Nobody can deny the significance of YouTube in today’s era of digitalization.
But did you know that this video-streaming platform can also have a significant impact on your language learning? By supplementing your normal studies with a healthy dose of videos, you can improve your Urdu on YouTube while having fun.
That said, watching Urdu YouTube videos may or may not be the best learning approach for you. Every learner is different, and how effective this strategy is for you depends on a couple of factors:
- How many hours you spend on YouTube. Don’t watch just to kill time; be systematic and attentive for the best results.
- The quality of the channels you’re watching. Not all Urdu language YouTube channels are equal in terms of the value they offer learners. It’s important to look for the ones that will benefit you the most as both a learner and a viewer.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to the ten best Urdu YouTube channels to learn Urdu. These are channels that will surely help you practice and validate all of the Urdu language skills that you’ve attained so far while learning with UrduPod101.com.
Not only will these YouTube channels entertain you through top-quality Urdu content, but they’ll also provide you with an opportunity to explore some new avenues of the Pakistani culture, nation, society, politics, literature, and so on. We’ve also made sure to include channels in a variety of categories, so that you’ll definitely find something that piques your interest.
Here we go.
Table of Contents
- UrduPod101 YouTube Channel
- BBC Urdu Radio
- Urdu Fairy Tales
- Urdu Kids
- GupShup With Aftab Iqbal
- Naush Kitchen Routine Channel
- Infomatic
- Urdu Diary
- Knowledge Factory
- Urdu 1 Official
- Urdu Time
- Conclusion
1. UrduPod101 YouTube Channel
The UrduPod101 YouTube channel is the best available option on YouTube for those learning the language. It surpasses all the other channels, replete with top-notch learning content to improve your language skills in every area. It provides comprehensive guides on Urdu grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, listening comprehension, and more.
Once you’ve obtained some basic knowledge from our channel, you’ll be more confident to embark on a journey to other, complementary resources. To get you started in the right direction, we’ve hand-picked ten Urdu YouTube channels in a variety of categories, from politics to drama to gastronomy. Here they are:
2. BBC Urdu Radio
Category: News and Politics
Level: Intermediate and Advanced
The BBC Urdu Radio YouTube channel is one of the most reliable news sources in the Urdu language. As an Urdu learner, you’ll find it to be a valuable hub of authentic Urdu news, comprehensive analyses, and listening comprehension practice. This channel is famous for its anchors’ and presenters’ accurate pronunciation, as well as for its high journalistic standards. New videos are uploaded almost every day, so you won’t run out of interesting things to watch.
We highly recommend this Urdu YouTube channel for anyone looking to polish their Urdu language skills, but especially for those who like to keep up to date on news and politics.
(BBC Urdu Radio News Update on March 14, 2020)
3. Urdu Fairy Tales
Category: Film and Animation
Level: Beginner and Intermediate
Recent pedagogical developments very rightly emphasize the importance of storytelling in the cognitive and linguistic development of children. In fact, these benefits can also be carried over to adults who are trying to learn a second language.
On YouTube, Urdu Fairy Tales is a rich resource of fairy and folk tales that will help you—or your child—learn the nuances of Urdu without the nuisance of thick textbooks or long study hours.
The channel boasts a wide collection of fairy tales, folk tales, and anecdotes, presented in the Urdu language. Its content is both interesting and morally educating. You’ll find a refined blend of Urdu slang and literary diction, especially designed for children of all age groups.
- → Do you enjoy a good story? Check out our vocabulary list for Talking About Books, and start learning how to discuss your favorite ones with your Urdu-speaking friends!
4. Urdu Kids
Category: Education
Level: Beginner
On this particular Urdu YouTube channel, you may enjoy a great collection of Urdu content specifically prepared and presented for kids. Its content list includes popular Urdu children’s poems, rhymes, and cartoon series in Urdu. Each video consists of basic concepts for children, using simple language.
This channel is great for children and adults alike who want to start learning Urdu in a simplified manner, outside of the traditional classroom setting.
(The Narration of the Story of Hare and Tortoise)
5. GupShup With Aftab Iqbal
Category: Information / Entertainment
Level: Everyone
GWAI (Gupshup With Aftab Iqbal) is the official channel of Pakistani trendsetter and anchorperson Aftab Iqbal. Aftab is famous not only for his role as an anchorperson, but because of his innovative move of bringing theatre actors and theatrical devices onto the television screen.
This channel offers viewers exclusive glimpses into the lives of him and his comic team. While you may watch him on certain TV channels in his capacity as an anchorperson, this channel will unfold some never-seen-before aspects of his personal and professional life.
He covers a diverse range of topics on his YouTube channel, from current affairs and history to sports. He also includes a full-fledged section on the pronunciation and use of different words in the Urdu language. This combination of elements will bring you loads of entertainment and information!
- → Before watching, why not brush up on the Top Five Things You Need to Know About Pakistani Society?
(A Scene of Mini-Theatre being staged by the team of Aftab Iqbal)
6. Naush Kitchen Routine Channel
Category: Food / Recipe / Cuisine
Level: Intermediate
Nausheen Shahzad—a Pakistani vlogger and YouTuber—runs this food and recipe channel, with a huge followership. She caters to the tastes of her followers by narrating the recipes of Desi cuisine (and other cuisines) in the Urdu language. She also shares tips and tricks on how to simplify intricate recipes.
