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Hindi phrasebook Voyage Tips and guide

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    Hindi (हिन्दी) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in India, Nepal, and throughout the Indian diaspora in Fiji, Singapore, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Trinidad, Suriname, Guyana, South Africa, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mauritius and other countries. Where there are 22 official languages and over 1,000 dialects of India, Hindi and English take precedence in government affairs. It is a link-language for over half of India's population. It is also one of the 3 official languages of Fiji.

    Hindi is descended from Sanskrit, sometimes called "the mother of all languages," or "Latin of the East." Standard Hindi is based on the खड़ी बोली Khaṛī Bolī dialect (lit. "Pure language"). A mixture of Hindi and Urdu, called Hindustani (though this name is also applied to the Caribbean dialect of Hindi), is the form heard in most Bollywood films, trying to appeal to the widest audience possible. Hindustani is different than what is taught at the literary level and what is used by news programs and the government in India.

    As per the 2011 census, Hindi is the fastest growing language in India, followed by Kashmiri, Meitei (Manipuri), Gujarati, and Bengali.

    A striking fact is that, depending on the source, Hindi is listed anywhere from the 2nd to 5th most widely spoken language in the world. In contrast to languages such as Mandarin or Spanish, there has not been much promotion of learning Hindi as a second language outside of India and some neigbouring South Asian countries such as Bhutan.

    Writing

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    Hindi is written in the Devanāgarī (देवनागरी) script, like Nepali, Marathi and a number of other Indian languages. Learning Devanagari is not quite as difficult as you might think at first glance, but mastering it takes a while and is beyond the scope of most travellers. See Learning Devanagari for a primer.

    The World Hindi Secretariat Headquarters in Mauritius.

    Pronunciation

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    Most English speakers find Hindi pronunciation rather challenging, as there are 11 separate vowels and 35 separate consonants, employing a large number of distinctions not found in English. Don't let this intimidate you: Many speakers do not speak standard Hindi in practice but rather in regional accents which don't use as many consonants and/or vowels.

    Vowels

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    The key distinction is the difference between short and long vowels. In this phrasebook, long vowels are noted with a digraph (two letters), whereas short vowels are listed as one letter.

    Devanagari Pseudo-phoneticisation Equivalent/Comments
    uh as in about
    ah as in father
    ih as in sit
    ee as in elite
    u as in put
    oo as in moon
    rih as in trip or Scottish heard (this form is rarely used in Hindi)
    eh long e. It is not a diphthong; the tone does not fall.
    ay as in fair, sometimes a longer ए, in Eastern dialects as in bright
    oh not a diphthong; tone does not fall.
    aw as in caught, in Eastern dialects as in town
    o as in not

    Consonants

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    Hindi consonants have many qualities not familiar to native English speakers including aspiration and retroflex consonants.

    Aspiration means "with a puff of air", and is the difference between the sound of the letter "k" in English kin (aspirated) and skip (unaspirated). In this phrasebook, aspirated sounds are spelled with an h (so English "kin" would be khin) and unaspirated sounds without it (so "skip" is still skip). Hindi aspiration is quite forceful and it's OK to emphasize the puff.

    Hindi retroflex consonants, on the other hand, are not really found in English. They should be pronounced with the tongue tip curled back. Practice with a native speaker, or just pronounce as usual — you'll usually still get the message across.

    Devanagari Pseudo-phoneticisation Equivalent/Comments
    k (beginning of syllable)
    ck (end of syllable)
    as in skip.
    kh as in sinkhole.
    g as in go.
    gh as in doghouse.
    ng as in sing. Used only in Sanskrit loanwords, does not occur independently.
    ch as in church.
    chh as in pinchhit.
    j as in jump.
    jh as in dodge her.
    ny as in canyon. Used only in Sanskrit loan words, does not occur independently.
    tt as in tick. Retroflex, but still a "hard" t sound similar to English.
    tth as in lighthouse. Retroflex
    dd as in doom. Retroflex
    ddh as in mudhut. Retroflex
    nn retroflex n. Used only in Sanskrit loanwords.
    t does not exist in English. more dental t, with a bit of a th sound. Softer than an English t.
    th aspirated version of the previous letter, not as in thanks or the.
    d dental d.
    dh aspirated version of the above.
    n dental n.
    p as in spin.
    ph as in u'ph'ill.
    b as in be.
    bh as in abhor.
    m as in mere.
    y as in yet.
    r as in Spanish pero, a tongue trip. Don't roll as in Spanish rr, German or Scottish English.
    l as in lean.
    v/w as in Spanish vaca, between English v and w, but without the lip rounding of an English w. (IPA: ʋ).
    sh as in shoot.
    ssh almost indistinguishable retroflex of the above. Used only in Sanskrit loanwords.
    s (beginning of syllable)
    ss (end of syllable)
    as in see.
    h as in him.

