So, your Urdu language skills are really shaping up. You can hold basic conversations in the workplace and at the restaurant, you’ve made a few casual friends, and your confidence level is at an all-time high…until you find yourself struggling to keep up during informal conversations or in the virtual communication sphere.
If this sounds like you, it’s time to beef up your lexicon with Urdu internet slang phrases and other terms used in casual conversations.
Learning Urdu slang will enable you to develop and maintain strong relationships with native Urdu speakers in Pakistan and also provide you with the opportunity to remain relevant and current. It will also help you eradicate any redundancy in your daily conversations.
In this article, you’ll learn about Urdu internet slang and its utility in everyday life. We’ll also cover some Urdu text slang to help you engage in more effective communication over the phone or DM. Best of all, you’ll find plenty of examples for how to use these words, abbreviations, and phrases.
Want to learn even more phrases to make your speech sound natural? Then check out our list of Essential Idioms That Will Make You Sound Like a Native Speaker!
Table of Contents
- Appreciative Urdu Slang
- Urdu Slang to Use in Despair
- Urdu Slang for Describing People
- Argumentative Urdu Slang
- English Slang Words and Their Best Possible Urdu Equivalents
- Conclusion
1. Appreciative Urdu Slang
In Pakistani society, praising others for their actions or successes is the norm. People want to be appreciated, so it’s imperative to have a good understanding of Urdu slang that can be used to show appreciation to natives.
Feel free to pick and choose from the following list next time you want to express your appreciation!
- If you need even more words to express your joy or gratitude, check out our list of the Top 20 Words for Positive Emotions!
بہت اعلٰی (bohat aala) – very excellent
This phrase is a great way to show approval or commendation regarding someone’s actions, though it can also be used to describe people, places, or things.
کمال (kamaal) – great
The word کمال (kamaal) is most often used to show appreciation for someone’s appearance. So if you feel like someone’s looks and apparel are worth appreciating, feel free to use this word to let them know!
زبردست (zabardast) – fantastic
Use the word زبردست (zabardat) when you need an efficient way to emphasize your approval or appreciation of something.
واہ بھئی واہ (wah bhai wah) – awesome
Pakistani people generally use واہ بھئی واہ (wah bhai wah) when listening to a song or a piece of poetry that they like very much. For this reason, you’ll hear this phrase often during musical or poetic gatherings. This Urdu slang phrase sounds extremely natural when used in the proper context and under appropriate circumstances, so try using it yourself to surprise—and impress—native speakers.
تالیاں (taliyaan) – clapping
If you want to applaud someone through a text message or over an online messenger, you can use this Pakistani Urdu slang term. It means “clapping.”
مبارکاں (mubarkan) – congrats
While in Pakistan, don’t forget to congratulate others on their successes—this will certainly make you popular among the natives! This slang term carries an element of great intimacy, so using it with native speakers will help you gain acceptance and closeness with them.
Example Sentence:
مبارکاں! ہم میچ جیت گئے۔
Mubarkan! Hum match jeet gaye.
Congrats! We won the match.
2. Urdu Slang to Use in Despair
Disappointment is a part of life we must all deal with from time to time. Expressing our thoughts and feelings to others is essential in maintaining healthy relationships, so you should make an effort to learn a few common Urdu slang terms for use in desperate situations.
- If these aren’t enough, then Learn the Top 21 Words for Negative Emotions as well.
اوہ خدایا (oh khudaya) – oh God
If you find yourself in a horrible situation, you can always use this phrase to express your disappointment.
اب یہ نہیں (ab yeh nahin) – not this now
This phrase is used to express that you don’t want to confront a new problem that you see approaching.
افسوس صد افسوس (afsos sad afsos) – very sad
If you feel sad for someone, you can use افسوس صد افسوس (afsos sad afsos) to show your disappointment. It’s the near equivalent of the English interjection “alas.”
شرمناک (sharamnaak) – shameful
Be mindful when using this phrase! It’s used as a way to tell someone to be ashamed of themself, so use it sparingly.
گھٹیا (ghattia) – low
This is a harsh word, so always think before using this Urdu slang term.
