Table of Contents
Understanding the Context of Directions
In this chapter you will learn how to give simple directions in Urdu. You already know basic location words and postpositions from the parent topic, so here we focus on phrases and sentence patterns that people actually use when guiding someone.
We will work mainly with Roman Urdu plus English translation, and keep the Urdu script in some key words only where useful.
Key Verbs for Giving Directions
When you give directions, a few verbs appear again and again. Learn these as fixed patterns first.
| Verb (infinitive) | Roman Urdu | Basic meaning | Often used as… |
|---|---|---|---|
| جانا | jaana | to go | “go straight,” “go right” |
| مڑنا | muRna | to turn | “turn left/right” |
| رکنا | rukna | to stop | “stop at the signal” |
| پار کرنا | paar karna | to cross | “cross the road” |
| چلنا | chalna | to walk | “walk 5 minutes” |
| لینا | lena | to take | “take the first left” |
| رکھنا | rakhna | to put | used for “keep going” (chal-te rahiye is more common) |
| گزرنا | guzar-na | to pass (by) | “pass the mosque” |
Some very common imperative forms:
| English | Roman Urdu (informal singular) | Roman Urdu (polite / plural) |
|---|---|---|
| Go | jaao | jaiye |
| Come | aao | aaiye |
| Turn | muRo | muRiye |
| Stop | ruko | rukiye |
| Walk | chalo | chaliye |
| Look | dekho | dekhiye |
Important: In real life, when talking to a stranger, you usually use the polite form (like jaiye, muRiye, chaliye, dekhiye), not jaao, muRo, chalo, dekho.
Basic Direction Phrases
Straight, Left, Right
These are the building blocks of directions.
| Concept | Roman Urdu | Literal meaning |
|---|---|---|
| straight | seedha | straight |
| to the right | dayen / daayen | to the right side |
| to the left | baayen | to the left side |
| side | taraf | side, direction |
Example phrases:
- Seedha jaiye.
Go straight. - Seedha chaliye.
Keep going straight. - Dayen muRiye.
Turn right. - Baayen muRiye.
Turn left. - Dayen taraf.
On the right side. - Baayen taraf.
On the left side.
Combine them:
- Seedha jaiye, phir baayen muRiye.
Go straight, then turn left. - Seedha jaiye, phir pehle moR par dayen muRiye.
Go straight, then at the first turn, turn right.
Using Landmarks and Reference Points
You usually connect directions to landmarks so the listener can follow you.
Common words:
| English | Roman Urdu | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| in front of | saamne | opposite / in front |
| behind | peeche | behind |
| near | qareeb | close |
| far | door | far |
| next to / beside | ke paas | “near / next to” |
| between | ke darmiyan | between |
| after | ke baad | after |
| before | se pehle | before |
Common places as landmarks:
| English | Roman Urdu |
|---|---|
| road | road / sadak |
| street | gali |
| corner | kona |
| traffic signal / light | signal |
| roundabout | chowk / roundabout |
| mosque | masjid |
| market | bazaar |
| shop | dukaan |
| school | school |
| hospital | hospital |
| bus stop | bus stop |
| station | station |
Example sentences:
- Masjid ke saamne ruk jaiye.
Stop in front of the mosque. - School ke peeche chhota sa bazaar hai.
Behind the school, there is a small market. - Bus stop ke paas dayen muRiye.
Near the bus stop, turn right. - Hospital aur school ke darmiyan ek park hai.
Between the hospital and the school there is a park. - Signal ke baad seedha jaiye.
After the signal, go straight. - Bridge se pehle baayen muR jaiye.
Before the bridge, turn left.
Key Patterns with “Take the first / second…”
A very typical pattern in Urdu for directions is “take the first left / second right”.
| English pattern | Roman Urdu pattern |
|---|---|
| Take the first left. | Pehla baayen moR lein. |
| Take the first right. | Pehla dayen moR lein. |
| Take the second left. | Doosra baayen moR lein. |
| Take the second right. | Doosra dayen moR lein. |
| Take this street. | Ye wali gali lein. / Iss gali mein jaiye. |
You can also mention “turning” explicitly:
- Seedha jaiye, phir doosre moR par baayen muR jaiye.
