Imperative Forms in Urdu

In Brief

Urdu chooses an imperative (a command or request form) according to the relationship between speakers. Use the bare verb stem with تو, a form usually ending in و with تم, and a respectful form such as ـیے or ـیں with آپ: بیٹھ! baiṭh!, بیٹھو! baiṭho!, بیٹھیے! baiṭhiye! To say “don’t,” put مت mat before the imperative.

Overview

Imperatives are used not only for orders, but also for invitations, instructions, advice, warnings, and requests. English often uses one unchanged form—“sit,” “come,” “listen”—and relies on tone or “please” to show politeness. Urdu builds the social relationship into the verb itself. The form you choose signals intimacy, familiarity, or respect.

This B1 topic therefore depends on knowing Urdu’s three main levels of “you”: تو tū (very intimate), تم tum (familiar or informal), and آپ āp (respectful). The pronoun is often left unspoken because the verb ending already shows the level of address. آؤ naturally points to تم, while آئیے points to آپ.

The central forms are straightforward, but using them well requires attention to register. A grammatically correct تو command can sound affectionate in one relationship and insulting in another. Conversely, an آپ form can turn an instruction into a courteous request. Urdu speakers also soften requests with words such as ذرا zarā (“just; please”), براہِ کرم barāh-e karam (“please,” formal), and مہربانی کرکے mehrbānī karke (“kindly”).

How It Works

Start from the verb stem

The infinitive (the dictionary form of a verb) normally ends in ـنا -nā. Remove نا to find the stem:

Infinitive	Meaning	Stem
بیٹھنا baiṭhnā	to sit	بیٹھ baiṭh-
بولنا bolnā	to speak	بول bol-
لکھنا likhnā	to write	لکھ likh-
کرنا karnā	to do	کر kar-

The imperative addresses a listener, so Urdu does not have ordinary imperative forms for “I” or “he/she.” Suggestions involving “we,” such as “let’s go,” use another construction discussed later.

The three address levels

Address level	Basic formation	بیٹھنا “to sit”	بولنا “to speak”	Typical effect
تو tū	stem alone	بیٹھ baiṭh	بول bol	intimate, very direct
تم tum	stem + و	بیٹھو baiṭho	بولو bolo	familiar, informal
آپ āp	respectful ـیے form	بیٹھیے baiṭhiye	بولیے boliye	respectful, courteous

The pronoun itself is optional:

• تم یہاں بیٹھو۔ Tum yahāṅ baiṭho. — “You sit here.”
• یہاں بیٹھو۔ Yahāṅ baiṭho. — “Sit here.”
• آپ اندر آئیے۔ Āp andar āiye. — “Please come inside.”
• اندر آئیے۔ Andar āiye. — “Please come inside.”

Including the pronoun can add contrast or emphasis. In a neutral request, the ending alone is often enough.

Common vowel changes and irregular-looking forms

“Add و” and “add یے” are useful beginner rules, but spelling and pronunciation adjust around vowel-final stems. Learn high-frequency imperatives as complete sets.

Infinitive	تو	تم	آپ	Meaning
آنا ānā	آ ā	آؤ āo	آئیے āiye	come
جانا jānā	جا jā	جاؤ jāo	جائیے jāiye	go
کھانا khānā	کھا khā	کھاؤ khāo	کھائیے khāiye	eat
پینا pīnā	پی pī	پیو piyo	پیجیے pījiye	drink
کرنا karnā	کر kar	کرو karo	کیجیے kījiye	do
دینا denā	دے de	دو do	دیجیے dījiye	give
لینا lenā	لے le	لو lo	لیجیے lījiye	take
ہونا honā	ہو ho	ہو ho	ہوئیے hūiye	be

The respectful forms کیجیے، دیجیے، لیجیے are extremely common. They should not be built mechanically as if every verb behaved exactly like بیٹھنا. Spelling variants with an extra ئ—for example کیجئے—are also encountered, but کیجیے is a clear modern spelling to use consistently as a learner.

