اور آپ
aur aap/ɔːɾ ɑːp/word by word
The English phrase 'and you' is translated into Urdu as اور آپ (aur aap).
This phrase is used to ask the same question back to the person who has just asked it.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of اور (aur) meaning 'and' and آپ (aap) meaning 'you' (polite/formal).
Which one should you use?
While اور آپ is the polite way to say 'and you', اور تم (aur tum) is used with friends or people younger than you. The form اور تو (aur tu) is extremely informal and should only be used with very close friends or in specific poetic/religious contexts, as it can be seen as rude in standard conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is aur aap. The IPA is /ɔːɾ ɑːp/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using اور تو in standard conversation with anyone except very close friends, as it can be seen as rude.
Did you know?
- In some religious contexts, the most informal form تو is used specifically to address the Divine, bypassing human social rules.
- The word آپ (aap) originally meant 'soul' or 'self' in Sanskrit. It transitioned from referring to one's inner spirit to being a polite way to address another person.
- Using اور آپ with a very close friend or a child might be perceived as sarcastic or overly distant rather than polite.
Examples in context
- کیسے ہیں آپ؟ اور آپ؟How are you? And you?
- میں بھی خوش ہوں، اور آپ؟main bhi khush hoon, aur aap?I am also happy, and you?
- مجھے یہ پسند ہے، اور آپ؟mujhe yeh pasand hai, aur aap?I like this, and you?
Example conversation
Sara and Ahmed are meeting at a cafe.
- سارہ Saraکیسی ہیں آپ؟kaisi hain aap?How are you?
- احمد Ahmedمیں ٹھیک ہوں، اور آپ؟main theek hoon, aur aap?I am fine, and you?
- سارہ Saraمیں بھی بالکل ٹھیک ہوں۔main bhi bilkul theek hoon.I am also perfectly fine.
- احمد Ahmedیہ جان کر خوشی ہوئی۔yeh jaan kar khushi hui.Glad to hear that.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (اور, آپ) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries آپ, اور, CC BY-SA 4.0.
