Getting around in Urdu
Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet. Play the ten Urdu words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Urdu phrases in this lesson
- بیت الخلا کہاں ہے؟BAIT-ul-kha-LA ka-HAAN hay
- Where is the toilet?
- میں... کیسے پہنچوں؟main KAI-say pa-HUN-choon
- How do I get to...?
- بائیںBAA-een
- To the left
- دائیںDAA-een
- To the right
- سیدھاSAY-dha
- Straight ahead
- یہاںya-HAAN
- Here
- ریلوے اسٹیشنRAIL-way is-TAY-shun
- Train station
- بسBUS
- Bus
- ہوائی اڈہha-WAA-ee AD-da
- Airport
- ایک ٹکٹ، براہ کرمAYK TIK-it, ba-RAH ka-RAM
- One ticket, please
"Bait ul khala" is the formal term. In everyday speech, "washroom" or "toilet" (English words) are widely used in cities. At rural stops, the facilities may be basic. Ask staff where to find the facilities.
Also used to mean "directly" or "straightforward" in other contexts. When giving directions, Pakistanis often use landmarks rather than street names, so knowing "seedha" plus a landmark name is very helpful.
Useful for telling a rickshaw or taxi driver where to stop. "Yahan rok dein" (stop here) is the full phrase but "yahan" with a hand signal works perfectly.
Pakistan Railways connects major cities. The Lahore to Karachi route is the main trunk line. Booking in advance is recommended. Stations are called "railway station" in common speech.
Pakistan has an extensive intercity bus network (Daewoo, Faisal Movers) and local city buses. In cities like Lahore, the Orange Line metro and BRT Peshawar offer modern alternatives. "Bas adda" is the bus stand.
"Ticket" has been adopted directly into Urdu. For rickshaws and tuk-tuks, fares are negotiated, not ticketed. Always agree on the price before getting in.