Another respectful pattern: ـیں

With آپ, Urdu also commonly uses forms ending in ـیں -eṅ. These have the same shape as the formal/plural subjunctive (a verb form used for possibilities, wishes, and suggestions), but in direct address they can function as polite instructions or requests.

ـیے / special form	ـیں form	Natural English sense
بیٹھیے baiṭhiye	بیٹھیں baiṭheṅ	please sit
آئیے āiye	آئیں āeṅ	please come
کیجیے kījiye	کریں kareṅ	please do
دیجیے dījiye	دیں deṅ	please give
جائیے jāiye	جائیں jāeṅ	please go

Both patterns are respectful. The ـیے forms are strongly associated with courteous direct invitations and requests: تشریف لائیے “Please come / Do come.” The ـیں forms are especially common in instructions, notices, professional speech, and polite conversation: یہاں دستخط کریں “Sign here, please.” Context and tone determine whether the English translation sounds like “please do” or simply “do.”

Negative imperatives with مت

Put مت mat before the imperative:

Positive	Negative	Meaning
جاؤ۔ Jāo.	مت جاؤ۔ Mat jāo.	Go. / Don’t go.
بولیے۔ Boliye.	مت بولیے۔ Mat boliye.	Speak. / Please don’t speak.
یہاں بیٹھیں۔ Yahāṅ baiṭheṅ.	یہاں مت بیٹھیں۔ Yahāṅ mat baiṭheṅ.	Sit here. / Please don’t sit here.

Do not normally use نہیں nahīṅ, the ordinary “not” used in statements, for a direct prohibition. مت is the standard marker for “don’t.” The respectful ending still matters: مت کرو addresses تم, while مت کیجیے or نہ کریں addresses آپ.

Making a request sound polite

A formal verb ending is already respectful, but softeners can make the request less abrupt.

Softener	Typical use	Example
ذرا zarā	light, conversational “just / please”	ذرا سنیے۔ “Please listen a moment.”
براہِ کرم barāh-e karam	formal written or public “please”	براہِ کرم انتظار کریں۔ “Please wait.”
مہربانی کرکے mehrbānī karke	“kindly,” explicitly courteous	مہربانی کرکے دروازہ بند کریں۔ “Kindly close the door.”
پلیز plīz	informal borrowed “please”	پلیز مجھے بتاؤ۔ “Please tell me.”

English speakers sometimes assume that adding “please” is enough while keeping any command form. In Urdu, the verb ending remains the main register signal. براہِ کرم بیٹھ combines a formal softener with a very intimate command and will usually sound mismatched.

Examples in Context

Urdu	Romanization	English	Note
بیٹھ!	Baiṭh!	Sit!	تو form; intimate and direct
بیٹھو!	Baiṭho!	Sit!	تم form; informal
بیٹھیے!	Baiṭhiye!	Please sit!	آپ form; respectful
ذرا یہاں آئیے۔	Zarā yahāṅ āiye.	Please come here.	ذرا softens the invitation
دروازہ بند کرو۔	Darvāza band karo.	Close the door.	Familiar instruction
براہِ کرم دروازہ بند کریں۔	Barāh-e karam darvāza band kareṅ.	Please close the door.	Formal or public-facing request
آہستہ بولیے، مجھے سمجھ نہیں آ رہی۔	Āhista boliye, mujhe samajh nahīṅ ā rahī.	Please speak slowly; I’m not understanding.	Respectful request
یہ دوا کھانے کے بعد لیجیے۔	Yeh davā khāne ke bād lījiye.	Take this medicine after eating.	Courteous instruction
ایک گلاس پانی دیجیے۔	Ek gilās pānī dījiye.	Please give me a glass of water.	Common request with دینا
فکر مت کرو۔	Fikr mat karo.	Don’t worry.	Familiar negative imperative
یہاں تصویر مت کھینچیں۔	Yahāṅ tasvīr mat khīṅcheṅ.	Please do not take photographs here.	Respectful/public prohibition
پہلے ہدایات پڑھیں، پھر فارم بھریں۔	Pahle hidāyāt paṛheṅ, phir fārm bhareṅ.	Read the instructions first, then fill in the form.	Formal instructions
اندر آؤ اور دروازہ بند کر دو۔	Andar āo aur darvāza band kar do.	Come in and close the door.	Familiar; compound کر دو sounds natural
چائے لیجیے۔	Chāe lījiye.	Please have some tea.	Polite offer, literally “take tea”
اپنی کتابیں کھولو۔	Apnī kitābeṅ kholo.	Open your books.	Teacher to familiar/plural تم audience

