1.6 Basic Sentence Structure

Understanding Basic Urdu Sentence Structure

In this chapter you will meet the core pattern of Urdu sentences and see how simple ideas are built. You will see many example sentences in both Urdu script and Roman Urdu, with English translations.

Remember, detailed work on gender and singular nouns comes later, so here we focus on the overall shape of a basic sentence.

The Core Pattern: Subject, Object, Verb

Urdu uses a Subject Object Verb word order. This is different from English, which usually uses Subject Verb Object.

• English: "Ali eats bread."
• Urdu: "Ali bread eats."

In Urdu script and Roman Urdu:

• علی روٹی کھاتا ہے۔
  Ali roti khata hai.
  "Ali eats bread."

Here:

• علی (Ali) is the subject
• روٹی (roti, bread) is the object
• کھاتا ہے (khata hai, eats) is the verb phrase

Urdu normally puts the verb at the end of the sentence.

Seeing the Difference: English vs Urdu Order

Compare these pairs. Pay attention to the order of words only.

Notice:

• In English: Verb comes directly after the subject, "I eat bread."
• In Urdu: Verb phrase comes last, "I bread eat."

Try to feel the rhythm in Roman Urdu:
subject + object + verb

Simple Subject and Verb (Without an Object)

Not every sentence needs an object. Sometimes there is only a subject and a verb.

Examples:

• میں سوتا ہوں۔
  main sota hoon.
  "I sleep."
• وہ ہنستی ہے۔
  woh hansti hai.
  "She laughs."
• ہم کھیلتے ہیں۔
  hum khailte hain.
  "We play."
• بچے روتے ہیں۔
  bachche rote hain.
  "The children cry."

Here you still see the verb at the end, but there is no object word between subject and verb.

Simple Subject, Object, Verb Examples

Now look at short, clear S O V sentences.

With people as subjects

• میں پانی پیتا ہوں۔
  main paani peeta hoon.
  "I drink water."
• تم کتاب پڑھتے ہو۔
  tum kitaab parhte ho.
  "You read a book."
• وہ کھانا پکاتی ہے۔
  woh khaana pakaati hai.
  "She cooks food."
• ہم اردو بولتے ہیں۔
  hum Urdu bolte hain.
  "We speak Urdu."
• وہ فلم دیکھتے ہیں۔
  woh film dekhte hain.
  "They watch a movie."

With things as subjects

• دروازہ کھلتا ہے۔
  darwaaza khulta hai.
  "The door opens."
• بتی جلتی ہے۔
  batti jalti hai.
  "The light turns on."
• بارش ہوتی ہے۔
  baarish hoti hai.
  "It rains." / "There is rain."

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Statements, Questions, and Word Order

In very basic spoken Urdu questions, the word order often stays the same. Speakers mostly change intonation or add a question word.

You will study question words later, but you can already see that the verb still goes at the end.

Yes / no questions

Often, the word order of a statement and a yes/no question is the same, but the voice rises at the end.

• تم آتے ہو۔
  tum aate ho.
  "You come."
• تم آتے ہو؟
  tum aate ho?
  "Do you come?"
• آپ سمجھتے ہیں۔
  aap samajhte hain.
  "You understand."
• آپ سمجھتے ہیں؟
  aap samajhte hain?
  "Do you understand?"

In both cases, the verb comes at the end.

Questions with a question word

If there is a question word like "what" or "where", it usually comes before the verb, not at the end like in English.

You will learn question words in detail later. Here, focus on the verb at the end.

• آپ کیا کھاتے ہیں؟
  aap kya khate hain?
  "What do you eat?"
• وہ کہاں جاتا ہے؟
  woh kahan jata hai?
  "Where does he go?"
• تم کیا کرتے ہو؟
  tum kya karte ho?
  "What do you do?"

In all of these, کیا (kya, what) or کہاں (kahan, where) comes before the verb, and the verb, again, is last.

Adding Simple Details: Time and Place

You can add time words and place words to the sentence. They usually come before the verb, often before or after the object. The verb still comes at the end.

Common pattern:

Subject + Time + Place + Object + Verb

You do not need every part, but this is a basic order.

Time words

Some basic time words:

• آج (aaj) today
• کل (kal) yesterday / tomorrow (depends on context)
• ابھی (abhi) now
• ہر روز (har roz) every day

Examples:

• میں آج سکول جاتا ہوں۔
  main aaj school jata hoon.
  "I go to school today."
• وہ کل بازار جائے گا۔
  woh kal bazaar jaayega.
  "He will go to the market tomorrow."
  (Do not worry about future tense form yet, just notice the position.)
• ہم ہر روز پڑھتے ہیں۔
  hum har roz parhte hain.
  "We study every day."

Here, time comes before the verb and often before place or object.

