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Questions to ask your Nani and Dadi

Every question is here in Roman Urdu, Roman Hindi and English, spelled the way you'd type it in the family group. Ask in whichever one she tells stories in, and let her switch halfway. Asking Dadi? The questions work the same, with Dada in place of Nana.

Updated October 19, 2026

01

When she was little

Start here. Bachpan questions are the easiest, and they open everything else.

  1. UrduAap ka bachpan kahan guzra? Ghar kaisa tha?HindiAapka bachpan kahan beeta? Ghar kaisa tha?EnglishWhere did you grow up? What was your house like?
  2. Aap ki Ammi aisa kya pakati thin jo aaj tak yaad hai?Aapki Maa aisa kya banati thi jo aaj tak yaad hai?What did your mother cook that you still think about?
  3. Bachpan mein aap saheliyon ke saath kya khelti thin?Bachpan mein aap saheliyon ke saath kya khelti thi?What games did you play with your friends as a girl?
  4. Aap ko sab se zyada daant kis baat pe parti thi?Aapko sabse zyada daant kis baat pe padti thi?What did you get scolded for most?
  5. Bachpan mein aap kya banna chahti thin?Bachpan mein aap kya banna chahti thi?What did you want to be when you grew up?
  6. Bachpan mein aap ke ghar Eid kaise manate thay?Bachpan mein aapke ghar Diwali kaise manate the?What was Eid or Diwali like in your house when you were little?

02

When she was young

Ask her to sing. She'll say no, then she'll sing.

  1. UrduJab aap meri umar ki thin, to doston ke saath kya karti thin?HindiJab aap meri umar ki thi, toh doston ke saath kya karti thi?EnglishWhen you were my age, what did you and your friends do for fun?
  2. Kaun si film itni dafa dekhi ke dialogue yaad ho gaye?Kaunsi film itni baar dekhi ki dialogue yaad ho gaye?Which film did you watch so many times you knew the dialogues?
  3. Aap ka pasandeeda gaana kaun sa tha? Thora sa suna dein.Aapka favourite gaana kaunsa tha? Thoda sa suna dijiye.What was your favorite song? Sing me a little.
  4. Aap ka school kaisa tha? Sab se achi teacher kaun thin?Aapka school kaisa tha? Sabse achhi teacher kaun thi?What was your school like? Who was your favorite teacher?
  5. Aap ke Ammi Abbu aap ko kya nahi karne dete thay?Aapke maa-baap aapko kya nahi karne dete the?What did your parents never let you do?

03

Nana, and the wedding

Rishta stories get better every time. Ask anyway.

  1. UrduAap ka aur Nana Abbu ka rishta kaise hua?HindiAapka aur Nanaji ka rishta kaise hua?EnglishHow did your match with Nana come about?
  2. Pehli dafa unhein dekh kar aap ne kya socha?Pehli baar unhe dekh kar aapne kya socha?What did you think the first time you saw him?
  3. Aap ki mehndi aur shaadi ka din kaisa tha?Aapki mehendi aur shaadi ka din kaisa tha?What were your mehndi and your wedding day like?
  4. Sasural mein pehla din kaisa guzra?Sasural mein pehla din kaisa tha?What was your first day at your in-laws' like?
  5. Nana Abbu ki koi pyaari si baat batayein jo kisi ko nahi pata.Nanaji ki koi pyaari si baat bataiye jo kisi ko nahi pata.Tell me something sweet about Nana that nobody knows.

04

Making a home

She ran a house full of people. Ask how.

  1. UrduKya aap ko kabhi apna shehar chhor kar door jana para? Saath kya le kar gayin?HindiKya aapko kabhi apna shehar chhod kar door jaana pada? Saath mein kya le gayi thi?EnglishDid you ever move far from home? What did you take with you?
  2. Sab se mushkil saal kaun sa tha, aur us waqt himmat kahan se mili?Sabse mushkil saal kaunsa tha, aur us waqt himmat kahan se mili?What was the hardest year, and what kept you going?
  3. Itne logon ka ghar aap ne kaise sambhala?Itne logon ka ghar aapne kaise sambhala?How did you run a house with so many people in it?
  4. Aap ka aisa kaun sa hunar hai jis ki kisi ne daad nahi di?Aapka aisa kaunsa hunar hai jiski kisi ne taareef nahi ki?What are you good at that nobody ever praises you for?
  5. Zindagi mein aap ne sab se himmat wala kaam kya kiya?Zindagi mein aapne sabse himmat wala kaam kya kiya?What's the bravest thing you've ever done?

05

When Ammi was little

Asking Dadi? Ask about Abbu or Papa instead.

  1. UrduAmmi bachpan mein kaisi thin?HindiMummy bachpan mein kaisi thi?EnglishWhat was my mom like as a little girl?
  2. Ammi ki sab se bari shararat kya thi?Mummy ki sabse badi shaitani kya thi?What was the naughtiest thing my mom ever did?
  3. Bachon ko sulane ke liye aap kya gaati thin? Koi lori?Bachchon ko sulane ke liye aap kya gaati thi? Koi lori?What did you sing to get your babies to sleep?
  4. Aap ne bachon ke naam kaise rakhe?Aapne bachchon ke naam kaise rakhe?How did you choose your children's names?
  5. Aap ke ghar ka kaun sa usool aaj bhi hona chahiye?Aapke ghar ka kaunsa rule aaj bhi hona chahiye?Which rule from your house should we bring back?

