This question is directed to overseas Pakistanis. What do you do if a random person comes over to you and starts talking to you in Urdu. Do you act like you don’t understand what they are saying? Or do you just politely answer their question and try to quickly move away from that spot? And if you do, why that is?
The “How do you view Sikh people” gave me idea for this thread. One time I was waiting at the bus stop and a Sikh girl came over and started talking to me in Urdu. She said she is new to Canada and whenever she tries to talk to desi people in Urdu they act like they don’t understand what she is saying or just try to avoid her.
If you know Urdu, you reply in Urdu.
If you don’t like talking to strangers, then you keep the conversation brief.
If you are the social kind, then you yuck it up with them.
Simple.
I respond in Urdu. If it’s turning into a lengthy conversation and we are in the midst of non Urdu speakers, I’d turn the conversation elsewhere Muzna said.
Ohh man! I always feel so glad whenever I find somebody comes up and speak in Urdu as it rarely happens to me because I mostly come across Punjabi speaking people specifically Sikhs and they always start speaking in Punjabi with anybody who’s brown so I just excuse because I don’t know Punjabi and ask them to speak in Hindi/Urdu.
So for example, ladies if it’s someone like TLK, you may not engage even if you are very social, versus if it is TS and then you want to chat.
I mean one is maila and the other is like a Bhai type you know.
what kind of mood you are in. Just because someone is chirpy and friendly and you are just not in the mood and want to be left alone, you are under no obligation to reciprocate in any language.
When someone speaks urdu..i speak in urdu with them. And English..then English definitely. And no i am not shy to speak my mother tongue and national language.
I try to communicate in the language the opposite party is more comfortable in because I am can communicate either way. So I let them choose. Many people don’t know English well enough and tend to just switch to Urdu as soon as they see a desi. Its second nature and innocent…sometimes even sweet.
I recall being on the train a couple of months ago and this really sweet girl just struck up a conversation with me…she was easier speaking Urdu so we chatted in Urdu the whole way home. We exchanged numbers and she is now a client as well. She was a complete and total stranger - had never seen her before that day.
You have to be a good judge of the situation and see where its going.
I reply in Urdu. Is main kya hai? It’s much worse if someone is trying to explain something in tooti-phooti English and you can’t understand. That’s more frustrating for both parties.
I am not going to pretend I dont know urdu when I do. I have ran into people who started speaking urdu and even if the person seems sketchy I just keep it short.
I would respond in a friendly manner in what ever language they are comfortable with. When I was learning Punjabi, I loved every opportunity to show off my Punjabi speaking skills, had a funny incident when a lady driving a car stopped next to me and asked me for directions, she asked me in punjabi and as I started responding she asked me if I knew urdu ? I said yes and she said aaph urdu mai bata dain
Broke my heart coz I thought I had gathered good enough Punjabi speaking skills :hinna:
If somebody starts talking to me in urdu/punjabi, I reply to them back in urdu (or punjabi). Don’t see the point of pretending not to know urdu/punjabi.