    Nuqta

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    Besides vowel diacritics, Hindi also has a special diacritic for consonants, called nuqta (नुक़्ता nooq-tah). It is used to alter the pronunciation of consonants to render loanwords.

    क़ q
    like skip but further back in the throat (IPA: q)
    ख़ kh
    like Chanukkah or Scottish loch (IPA: x)
    ग़ gh
    like Dutch geen  (IPA: ɣ)
    ज़ z
    like zoo (IPA: z)
    झ़ zh
    like measure (IPA: ʒ)
    फ़ f
    like fin (IPA: f)

    Stress

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    For emphasising words don't stress them by voice (which would be regarded as a sign of aggressiveness) but add a to after them.

    yuhh kyah hay? ("what's this?") → yuhh toh kyah hay? - ("what is this?")

    Voice should always be very low and with few changes in pitch, loudness and stress, so please: relax!.

    One of the only stresses found in Hindi is the last long syllable prior to the last syllable (e.g. in "dhuh-nyuh-vahd" stress "dhuh"). But it is a mild stress which occurs naturally, so don't force it. Don't even think about it!

    शुभकामनाएँ! (shoobh-kahm-nah-ẽh!) — Good luck

    Grammar

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    Pronouns Singular Plural
    1st Person मैं (mayn) (I) हम (huhm) (We)
    2nd Person (intimate) तू (tōo) (You) -
    2nd Person (familiar) तुम (toom) (You) तुम (toom) (You)
    2nd Person (honorary) आप (aap) (You) आप (aap) (You)
    3rd Person Proximal (familiar) यह (yuhh) (This/He/She/It) ये (yeh) (These/He/She/It)
    3rd Person Proximal (honorary) ये (yeh) (He/She) ये (yeh) (He/She)
    3rd Person Distal (familiar) वह (vuhh) (That/He/She/It) वे (veh) (Those/He/She/It)
    3rd Person Distal (honorary) वो (voh) (That/He/She/It) वो (voh) (They/These)

    Gender & The 2nd Person Pronoun: Certain words have different endings depending on your gender. If you are a man, say these with an -आ suffix, and if you're a woman, -ई. However; when addressing the person respectively with ahp (आप), the masculine ending takes the plural form. This is not all that different from the behavior of other Indo-European languages, c.f. German Sie, which like ahp is also both the respectful 2nd person pronoun and plural form of address. The other two forms are the familiar toom (तुम) and intimate tōo (तू). These change the forms of certain words. Toom is for friends and peers, tōo for small children (within the family); between 'significant others' in private; traditionally to lower castes; in the past, slaves; and, paradoxically, when supplicating to the gods/God (c.f. Greek mythology). As a general rule, stick with ahp, until you become more familiar with the language and culture. Forget about tōo altogether, at the best using it would be a faux pas and at the worst, very offensive. For those reasons as well as practical ones, this section will only use the ahp form.

    Grammatical Gender: Like many major European languages, but not English, Hindi nouns have a grammatical gender assigned to them. There are two genders in Hindi, masculine and feminine, and even inanimate objects have a gender.

    Hindi Phrases

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    Distribution of L1 speakers of the Hindi family of languages (as defined by the Government of India; includes Rajasthani, Western Pahari, Eastern Hindi, among others) in India.
      0%
      100%

    Cultural notes

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    Greetings: There are no time elemental greetings in conversational Hindi such as good morning, good afternoon, etc. And each religion has its own greetings. It is considered very gracious to address a person by their respective greetings, but not necessary.