Place words

Some basic place words:

• گھر (ghar) home
• سکول (school) school
• بازار (bazaar) market
• کمرہ (kamra) room

Examples:

• میں گھر رہتا ہوں۔
  main ghar rehta hoon.
  "I stay at home."
• وہ سکول جاتی ہے۔
  woh school jaati hai.
  "She goes to school."
• ہم بازار جاتے ہیں۔
  hum bazaar jaate hain.
  "We go to the market."

Time and place together

Look at both time and place working together.

• میں آج گھر ہوں۔
  main aaj ghar hoon.
  "I am at home today."
• ہم کل بازار جاتے ہیں۔
  hum kal bazaar jaate hain.
  "We go to the market tomorrow."
• وہ ہر روز سکول جاتا ہے۔
  woh har roz school jata hai.
  "He goes to school every day."

Again, the verb or verb phrase is last.

Word Order: Flexible but with a Strong Center

Urdu word order is sometimes more flexible than English. You can move time or place words a bit. But the verb at the end is very stable.

Compare:

• میں آج سکول جاتا ہوں۔
  main aaj school jata hoon.
• آج میں سکول جاتا ہوں۔
  aaj main school jata hoon.

Both mean: "I go to school today." The focus changes slightly, but the meaning is similar and the verb is still at the end.

Another pair:

• وہ اب کھانا کھاتا ہے۔
  woh ab khaana khata hai.
  "He eats food now."
• وہ کھانا اب کھاتا ہے۔
  woh khaana ab khata hai.
  "He eats food now."

Both are possible in context. The verb کھاتا ہے (khata hai, eats) stays last.

Making Negative Sentences: Position of "نہیں"

The most basic negative word is نہیں (nahin, not). It usually comes just before the verb.

Pattern:

Subject + Object + نہیں + Verb

Examples:

• میں روٹی نہیں کھاتا۔
  main roti nahin khata.
  "I do not eat bread."
• وہ پانی نہیں پیتی۔
  woh paani nahin peeti.
  "She does not drink water."
• ہم فلم نہیں دیکھتے۔
  hum film nahin dekhte.
  "We do not watch a movie."
• بچے سکول نہیں جاتے۔
  bachche school nahin jaate.
  "The children do not go to school."

You can also add time or place, but نہیں stays close to the verb.

• میں آج سکول نہیں جاتا۔
  main aaj school nahin jata.
  "I do not go to school today."
• وہ گھر میں اردو نہیں بولتا۔
  woh ghar mein Urdu nahin bolta.
  "He does not speak Urdu at home."

Practice Examples: Building Sentences

Here are small groups of example sentences. Read them in order and notice the repeated pattern.

Group 1: Same subject, verb moves with extras

1. میں کھاتا ہوں۔
   main khata hoon.
   "I eat."
2. میں روٹی کھاتا ہوں۔
   main roti khata hoon.
   "I eat bread."
3. میں آج روٹی کھاتا ہوں۔
   main aaj roti khata hoon.
   "I eat bread today."
4. میں آج گھر میں روٹی کھاتا ہوں۔
   main aaj ghar mein roti khata hoon.
   "I eat bread at home today."

In all four, کھاتا ہوں (khata hoon, eat) is at the end.

Group 2: Same action, different subjects

1. میں پانی پیتا ہوں۔
   main paani peeta hoon.
   "I drink water."
2. تم پانی پیتے ہو۔
   tum paani peete ho.
   "You drink water."
3. وہ پانی پیتا ہے۔
   woh paani peeta hai.
   "He drinks water."
4. وہ پانی پیتی ہے۔
   woh paani peeti hai.
   "She drinks water."

The verb forms change slightly with the subject, but the position at the end stays the same.

Very Simple Equation-type Sentences

Urdu can also use the verb "to be" in simple statements like "He is a doctor." You will study the detailed forms of "to be" later, but you can already see the order.

Pattern for simple "is" sentences:

Subject + description + ہے / ہوں / ہیں

Examples:

• وہ استاد ہے۔
  woh ustaad hai.
  "He is a teacher."
• وہ طالب علم ہے۔
  woh taalib-e-ilm hai.
  "She is a student."
• میں تھکا ہوا ہوں۔
  main thaka hua hoon.
  "I am tired."
• ہم خوش ہیں۔
  hum khush hain.
  "We are happy."

Here the little form of "to be" (ہے, ہوں, ہیں) still appears at the end.

Summary of the Basic Pattern

You have seen many sentences now. Try to hold just a few core ideas in your mind.

1. Main word order:
   Subject + Object + Verb
2. Verb position:
   The main verb or "to be" form normally comes at the end of the sentence.
3. Negative sentences:
   Put نہیں (nahin, not) just before the verb.
4. Extra information:
   Time and place words usually come before the verb, often between subject and object or before both.
5. Questions:
   For basic questions, keep the same order and change intonation, or add a question word before the verb.

If you remember only one thing, remember:
In Urdu, the verb waits until the end.

Vocabulary List for This Chapter

Below is a list of useful words that appeared in this chapter.