06

Recipes, sayings and remedies

Have a pen ready. She won't give you exact amounts the first time.

  1. UrduMujhe aap se sab se pehle kaun si dish seekhni chahiye?HindiAapse sabse pehle kaunsi dish seekhun?EnglishWhich dish should I learn from you first?
  2. Aap ki daal ka raaz kya hai jo aap ne kabhi kisi ko nahi bataya?Aapki dal ka secret kya hai jo aapne kabhi kisi ko nahi bataya?What's the secret in your daal that you've never told anyone?
  3. Nazla zukaam ka aap ka gharelu nuskha kya hai?Sardi-zukaam ka aapka gharelu nuskha kya hai?What's your home remedy for a cold?
  4. Koi kahawat jo aap bachpan se sunti aayi hain?Koi muhavra jo aap bachpan se sunti aayi hain?What's a saying you've heard all your life?
  5. Mehmaan aate to aap hamesha kya banati thin?Mehmaan aate toh aap hamesha kya banati thi?What did you always make when guests came over?

07

Just for fun

Ask these with all the cousins in the room.

  1. UrduHum sab bachon mein se kaun bilkul aap jaisa hai? Kisi ko nahi batayenge.HindiHum sab bachchon mein se kaun bilkul aap jaisa hai? Kisi ko nahi batayenge.EnglishOf all us grandkids, who's most like you? We won't tell.
  2. Aap ne sab se bari shararat kya ki thi?Aapne sabse badi shaitani kya ki thi?What's the naughtiest thing you ever did?
  3. Aap ka pasandeeda hero kaun tha? Sach batayein.Aapka favourite hero kaun tha? Sach bataiye.Who was your favorite film hero? Be honest.
  4. Aaj kal ke bachon ki kaun si baat aap ko bilkul samajh nahi aati?Aajkal ke bachchon ki kaunsi baat aapko bilkul samajh nahi aati?What about kids these days do you just not get?
  5. Aap ke zamane ka kaun sa fashion wapas aana chahiye?Aapke zamaane ka kaunsa fashion wapas aana chahiye?Which fashion from your day should come back?

08

For her birthday

Good ones for when the cake comes out.

  1. UrduAaj kal aap ko sab se zyada khushi kis baat se milti hai?HindiAajkal aapko sabse zyada khushi kis baat se milti hai?EnglishWhat makes you happiest these days?
  2. Aisa kya hai jo aap abhi bhi karna chahti hain?Aisa kya hai jo aap ab bhi karna chahti hain?What do you still want to do?
  3. Aap ki kaun si baat sun kar hum sab hairaan ho jayenge?Aapki kaunsi baat sunkar hum sab hairaan ho jaayenge?What's something about you that would surprise us grandkids?
  4. Aaj aap mujhe ek naseehat karein, to woh kya hogi?Aaj aap mujhe ek salaah dein, toh woh kya hogi?If you gave me one piece of advice today, what would it be?

Then ask everyone else about her

Your Ammi, your khala or mausi, the cousins. Their answers are what a book for her is made of.

  • UrduNani hamesha kya kehti hain?HindiNani hamesha kya kehti hain?EnglishWhat's something Nani always says?
  • Nani ke saath ka koi qissa jo aaj bhi hansa deta hai?Nani ke saath ka koi kissa jo aaj bhi hansa deta hai?What's a time with her that still makes you laugh?
  • Aap ne Nani se kya seekha?Aapne Nani se kya seekha?What have you learned from her?

How to ask

  • Ask in her language, even if yours is rusty. Read the line off your phone. She'll fix your Urdu or Hindi, and that's a story too.

  • Let her mix. Urdu and English in one sentence is how half the family talks. Don't stop her to translate.

  • Chai first. Questions go better with a cup in her hands and the old album on the table.

  • Ask one, then wait. The story usually starts after the pause.

  • If she's far away, call. A video call works. Ask her first, then record on your side with your phone's voice memo app.

  • Ask about a day, not a decade. "Tell me about your first day in this house" gets more than "What was it like back then?"

Then make her a book

For her birthday, or for Eid or Diwali, the family answers a few questions about her out loud, from one link, with no app. Your khala in Lahore can talk in Urdu and your cousins in English. The book keeps everyone's words as they said them, with the English underneath, and you hear their voices. Your part takes about five minutes.

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Quick answers

What's the difference between Nani and Dadi?

Nani is your mother's mother and Dadi is your father's mother. Nana and Dada are the grandfathers. Every question here works for both grandmothers.

What should I ask my Nani about her life?

Ask about one day or one person: the house she grew up in, how her rishta with Nana happened, her first day at her in-laws'. Specific questions get stories. Start with her bachpan, which is the easiest to answer.

Can Nani add her voice to a book in Urdu or Hindi?

Yes. She taps one link, picks the language she'll speak and answers a few questions out loud, with no app and no account. Her words appear in Roman letters, the way families text, with the English underneath, and her voice plays on the page.

More questions to ask

When the day comes

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