    Namaste (नमस्ते nuh-muhss-teh) is the most ubiquitous greeting. Though of Hindu origin it is now mostly secular. You say namaste with your hands folded and by bowing slightly – but don't go overboard Japanese style! Namaste literally means "I bow to you." The original religious significance was of bowing to the soul (aht-mah) within another. It is custom to touch the feet of someone older than you when saying namaste. Namaskār (नमस्कार nuh-muhss-kahr) has the same meaning, but is used less often in Hindi, though it is common in other Indian languages such as Gujarati and Bengali. Namaskār is thought of as more formal, and as such is used more often when addressing a group or a person of importance. The Sikhs also fold their hands and bow, but have their own greetings. Sat śrī akāl (सत श्री अकाल suht shree uh-kahl) is the most common, which comes from the Punjabi ਸਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ meaning "God alone is Truth." Though Sikh people are mostly found in the Punjab region of India, Punjabi greetings are used by Sikhs all over the world. After meeting someone for the first time आपसे मिलकर बहुत खुशी हुई (ahp-seh mil-kuhr buh-hoot khoo-shee hoo-ee) may be said, meaning "I'm very happy to meet you."

    Civilities: In Western cultures, saying phrases like please, thank you, you're welcome, excuse me, sorry, etc. are so ingrained into the people from a young age that they say them without a second thought. Not so for Indians. Saying such phrases in an inappropriate circumstance might even embarrass the person, or cheapen the gravity of the phrase itself. These phrases are only said in a sincere sense. For example, don't say धन्यवाद (dhuh-nyuh-vahd, thank you) after a clerk hands you your grocery bag, but when someone goes out of their way to do something nice for you. Sometimes, English words themselves are used; due to the British colonial influence, especially in urban areas and among the upper class. In this case, use them as you would in English.

    When someone is in your way, instead of saying excuse me, or zara suniye, just let out an aspirated ts sound with your tongue behind your teeth to attract their attention. This might seem rude, but is no more rude than children saying "pssst" to get a friend's attention during class! In conclusion, though Hindi has corresponding words to ours, this does not mean that the context in which they are used also correspond likewise. Don't let all of this lead you to believe Indians are cold though – nothing could be further from the truth! These sentiments are merely communicated through body language rather than verbally. To show your thanks, a simple smile will do the trick. Other common gestures include the famous "head bobble"; and a hand gesture made by swiftly swinging the wrist so your palm is facing the sky and your forefingers slightly elongated. Before travelling to India, rent some Bollywood films so that if a spontaneous Bhangra breaks out in the streets, you'll be ready to join in! All kidding aside, they can demonstrate body language and customs far better than any book is able to, all while acclimatizing you to the language as well.

    Prefixes & Suffixes: When you answer with the words "yes" and "no", the word (जी jee) may be added afterwards to give it a more polite tone. Sometimes, speakers will simply reply with , as an affirmation of something someone says. is added to a person's name as a sign of respect. For example; in India, Mahatma Gandhi is often referred to as Gandhiji (गांधीजी).

    Another suffix which is indispensable is -wallah (-वाला -vah-lah). Many books devote whole chapters to -wallah. With nouns, it gives the meaning "the one or thing that does" and with verbs, it indicates something is about to happen. Examples:

    • noun – shop (दुकान doo-kahn) + (-वाला wah-lah) = shopkeeper (दुकानवाला doo-kahn-wah-lah)
    • verb – to come (आना ah-nah) + (-वाला wah-lah) = (the) ... is coming (... आनेवाला है ... ah-neh-wah-lah hay)

    English loanwords: The British Empire's influence spread into the language itself, and this continues today with American culture being exported throughout the world. So, an English word or phrase may almost always be inserted into any Hindi sentence. You will often hear Indians, whom while talking in Hindi, pepper their sentences with English words. Sometimes, they'll even alternate sentences, going from Hindi to English, and back to Hindi! The local urbanites call it Hinglish, a mixture of the two languages. English loanwords are particularly used for modern inventions/technologies, so words like TV, computer and microwave are the same as in English apart from the slight change of accent. However; this is mostly in the cities, and learning some Hindi will have been all the more rewarding when in rural or non-tourist areas, as well as allowing you to communicate with a wider variety of people in the cities.

    Basics

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    Common signs


    OPEN
    CLOSED
    ENTRANCE
    EXIT
    PUSH
    PULL
    TOILET
    MEN
    WOMEN
    FORBIDDEN
    मना है (muh-nuh hay)
    Accha! OK? TK!

    One of the most useful words to know is accha (अच्छा uhch-chha). It is both an adjective and interjection. Its meanings include (but are not limited to!): good, excellent, healthy, well, OK, really?, awesome!, hmm..., a-ha!, etc.! If you learn no other word, remember this one.

