Learn Urdu Online
Friendly weekend Urdu classes for children and adults. Learn to speak and understand Urdu for family, heritage, travel or work, in a relaxed atmosphere.
- Weekend classes
- Speaking & listening
- Kids & adults
Why learn Urdu?
Talk with family
Speak with grandparents and relatives in their own language, here and on visits.
Islamic books and nasheeds
A huge library of Islamic books, poetry and naats is written in Urdu.
Culture and heritage
Keep a link to your roots, or understand your spouse’s family.
Career
Urdu is useful in community, healthcare, education and public-service roles in the UK.
What you will learn
Our Urdu classes focus on speaking and listening, in a relaxed atmosphere, so you can hold real conversations as soon as possible.
- First wordsGreetings, introducing yourself, family members, numbers, colours and food.
- Everyday conversationDaily routines, shopping, asking questions and talking about yourself.
- Listening with confidenceUnderstanding relatives, stories, TV and nasheeds at natural speed.
- Going furtherAsk us if you would also like to read and write the Urdu script.
Who our Urdu classes are for
- Children in UK families who understand some Urdu but reply in English.
- Adults learning for family, marriage, travel or work.
- Complete beginners with no Urdu at all.
- Anyone who wants to learn for fun; our classes are friendly and relaxed.
Urdu letters you will not find in Arabic
Urdu is written right to left, like Arabic, and shares most of its letters. If your child already reads the Quran, they know most of the alphabet. These are the extra letters that give Urdu its own sounds:
Urdu is usually printed in the flowing Nastaliq style, which looks different from the Naskh style used in most Qurans, but the letters are the same.
How long does it take to learn Urdu?
| Learner | First goal | Rough timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Child who hears Urdu at home | Reply to family in simple Urdu | A few months of weekly classes and daily use |
| Adult complete beginner | Hold simple everyday conversations | Around 6 to 12 months of steady weekly classes |
| Adult who understands but cannot speak | Speak with confidence | Often a few months, because listening is already there |
A rough guide only; daily practice at home makes the biggest difference.
How to practise between classes
- Use Urdu at mealtimes. Ten minutes a day of family conversation beats an hour once a week.
- Label things around the house with their Urdu names.
- Watch children’s cartoons or listen to nasheeds in Urdu.
- Call a grandparent once a week and speak only Urdu.
Frequently asked questions
Is Urdu hard to learn for English speakers?
It takes commitment. The US Foreign Service Institute puts Urdu in its group of languages with “significant linguistic and cultural differences” from English, at around 44 weeks of full-time study for professional fluency. Everyday conversation comes much sooner, especially for children who hear Urdu at home.
When are the Urdu classes?
We run regular Urdu classes at weekends. Ask us for the current times when you get in touch.
What will I learn first?
Speaking and listening: greetings, family, food, numbers, daily routines and simple conversations you can use straight away.
Can my child learn Urdu and Quran together?
Yes. Many families combine weekday Quran classes with weekend Urdu. Ask us when you book.
Is Urdu the same as Hindi?
Spoken everyday Urdu and Hindi are very close, but they use different scripts and different vocabulary in formal speech. Urdu is written right to left in a Perso-Arabic script.
Start speaking Urdu with your family
Tell us who is learning and your level, and we will send you the current weekend class times and fees. For a confirmed class, request your Microsoft Teams invitation, follow its browser or app instructions and test your microphone before joining.
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Last updated: October 2026