Whether planning a trip or preparing for an interview, learning Urdu online makes for a stress-free way to conversational fluency. That said, this article discusses the best online Urdu classes for 2022.
Urdu belongs to the Indo-European language family and is today one of the top 20 most-spoken languages globally. The language is the lingua franca of Pakistan and has a speaker base of about 100 million people in India.
One good thing about learning Urdu is that it helps you understand other languages, primarily in South Asia. The language is quite similar to India’s Hindi as they share almost the same phonology, grammar base, and in fact, origins. Other similar languages include Persian and Turkish. By implication, Urdu speakers can almost easily verbally interact with over 400 million humans within and outside the region.
Now, what are the best online Urdu courses? Keep reading to discover our top picks.
Benefits of Taking Online Urdu Courses
Time-saving: Perhaps the most critical advantage of taking online language-learning courses is that it helps save time. As opposed to going to a physical location every time, you can learn Urdu at your convenience without rushing. All you need to do is sign up on your chosen website, book classes according to your schedule, and you’re all set.
Budget-friendly: While prices differ by platform, learning Urdu online does not require a huge sum of money. In fact, several websites offer free courses and an expansive library of study materials. However, if you opt for one-on-one video interactive classes, you would need a laptop, strong internet access, a good webcam, etc. The fact that you can attain advanced knowledge through online learning makes it a cost-effective option.
Learn on the go: With online learning, location is no object; students can learn from anywhere and still enjoy that classroom ambiance. Regardless of where you are, what’s more important is getting a quiet space for yourself, as a quiet space makes for quality lessons.
Exhaustive library of courses and materials in one place: For whatever reason, you wish to study Urdu, there is a course that matches the description. Your current understanding of Urdu is not a problem as available classes cut across the beginners, intermediate and advanced levels.
Also, while some platforms are dedicated to studying one single language, others allow for several other languages. In other words, you can learn virtually any language and access a swath of learning resources.
12 Best Online Urdu Courses List
- Online Urdu – AmazingTalker
- Learn Urdu – italki
- Urdu Language Classes Online – Udemy
- Learn Urdu Online – Free Urdu Lessons – LingoHut
- Urdu – Zabaan School for Languages
- Learn Urdu online, Urdu language & alphabets – Aamozish
- Online Urdu tutors & teachers for private lessons – Preply
- Learn Urdu Online – Online Urdu Classes – Berlitz
- Urdu Lessons > Online Urdu Tutors > Native Teachers > Live Classes – Verbal Planet
- Learn Urdu Online in Just 10 Minutes a Day Mondly Blog
- UrduPod101 – innovativeLANGUAGE.com
- Learn Urdu – Pimsleur Urdu
Best Online Urdu Courses To Learn Urdu Language
1. AmazingTalker
Source: CKmates
Though established in 2016, AmazingTalker has taken the online language-learning marketplace by storm. In only five years, the company has grown into having over 7,500 brilliant tutors and 1,000,000 students globally. Additionally, there are currently over 100 languages available on the platform, besides Urdu. AmazingTalker utilizes one-on-one video interactive sessions to create and guarantee a personalized learning experience. Therefore, students tend to learn quicker.
Specialty: If you want flexibility coupled with immersive learning, we strongly recommend you sign up at AmazingTalker. First off, at AmazingTalker, students have access to over 3000 tutors and are free to choose any. Secondly, the scope of each class is custom-curated to meet the needs of each student and covers all the critical aspects of the language.
Courses available: Basic and Conversational Urdu. Other dedicated courses are Urdu for Children, Urdu for Beginners, and Urdu for Adults.
Price: Tutors decide their rates but generally fall between $10.99 and $24.99/50 minutes.
| What we enjoy | What we don’t enjoy |
| Access to native speakers | AmazingTalker minimally controls student-tutor dealings in terms of rates and teaching materials |
| Students and teachers determine their work hours | |
| Classes are tailored to suit students’ language goals |
2. italki
Source: Medium
In 2007, Kevin Chen and Yongyue Jiang established Italki as an online language-learning network. Over the years, however, the community has grown into a leading tech company cultivating language learning through innovative approaches. Italki boasts of more than 20,000 tutors in 150 languages. In fact, it supports a community of more than 5 million passionate language learners from diverse cultures. The company has its headquarters in Shanghai, China.
