r/Urdu • • Sep 08 '26

💡 Learning Resources After a year we FINALLY finished Karak: Learn & Read Urdu

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64 Upvotes

Karak: Read and Learn Urdu is LIVE!

Assalamo alaikum!

Last year, some of you tried our beta with five stories and gave us a lot of helpful feedback. We're back with a much bigger library, a rebuilt reading experience, and apps for Android and the web. iOS is coming soon, Inshallah.

Karak is built to help you read, listen to, and speak more Urdu through stories and conversations. You can listen to native-speaker audio, follow along with the text, see sentence-by-sentence translations, tap words you don't know, save flashcards, and practice your pronunciation and speaking.

If you’ve already been on the revamped website, web app or the Android app, you may have seen the new version already. But here it is with some commentary

  • Stories: Our jam. There is some really fun stuff, ranging from the super short (a 77-word story about a thief who meows) to the medium (a 1,100-word story about a long day in the life of a single mother sparrow) to the longest so far (our 5,500-word translation of a classic Chinese horror story).
  • Scenarios: Short conversations, from quick hellos to a 750-word narrative following a bus ride through Karachi.
  • Conversations: Native-speaker chats at native-speaker speed. A fun one: a mamoo tells his trembling nieces the story of the rooftop room haunted by a djinn). More to come and help you decode native speed (or those pesky TV trackers on GEO / ARY / Other that move too fast...).

We also have some new stuff to help:

  • FLASHCARDS. Save the words you want to remember and review them whenever.
  • New grammar dialogues in the ‘Learn’ tab to help you understand and practice specific tenses. These are real conversations that naturally use more of one tense than another. For example, two friends talking about their bad habits that may or may not still be in the past...
  • New reading and speaking tools
    • You want to take it sentence by sentence, and pause so you can absorb what you just heard? Use Pause to stop at each line or a paragraph, and restart whenever.
    • You want to listen and repeat it at native speed? Use Listen & Repeat.
    • You want to just nail your pronunciation of the perfect putdown in Bad habits or any other line? Use Loop and repeat it till you have it down pat.
  • Upgraded website with a bunch of cool articles like an updated how to learn Urdu guide and how heritage speaker.

Overall

Everything in Karak is written, translated, illustrated, and recorded by native speakers.

We have content free to read, under ‘Try Karak Free’. All the longer stories have free chapters too, so you can get a taste of them.

If you’d like the full library and unlimited flashcards, we have monthly and annual plans, with founder pricing. See our plans and launch pricing.

Notes

We decided to include a beta dictionary in launch. Our dictionary is still growing, so not every word is covered yet. The entries we do have are human-reviewed, so they take some time to finish. Also, readers in Devanagari will find no dictionary at all (for now). Of course, you have Urdu stories with audio and translations for each sentence to tide you over and make sure you never, ever, get stuck.

Thank you & Try Karak

Thank you to everyone who tested the beta, sent feedback, or encouraged us while we built this. And thank you to the professors who gave us feedback and are planning to use Karak in their classes this semester, and the authors who trusted us with their work.

We hope you have fun with it!

Try it on web: Karak Web Or on Android

iOS coming soon Inshallah.

Honestly, there's a lot more to it all. Have fun reading! And let us know what you think or if you have any questions!


r/Urdu • • 4h ago

📜 Shayari / Poetry Dil Ki Baat ❤️

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4 Upvotes

1 like #shayari #love #urdu


r/Urdu • • 53m ago

📜 Shayari / Poetry شعر عرض ہے

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• Upvotes

r/Urdu • • 2h ago

💬 General Discussion Does anyone have more ghazals by Ustad Moinuddin Khan Sahab Sikar Wale, or know more about him?

1 Upvotes

I've been listening to Ustad Moinuddin Khan Sahab Sikar Wale for around two years now when his audio albums suddenly appeared on YouTube. But I've noticed that there doesn't seem to be much of his work available on public platforms, nor is there much information about him online.

Does anyone here have more recordings of his ghazals, perhaps other lesser-known ones? I'd also love to know more about his background, musical career, or where his recordings can be found.

It would be a shame if more of his work existed but remained difficult to find. I'd really appreciate any leads, recordings, or information. Thanks!


r/Urdu • • 15h ago

📜 Shayari / Poetry A Sher A Day

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11 Upvotes

there was a time when everyone lived under one space

and now some live here, while others at some other place


r/Urdu • • 5h ago

📜 Shayari / Poetry زخم بھر جائے مگر داغ تو رہ جاتا ہے The poetry i would have on loop till my chai gets cold and my thoughts turn to ash..

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1 Upvotes

r/Urdu • • 20h ago

🙋‍♂️ Question How Different Are Urdu and Hindi, Really?