Common Mistakes

Using the تو form as the default English-style command

• Wrong: بیٹھ۔ Baiṭh. — to a stranger or customer
• Right: بیٹھیے۔ Baiṭhiye. / بیٹھیں۔ Baiṭheṅ.
• Why: English “sit” does not encode social distance, but Urdu بیٹھ does. The bare stem belongs with تو and can sound disrespectful outside a genuinely intimate relationship.

Adding a regular ending to an irregular high-frequency verb

• Wrong: دیو۔ de-o
• Right: دو۔ Do. — “Give.” / دیجیے۔ Dījiye. — “Please give.”
• Why: دینا has common imperative forms that must be learned as a set. The same applies to لینا → لو، لیجیے and کرنا → کرو، کیجیے.

Using نہیں for “don’t”

• Wrong: نہیں جاؤ۔ Nahīṅ jāo.
• Right: مت جاؤ۔ Mat jāo.
• Why: نہیں negates statements; مت marks a direct negative command or warning.

Mixing a polite word with an intimate ending

• Wrong: براہِ کرم یہاں آ۔ Barāh-e karam yahāṅ ā.
• Right: براہِ کرم یہاں آئیے۔ Barāh-e karam yahāṅ āiye.
• Why: Politeness should be consistent across the sentence. A formal softener does not cancel the intimate force of the bare-stem imperative.

Attaching gender endings to the imperative

• Wrong: بیٹھی for “Sit!” to a woman
• Right: بیٹھو (to تم) or بیٹھیے / بیٹھیں (to آپ), regardless of the listener’s gender
• Why: Basic imperative forms distinguish address level, not masculine versus feminine. The ی in بیٹھیے is part of the respectful ending, not feminine agreement.

Usage Notes

Choosing between تو, تم, and آپ

آپ is the safest choice with strangers, older people, customers, teachers, officials, and anyone to whom you wish to show respect. It is also used affectionately within some families and between spouses. تم is common among friends, siblings, peers, and adults speaking to children, although preferences vary by family and community.

تو is much more restricted than English “you.” It can express closeness in intimate family speech, prayer, poetry, and certain fixed or emotional contexts. It can also express contempt or anger. Learners should recognize it but avoid making it their automatic informal form. When uncertain, choose آپ.

A plural audience does not automatically require آپ. تم can address one familiar person or several familiar people. آپ can likewise address one respected person or multiple people. The choice is social, not merely numerical.

Commands, requests, and invitations

The same form can perform different jobs. آئیے may be translated as “Come,” “Please come,” or “Do come,” depending on context. چائے لیجیے is not a harsh order to take tea; it is a hospitable offer. English translations often need “please” even when Urdu has no separate word for it, because the respectful ending itself carries courtesy.

For signs, forms, recipes, and instructions, ـیں forms are especially common:

• یہاں کلک کریں۔ — “Click here.”
• دو منٹ انتظار کریں۔ — “Wait two minutes.”
• نمک شامل کریں۔ — “Add salt.”

These are grammatically respectful even when English uses a plain imperative.

