Using AI in Urdu: typing, reading and checking

You do not need English

Many people think AI tools only work in English. Most popular chatbots can now read and write Urdu. Their Urdu is often good enough to be useful, but it is not perfect. This guide shows you how to get the best from it and what to watch for.

Three ways to type your question

1. Urdu script. If your phone keyboard has Urdu, you can type your question just as you would write it. Check your phone's keyboard or language settings to add Urdu if it is not there.
2. Roman Urdu. You can type Urdu in English letters, for example "mujhe ek darkhwast likhni hai". Chatbots usually understand this well, because a lot of Roman Urdu appears online.
3. Your voice. Many phones let you speak instead of typing. See Voice typing and voice assistants in Urdu.

Whichever way you type, tell the chatbot which script you want back. If you write in Roman Urdu and want Urdu script, say so. If you have a Roman Urdu message you want turned into Urdu script, try our prompt Convert Roman Urdu messages into Urdu script.

Ask for simple Urdu

Chatbots sometimes reply in very formal, heavy Urdu, full of difficult words. You can ask for something easier. Add a line like one of these to your question:

• "Reply in simple, everyday Urdu, as you would explain to a family member."
• "Use short sentences. Avoid difficult Persian and Arabic words."
• "Write in Urdu script. Keep common English words such as mobile, bank and form as they are."
• "Explain this as if I am reading it for the first time."

If the answer is still hard, reply "This is too difficult. Please make it simpler." You can ask as many times as you need.

Common mistakes AI makes in Urdu

• Word-for-word translation. The Urdu can sound like translated English, with odd word order or phrases nobody actually uses.
• Wrong gender or verb forms. A chatbot may mix up masculine and feminine forms or use the wrong verb ending.
• Made-up or wrong words. It may use a word that does not exist or a real word with the wrong meaning.
• Mixed scripts. Some words may appear in Roman letters, Hindi script or broken characters in the middle of Urdu text.
• Wrong names and places. Names of people, towns and offices can be misspelt or confused.
• Confident wrong facts. A chatbot can be wrong in Urdu just as in English. See hallucination.
• Weaker regional languages. AI is usually less reliable in Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, Saraiki and other regional languages than in Urdu.

How to check an Urdu answer

1. Read it aloud. If it does not sound like something a person would say, it may be wrong or unclear.
2. Ask the chatbot to explain a word you do not recognise. If the explanation does not make sense, do not rely on that word.
3. Ask the same question in English or Roman Urdu and compare the two answers. If they disagree, check with a reliable source.
4. Check names, numbers and dates yourself. Never copy them into an application or form without checking.
5. Ask someone you trust to read anything important before you send it, such as a letter to an office or a message to an employer.

When not to rely on AI Urdu

Do not rely on AI alone for anything legal, medical or official. An application, an affidavit, a court document or medicine instructions need a person who knows the subject and reads Urdu well. AI can help you understand a document, but a qualified person should check what you sign or submit.

Keep it private

The same privacy rules apply in every language. Do not type your CNIC number, bank details, passwords or other people's private information, whether in Urdu or English.

For translating longer documents, read How to translate documents and when not to trust the result.