Go straight, then at the second turning, turn left. - Pehle signal par dayen muR jaiye.
At the first signal, turn right. - Teesre chowk par baayen muR jaiye.
At the third roundabout, turn left.
Patterns to remember:
- Pehle / doosre / teesre moR par dayen / baayen muR jaiye.
- Pehli / doosri / teesri gali mein jaiye.
Examples:
- Pehli gali mein baayen muR jaiye.
Turn left into the first street. - Doosri gali mein seedha chaliye.
In the second street, keep going straight.
Expressing Distance and Time
Even at A2 level, you can give simple approximate distances with minutes or a few meters.
Useful words:
| English | Roman Urdu |
|---|---|
| minute | minute |
| five minutes | paanch minute |
| ten minutes | das minute |
| far | door |
| near | qareeb |
| about / approximately | lag-bhag / taqreeban |
| a little | thora sa |
Patterns:
- Yahan se qareeb hai.
It is near from here. - Yahan se door hai.
It is far from here. - Paanch minute chalna padega.
You will need to walk five minutes. - Taqreeban das minute ke faasle par hai.
It is at a distance of about ten minutes. - Do chaar minute seedha chaliye.
Go straight for two, four minutes. (meaning a few minutes)
Examples:
- Bus stop yahan se qareeb hai, paanch minute chalna hai.
The bus stop is near from here, you need to walk five minutes. - Station thora sa door hai, taxi lein.
The station is a little far, take a taxi.
Polite Ways to Start Giving Directions
Before you start describing the route, you often respond politely.
Common starters:
| English | Roman Urdu |
|---|---|
| Sure, | Ji, zaroor, |
| Yes, | Ji haan, |
| Let me tell you. | Aap ko bataata/bataati hoon. |
| Listen, please. | Sunyie, |
Examples:
- Ji haan, main bataata hoon. (male speaker)
Yes, I will tell you. - Ji, zaroor. Seedha jaiye…
Yes, of course. Go straight… - Sunyie, pehle seedha jaiye, phir dayen muR jaiye.
Listen, first go straight, then turn right.
You can also say when you do not know:
- Mujhe maaf kijiye, mujhe nahi pata.
Excuse me, I do not know. - Main yahan ka nahi hoon / nahi hoon.
I am not from here.
Giving Step by Step Directions
Simple Two-Step Directions
Combine imperative verbs, postpositions, and landmarks.
Example 1:
- Seedha jaiye, phir pehli gali mein baayen muR jaiye.
Go straight, then turn left into the first street.
Example 2:
- Signal tak seedha chaliye, phir dayen muR jaiye.
Walk straight until the signal, then turn right.
Example 3:
- Bridge ke baad seedha jaiye, masjid ke saamne bus stop hai.
After the bridge, go straight, the bus stop is in front of the mosque.
Multi-Step Directions with “phir” and “us ke baad”
To chain steps, you usually use:
- phir = then
- us ke baad = after that
Examples:
- Seedha jaiye, phir dayen muR jaiye, phir doosre chowk par baayen muR jaiye.
Go straight, then turn right, then at the second roundabout turn left. - Yahan se seedha chaliye, phir signal ke baad us ke baad pehli gali mein dayen muR jaiye.
From here walk straight, then after the signal, after that turn right into the first street. - Pehle bridge paar kijiye, phir masjid ke paas baayen muR jaiye, us ke baad seedha chaliye.
First cross the bridge, then near the mosque turn left, after that go straight.
Useful chaining words in directions:
- phir = then
- us ke baad = after that
- phir se = again
Use them to keep steps clear and separate.
Saying Where Something Is Located
You often end the directions by saying “It will be on your right / left / in front of you.”
