آپ کا نام کیا ہے؟
aap ka naam kya hai?
The English phrase "what is your name?" is translated into Urdu as آپ کا نام کیا ہے؟ (aap ka naam kya hai?).
This phrase is used to ask someone for their name.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase آپ کا نام کیا ہے؟ literally translates to "Your name what is?" It is composed of the following parts: نام means "name", کیا is a question word meaning "what" and ہے means "is".
Which one should you use?
While آپ کا نام کیا ہے؟ is the polite and formal option, تمہارا نام کیا ہے؟ is the informal version used for children, peers or in very casual settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The use of the word آپ makes the phrase polite and formal. To respond to this question, you can use the structure میرا نام [Name] ہے to say "My name is [Name]".
How do you pronounce it?
aap ka naam kya hai?
Did you know?
- The formal pronoun آپ used in this phrase originally meant 'soul' or 'spirit' in Sanskrit. It has evolved from describing one's inner essence to a respectful way of addressing others.
- In some cultural contexts, asking a person's name directly can be seen as too abrupt. It is common to first ask about a person's wellbeing or use a generic polite title before using this phrase.
- The word نام is a linguistic cousin to the English word 'name'. Both words can be traced back to the same Proto-Indo-European root, meaning they share a common ancient ancestor.
Examples in context
- معاف کیجیے گا، آپ کا نام کیا ہے؟maaf kijiye ga, aap ka naam kya hai?Excuse me, what is your name?
Example conversation
A woman meets a man at a social gathering.
- سارہ Saraالسلام علیکم! آپ کا نام کیا ہے؟assalam-o-alaikum! aap ka naam kya hai?Hello! What is your name?
- علی Aliمیرا نام علی ہے۔mera naam Ali hai.My name is Ali.
- سارہ Saraآپ سے مل کر خوشی ہوئی، علی۔aap se mil kar khushi hui, Ali.Nice to meet you, Ali.
- علی Aliمجھے بھی خوشی ہوئی۔mujhe bhi khushi hui.Nice to meet you too.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries آپ, نام, کا, کیا, CC BY-SA 4.0.
