Getting around
میٹرو
اگلا سٹیشن.
Next station.
You hear this when the doors close or the next stop is called. It is written down too, so a missed word does not end the ride.
How the language is used
Urdu and Punjabi are both widely used. Urdu is not the only language of the city.
In this city
- Language
- Urdu
- Also heard
- Mostly Urdu
- A local word
- بریانی — One plate of biryani.
- Writing
- the Urdu script
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
Food
کھانا
ایک پلیٹ بریانی.
One plate of biryani.
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The street
سڑک
السلام علیکم.
Hello.
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
The counter
دکان
کتنے کا؟
How much is it?
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
The language through the day
Urdu and Punjabi are both widely used. Urdu is not the only language of the street.
Around the Walled City, Gulberg, Mall Road, this is the ordinary sound of the day.
A first day in Lahore can run on four lines: “اگلا سٹیشن.”, “ایک پلیٹ بریانی.”, “السلام علیکم.”, and “کتنے کا؟”. Each one is already a complete moment.
If you are new here
- Stops, prices, and shop signs are written in the Urdu script.
- آپ is the polite you. تم is closer.
- If a spoken line goes past you, read the screen or the board. In Lahore, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: بریانی. It means One plate of biryani..
Places you can see
- Badshahi Mosque — A huge Mughal mosque facing the fort.
- Lahore Fort — A layered fort with Mughal courts, including the Sheesh Mahal.
- Shalimar Gardens — A terraced Mughal garden on the city's eastern side.
Food
Breakfast is often halwa puri, and the streets sell gol gappay.
Getting around
A metrobus and an orange metro line cover long corridors. For the gaps, you can take a rickshaw.
Daily life
Punjabi is common in family talk. Urdu is the language of much schooling and of the media.
A few everyday phrases
Urdu
| Phrase | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| سلام | Salaam | Hello |
| شکریہ | Shukriya | Thank you |
| صبح بخیر | Subah bakhair | Good morning |
| میرا نام… ہے | Mera naam… hai | My name is… |
