Urdu is spoken by over 230 million people around the world, primarily in Pakistan and India. Urdu is a national language of Pakistan and one of the 22 official languages of India.
Hindi, on the other hand, is spoken by over 691 million people worldwide making it the fourth most spoken language of the world after Mandarin Chinese, Spanish and English. It is primarily spoken in India and as a secondary language in the Indian subcontinent.
Both Urdu and Hindi share many similarities with both languages sharing a significant amount of vocabulary and grammar. They share over 70 - 80 % of their vocabulary. In fact, the two languages are often considered to be two dialects of the same language. For example, “How are you?” are pronounced “Aap Kaise Hain?” in both Urdu and Hindi languages. However, it is written as “آپ کیسے ہیں؟” in Urdu, and “आप कैसे हैं?” in Hindi.
Like Hindi, Urdu uses honorifics to show respect when addressing elders or people in positions of authority. The honorific suffix "-ji" (جی) is commonly used in Urdu, similar to the Hindi honorific "ji" (जी). For example, instead of calling someone "Ali," you might use "Ali-ji" in Urdu to show respect.
A significant difference between Urdu and Hindi is their writing systems and scripts. Hindi uses the Devanagari script, which is developed from Sanskrit and is written from left-to-right. In contrast, Urdu uses Nastalique script, which is derived from Persian and Arabic and is written from right-to-left.
In addition to their linguistic similarities, Urdu and Hindi cultures share many common values, such as a strong emphasis on family and hospitality. Both cultures also celebrate similar festivals and occasions, such as Eid, Diwali, and Holi. Traditional clothing, such as the shalwar kameez in Urdu-speaking regions and the saree in Hindi-speaking regions, are also a significant aspect of both cultures.