3.2.2 Coordinating sentence structures

Using Coordinating Sentence Structures in Urdu

In this chapter you will learn how to join words, phrases, and clauses into longer, more natural sentences in Urdu using coordinating structures. We will focus on the most common coordinating conjunctions and patterns that combine ideas on the same level, without going into relative clauses or complex subordination, which are treated elsewhere.

1. What Coordination Means in Urdu

A coordinating sentence structure joins two or more elements of the same type:

• word + word
• phrase + phrase
• clause + clause (two simple sentences combined)

In English you often use “and, but, or, so.” In Urdu you use words such as:

• اور
• لیکن
• مگر
• یا
• بلکہ
• نہ … نہ …
• تو

These words usually connect pieces that are grammatically equal. For example:

• noun + noun
• verb phrase + verb phrase
• independent clause + independent clause

Example, two independent clauses:

• میں لاہور جاتا ہوں اور وہ کراچی جاتی ہے۔
  “I go to Lahore and she goes to Karachi.”

Each part can stand alone as a sentence.

2. Using اور “and” to Add Information

2.1 Basic joining with اور

The most common coordinator in Urdu is اور, which usually means “and.” It simply adds ideas.

Joining nouns

In sentences

• وہ استاد ہے اور میں طالبِ علم ہوں۔
  “He is a teacher and I am a student.”
• ہم اردو پڑھتے ہیں اور انگریزی بولتے ہیں۔
  “We study Urdu and speak English.”

Joining verb phrases with the same subject

When the subject is the same, you usually mention it once, then coordinate the verbs.

• میں کھانا پکاتی ہوں اور ٹی وی دیکھتی ہوں۔
  “I cook food and watch TV.”
• وہ دفتر جاتا ہے اور وہاں کام کرتا ہے۔
  “He goes to the office and works there.”

Note that in Urdu you do not need to repeat the pronoun if it is clear.

2.2 Lists with اور

To list more than two items, use commas between earlier items and اور before the last one, similar to English “A, B, and C.”

• مجھے چائے، کافی، اور جوس پسند ہیں۔
  “I like tea, coffee, and juice.”
• میز پر کتاب، قلم، کاغذ، اور موبائل ہے۔
  “On the table there is a book, a pen, paper, and a mobile.”

You may omit the comma before اور in informal writing, but a small pause in speech is natural.

2.3 اور with whole clauses

Two full clauses

• آج بارش ہو رہی ہے اور سڑکیں بھیگ گئی ہیں۔
  “It is raining today and the roads have gotten wet.”
• وہ تھکا ہوا تھا اور وہ جلدی سو گیا۔
  “He was tired and he went to sleep early.”

When both clauses share the same tense and time frame, اور is very natural.

3. Using لیکن and مگر “but” for Contrast

3.1 Basic contrast with لیکن

لیکن means “but” and introduces a contrast.

• میں جانا چاہتا ہوں، لیکن میرے پاس وقت نہیں ہے۔
  “I want to go, but I do not have time.”
• وہ امیر ہے، لیکن وہ خوش نہیں ہے۔
  “He is rich, but he is not happy.”

Structure:

$$
\text{Clause}_1 + ، + \text{لیکن} + \text{Clause}_2
$$

Commas are optional in everyday writing, but a pause in speech is important.

3.2 مگر as “but / however”

مگر also introduces contrast, often a little more formal or expressive. In many cases you can use لیکن or مگر without big difference.

• وہ آیا تھا، مگر جلدی چلا گیا۔
  “He came, but left quickly.”
• کام مشکل ہے، مگر ناممکن نہیں۔
  “The work is difficult, but not impossible.”

You can also see مگر at the start of a clause:

• مگر میں اب تھکا ہوا ہوں۔
  “But now I am tired.”

3.3 Typical patterns of contrast

Some very common patterns:

Examples:

• میں نے بہت پڑھا، لیکن امتحان مشکل تھا۔
  “I studied a lot, but the exam was difficult.”
• وہ چھوٹا ہے، مگر بہت بہادر ہے۔
  “He is small, but he is very brave.”

4. Using یا “or” for Choices

4.1 Basic either/or choice

یا coordinates alternatives, like “or” in English.

• تم چائے پیو گے یا کافی؟
  “Will you drink tea or coffee?”
• ہم بس سے جائیں گے یا ٹرین سے؟
  “Will we go by bus or by train?”

You can use it between nouns or clauses.

Between nouns

• آج تم فلم دیکھو گے یا کتاب پڑھو گے؟
  “Today will you watch a film or read a book?”

Between full clauses

• یا تو تم آ جاؤ، یا میں وہاں آتا ہوں۔
  “Either you come, or I will come there.”

The expression یا تو … یا … is a stronger “either … or.”

4.2 Inclusive or exclusive

Sometimes یا means “one of the two, not both” (exclusive), and sometimes it allows both possibilities. Context tells you.

• تم آج یا کل آ سکتے ہو۔
  “You can come today or tomorrow.”
  (Usually exclusive, but context may allow both days.)
• ہم چائے یا کافی پی سکتے ہیں۔
  “We can drink tea or coffee.”
  (You could drink both, but usually one is chosen.)

4.3 Negative choices

To say “or not,” Urdu often uses یا نہیں.

• کیا وہ آئے گا یا نہیں؟
  “Will he come or not?”
• تم جا رہے ہو یا نہیں؟
  “Are you going or not?”

