Lahja Vs Lahza - Know the Difference!

A great many words in our everyday rhetoric are mispronounced, and no better testament to that exists besides the ‘J’-for-‘Z’ confusion. Take Zamaana spoken as Jamaana, Zor as Jor, Marzi as Marji, and so on ...continue reading

Waghaira: Etymology, Usage, Waghaira Waghaira!

Words often conceal more than they convey. Today, we’ll be unpicking, unpacking, and more, a word we use countless times every day, but are only getting to know now. Waghaira, our very own etcetera, is a word we use here, there, and everywhere. It’s ...continue reading

Epizeuxis: Socho Socho Kya Hai Ye!

Last week I dropped in on an old friend for dinner. Since I had arrived early - around 5-ish - her mother offered tea, which I was only too kind not to refuse. Cutting to the chase, we had tea. It was around 6:15 and we started noshing in on some sna ...continue reading

Alaava Az Alaava: What's More than Moreover

The interplay between a word’s literal and colloquial use often results in discoveries beyond interesting! In this blog, we’ve dug out a familiar - yet not-completely-known word - that might raise your eyebrow to the top ...continue reading

Word Builders: The “Paa” you haven't Found Yet!

Last time around, we picked a tiny, tiny word ‘Jaa’ to lay bare how words actually build our everyday lexicon. Continuing the series, here I am bringing you another little word that has enabled several other words to come to their feet ...continue reading

Word-Builders: The Other ‘Jaa’ in your Vocab

As odd as it may sound, the smallest piece in a puzzle is often the most central to its coming together. It’s also the one that takes the least space and eventually can’t find its place on the maze, at all!  On the maze of words too, there are tin ...continue reading

Birth of the Urdu language!!

Urdu was born in the 12th century from the regional Apabhramsha of northwestern India. This newly-born speech was a breed of amalgamation of the Hindu and Muslim cultures (during the 12th to 16th centuries); a composite product of Ganga-Jamuna tehzee ...continue reading

Know to Say No in Urdu? Know You Don’t!

During the Victorian times, one unsaid phrase of caution was known by all women alike: ‘You must know how to say no. ...continue reading

kaTh hujjati ho ya kaT hujjati, hain donon buri

’’ہم ’کٹ حجتی‘ لکھتے اور بولتے رہے ہیں۔ ریختہ میں بھی ہم نے دیکھا تو کٹ حجتی ہی ہے۔ ’’کٹ حجتی‘‘ کے معنی ہیں: ’’خواہ مخواہ کی بحث، بحث برائے بحث،اپنی بات پر اڑنا، ضد سے کام لینا، بے جا حجت‘‘۔ لیکن جناب ابونثر نے ’’کٹھ حجتی‘‘ لکھا ہے، آیا یہ زیادہ فصی ...continue reading

From Script Sounds to Sound Script: A Fresh Take on Learning Urdu

This verse above by Faiz Sahab is inarguably among the most adored couplets of Urdu language. But besides its evocative imagery and nostalgic vibe, do you know what’s the secret behind Ghazal-lovers reciting it over and over, like a cryptic Mantra ...continue reading