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Kumail Nanjiani is out to teach Hollywood Urdu slang
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Kumail Nanjiani is out to teach Hollywood Urdu slang

His Spanish is a little rusty though
Images Staff
06 Jul, 2019

You know the rule. If you meet someone who speaks a different language, you teach them all the slang from your native tongue.

In an episode of 'Slang School' for Vanity Fair, Pakistani-American comedian Kumail Nanjiani really wowed us with his Urdu slang. He sat with co-star, Natalie Morales from their upcoming movie, Stuber and exchanged each other's cultural slang:

This one's a good one! Could've taken it up a notch and added 'Meray Aziz' at the end.

Don't we all love this one though
Don't we all love this one though

But hey, since when does 'chikna' mean attractive? We never thought of it as a compliment as such...

Kumail, whaaat?
Kumail, whaaat?

Natalie actually ended up explaining to him why 'dhakan' means what it does

Mind = blown!
Mind = blown!

Surprisingly, the Spanish actress was quite good at guessing what the words meant!

Haven't used this one in a while, thanks for bringing it back on our radars.
Haven't used this one in a while, thanks for bringing it back on our radars.

Looking at the dollar rate like...

Watch the full video here:

Comments

Urkiy ul Jamal Jul 06, 2019 01:26pm
Dhakan video but then I thought I should Chill Karo.
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Faisal Jul 06, 2019 04:25pm
Chikna means 'slippery' not sticky .
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HashBrown® Jul 06, 2019 05:04pm
Made me laugh. This is first time I've seen Kumail in conversation with someone, he's pretty funny!
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Ahmed Hashmi Jul 06, 2019 05:36pm
In the video... The first word... Chikna/chikni... Dorsnt mean sticky... It means oily or slippery...
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Bhaijan Jul 06, 2019 05:47pm
Learning street Urdu in a funny way. Once at a famous library I was surprised to hear a clean decent Urdu from an American guy. I inquire where he learn such a correct accent Delhi/Karachi Urdu, he said his friend helped him. Just hearing Spanish from a distance looks like hearing Urdu/Hindi. Learning any language fluently is an added advantage to enjoy a successful life. The most spoken languages in world are English, Urdu- Hindi,Spanish,Arabic, and German. Chose any one or more from these.
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Ehsan Jul 06, 2019 06:08pm
Really admire him for always trying to project Pakistan.
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Laila Jul 06, 2019 06:08pm
I love kumail. He is such a sweetheart and a great but very underestimated comedian. Funny guy.
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Zain Abidin Jul 06, 2019 07:43pm
Yeh Cheez.... Very nice cultural slangs.... This should be done more often to bring cultures and people together from around the world.
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truth Jul 06, 2019 08:30pm
Kumail neither take pride in identifying himself as Pakistani, nor actively dissipates a positive image of Pakistan. Why promote a guy who has nothing to do with Pakistan.
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Wajib-Ul-Cuddle Jul 06, 2019 09:08pm
So our burger class does not understand 'chikna'!
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Zak Jul 06, 2019 11:05pm
He is great. He is Pakistani bred.
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Imtiaz Ali Khan Jul 07, 2019 03:00am
I love Urdu language so sweet and also like Spanish! Both are sweet languages! Romantic languages are beautiful. Urdu is kept alive because of Pakistan.
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Laila Jul 07, 2019 03:00am
@truth What the hell dyi you mean? First of all he is a Pakistan and a professional comedian. He isn't responsible for identifying as a Pakistani or promote Pakistan according to you. Neither is he the tourism minister. Just leave our artists alone. He often mentions Pakistan and he is hilarious. Maybe not to you but you can't please everybody.
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Laila Jul 07, 2019 03:02am
@HashBrown® He is hilarious af. I found him on youttube by chance when looking for comedians. He is a gentleman, so calm and so well-behaved and just really what I associate with a Pakistani man. No temper. Not eve when he slays critics. I hope he continues to prosper.
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Laila Jul 07, 2019 03:42am
@Bhaijan Umm Spanish doesn't even remotely sound like Urdu. Also Arabic is far more used as it is becoming increasingly popular outside the middle east. Urdu and hindi are still confined to India and Pakistan and the disphora in the west. But Arabic is getting ahead both in terms of languages taught in European schools, their slang becoming commonly used by westerners and in business life its a proving an asset due to business in the Gulf. That's one reason I am learning Arabic. It'll help.
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moin Jul 07, 2019 05:07am
@Bhaijan , Chinese?
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moin Jul 07, 2019 05:08am
@Imtiaz Ali Khan , Urdu is alive and kicking in India also, despite all the negative perception
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Stop Jul 07, 2019 07:38am
But no region in Pakistan speaks Urdu. It is an import artificially planted into Pakistani soil, and forced upon Punjabi, Sindhi, Balochi and Pashto populations
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Ga Jul 07, 2019 08:21am
Doesnt deny his Pakistani roots. Him and Riz Ahmed. Bravo!
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Jimmy Jul 07, 2019 12:39pm
@Ehsan Erm actually no. Have you seen some of his movies. They in no way project Pakistan. And to use most of these words on an unsuspecting young lady is cringeworthy and downright disrespectful.
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Abdullah Jul 08, 2019 01:17pm
Good photos
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Faisal Jul 09, 2019 01:42am
@Jimmy you're right. The lady is a child, not a full grown adult woman, right? Stop 'othering' women.
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