Word order and emphasis

Urdu normally places the verb at the end, so the imperative also tends to come last: دروازہ بند کرو (“door close do”). Short warnings may consist of only مت plus the verb: مت چھوؤ! “Don’t touch!” Moving or stating an element can create contrast: یہ کتاب پڑھو، وہ نہیں — “Read this book, not that one.”

Beyond the Basics / Advanced Use

Softer prohibitions with نہ

Although مت is the core negative imperative marker, respectful instructions and formal notices also commonly use نہ na, often with an ـیں form: یہاں گاڑی کھڑی نہ کریں “Do not park here.” Compared with a sharply spoken مت, this pattern can sound more impersonal or formally polite. مت remains completely normal, including with respectful forms: فکر مت کیجیے “Please don’t worry.”

Do not confuse negative نہ with sentence-final نا, a conversational particle used to seek agreement or soften insistence. In آؤ نا (“Come on, please”), the final نا does not mean “not.”

“Let’s …” with the subjunctive

Urdu usually expresses a first-person suggestion with the plural subjunctive rather than a special imperative:

• چلیں۔ Chaleṅ. — “Let’s go.”
• اب شروع کریں؟ Ab shurū kareṅ? — “Shall we start now?”
• کچھ کھائیں۔ Kuch khāeṅ. — “Let’s eat something.”

Because the same ـیں form can address آپ, context matters. بیٹھیں can mean “Please sit” when said to a listener, while بیٹھیں؟ can mean “Shall we sit?” when the speaker includes themself.

Compound verbs make commands more idiomatic

Spoken Urdu often uses a main verb with a “vector verb” such as لینا or دینا. The second verb carries the imperative ending:

• کھا لو۔ — “Eat it / eat up” (often for your own benefit).
• لکھ لو۔ — “Write it down.”
• بتا دو۔ — “Tell them / go ahead and tell.”
• دروازہ بند کر دیجیے۔ — “Please close the door.”

These combinations can sound more natural or more complete than a simple verb, but their exact nuance depends on context. At B1, learn frequent expressions as chunks rather than trying to assign one fixed English meaning to every vector.

Honorific vocabulary can add another layer

Highly courteous invitations may combine a respectful imperative with تشریف tashrīf, an honorific word associated with someone’s presence:

• تشریف لائیے۔ — “Please come in / Please join us.”
• تشریف رکھیے۔ — “Please be seated.”

These expressions belong to polite hospitality and formal interaction. They are useful to recognize and can sound warmer and more ceremonious than plain آئیے or بیٹھیے.

Indirect requests can be gentler than imperatives

As in English, speakers may avoid a direct command altogether. A question with سکنا (“to be able”) often sounds less imposing:

• کیا آپ دروازہ بند کر سکتے ہیں؟ — “Could you close the door?”
• کیا آپ مجھے راستہ بتا سکتی ہیں؟ — “Could you tell me the way?” (addressing a woman respectfully)

Here gender agreement appears in سکتے / سکتی, unlike in the basic imperative. Choosing between a respectful imperative and an indirect question is a matter of tone, situation, and how large the request is.

Practice Tips

1. Learn verbs in four-part sets. For each useful infinitive, say the stem and the three address forms: بیٹھنا: بیٹھ، بیٹھو، بیٹھیے. Give extra repetition to کرنا، دینا، لینا، آنا، جانا، پینا.
2. Rephrase one instruction for different listeners. Turn “Come here” into یہاں آ, یہاں آؤ, and یہاں آئیے. Imagine who you are speaking to each time; this connects grammar with social meaning.
3. Notice register in real Urdu. In dramas, interviews, shops, or instructional videos, listen for ـو, ـیے, and ـیں. Record whether the speaker is talking to a friend, child, guest, customer, or general audience. Also collect negative examples with مت and formal نہ کریں.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Personal Pronouns and Honorifics — explains the تو، تم، آپ relationship system that determines the imperative ending.
• Next step: Permission with دینا and Requests — extends commands into permission, requests, and constructions built with دینا.