Patterns:
| English | Roman Urdu |
|---|---|
| It will be on your right. | Aap ke dayen haath ki taraf hoga. |
| It will be on your left. | Aap ke baayen haath ki taraf hoga. |
| It will be in front of you. | Aap ke bilkul saamne hoga. |
| It is on this road. | Ye isi road par hai. |
| It is at the corner. | Ye kone par hai. |
| It is at the end of the street. | Gali ke aakhir mein hai. |
Examples:
- Seedha jaiye, masjid ke baad aap ke dayen haath ki taraf hoga.
Go straight, after the mosque it will be on your right. - Baayen muR jaiye, phir hotel aap ke bilkul saamne hoga.
Turn left, then the hotel will be directly in front of you. - Doosri gali mein jaiye, bank kone par hai.
Go into the second street, the bank is at the corner. - Seedha chaliye, school gali ke aakhir mein hai.
Go straight, the school is at the end of the street.
Sample Mini Dialogues
Dialogue 1: Asking the way to the station
A: Excuse me, where is the station?
A: Maaf kijiye, station kahan hai?
B: From here, go straight, then turn right at the first signal. The station will be on your left.
B: Yahan se seedha jaiye, phir pehle signal par dayen muR jaiye. Station aap ke baayen haath ki taraf hoga.
Dialogue 2: Finding a restaurant
A: Is there a restaurant near here?
A: Kya yahan qareeb koi restaurant hai?
B: Yes, go straight for five minutes, then turn left. The restaurant is in front of the mosque.
B: Ji haan, paanch minute seedha chaliye, phir baayen muR jaiye. Restaurant masjid ke saamne hai.
Dialogue 3: When you are in the wrong direction
A: Is this the way to the hospital?
A: Kya ye rasta hospital ko jaata hai?
B: No, go back, then turn right at the bazaar, the hospital is near the school.
B: Nahi, peeche jaiye, phir bazaar par dayen muR jaiye, hospital school ke qareeb hai.
Useful Direction Phrases to Memorize
Below is a small phrase bank you can use directly.
| English | Roman Urdu |
|---|---|
| Go straight. | Seedha jaiye. |
| Keep going straight. | Seedha chaliye. |
| Turn right. | Dayen muR jaiye. |
| Turn left. | Baayen muR jaiye. |
| Turn right at the corner. | Kone par dayen muR jaiye. |
| Turn left at the signal. | Signal par baayen muR jaiye. |
| Cross the road. | Road paar kijiye. |
| Cross the bridge. | Bridge paar kijiye. |
| It is near. | Ye qareeb hai. |
| It is far. | Ye door hai. |
| It is on this road. | Ye isi road par hai. |
| It is opposite the school. | Ye school ke saamne hai. |
| It is behind the mosque. | Ye masjid ke peeche hai. |
| Walk for five minutes. | Paanch minute chalye. |
| You will see it on your right. | Aap ke dayen haath ki taraf nazar aaye ga. |
New Vocabulary for This Chapter
| Urdu (script) | Roman Urdu | English |
|---|---|---|
| سیدھا | seedha | straight |
| دائیں | dayen / daayen | right (side) |
| بائیں | baayen | left (side) |
| طرف | taraf | side, direction |
| مڑنا | muRna | to turn |
| گلی | gali | street, lane |
| سڑک / روڈ | sadak / road | road |
| کونا | kona | corner |
| سگنل | signal | traffic light |
| چوک | chowk | roundabout / square |
| پار کرنا | paar karna | to cross |
| گزرنا | guzar-na | to pass (by) |
| سامنے | saamne | in front, opposite |
| پیچھے | peeche | behind |
| قریب | qareeb | near |
| دُور | door | far |
| درمیان | darmiyan | between |
| کے بعد | ke baad | after |
| سے پہلے | se pehle | before |
| پہلی / دوسری / تیسری | pehli / doosri / teesri | first / second / third (fem.) |
| ہاتھ | haath | hand |
| کے پاس | ke paas | near, next to |
| فاصلہ | faasla | distance |
| تقریباً | taqreeban | approximately, about |
| معاف کیجیے | maaf kijiye | excuse me |
| سنئے | sunyie | listen (polite) |
Use these words and patterns together to practice giving short, clear directions in Urdu.