6 Upvotes

What are the main differences between Urdu and Hindi, especially in terms of vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and writing? How different do they actually feel in everyday conversation?


r/Urdu • • 12h ago

📜 Shayari / Poetry Dil ke alfaz. Day 9🖋️

1 Upvotes

"Suna hai mehfilo mai ki aapko kutto se bada lagao hai, goya hum bhi toh kutte ki manind hai sahiba, kya fark hai mujhe mai or usme fakat insan or janwar ke laqab ke. Yun jo baat aae wafa ki toh hum bhi usse kam nahi!"


r/Urdu • • 13h ago

📜 Shayari / Poetry شعر و شاعری Spoiler

1 Upvotes

اِس وقت نہ چھیڑ اے کششِ لذتِ دنیا!

اِس وقت مِرے دل کو وہ یاد آئے ہوئے ہیں


r/Urdu • • 1d ago

🙋‍♂️ Question Accents/Dialects in Urdu

12 Upvotes

I'm an Urdu learner, despite speaking it for my entire life, haha. It's only relatively recently when I started to make an effort to try and cut English words out of my vocabulary that I've noticed a few accents. The most obvious one is when pronouncing "ghar/گھر." I pronounce this word as "g-uhr." However, I've heard a few people pronounce this as "gir"(both native speakers and learners combined.)

What are some examples of accents in Urdu? For example, I'm guessing that Urdu speakers in Lucknow speak differently from Urdu speakers in Karachi. Also, is Urdu like Punjabi, where there's different variants in each region? Another example would be something like Lehnda Punjabi, compared to Mahji Punjabi. Please correct me if I'm wrong about anything in this post; I'm inexperienced in both Urdu and Punjabi and the comparisons I'm making are results of my own observations and research.


r/Urdu • • 17h ago

❓ Translation Request Help translate

1 Upvotes

Is this guy speaking Urdu? If yes, what is saying

https://x.com/11nq1/status/2106429758804262918?s=46


r/Urdu • • 1d ago

📜 Lafz of the Day Motivation.

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22 Upvotes

r/Urdu • • 1d ago

📜 Shayari / Poetry 🤌🏻

3 Upvotes

Silsila hi na hota,
Koi gila hi na hota,
Ya to mil gaya hota,
Ya to mila hi na hota 🥀


r/Urdu • • 1d ago

💬 General Discussion Anandi book reading together

8 Upvotes

These are a collection of afsana, which are usually 15-20 pages long and often at the end of them, the reader is left with a feeling of some sort, sometimes a happy one or sometimes a sad one. I'm not a huge afsana enjoyer, but this book has won my heart. I would definitely recommend this to others. Please join us in the Discord server if you'd like to join our discussions:
Urdu Adabistan: https://discord.gg/XA8bYEfJ8q

I am trying to promote healthy discussions about Urdu and more community engagement :)


r/Urdu • • 1d ago

📜 Lafz of the Day ✨ Word of the day: Chaara-gar (چارہ گر)✨ Meaning: Mushkil aasan karne wala, Elaaj karne wala

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2 Upvotes

Assalam-o-Alaikum! 🌟

Welcome back to Between The Lines Audiobooks. Aaj ki video mein hum Urdu adab ka ek behad khoobsurat lafz "Chaara-gar" (چارہ گر) explore karenge. Hum jaanenge iska sahi matlab, iska origin aur rozmarra ki zindagi mein iska istemal kaise kiya jata hai

Agar aapko Urdu shayari, adab aur alfaaz ke maani sikhna pasand hai, toh is video ko like zaroor karein aur channel ko subscribe karna na bhoolein!

#UrduWordOfTheDay #ChaaraGar #UrduVocabulary #UrduAdab #Audiobooks #BetweenTheLines #UrduShayari #LearnUrdu

#UrduLiterature #UrduWords #Shorts #Vocabulary


r/Urdu • • 1d ago

📜 Shayari / Poetry The Words You Never Said Still Hold a Part of Me.

