بولنا
bolnā/boːl.nɑː/
The English phrase 'speak' is translated into Urdu as بولنا (bolnā).
بولنا is the most common verb used for 'speak' in Urdu and is used to describe the ability to communicate in a language. The infinitive form بولنا expresses the general concept of 'to speak' or 'speaking'. Other related expressions include Guftagu karna, which describes having a conversation or engaging in a dialogue and Baat cheet karna, which represents chatting or engaging in a friendly conversation.
Meaning: to be able to communicate in a language (verb)
Which one should you use?
Guftagu karna is the formal way to describe a dialogue, whereas its simplified version is Baat karna. For casual chatting, use Baat cheet karna. Additionally, the colloquial term Bol is a common way to say 'speak' in informal settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb بولنا changes its ending based on gender, number and level of respect. In the masculine singular present tense, it becomes بولتا. For the feminine singular present tense, it becomes بولتی. The form changes to بولتے for the masculine plural or when showing respect to a single person. Finally, for the feminine plural or to show respect to a single female person, use بولتی ہیں.
How do you pronounce it?
bolnā (/boːl.nɑː/)
Did you know?
- In Urdu, the level of respect you show a person is baked into the grammar of the verb, so how you say 'he speaks' changes depending on whether you are talking to a child or a dignitary.
- The formal term for conversation, Guftagu, is a loanword from Persian and carries a connotation of sophisticated or literary discourse.
- In many South Asian contexts, the verb بولنا can also be used to mean 'to say' or 'to utter' a specific word, rather than just the continuous act of speaking.
Examples in context
- میں تھوڑا بہت انگریزی بولنا سیکھ رہا ہوں۔mein thora bohat angrezi bolna seekh raha hoon.I am learning to speak a little English.
- وہ بہت اچھی عربی بولنا جانتی ہے۔woh bohat achi arabi bolna jaanti hai.She knows how to speak Arabic very well.
Example conversation
Hamza asks Fatima about her language skills.
- فاطمہ Fatimaحمزہ، کیا آپ اردو بولنا جانتے ہیں؟Hamza, kya aap urdu bolna jaante hain?Hamza, do you know how to speak Urdu?
- حمزہ Hamzaجی، میں تھوڑا بہت بولنا جانتا ہوں۔Ji, mein thora bohat bolna jaanta hoon.Yes, I know how to speak a little.
- فاطمہ Fatimaبہت اچھی بات ہے!Bohat achi baat hai!That is very good!
- حمزہ Hamzaشکریہ، فاطمہ۔Shukriya, Fatima.Thank you, Fatima.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry بولنا, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