    Another common all-purpose word is ṭhīk hai (ठीक है ttheeck hay), pronounced and occasionally even spelled out as "TK". It is used in the same manner, meaning: OK/all right, yes/understood (affirmation), right/correct, etc. Sometimes shortened to just ṭhīk.

    English Hindi Pseudo-phoneticisation
    Hello (when answering the phone) हेलो heh-loh
    Hello नमस्ते nuh-muhss-teh
    Hello/Goodbye नमस्कार nuh-muhss-kahr
    Hello/Goodbye (Hindu, respectful) प्रणाम pruh-nnahm
    Hello/Goodbye (Hindu, colloquial) राम राम rahm rahm
    Hello/Goodbye (Sikh) सत श्री अकाल suht shree uh-kahl
    Hello/Goodbye (Sikh, formal) वाहिगुरू जी का खाल्स vah-hih-goo-rōo jee kah khalss
    Hello/Goodbye (Sikh, reply) वाहिगुरू जी की फ़तह vah-hih-goo-rōo jee kee fuh-tuh
    See you later फिर मिलेंगे phir mih-lehng-geh
    How are you? आप कैसे/कैसी हैं? ahp kay-seh/kay-see hayn? (masc./fem.)
    How are you? आप ख़ैरियत से हैँ? ahp khay-rih-yuht seh hayn?
    I am fine मैं ठीक हूँ mayn ttheeck hōon
    OK/fine (colloq.) ठीक है ttheeck hay
    Fine, and you? (more formal reply) ठीक, आप सुनाइये ttheeck, ahp soo-naih-yeh
    What is your name? आपका नाम क्या है? ahp-kah nahm kyah hay?
    My name is ___ . मेरा नाम ___ है। meh-rah nahm ___ hay.
    Nice to meet you (formal). आपसे मिलकर बहुत ख़ूशी हुई। ahp-seh mihl-kuhr buh-hoot khōo-shee hoo-ee
    Nice to meet you too (reply). मुझे भी moo-jheh bhee
    Yes हाँ hahn
    No/not नहीं nuh-hihn
    Do you speak English? आपको अंग्रेज़ी आती है? ahp-koh uhng-greh-zih ah-tee hay?
    Is there someone here who speaks English? क्या किसी को अंग्रेज़ी आती है? kyah kih-see koh uhng-greh-zih ah-tee hay?
    I don't speak Hindi. मुझे हिन्दी नहीं आती है। moo-jheh hihn-dee nuh-heen ah-tee hay.
    I can't speak Hindi मैं हिन्दी नहीं बोल सकता हूँ। maihn hihn-dee nuh-heen bohl suhck-tah hōon.
    I speak some Hindi. मुझे कुछ हिन्दी आती है। moo-jheh koochh hihn-dee ah-tee hay.
    I don't understand. मैं समझा/समझी नहीं। maihn suhm-jhah/suhm-jhee nuh-heen (masc./fem.)
    Speak more slowly धीरे धीरे बोलिये dhee-reh dhee-reh boh-lih-yeh
    Come again? फिरसे? phihr-seh?
    What does "..." mean? "..." का मतलब कया है? "..." kah muht-luhb kyuh hay?
    How do you say "..."? "..." कैसे कहते हैं? "..." kay-seh kuh-huh-teh hayn?
    Where are you from? आप कहाँ से हैं? ahp kuh-hahn seh hayn?
    I'm from ... मैं ... से हूँ mayn ... seh hōon
    Please कृपया krihp-yah
    Thank you धन्यवाद / शुक्रिया / थैंक्यू dhuhn-yuh-vahd/shoock-rih-yah / thayng-kyōo
    Thank you very much बहुत बहुत शुक्रिया,... buh-hoot buh-hoot thayng-kyōo,...
    You're welcome आपका स्वागत है ahp-kah swah-guht hay
    You're welcome (lit. don't mention it) कोई बात नहीं koh-ee baht nuh-heen
    Excuse me (getting someone's attention) सुनिये soo-nih-yeh
    Pardon me क्षमा कीजिये (k)sshuh-mah kee-jih-yeh
    Pardon me/I'm sorry माफ़ कीजिये mahf kee-jih-yeh
    Where is the toilet? टॉयलेट / शौचालय कहाँ है? ttoy-lehtt / shaw-chah-lay kuh-hahn hay?
    Good!, really?, nice, etc. अच्छा uhch-chhah
    Just one minute एक मिनट ehk mih-nuhtt
    What time is it? कितने बजे हैं? kiht-neh buh-jeh hayn?
    A sign saying Thank You in Hindi.