بے شرمی کی انتہا (besharmi ki intiha) – height of shamelessness
This is the harshest word of disapproval on our list, so always think twice before using it!
Example sentence:
یہ بے شرمی کی انتہا ہے۔
Yeh besharmi ki intiha hai.
It is the height of shamelessness.
3. Urdu Slang for Describing People
Now, let’s go over a list of descriptive Urdu slang words and phrases that can be used to describe the people around you and let them know what you think about them.
- How would you describe yourself? See our vocabulary list Which Adjective Describes Your Personality Best? to pick up some useful words.
کہانی باز (kahani baaz) – storyteller
This is a somewhat derogatory slang term that describes a person who is not straightforward and keeps on beating around the bush.
اداکار (adakaar) – actor
This term is used to describe a person who keeps on changing his role and character in real life. If you use this word to describe someone, you mean to portray him as a dramatic personality.
چیتا (cheetah) – leopard
Although this word represents a ferocious animal, it’s a word of love and approval in Urdu. Pakistani youth normally use it to describe their friends to show their love and affection.
بیہودہ (behoodah) – shameless
You should always think twice before using this term, as it depicts a shameless person.
شیر (sher) – tiger
This popular Urdu slang term is used to show appreciation for the courage of a friend (or another person).
Example sentence:
میں اس کی بات کو سنجیدگی سے نہیں لیتا، وہ ایک کہانی باز ہے۔
Mei uss ki baat ko sanjeedgi say nahin leta, woh aik kahani baaz hai.
I don’t take him seriously, he is a storyteller.
4. Argumentative Urdu Slang
Arguments can happen anywhere, anytime. If you find yourself trapped in this kind of situation, you can use any of the following Urdu slang phrases to validate your stance or deescalate the situation.
بکواسیات (bakwasiyaat) – cock and bull story
This is one of the most offensive terms on our list, so be mindful about using it. You could use this slang term when you do not accept someone’s version of an incident.
مغز چاٹنا (maghaz chatna) – bother someone
A practical application of this term is to use it in the phrase: میرا مغز مت چاٹو (mera maghaz mat chato), which means “to ask someone to stop arguing.”
فساد پھیلانا (fasaad phailana) – to destroy a situation
If you’re frustrated with a person’s behavior and actions, you may write:
فساد مت پھیلاؤ۔
Fasaad mat phailao.
Stop making a fuss.
When you use this slang term, it’s obvious that you’ll be asking the other person to stop making a fuss.
مت مارنا (mat maarna) – to blow one’s mind
When someone has blown your mind, you may say:
تم نے میری مت مار دی ہے۔
Tum nay meri mat maar di hai.
You have blown me out of my mind.
میلہ لوٹنا (mela lootna) – to take the lead
If you find yourself impressed with the other person’s argument, you can appreciate him with this compliment:
تم نے میلہ لوٹ لیا ہے۔
Tum nay mela loot liya hai.
You have taken the lead today.
By saying so, you accept that he is the hero of the day.
5. English Slang Words and Their Best Possible Urdu Equivalents
To wrap things up, let’s look at some widely popular English internet and text slang along with their Urdu equivalents.
- You can find even more on our list of the Most Common Texting Slang.
او میرے خدایا (oh meray khudaya) – OMG
ہا ہا ہا (hahaha) – LOL
بعد میں بات ہوتی ہے (baad mein baat hoti hai) – TTL
تھوڑی دیر میں آتا/آتی ہوں (thori dair mein aata/aati hun) – BRB
کوئی بات نہیں (koi baat nahin) – no problem
خیال رکھنا (khayal rakhna) – TC
جڑے رہئے گا (juray rahiye ga) – keep in touch
سلام (salaam) – hello
6. Conclusion
This article has equipped you with several essential internet Urdu slang phrases. Studying them will help you communicate more effectively and naturally with native speakers, and maybe even improve your social life while in Pakistan!
Have you already texted a native speaker using a few of these Urdu slang words? Or do you still have questions on the topic you’d like answered before trying them yourself? We look forward to hearing from you, and are glad to help however we can.
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Very Happy Urdu Learning!