By watching her channel, you’ll not only become acquainted with some of the culturally popular Pakistani foods, but you’ll also learn the names of different spices and kitchen items. For this reason, we definitely consider it one of the best Urdu YouTube channels to supplement your studies (especially if you happen to be a foodie or chef at heart!).
- → Get a head start on your kitchen lingo with our vocabulary lists for Food Utensils & Tableware, Cooking, and Herbs & Spices.
(A Special Video prepared with Regards to the Arrival of the Holy Month of Ramadan 2020)
7. Infomatic
Category: Documentary / People & Blog
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
This YouTube channel is a big repository of documentaries on multiple topics that have to do with Pakistan. It aims at disclosing untold stories to its viewers, and does so with a distinctive narrative style. Tune in to hear in-depth explanations concerning Islam, politics, Pakistan, showbiz, international affairs, and more.
Its distinctive way of Urdu narration will allow you to more easily learn and analyze some unique Urdu words, phrases, and sentences. Additionally, you’ll be empowered to develop your acumen for how to incorporate such Urdu expressions into your own conversations.
(The Waving Flag of Pakistan being Shown in a Video on Infomatic)
8. Urdu Diary
Category: History / Education
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
The Urdu Diary YouTube channel claims to be the biggest Pakistani history channel in Urdu. It presents true incidents with authenticated references, throws light on the strange facts about ancient civilizations, and unveils the underlying realities of fictional narratives. Furthermore, this channel is a vast resource of life-changing Islamic anecdotes, as well as the facts and figures about wars (both old and new).
Through following this channel, you’ll come to know several strange and unbelievable facts in the Urdu language. In particular, the stories about kings and generals will present you with some new and exciting Urdu vocabulary.
(A Glimpse from the Video of the Trailer of the YouTube channel Urdu Diary)
9. Knowledge Factory
Category: Education
Level: Advanced
With over 1.5 million YouTube subscribers, this channel stands among the leading Pakistani YouTube channels. Knowledge Factory gives a kaleidoscopic view of general history, Islamic history, science and technology, and features documentaries on different domains of knowledge. A unique facet of this channel is that it’s interactive; it welcomes questions from viewers, and answers them right there on the channel.
As a student of the Urdu language and Pakistani culture, you’ll find this channel quite helpful. Not only will you pick up some useful vocabulary and hone your language skills, but you’ll also collect insightful information on Islam’s history and status in modern times. Visiting this channel frequently ensures that you’ll gain a great understanding of Islam and the contemporary Muslim world in easy-to-understand Urdu.
- → You might find it helpful to study up on your Religion vocabulary before watching.
(An image from the Video of Knowledge Factory about the History of Pakistani and Turk Flags)
10. Urdu 1 Official
Category: Entertainment
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
Urdu 1 Official is a Dubai-based YouTube channel that panders to the aesthetic pleasure of Urdu speakers all over the world, providing prime quality content to its viewers and raising the standards of Urdu entertainment. It’s also among the pioneers of dubbing entertainment content into Urdu, and has thus widely contributed to the revival of the Pakistani Urdu drama.
Since it promises to bring dubbed drama serials from other cultures along with those from Pakistan, it has revolutionized Urdu entertainment on YouTube by adding new flavors to the existing indigeneity.
- → Are you into Urdu dramas? See our blog post on the Top 10 Urdu TV Shows and Drama Series!
(An Image from the Official Trailer of Urdu 1)
11. Urdu Time
Category: Education
Level: Everyone
Urdu Time pleases its viewers with Urdu content from different walks of life. It presents famous Urdu quotes, popular Urdu poetry, general knowledge videos, moral stories, current affairs, riddles, and much more.
This channel deserves to be on our list of the best Urdu YouTube channels for its beautiful compilations of poetry from some very seasoned Urdu poets, and its collections of tricky and interesting Urdu riddles.
Exposure to such an Urdu YouTube channel will undoubtedly benefit you with a stronger grip on the Urdu language. Who knows? You may even be able to impress your Urdu-speaking friends with a few lines of succulent poetry…
- → You know what might help you make the most of your channel visit? A basic understanding of the Essential Idioms That Will Make You Sound Like a Native Speaker!
(An Image from the Video of the Urdu Time Channel Containing Jaun Elia’s Urdu Poetry)
12. Conclusion
In this article, we’ve guided you on the best Urdu YouTube channels for practicing everything you’ve learned on UrduPod101.com.
Each channel we listed is a great source of supplementary learning material based on a specific category. This means that if you’re looking to learn Urdu related to a certain topic, you can easily find the best YouTube channel to help you meet those goals. That said, the UrduPod101 YouTube channel is the ultimate source for learning about the Urdu language and culture, so we recommend using us as a starting point.
Which of these YouTube channels are you most excited to watch, and why? Let us know in the comments, and don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, concerns, or suggestions. We look forward to hearing from you!
Until next time, we hope you’ll continue to explore UrduPod101.com for a fruitful and interesting learning experience.
Very Happy Urdu Learning!