    Forms of Address

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    English Hindi Transliteration
    Mr. मिस्टर / श्री mihss-ttuhr / shree
    Mrs. मिसेज़ / श्रीमती mih-sehz / shree-muh-tee
    Mr. (Sikh: ਸਰਦਾਰ) सरदार suhr-dahr
    Mrs. (Sikh: ਸਰਦਾਰਨੀ) सरदारनी suhr-dahr-nee
    Sir महोदय muh-hoh-day
    Dr. डॉक्टर ddock-ttuhr

    Interrogatives

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    English Hindi Transliteration
    how/of what kind? कैसा? kaisa
    how much/many? कितना/कितने? kitna/kitne
    what? क्या? kyā?
    when? कब? kab?
    where? कहाँ? kahān?
    who? कौन? kaun?
    which? कौनसा? kaunsa?
    why? क्यों? kyon?

    Numbers

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    The numerals used to write in decimal are called Indo-Arabic numerals. Developed in India, they were borrowed by the Arabs, and gradually spread to Europe. The similarities are hard to miss. Here are their respective numerals.

    Indo-Arabic Devanagari
    0
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9




    Hindi numbers ending in 9 are named as "un" (-1) plus the next multiple of ten. Instead of naming powers of a thousand, Hindi has unique names for a thousand, a hundred thousand, ten million etc.

    Numeral Hindi Transliteration Numeral Hindi Transliteration Numeral Hindi Transliteration Numeral Hindi Transliteration
    0 शून्य shUnya, bi.ndi 25 पच्चीस paccīs 50 पचास pacās 75 पचहत्तर pachattar
    1 एक ek 26 छब्बीस chabbīs 51 इक्यावन ikyāvan 76 छिहत्तर chihattar
    2 दो do 27 सत्ताईस satāīs 52 बावन bāvan 77 सतहत्तर sathattar
    3 तीन tīn 28 अट्ठाईस aṭṭhāīs 53 तिरपन tirpan 78 अठहत्तर aṭhhattar
    4 चार chār 29 उनतीस untīs 54 चौवन cauvan 79 उन्यासी unyāsī
    5 पांच pānc 30 तीस tīs 55 पचपन pacpan 80 अस्सी assī
    6 छह, छै, छः cheh, chai, cheḥ 31 इकत्तीस ikttīs 56 छप्पन chappan 81 इक्यासी ikyāsī
    7 सात sāt 32 बत्तीस battīs 57 सत्तावन sattāvan 82 बयासी bayāsī
    8 आठ āṭh 33 तैंतीस taintīs 58 अट्ठावन aṭṭhāvan 83 तिरासी tirāsī
    9 नौ nau 34 चौंतीस cauntīs 59 उनसठ unsaṭh 84 चौरासी caurāsī
    10 दस das 35 पैंतीस paintīs 60 साठ sāṭh 85 पचासी pacāsī
    11 ग्यारह gyāreh 36 छत्तीस chattīs 61 इकसठ iksaṭh 86 छियासी chiyāsī
    12 बारह bareh 37 सैंतीस saintīs 62 बासठ bāsaṭh 87 सात्तासी sattāsī
    13 तेरह tereh 38 अड़तीस aṛtīs 63 तिरसठ tirsaṭh 88 अट्ठासी aṭṭhāsī
    14 चौदह caudeh 39 उनतालीस untālīs 64 चौंसठ cainsaṭh 89 नवासी navāsī
    15 पंद्रह pandreh 40 चालीस cālīs 65 पैंसठ painsaṭh 90 नब्बे nabbe
    16 सोलह soleh 41 इकतालीस iktālīs 66 छियासठ chiyāsaṭh 91 इक्यानवे ikyānave
    17 सत्रह satreh 42 बयालीस bayālīs 67 सरसठ sarsaṭh 92 बानावे bānave
    18 अठारह aṭhāreh 43 तैंतालीस taintālīs 68 अड़सठ aṛsaṭh 93 तिरानवे tirānave
    19 उन्नीस unnīs 44 चवालीस cavālīs 69 उनत्तहर unhattar 94 चौरानवे caurānave
    20 बीस bīs 45 पैंतालीस paintālīs 70 सत्तर sattar 95 पचानवे pacānave
    21 इक्कीस ikkīs 46 छियालीस chiyālīs 71 इकहत्तर ikhattar 96 छियानवे chiyānave
    22 बाईस bāīs 47 सैंतालीस saintālīs 72 बहत्तर behattar 97 सत्तानवे sattānave
    23 तेईस teīs 48 अड़तालीस aṛtālīs 73 तिहत्तर tihattar 98 अट्ठानवे aṭṭhānave
    24 चौबीस caubīs 49 उनचास uncās 74 च्हत्तर cauhattar 99 निन्यानवे ninyānave


