Photo credit: https://www.sharethelove.blog/livingabroad/cultureshock/

Join us for free Urdu conversation and chatting hours. Ideal for intermediate and advanced Urdu learners.

This will be a relaxed online environment, led by one of our trained, professional Zubaan teachers.

Zubaan’s Urdu website and blog were just selected as part of the “25 Best Urdu Blogs and Websites in 2025” by FeedSpot!

The top Urdu blogs and websites are chosen from hundreds of blogs on the web and are ranked by relevancy, authority, social media followers, and freshness. 

At our Karachi branch, we recently celebrated the major milestone of Zubaan’s 7th birthday! Along with this celebration, we had a formal handover of leadership from Michaela Bekaan to Andrew Battiato. Michaela faithfully founded and led Zubaan since 2017 to make it a premiere Urdu-learning institute and publisher of high-quality Urdu resources.

Qadam A2.1 – Urdu as a Foreign Language Course and Workbook

Qadam is a complete Urdu beginners course book designed to help Urdu learners take their first steps towards fluency in Urdu. Together with the Qadam Media Package, it can be used for private or group courses, as well as self-study.

This is the 3rd book in the series and is intended for learners who have either completed the book Qadam A1.2. or who have reached the level A2. through other means.

Previously Part 1 of Qadam A2.1 was available, containing the initial 3 chapters. Now the full version with all 7 chapters is available! 

If you are not ready for this level, check out our Qadam A1.1 and Qadam A1.2. book at our Urdu shop.

Being in a place where Urdu is the language of daily life adds so much breadth and depth to the learning experience, and now it is easier than before to visit Pakistan due to visa policy update. 

I came to Pakistan on a tourist visa and have been taking classes at Zubaan. It has been challenging but fun to try out my newly acquired knowledge in real world situations. The people I encounter on the street or in shops or taxis use phrases that expand my vocabulary. They aren’t trained like my instructor to structure their questions or answers within the framework of what I have already learned.

I experienced many communication failures, but the thrill of successfully getting my meaning across makes the struggle worth it. People are usually surprised and pleased that I am interested enough in their culture to try to learn the language. 

If you have considered coming over here for work or as a tourist, there is good news for you related to getting a visa. I found it to be a somewhat daunting process when I first applied for my tourist visa. However, in August of this year (2024), the Pakistani government decided to streamline the process for certain categories of applicants and remove the processing fee for the citizens of 126 countries, listed on the government website. All you need is a passport and photo!

The visas are called Visa Prior to Arrival (Business) and Visa Prior to Arrival (Tourist). There is a third category for Sikh pilgrims. The visas, barring any complications, will be granted in 24 hours. This welcome new policy is part of the Pakistani government’s efforts to attract more businesspeople and to build up the tourist industry in this beautiful country.

Please check the government website, links below, to see if you qualify for this new plan.

https://visa.nadra.gov.pk/visa-prior-to-arrival/

https://visa.nadra.gov.pk/visa-prior-to-arrival-tourist/

https://visa.nadra.gov.pk/visa-prior-to-arrival-business/  

~Shared by a current student at Zubaan 

Did you know that Urdu is the 10th most spoken language in the world? That already gives a door of communication to 230+ million people, but that’s not it – read more below to find out.

Urdu is mutually intelligible with Hindi – the two languages share 70% of beginner vocabulary along with shared phonology, syntax, and grammar. This would make Urdu-Hindi the 3rd most spoken language in the world with nearly 1 billion speakers. Practically speaking, that means a Urdu speaker can understand a Bollywood film and make friends with a Hindi speaker.

Urdu is the national language of Pakistan, the fifth most populated country in the world. There are over 80 people groups and 70 languages in Pakistan. Despite this great diversity, Urdu is the gateway language that unifies Pakistan. Moreover, you will also find large groups of first language speakers of Urdu in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and diaspora communities throughout the Middle East.

Furthermore, Urdu has a rich historical heritage and is deeply intertwined with the culture of Central and South Asia. Learning Urdu can lead to discoveries and insights into the history, literature, traditions, and worldviews of these regions.

Are you ready to take the jump into the beautiful and widely-spoken language of Urdu? Do you want to have a connection with nearly 1 billion living individuals along with a rich history and culture? Do you plan to visit or live in Pakistan or India?

Come learn or improve your Urdu with us today. We have classes ranging from Urdu basics to customized advanced Urdu courses. 

Reading & Writing Workbook: Urdu as a Foreign Language – 4th Edition (Expanded)

Since its first publication in 2017, this book has been widely used across Pakistan and abroad, and it is the official textbook of Zubaan Training’s “Reading & Writing Urdu Course”

You will find lessons for self-study or classroom use to learn reading and writing Urdu letters, words, sentences, and texts. This 4th edition includes new practice activities to help you improve rapidly.

Our teachers recently enjoyed a unique opportunity to teach about 60 teenagers at an academy in Karachi. Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah, the educational institute of the Dawoodi Bohra community, welcomed 4 of our teachers to develop the Urdu skills of their bright students from Pakistan, Yemen, and other countries. Two classes for the foreign students focused on beginner Urdu, while the other 2 classes for the Pakistani nationals covered Urdu public speaking.

Today I, Michaela Bekaan – Director of  Zubaan, had the privilege of conducting a teacher training workshop at the National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad. The Urdu department invited me to share my thoughts on teaching Urdu as a Foreign language. Close to 30 highly motivated Urdu teachers were present; many of them have been teaching Urdu to foreign students for years. I was encouraged by their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn how to teach better. We at Zubaan look forward to further cooperation and engagement in spreading a passion for the Urdu language together.

Are you an Urdu teacher and interested in our teacher training, our material, and resources? Drop us a message and we are happy to help you.

Contact: info@zubaantraining.net or +92-310-9777720