah) that pepper every real Urdu conversation. This is the level that makes aunties adopt you.
سب ٹھیک ہے؟sab ṭhīk hai? — Is everything okay?Sab = everything/everyone. The caring check-in.
ماشاءاللہmashāAllah — wonderful! (lit. 'as God willed')Said when praising — babies, grades, biryani. Protects from the evil eye.
ان شاءاللہinshāAllah — God willing / hopefullyAttaches to any future plan. Also the world's politest 'maybe'.
شاباشshābāsh — well done! bravo!The app has been saying it to you since Level 1.
کوئی بات نہیں، سب ٹھیک ہےkoī bāt nahīṉ, sab ṭhīk hai — No worries, everything's fineL10's comfort phrase + L13's sab ṭhīk. Instant reassurance.
Good to know
✨ InshāAllah officially means 'God willing' — but every desi child knows that 'inshāAllah, we'll see' from a parent means the theme-park trip is never happening. Learn the word AND its diplomatic uses.
✨ MashāAllah does double duty: praise plus protection. Complimenting a baby without it can earn you a sharp look — the word shields the praised from nazar (the evil eye).
✨ Hunger and thirst 'attach' to you in Urdu (bhūk lagī hai), the same grammar as liking things (pasand hai, L9). Feelings in Urdu are things that happen TO you — grammatically, you're never to blame.
Urdu Ustaadh is a free Urdu-learning resource — native audio, daily games, the Nastaliq script, and Pakistani culture. A project of Muneeb Ata Enterprises. Start learning free →