Dialogue

Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
Have you ever been in a city you didn't know at all, and you are desperately looking for something you need, and you can’t find it? It has happened so many times to me! I wandered around without knowing where to go to reach, for example, a bar, a phone, or a restroom! Don't worry! Thanks to our survival phrases, if you go to Pakistan you will always be able to ask for information and help.
BODY
In this lesson, we’ll introduce you to a phrase that will help you track down that specific something you're looking for. "Where can I find…?" in Urdu is ...Kaha hai? (SLOW)...Kaha hai? Then, you add the name of the specific thing you are looking for.
With this sentence, you can use a basic structure for any situation in which you need to get something. This structure is made up of the infinitive Kaha ("where"), followed by the verb hai ("is"). Let's break it down by syllable: (SLOW)…Ka-ha hai? Let's hear it once again:…Kaha hai?
Now let's see what kinds of things you might need if you're traveling abroad. Imagine you're walking around one of Pakistan's many beautiful islands. It's very hot, and you need to get something to drink. Let's go and ask where you can find a store! "Where can I find a store?" in Urdu is Store Kaha hai?
As you can easily note, you have the structure you just learned (…Kaha hai?). Add the thing you are looking for, Store ("a store"). "Store" is a very easy noun that is the same in Urdu and English. Let's break down this sentence: (SLOW)Store Ka-ha hai? Now let's hear it one more time: Store Kaha hai?
With this form, you can go anywhere you need to and ask for anything you’re looking for. But, you can use another form if you want to be more polite or want to use a different expression. Let's imagine you’re looking for a phone this time. "Excuse me, could you tell me where I can find a phone?"
Maaf kijiye ga, kia aap bata saktay hain phone kaha mil sakta hai?
(SLOW)Maaf kijiye ga, kia aap bata saktay hain phone kaha mil sakta hai?
Don't you think this is more formal? Of course it is! So what do you have here? We have maaf kijiye ga, which means "excuse me," and then the interrogative kia aap, meaning "could you.” This is followed by bata saktay hain, which means "tell me" in English.
After we have said maaf kijiye ga, kia aap bata saktay hain which means "excuse me, can you tell me," we have to add what we want to be told! In this case, we want to find a "phone." All together, this is phone kaha mil sakta hai? Let's look at the different parts. Phone is the same as the English “phone.” Next we have kaha which means “where,” followed by mil sakta hai which means “can find.”
There you have it! Let's hear the phrase again!
Maaf kijiye ga, kia aap bata saktay hain phone kaha mil sakta hai?
(SLOW)Maaf kijiye ga, kia aap bata saktay hain phone kaha mil sakta hai?
Maaf kijiye ga, kia aap bata saktay hain phone kaha mil sakta hai?
To ask for another item, we can just replace store or phone with any other word, and the phrase works brilliantly! Let's try it with "tobacco shop," which in Urdu is tambaku ki dukan. Let's break this word down: Ta-mba-ku ki du-ka-n. Now let's hear it once again: Ta-mba-ku ki du-ka-n. "Excuse me, could you tell me where I can find a tobacco shop?" in Urdu is
Maaf kijiye ga, kia aap bata saktay hain tambaku ki dukan kaha mil sakti hai?
(SLOW)Maaf kijiye ga, kia aap bata saktay hain tambaku ki dukan kaha mil sakti hai?
Maaf kijiye ga, kia aap bata saktay hain tambaku ki dukan kaha mil sakti hai?
These phrases will come in handy before leaving the hotel and when talking with taxi drivers or other people who try to help you locate a desired item.

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