Specialty: Perhaps the most striking feature about Italki is its semblance of classroom education. Students enjoy one-on-one interaction with native speakers through Skype or its virtual classroom. In addition, Italki prides itself on its thriving online community of learners students can interact with speaking the new language. In any case, you get a chance to practice for free with Urdu enthusiasts while still having fun.
Other available Courses: Undisclosed
**Price: $**5 – $10/hour
| What we enjoy | What we don’t enjoy |
| Tutor rates are pretty inexpensive | Teachers draft the curriculum, and that raises the question of quality |
| Availability of smartphone apps for Android and iOS | |
| Students are in charge of their learning process |
3. Udemy
Credit: Udemy
At the instance of Oktay Cagla, Gagan Biyani, and Eren Bali, Udemy was established over a decade ago in 2010. Straightaway, the company’s mission is “to share knowledge with the world” while transforming online learning. With a catalog of over 196 thousand courses and 712 million course enrollments over the years, Udemy is no doubt one of the most popular learning sites today. At Udemy, there’s a course for virtually every possible human endeavor.
Specialty: Courses on Udemy are from real and independent teachers from across the globe. The classes feature pictorial representations and pre-recorded audio and video materials to aid learning. The Handwriting Course, for example, spreads across the Urdu alphabets, how to connect letters, pronunciations, and then writing. Therefore, if you are not big on one-on-one human interaction, you can opt for Udemy.
Courses available: Complete Urdu Handwriting, Urdu Grammar for Beginners, Urdu Speaking, Reading, Writing, and Grammar, and several others.
Price: Varies according to each course.
| What we enjoy | What we don’t enjoy |
| Widely and readily available | Too many similar courses |
| Courses are pretty affordable | |
| Availability of numerous courses |
4. LingoHut
Credit: LingoHut
Philipp and Kendal, founders of LingoHut, are not only passionate about teaching languages but also committed to making positive change. Hence, LingoHut is a not-for-profit and all-inclusive platform for language learners. The website provides unlimited access to learning resources and language tips in 50 languages.
Specialty: Slow and steady, they say, wins the race. This course follows a step-by-step structure which the creators call the “Drip-Feed” approach. Drip-feed allows students to study roughly five minutes per day, making it by far one of the most simple courses available. More specifically, students are just 125 classes away from conversational fluency. This lineup of 125 lessons is all-encompassing as it covers almost any aspect, including grocery shopping, plants, animals, job application/interviews, etc.
Other available Courses: Undisclosed
Price: Free
| What we enjoy | What we don’t enjoy |
| Lessons are free | Lack of video content |
| Lessons are broad but concise | |
| Quality audio materials |
5. Zabaan School for Languages
Credit: Zabaan
Started seven years ago in Delhi, India, by Ali Taqi and Sahil Girdhar, this company seeks to teach languages primarily. The school set out to provide students with a superior and in-depth understanding of languages rather than cramming common words and phrases. Drawing an inference from the term “Zabaan,” meaning “language” in Urdu and “tongue” in Hindi, it goes without saying. As it stands, the Zabaan School for Languages teaches eight languages: English, Hindi, Pashto, Persian, Punjab, Sanskrit, Tamil, and Urdu.
Specialty: The Urdu Language course at the Zabaan School for Languages is all-embracing as it covers all aspects of language learning. Students learn how to write, speak, and read following a series of classes via Google Hangouts or Skype.
Zabaan also allows students to choose between Group and Private Lessons, where the latter is more expensive than the former. Private classes are tailored to meet the individual needs of students or groups of students.
Courses available: None
Price: 1-hour private online classes cost $16.75 without a discount.
The Monthly/Yearly packages spanning 3 to 24 months, at 4.5 hours per week, cost between $827 and $5063 without discounts.
15 and 30 Hour Packages go for $238 and $450, respectively, without a discount.
| What we enjoy | What we don’t enjoy |
| What we don’t enjoy | More expensive compared to others |
| Multiple discounts |
6. Aamozish
Credit: Aamozish
For learners who are fascinated by the idea of learning Urdu through its literature, Aamozish is an instant appeal. With the works of over 2500 Urdu poets from the last three centuries, Aamozish is the largest website for Urdu literature. The website offers comprehensive courses for beginners and advanced learners alike. From graceful poetry to elegant classical texts, Aamozish creates an unparalleled Urdu learning experience. Urdu academics and poets designed Aamozish, the brainchild of the Rekhta Foundation.
