EarthDiverse > LANGUAGE COURSES > Urdu courses
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URDU (اُردُو) LANGUAGE COURSES:

Study Urdu with EarthDiverse!

Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language spoken widely across South Asia. It is also the national language of Pakistan. Urdu is spoken by approximately 66 million South Asians who speak it as their mother tongue. It is the 11th most widely spoken language in the world with an estimated 170 million speakers worldwide, including those who speak it as a second language. The ghazals of Urdu poetry are often considered amongst the world’s highest linguistic achievements.

OUR TERM 1 URDU COURSES BEGIN THE WEEK OF MONDAY 27 JANUARY 2025. Register now!

NOTE: As our Hindi and Urdu instructor is on leave for much of Term, all 2025 Term 1 Urdu courses will be for 4 sessions only (at half price) and will begin the week of 27 January 2025.  

Remember: It’s never too late to register for an EarthDiverse course. You can always catch up by watching the live recorded videos!

SPECIAL OFFER: If you’re keen to begin your Urdu studies during Term 2 and Term 4 (when we don’t usually offer an Urdu 101 course), we offer a bundle which includes both Urdu 101 and Urdu 102: pay for the live Urdu 102 sessions and receive the Urdu 101 video recordings from the previous Term at 50% off! Email us for a 50% coupon code on the Urdu 101 video recordings. Please use the Contact link in the Menu Bar above and let us know what language courses you’d like to register for.

Deputy High Commissioner endorses EarthDiverse’s Urdu programme (March 2022)

YouTube: Karl Rock & Manisha endorse EarthDiverse!

KARL ROCK: “How I Learned Urdu” (July 2021)

Our Introductory Urdu language classes begin with a focus on learning the Nastaʿlīq (نستعلیق) script and basic conversation and vocabulary. Subsequent Terms reinforce both reading and writing, and focus on grammar, conversation and vocabulary.

Our Urdu courses are for those wishing to study the Urdu language, spoken across Pakistan and India, and in the South Asian diaspora. Our Urdu 101 course is also specially designed to teach the Urdu script, and is perfect for Urdu speakers who never learned to read and write, and for native Hindi speakers who may also wish to learn how to read and write in Urdu’s Nastaʿlīq (نستعلیق) script, e.g. Urdu for Hindi Speakers.

EarthDiverse currently offers the following Urdu language classes on a rotating and evolving basis, with new intakes of students in Urdu 101 beginning twice a year, in Term 1 (February) and again in Term 3 (July-August). 101 & 103 courses are offered in Terms 1 & 3 each year, and 102 & 104 courses are offered in Terms 2 & 4 each year. If you have some elementary understanding, you may consider starting in a 102 or 103 course as well. When completing one 8-week course, each cohort can begin advancing to the next course in the series.

PRIVATE LESSONS: EarthDiverse also offers private one-on-one Urdu Language instruction (for learners at any level) at the rate of $65/hour. If interested, please contact us using the Contact Form available here.

EarthDiverse offers the following Urdu language courses on a rotating basis. Currently offered courses this Term appear in bolded blue text:

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    LOCATION: EarthDiverse Centre, 401 Anglesea Street, Hamilton Central, Hamilton, on-line via Zoom, or through video recordings of our live-streamed sessions posted 1-2 days after each class.

    DISTANCE-LEARNING OPTIONS: Our Urdu courses offer distance learning options for those unable to attend classes in-person. Live-streamed classes are available via free Zoom software, or those unable to attend the date and time of the actual class sessions can watch the live-recorded video sessions on their computers, laptops, tablets or mobile devices and study at their own pace. These recorded sessions will be available soon after each class finishes so that you may watch the recorded video via any web-browser at your leisure. Your instructor will provide details on how to access your classes before your course begins.

    COST PER PERSON PER TERM (8 classes):

    • Waged: NZ$225 per person per term (includes GST + online registration fee)
    • Unwaged (unemployed, students, seniors): NZ$200 (includes GST + online registration fee)

     

    PRIVATE LESSONS:

    • EarthDiverse also offers private one-on-one Urdu Language instruction (for learners at any level) at the rate of $65 per each 1.5 hour private lesson. If interested, please contact us using the Contact Form available here. Once you have organised your day and time with your instructor you can finalise your registration and pay for your course here.

URDU COURSES 2025 TERM 1 (Feb-Apr) ARE:

URDU COURSES 2025 TERM 2 (Apr-Jun) ARE:

  • Intermediate Urdu 204, Part 4 (Fridays, 4:15-5:45pm NZ time)
  • Intermediate Urdu 402, Part 2 (Fridays, 11:00am-12:30pm NZ time)
  • Advanced Urdu 502, Part 2 (Mondays, 8:00-9:30pm NZ time)
  • Urdu 1-on-1 Individual Tutorial Sessions (by prior arrangement)

FOR DETAILED INFORMATION ON EACH COURSE, AND THE TIME ZOME EQUIVALENTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES, PEASE CLICK ON THE APPROPRIATE TILE BELOW: