Urdu translation services
اردوLEXIGO provides NAATI certified Urdu translation across Australia for Pakistani and Indian Urdu-speaking communities and the organisations serving them. We translate Urdu to English and English to Urdu in Nastaliq script with right-to-left typesetting handled in-house, and certify Pakistani nikah namas, CNIC cards, matric and degree certificates and police character certificates for Home Affairs, state road authorities and universities.
Urdu translation for individuals, business and government
Personal documents
NAATI certified Urdu translation of certificates, licences and transcripts.
From $69.90 + GST per document
Express within 48 business hours
Order online →Business and enterprise
Websites, marketing and transcreation in Urdu.
ISO 27001 certified, with an API
Request a quote →Government and health
Community review of Urdu materials before release.
NAATI Endorsed LSP950085, 50+ departments
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Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language and one of the two official languages of Pakistan (alongside English), spoken by approximately 230 million people worldwide as either a first or second language. It is also one of the 22 scheduled languages of India, with official status in several Indian states. Urdu serves as the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan, uniting speakers of diverse regional languages.
In Australia, Urdu speakers number 109,371 according to the 2021 Census, with the community growing through skilled migration and family reunion from Pakistan. Urdu-speaking Australians are concentrated in Sydney and Melbourne, with growing communities in Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. The community includes both Pakistani Urdu speakers and Indian Urdu speakers (primarily from Uttar Pradesh, Hyderabad, and other northern Indian states).
Urdu is written in the Nastaliq variant of the Perso-Arabic script, reading right-to-left. The script is calligraphically rich and considered one of the most beautiful writing systems in the world. Nastaliq's flowing, diagonal baseline distinguishes it from the more horizontal Naskh style used for Arabic, and proper rendering requires specialised fonts and typesetting systems that support its distinctive calligraphic requirements.
At the colloquial level, Urdu and Hindi are largely mutually intelligible — they share grammatical structure and core vocabulary from the common Hindustani base. However, the languages diverge in script (Nastaliq for Urdu, Devanagari for Hindi) and prestige vocabulary (Urdu draws from Persian and Arabic, Hindi from Sanskrit). This relationship means that spoken communication can often bridge both communities, while written communication requires distinct translation for each.
The Urdu-speaking Australian community is predominantly Muslim, though Urdu speakers also include Christians, Hindus, and people of various other backgrounds. The community maintains cultural institutions, Urdu-language media, and active literary and cultural organisations. Urdu poetry and literary traditions hold particular prestige, and the language's aesthetic qualities are a source of community pride.
For organisations, Urdu represents a growing language community in Australia with specific communication needs. Healthcare, settlement services, government communications, and community engagement programs benefit from Urdu-language provision. The language's relationship with Hindi creates opportunities for strategic planning across both communities, while recognising their distinct identities and preferences.
What makes Urdu translation different?
Nastaliq Script
Urdu uses the Nastaliq variant of the Perso-Arabic script, written right-to-left. Nastaliq has a distinctive diagonal calligraphic style that is visually different from the Naskh style used in Arabic. Proper Nastaliq rendering requires specialised fonts. Many Arabic fonts do not support Nastaliq correctly, producing Naskh-style output that, while readable, is aesthetically inappropriate and signals carelessness to Urdu readers.
Urdu vs Hindi
Spoken Urdu and Hindi are largely mutually intelligible at the colloquial level, but they use different scripts (Nastaliq for Urdu, Devanagari for Hindi) and draw on different prestige vocabularies (Persian and Arabic for Urdu, Sanskrit for Hindi). For written communications, separate translations are required. Understanding the overlap helps organisations plan efficiently, but content must be script-appropriate for the target audience.
RTL Layout
Urdu's right-to-left script requires complete layout mirroring for documents and digital content. Bidirectional text handling is essential when Urdu and English appear together. Numbers read left-to-right within the RTL text flow. All layout elements (navigation, images, tables) need mirroring consideration.
Formal Register
Urdu has a highly developed formal register with elaborate honorifics and respectful forms of address. Government and professional communications should use formal register (آپ/aap) consistently. Urdu formality conventions carry significant cultural weight, and errors in register selection are immediately noticeable.
Text Expansion
Urdu text in Nastaliq typically runs 15-25% longer than equivalent English content. The flowing, diagonal nature of Nastaliq script also requires more vertical space than Naskh Arabic. Layout designs should accommodate both horizontal expansion and increased vertical requirements.
NAATI Certification
NAATI certified Urdu translators are available in Australia, with a strong pool reflecting the community's established presence. Medical, legal, and community translation specialisations are well-established in major cities.
Frequently asked questions about Urdu translation
Is a NAATI certified Urdu translation accepted by Home Affairs?
Yes. Home Affairs, state road authorities, universities and AHPRA accept NAATI certified translations of Urdu documents. Nikah namas, CNIC identity cards, matriculation and intermediate certificates, degrees, driver licences and police character certificates from Pakistan are the most common, and many carry a mix of Urdu and English entries.
Why does Urdu need special typesetting?
Urdu is normally set in Nastaliq, a calligraphic style that most standard fonts don't support properly, so text set in a generic Arabic font looks wrong to Urdu readers. Translated Urdu is typeset in proper Nastaliq fonts with right-to-left layout so numbers, dates and English terms sit correctly.
Where are Australia's Urdu-speaking communities?
The 2021 Census recorded 109,371 Urdu speakers at home. Sydney's community is centred on Auburn, Lakemba and Blacktown. Melbourne's is concentrated in Truganina, Dandenong and Broadmeadows, with growing communities in Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
How much does Urdu translation cost?
NAATI certified translation of personal documents starts from $69.90 + GST per document. Campaigns, websites and longer documents are quoted on word count, subject matter and turnaround. Upload your file for a free quote.
Are Urdu and Hindi the same for translation?
Spoken, they're close enough that speakers understand each other. Written, they're different languages: Urdu uses Nastaliq script running right to left and Hindi uses Devanagari running left to right, with different formal vocabulary. A campaign for Pakistani Australians needs Urdu, not a Hindi version in a different font.