    Numeral Hindi Transliteration
    100 सौ sau
    200 दो सौ do sau
    300 तीन सौ tīn sau
    1000 हज़ार hazār
    2000 दो हज़ार do hazār
    3000 तीन हज़ार tīn hazār
    1,00,000 लाख lākh
    1,00,00,000 करोड़ karoṛ
    1,00,00,00,000 अरब arab
    1,00,00,00,00,000 ? kharab
    number _____ (train, bus, etc.) नबंर _____ ट्रेन, बस, ... nambar _____ ṭren, bas, ...
    1 half आधा ādhā
    less कम/थोड़ा kam/thoṛa
    more अधिक/ज्यादा adhik/jyāda

    Time

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    English Hindi Transliteration
    now अब, अभी ab, abhī
    later बाद में, फिर bād men, phir
    before पहले pehle
    morning सुबह, सवेरा subeh, savera(early morn.)
    afternoon दोपहर dopehar
    evening शाम shām
    night रात rāt


    Clock time

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    English Hindi Transliteration
    one o'clock AM रात में एक बजे rāt men ek baje
    two o'clock AM रात में दो बजे rāt men do baje
    noon दोपहर dopehar
    one o'clock PM दोपहर एक बजे dopehar ek baje
    two o'clock PM दोपहर दो बजे dopehar do baje
    midnight आधी रात ādhī rāt

    Duration

    [edit]
    English Hindi Transliteration
    minute मिनट minaṭ
    hour घंटा ghanṭa
    day दिन din
    week हफ़्ता hafta
    month महीना mahīna
    year साल sāl

    Days

    [edit]
    English Hindi Transliteration
    Today आज āj
    Yesterday/Tomorrow (depends on context/tense) कल ... kal
    Day after tomorrow/day before yesterday परसों parson
    Week हफ़्ता hafta
    This week इस हफ़्ते is hafte
    Last week पिछले हफ़्ते pichle hafte
    Next week अगले हफ़्ते agle hafte
    Two weeks दो हफ़्ते do hafte
    Month महीना mahīna


    The Hindi days of the week are each named after a planet and correspond to the Western days of the week, i.e. Sunday = Ravivār ( the Sun's day [lit. time or period]). Thursday (Thor's day) = Guruvār (Jupiter's day), Saturday/Saturn's day = Śani's (Saturn's day), etc. The ending "-वार" (-vār), meaning day, time, or period is often dropped colloquially.

    Day Hindi Transliteration
    Sunday इतवार/रवि‍वार itvār, ravivār (Sun)
    Monday सोमवार somvār (Moon)
    Tuesday मंगलवार mangalvār (Mars)
    Wednesday बुधवार budhvār (Mercury)
    Thursday गुरुवार/बृहस्पतिवार guruvār/brihaspativār (Jupiter)
    Friday शुक्रवार śukravār (Venus)
    Saturday शनि‍वार śanivār (Saturn)

    Months

    [edit]

    India has two main calendars in use, though other groups like the Parsis have their own calendar as well. The Western (Gregorian) calendar is used for day to day and business affairs, and the Hindu calendar is used by religious communities.

    Gregorian Calendar
    [edit]
    Name Hindi Transliteration
    January जनवरी janvarī
    February फ़रवरी farvarī
    March मार्च mārc
    April अप्रैल aprail
    May मई maī
    June जून jūn
    July जुलाई julāī
    August अगस्त agast
    September सितम्बर sitambar
    October अक्तूबर aktūbar
    November नवम्बर navambar
    December दिसम्बर disambar
    Hindu Calendar
    [edit]

    The Hindu Calendar (विक्रम संवत् Vikram saṃvat) is named after a legendary king of Ujjain, who is supposed to have founded the Vikramditya (विक्रमादित्य) era c. 56 BCE. The year 57 BCE was the first year of this (संवत् saṃvat) era. Thus, to calculate the current date of the Hindu calendar, add 57 years. Today, the Hindu Calendar is used mainly for religious purposes and calculating festivals. Because it is based on the lunar month, every 30 months an "impure" intercalary leap month is added, during which no ceremonies are performed. The Hindi names are variations of the original Sanskrit ones.

