پوچھنا
pūchnā/puːt͡ʃʰ.nɑː/
To say ask in Urdu, use پوچھنا, romanized as pūchnā.
پوچھنا is used for asking a question or asking for information.
Meaning: request an answer (verb)
Which one should you use?
Use پوچھنا when you ask a question. When you ask for an object or a favor, Urdu uses a different verb, مانگنا.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plain command, ask, is پوچھو. The polite command, please ask, is پوچھئے, used with someone you address with respect. For an action in progress, such as is asking, the form is پوچھ رہا ہے.
How do you pronounce it?
It is pronounced /puːtʃʰ.nɑː/ in two syllables, with a long oo sound and an aspirated ch.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use پوچھنا to ask someone for a thing. Use مانگنا for that.
Did you know?
- In Urdu, the word پوچھنا sounds nearly identical to a word meaning 'to wipe', such as cleaning a table. The meaning is distinguished by the context of the sentence.
- The Urdu word پوچھنا is a distant relative of the English word 'research', coming from the German 'forschen'. Both trace back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning to inquire.
- The polite form پوچھئے is not just a request for politeness but a grammatical requirement when addressing elders or strangers to avoid appearing rude.
Examples in context
- میں آپ سے کُچْھ پُوچْھنا چاہتی ہوں.I would like to ask you something.This sentence shows the polite way to say you would like to ask someone something.
- میں اس بارے میں پوچھنا چاہتا ہوں۔mein is baaray mein poochna chahta hoon.I want to ask about this.
Example conversation
Sara is asking Ahmed about a meeting time.
- سارہ Saraاحمد، میں ایک بات پوچھنا چاہتی ہوں۔Ahmed, mein ek baat poochna chahti hoon.Ahmed, I want to ask something.
- احمد Ahmedجی سارہ، پوچھیں۔Ji Sara, poochein.Yes Sara, ask.
- سارہ Saraمیٹنگ کب شروع ہوگی؟Meeting kab shuru hogi?When will the meeting start?
- احمد Ahmedوہ دو بجے شروع ہوگی۔Woh do bajay shuru hogi.It will start at two o'clock.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ask” translations and entries پوچھنا, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries پوچھنا, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