Specialty: Students enjoy a vast library of Urdu literature and a vibrant online community of Urdu learners with whom to practice lessons. Also, the course comes with audio compositions. The website is pretty easy to navigate with equal ease on your mobile phone. One hour daily, for seven days, students will have completed the Rasm-ul-khat course. The Alfaaz, on the other hand, is a much more intensive course that borders on the contextual understanding of words through poetry.
Other available Courses: Rasm-ul-khat & Alfaaz.
Price: $9.99 and $25 for lifetime access to Alfaaz and Rasm-ul-khat classes, respectively.
| What we enjoy | What we don’t enjoy |
| What we don’t enjoy | No one-on-one interaction with a tutor |
| It has a sleek web interface that beginners can browse through easily | |
| It has a sleek web interface that beginners can browse through easily |
7. Preply
Credit: Preply
Preply started in 2012 with the sole vision to shape the future of effective learning. Thus it’s a language-learning platform that pairs students with native language speakers. The company is headquartered in the US, but also has offices in Ukraine and Spain. Preply boasts of over 140,000 certified tutors in 203 countries around the world. It also offers lessons in more than 100 subjects, including hobbies. Preply was founded by Ukrainian entrepreneurs Serge Lukianov, Kirill Bigai, Dmytro Voloshyn. It’s available on both IOS and Android devices.
Specialty: On Preply, you can browse through many Urdu tutors and choose whichever tutor meets your needs and schedule. In any case, you’re at liberty to choose your preferred tutor and learning hours. Course outlines are created by tutors to align with student goals; hence, they experience a more personalized and quality experience with teachers. If you’re unsatisfied with your trial class, Preply lets you select another tutor or get a full refund.
Other available Courses: Undisclosed
Price: Tutor rates vary by each tutor but generally cost between $7 and $12 per hour.
| What we enjoy | What we don’t enjoy |
| Live interaction with native speakers | Not best for on-the-go learning |
| Tutors and students determine meeting hours |
8. Berlitz
Source: G2
In 1878, Maxmillian Berlitz founded the first Berlitz language school in Rhodes Island. He had hired a French assistant who didn’t speak English to help his students learn French. The success of this approach saw the birth of “The Berlitz Method,” which advocates teaching in target languages. By 1914, there were over 200 Berlitz Schools worldwide. Today, Berlitz is a subsidiary of Berlitz Corporation, which focuses on language education and leadership training, with offices in over 70 countries. The company is based in Princeton, New Jersey.
Speciality: The course is intensive, structured, and tailored to different age groups. By implication, students at Berlitz tend to learn Urdu pretty fast. The course follows a pragmatic approach termed as the “immersion technique” guaranteeing fluency within the shortest period. Furthermore, students get to interact with native speakers through Newrow, one of the best video experience solution providers. 80% of the time throughout the course learners will learn by speaking the language.
Other available Courses: Undisclosed
Price: Unstated
| What we enjoy | What we don’t enjoy |
| One of the oldest language schools in America, with a wealth of experience | Tutors’ details are not available |
| Offers both private and group lessons | |
| Allows for a great deal of flexibility |
9. Verbal Planet
Source: Knoji
Verbal Planet is an e-learning portal that facilitates one-on-one language tutorials between learners and teachers using Skype. Its mission is to change the traditional technique of learning foreign languages online. Hence, to create an engaging learning experience, the company established a personalized approach through live conversation. It is a marketplace for students to find an ideal tutor for their language needs. The company was established in 2006, and its headquarters is in Cheshire, United Kingdom.
Specialty: You can sign up for a free trial Urdu lesson. Most tutors on Verbal Planet offer a free trial or discounted classes to discuss your goals and get a thorough assessment of your abilities. In addition, all Urdu classes are tailored to meet your goals; hence, you are free to reschedule if you deem fit.