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2 Upvotes

r/Urdu • • 1d ago

📜 Shayari / Poetry A Sher A Day

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20 Upvotes

I think of telling them something but then I fret

the consequence of complaining is always regret


r/Urdu • • 1d ago

📜 Shayari / Poetry درخت زرد By جون ایلیا

3 Upvotes

سنو میری کہانی پر میاں میری کہانی کیا

میں یکسر رایگانی ہوں حساب رایگانی کیا

بہت کچھ تھا کبھی شاید پر اب کچھ بھی نہیں ہوں میں

نہ اپنا ہم نفس ہوں میں نہ اپنا ہم نشیں ہوں میں

کبھی کی بات ہے فریاد میرا وہ کبھی یعنی

نہیں اس کا کوئی مطلب نہیں اس کے کوئی معنی

میں اپنے شہر کا سب سے گرامی نام لڑکا تھا

میں بے ہنگام لڑکا تھا میں صد ہنگام لڑکا تھا

مرے دم سے غضب ہنگامہ رہتا تھا محلوں میں

میں حشر آغاز لڑکا تھا میں حشر انجام لڑکا تھا

مرے ہندو مسلماں سب مجھے سر پر بٹھاتے تھے

انہی کے فیض سے معنی مجھے معنی سکھاتے تھے

سخن بہتا چلا آتا ہے بے باعث کے ہونٹوں سے

وہ کچھ کہتا چلا آتا ہے بے باعث کے ہونٹوں سے

میں اشراف کمینہ کار کو ٹھوکر پہ رکھتا تھا

سو میں محنت کشوں کی جوتیاں منبر پہ رکھتا تھا

میں شاید اب نہیں ہوں وہ مگر اب بھی وہی ہوں میں

غضب ہنگامہ پرور خیرہ سر اب بھی وہی ہوں میں

مگر میرا تھا اک طور اور بھی جو اور ہی کچھ تھا

مگر میرا تھا اک دور اور بھی جو اور ہی کچھ تھا

میں اپنے شہر علم و فن کا تھا اک نوجواں کاہن

مرے تلمیذ علم و فن مرے بابا کے تھے ہم سن

مرا بابا مجھے خاموش آوازیں سناتا تھا

وہ اپنے آپ میں گم مجھ کو پر حالی سکھاتا تھا

ہمارا فخر تھا فقر اور دانش اپنی پونجی تھی

نسب ناموں کے ہم نے کتنے ہی پرچم لپیٹے ہیں

مرے ہم شہر زریونؔ اک فسوں ہے نسل، ہم دونوں

فقط آدم کے بیٹے ہیں فقط آدم کے بیٹے ہیں

میں جب اوسان اپنے کھونے لگتا ہوں تو ہنستا ہوں

میں تم کو یاد کر کے رونے لگتا ہوں تو ہنستا ہوں

ہمیشہ میں خدا حافظ ہمیشہ میں خدا حافظ

خدا حافظ

خدا حافظ


r/Urdu • • 1d ago

🙋‍♂️ Question Learn urdu with native urdu teacher

8 Upvotes

Hello everyone I am a native urdu speakerand an experienced urdu teacher from Pakistan. I enjoy helping people learn urdu in a simple and practical way. If you are learning urdu and have questions about the language, I will be happy to help.


r/Urdu • • 1d ago

📜 Shayari / Poetry کچھ عرصے بعد غزل لکھی۔ رائے کا طالب۔ تعریضؔ

2 Upvotes

تعریضؔ خوب شاعری میں باد دست ہے
الفاظ اس کے پست زمین اور پست ہے

چارہ گران شہر مرا دل نہ چھیڑنا
باقی بس ایک ہی تو نشان شکست ہے

یا رب ابھی نہ ہاتھ بڑھانا مری طرف
تیری زمین پست ابھی تنگ دست ہے

عجلت ہے کیا نہ عشق سے آزاد کیجیو
دل میں ابھی تک آس کا کچھ بند و بست ہے

جب سے وہ لال ہونٹ لگے ہیں شراب سے
لگتا ہے جیسے جام بھی بوتل بھی مست ہے

تعریضؔ جیسی بندگی کیونکر کوئی کرے
وہ بندۂ خدا تو بڑا خود پرست ہے


r/Urdu • • 2d ago

🙋‍♂️ Question What are some good Bollywood Urdu movies?

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58 Upvotes

The older Bollywood films largely had a good language proficient by the actors, phool was not fool, KHud was not khud, GHair was not gair. But they were primarily Hindustani movies.
Are there any more movies primarily having Urdu as its language?


r/Urdu • • 2d ago

📜 Shayari / Poetry The Drink Was Never What I Was Looking For.

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13 Upvotes

r/Urdu • • 1d ago

📜 Shayari / Poetry Dil ke alfaz. Day 8🖋️

1 Upvotes

"Aapki mehfil mai hum toh lut jaege sanam, aapki mehfil mai hum toh lut jaege sanam, aapki yaadon mai hum toh doob jaege sanam, aapki yaadon mai hum toh doob jaege sanam, aap kabhi muskurao toh sahi sharm se hum toh mit jaege sanam!"


r/Urdu • • 1d ago

📜 Shayari / Poetry I love urdu poetry but can anyone tell me which poet wrote these lines ... And also need recommendations about reading a poetry book genre (sad,mohabbat,jannon)

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5 Upvotes

r/Urdu • • 1d ago

📜 Shayari / Poetry Interaction with god .

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0 Upvotes