Related Faculty
Urdu
Urdu Program at the University of Virginia
Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language, linguistically very close to Hindi, which is why we teach them together at the University of Virginia.
Spoken by over 225 million people worldwide, Urdu is a beautiful, expressive, and culturally rich language with a strong literary tradition. It's the national language of Pakistan and an official language in India. Urdu beautifully blends Hindi, Persian, Arabic, and Turkish influences, and is written in the elegant Nastaleeq script.
While Urdu is now spoken by a large global diaspora, its origins lie in medieval South Asia. It served as a bridge between diverse communities in the courts of the Mughal Empire and Delhi Sultanate. Over time, Urdu evolved into a sophisticated language for poetry, prose, and general communication.
Urdu's literary heritage is one of its greatest strengths, featuring renowned poets like Mirza Ghalib, Allama Iqbal, and Faiz Ahmed Faiz, who have left a lasting impact. The ghazal and nazm poetic forms captivate audiences with their depth and elegance. Urdu also plays a significant role in Bollywood, where its lyrical quality enhances music and cinema.
At UVA, we are committed to preserving Urdu and ensuring this beautiful language is passed on to future generations. By promoting its learning and appreciation, we guarantee that this timeless language will continue to inspire
Course Descriptions
URDU 1310 - Intensive Urdu Script & Grammar Review for Heritage Students
In this class we will conduct an intensive review of the Nastaliq script and the basic grammar of the Urdu language.This is not a class for students with no prior knowledge of Urdu. Rather it is designed to take advantage of the familiarity you already have with Urdu by virtue of growing up in a family where Urdu is frequently spoken. The pace will be quick, with an eye to enabling you to proceed directly to a 2000- or 3000-level Urdu class.
Credits: 4
URDU 2010 - Intermediate Urdu
Introduces various types of written and spoken Urdu; vocabulary building, idioms, and problems of syntax; and conversation. Prerequisite: for URDU 2010: HIND 1020 or equivalent.
Credits: 4
URDU 3010 - Advanced Urdu I
This course is designed to expand and to consolidate the structures the student has learned through URDU 2020 by reading original Urdu texts, ranging from literary prose fiction to news media excerpts to poetry (both classical and modern). We will discuss these texts in Urdu in class, and the students will be responsible for a series of short essays throughout the semester in Urdu pertaining both to the texts and to other topics. Pre-requisites: URDU 2020 or equivalent, or instructor permission.
Credits: 3