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5. Using بلکہ “rather / instead / on the contrary”

5.1 Correcting or intensifying

بلکہ often means “rather,” “instead,” or “on the contrary.” It usually follows a negative statement and corrects it with a positive or stronger statement.

• وہ بُرا آدمی نہیں، بلکہ بہت اچھا انسان ہے۔
  “He is not a bad man, rather he is a very good person.”
• یہ آسان نہیں، بلکہ بہت مشکل کام ہے۔
  “This is not easy, rather it is a very difficult task.”

General structure:

$$
\text{Negative / weaker idea} + ، + \text{بلکہ} + \text{positive / stronger idea}
$$

5.2 Replacing one idea with another

You can also use بلکہ to show replacement or contrastive choice.

• میں نہیں جاؤں گا، بلکہ میرا بھائی جائے گا۔
  “I will not go, instead my brother will go.”
• وہ صرف پڑھی لکھی نہیں، بلکہ ذہین بھی ہے۔
  “She is not only educated, but also intelligent.”

Here بلکہ adds a stronger, sometimes surprising, second statement.

6. Negating with نہ … نہ … “neither … nor …”

6.1 Basic structure

The pair نہ … نہ … works like “neither … nor …” in English.

Between nouns

• نہ چائے نہ کافی۔
  “Neither tea nor coffee.”
• اسے نہ پیسوں کی فکر ہے نہ شہرت کی۔
  “He cares neither about money nor about fame.”

Between clauses

• وہ نہ فون کرتا ہے نہ میسج بھیجتا ہے۔
  “He neither calls nor sends messages.”

Note how the same subject “he” controls both actions.

6.2 Word order and rhythm

Typically, نہ appears right before the element it negates.

Sometimes you also hear نہ یہ، نہ وہ in speech, which just means “neither this nor that.”

7. Using تو as a Coordinator of Result or Sequence

The word تو has several uses in Urdu. In this chapter we focus on its coordinating use to show result or consequence between clauses.

7.1 Result or consequence

In many sentences, تو acts like “so,” “then,” or “therefore.”

• بہت بارش ہوئی، تو سڑکیں بند ہو گئیں۔
  “It rained a lot, so the roads were closed.”
• میں نے اسے بلایا، تو وہ فوراً آ گیا۔
  “I called him, so he came immediately.”

Pattern:

$$
\text{Cause} + ، + \text{تو} + \text{Result}
$$

Both sides are full clauses. تو connects them in a causal sequence.

7.2 Sequence in narrative

تو also marks natural sequence, like “then.”

• میں بازار گیا، چیزیں خریدیں، تو اچانک بارش شروع ہو گئی۔
  “I went to the market, bought things, then suddenly it started raining.”
• وہ ہنسا، تو سب بچے بھی ہنسنے لگے۔
  “He laughed, then all the children also started laughing.”

This usage is common in storytelling and conversation.

8. Combining Coordinators and Punctuation

8.1 Multiple coordinators

Sometimes you use more than one coordinator in a longer sentence. It is important to keep the structure clear.

• میں تھکا ہوا تھا، لیکن دوست آئے، اور پھر ہم سب باہر چلے گئے۔
  “I was tired, but friends came, and then we all went out.”

Here:

• first contrast: … تھا، لیکن دوست آئے
• then addition: دوست آئے، اور پھر ہم سب باہر چلے گئے

Try to keep each coordinated unit relatively simple so the sentence is easy to follow.

8.2 Commas and pauses

In Urdu, commas often match pauses in speech. After a long clause, especially before لیکن, مگر, تو, and sometimes اور, a comma is helpful.

• اگر تم فری ہو، تو ہم آج مل سکتے ہیں۔
  “If you are free, then we can meet today.”
• وہ اچانک بیمار ہو گیا، مگر اب ٹھیک ہے۔
  “He suddenly became ill, but now he is fine.”

Even when you do not write a comma, a small pause in speech makes the coordination clearer.

9. Parallelism and Balance in Coordination

A central idea in coordination is parallel structure. Each part of the coordinated phrase should have a similar form, which makes sentences clearer and more natural.

9.1 Parallel verbs

Bad (non‑parallel):

• میں اردو پڑھتا ہوں اور انگریزی۔
  Literally: “I study Urdu and English.”
  Grammatically understandable, but the second part has only a noun, not “study English.”

Better, parallel:

• میں اردو اور انگریزی پڑھتا ہوں۔
  “I study Urdu and English.”
  (Two nouns coordinated, one verb.)

Or:

• میں اردو پڑھتا ہوں اور انگریزی بولتا ہوں۔
  “I study Urdu and speak English.”
  (Two verb phrases coordinated.)

9.2 Parallel noun phrases

• وہ اچھا دوست اور استاد ہے۔
  “He is a good friend and (a) teacher.”

Both “friend” and “teacher” are noun phrases.

You can also repeat adjectives for clarity:

• وہ محنتی طالب علم اور محنتی استاد ہے۔
  “He is a hardworking student and a hardworking teacher.”

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10. Practice Examples with Translations

Below is a table of complete example sentences showing different coordinating structures.

11. Vocabulary from This Chapter

Below is a list of useful words and phrases that appeared in this chapter or are directly connected to coordinating structures.

At this stage, focus on recognizing and using the main coordinators: اور, لیکن, مگر, یا, بلکہ, نہ … نہ …, and تو. Practice by combining your own simple sentences into longer, more expressive ones.