In our first lesson, we'll cover some basic singular pronouns. The Urdu word for "I" is "main" (pronounced with a soft, nasal n).
- Main Canadian hoon = I am Canadian
There are several ways of saying "you" in Urdu. They are: aap, tum, and tu. The word "aap" should be used whenever you intend to show respect (elders, strangers, etc.) The word "tum" is less formal and should be used when you're speaking with a friend, a loved one, or a child. The word "tu" actually is closer to the English word "thou", and is rarely used outside of songs and poetry.
- Aap Pakistani hain? = Are you Pakistani?
- Tum bache ho = You are a child
- Tu kahan hai? = Where are you?
In Urdu, there are no distinct words for "he", "she", and "it". Instead, the words "yeh" and "voh" can be used to refer to all three, but "yeh" refers to people or objects that are nearby and "voh" refers to people or objects that are far away. When referring to an object, "yeh" means "this" and "voh" means "that".
- Yeh meri begam hai = She (near) is my wife
- Voh aadmi hai = He (far) is a man
- Yeh kya hai? = What's this?
In summary:- main = I
- aap = you (formal)
- tum = you (informal)
- tu = you (very informal)
- yeh = he/she/it (near)
- voh = he/she/it (far)
