Urdu Greetings and Phrases: How to Say Hello, Thank You and Goodbye

assalaam-o-alaikum (peace be upon you) is by far the most common greeting in Pakistan; anyone may use it, and the reply is always wa-alaikum-assalaam. aadaab is a polite greeting that does not depend on religion. Always greet elders first, and always reply to a greeting: not replying is considered rude.

Urdu has two ways to say "you": respectful aap, for elders, teachers and strangers, and friendly tum, for friends and children. When in doubt, use aap. The question also changes with the person you ask: kaise to a man, kaisii to a woman.

Notice that the verb comes last: maiñ Lahore se huuñ is literally "I Lahore from am".

Adding jii makes yes and no softer and more respectful: use jii haañ and jii nahiiñ with elders and people you don't know. When you refuse food or tea, people often insist; jii nahiiñ, shukriiya is the polite way to decline.

To end a conversation politely, say ijaazat diijiye (please allow me to leave) before you go; just walking away sounds abrupt. KHudaa haafiz and allaah haafiz both mean "God keep you".