Other available courses: Beginner’s, Intermediate and advanced courses
Price: Varies according to tutor, although class starts from $15 for 45 mins.
| What we enjoy | What we don’t enjoy |
| Easy-to-navigate website | Not ideal for individuals who move around a lot |
| Free and discounted trial classes to have a one-on-one with tutors before booking a session | |
| Free and discounted trial classes to have a one-on-one with tutors before booking a session |
10. Mondly Blog
Source: Business Wire
When, in 2014, brothers Alexandru Iliescu and Tudor Iliescu founded Mondly Blog, they had just one sole mission: to break the barriers between people and cultures around the world. Since then, Mondly has been pushing the frontiers of online language learning with cutting-edge technologies in over 40 languages, including Urdu. The learning platform has also earned international acclaim for its revolutionary approach to language learning. Offering lessons in augmented and virtual reality, Mondly became the second most downloaded language-learning app in 2021. The company is based in Brasov, Romania.
Specialty: The course comes in bite-sized lessons to get you from zero to beginner level in just 10 minutes a day. The Learn Urdu Online Course adopts a hands-on approach using speech recognition technologies to help you improve your pronunciation after a lesson. Much of the course content involves practical topics that set you up for real-world conversations.
Other available courses: Beginner, intermediate and advanced-level course
Price: A monthly subscription costs $9.99, while an annual subscription costs $47.99. Nevertheless, you can buy a lifetime subscription for $89.99 and access all the 41 languages Mondly offers.
| What we enjoy | What we enjoy |
| It is one of the only language-learning platform that focuses on Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality | Lessons are mainly limited to vocabulary and don’t provide much emphasis on grammar. |
| Lessons are mainly limited to vocabulary and don’t provide much emphasis on grammar. | |
| It caters to children too |
11. innovativeLANGUAGE.com
Source: Get Vector Logo
As the name suggests, innovativeLANGUAGE.com is a platform that seeks to build the most innovative approaches to online language learning. innovativeLANGUAGE.com stands tall as the “fastest, easiest, and most fun way” to learn a language. The platform makes this happen by creating downloadable softwares, mobile applications, etc. By 2010, the platform had delivered over 1,000,000 lessons worldwide. Over the next ten years, innovativeLANGUAGE.com had over 2,000,000,000 (two billion) lesson downloads.
Specialty: innovativeLANGUAGE.com offers users a free lifetime account upon signing up for any of the Pod101 series. Though free, UrduPod101 is helpful to all, regardless of proficiency levels. Users can access quality audio and video lessons, lesson notes, and many other learning resources to study on the go.
Courses available: 33 other Pod101 series of courses, including AfricaansPod101, ArabicPod101, ItalianPod101, JapanesePod101, etc.
Price: Free
Basic: $4
Premium: $10/month
Premium+: $23/month
| What we enjoy | What we don’t enjoy |
| Extensive library of free learning tools | Some users say the interface is difficult to navigate |
| Users get a free lifetime account | |
| Best for learning on the go |
12. Pimsleur Urdu
Source: All Language Resources
Pimsleur has been around for about 50 years following the efforts of Dr. Paul Pimsleur, who saw a need to create instructional materials for language learners. Needless to say, it is the company’s mission to make available practical courses to teach multiple languages. Pimsleur adopts a rather scientific approach which is called the Pimsleur Method. The method borders on recall, active participation, anticipation, context, core vocabulary, and organic learning to guarantee mastery of any language.
Specialty: Pimsleur Urdu Level 1 is structured so that students only need to study 30 minutes daily. We love that the course is ideally suited for on-the-go learning, as users can switch between modes and not miss out on anything. For example, users can activate the car or working mode feature while in transit or busy. In other words, students can learn seamlessly without being active.
Also, learners can access a free version of the course to get a sneak peek of what they would be buying.
Courses available: Only Pimsleur Urdu Level 1 is available.
Price: Buying the entire course (30 lessons) costs $119.95, while a pack of 5 lessons costs $21.95.
| What we enjoy | What we don’t enjoy |
| Students can access lessons even while offline | Students can access lessons even while offline |
| Recommended for highly mobile individuals |
Start your language learning journey today!
Learning online is a veritable means of attaining fluency in the Urdu language. We say this because it is convenient as you can learn from your home or while on the move. Also, you get to interact with native speakers of the language, which is a straightforward way to attain conversational fluency.
Now, you have our list of the best virtual Urdu classes; the ball is in your court – you decide. However, if you are still unsure where to begin, sign up at