    Name Hindi № of Days Gregorian Equivalent
    Chaitra चैत्र/चैत 30 (March - April)
    Baisākh बैसाख 31 (April - May)
    Jaisṭha जेठ 31 (May - June)
    Ashāṛ असाढ़ ? (June-July)
    Srāvan सावन 31 (July-August)
    Bhādron भादों 31 (August-September)
    क्वार 30 (September-October)
    Kārttik कातिक 30 (October-November)
    Aghran अगहन 30 (November-December)
    Poūs पूस 30 (December-January)
    Māgh माघ 30 (January-February)
    Phalgun फागुन 30 (February-March)
    Molmās मलमास ? ?

    Writing the time and date

    [edit]

    The time is written exactly as in English, that is hours followed by minutes. 12:45am will thus be दोपहर के 12 बजकर पैंतालीस मिनट (dopehar ke 12 bajkar paintālīs minaṭ), note that बजकर (bajkar) would indicate something like "o'clock" in English . मिनट (minaṭ) is a direct translation of the English word "minute/s."

    Colours

    [edit]
    Colour Hindi Transliteration
    colour रंग rang
    colourful रंगबिरंगी rangbirangī
    colourless बेरंग berang
    black काला kālā
    white सफ़ेद safed/shwet
    red लाल lāl
    pink, rosy गुलाबी gulābī
    orange नारंगी nārangī
    saffron केसिरया kesirayā
    yellow पीला pīla
    green हरा harā
    blue नीला nīlā
    turquoise फ़िरोज़ी firozī
    purple बैंगनी, जाम्नी bainganī, jāmnī
    brown भूरा bhūrā
    grey स्लेटी sleṭī
    golden सुनहरा suneharā
    silver चांदी chāndī (also the metal)
    shiny चमकीला chamkīlā
    deep, dark गहरा geharā
    pale, light हल्का halkā

    Transportation

    [edit]

    Travel Vocabulary

    [edit]
    English Hindi Transliteration
    Train ट्रेन, रेलगाड़ी ṭren, relgāṛī
    Train Station स्टेशन sṭeśan
    Bus बस bas; baṛī
    Bus Station बस का अड्डा bas ka aḍḍa
    Bus Stop बस स्टाप bas sṭāp
    Bicycle साइकिल sāikil
    Rickshaw रिक्शा rickśa
    Auto Rickshaw आटो āṭo
    Taxi टैक्सी ṭaiksī
    Car गाड़ी, कार gāṛī, kār
    Airplane हवाई जहाज़ havāī jahāz
    Airport हवाई अड्डा havāī adda

    Bus and Train

    [edit]
    How much is a ticket to _____ ?
    _____ जाने की टिकट कितने की है? _____ jaane ki ticket kitne ki hai?
    One ticket to _____
    एक _____ की टिकट दीजिये. Ek _____ ki ticket dijiye.
    Where does this train go?
    ये ट्रेन किधर जाती है? Yeh train kidhar jaati hai?
    Does this train/bus stop in _____?
    क्या ये ट्रेन/बस _____ पर रुकती है? Kya yeh train/bus _____ par rukti hai?
    When does the train/bus for _____ leave?
    _____ की ट्रेन/बस कब निकलेगी? _____ ki train/bus kab niklegi?
    When will this train/bus arrive in _____?
    ये ट्रेन/बस _____ कब पहुँचेगी? Yeh train/bus _____ kab pahuchegi?

    Directions

    [edit]
    How do I get to _____ ?
    ____ tak kaise jaoON?
    ____the train station?
    रेलवे स्टेशन_____? — railway station
    ____the bus station?
    बस अड्डे____? — bas aḍḍa...?
    ____the airport?
    हवाई अड्डे____? — havaai aḍḍa...?
    ____Town square?
    चौक____? — chowk
    ____Hotel?
    _____ होटल...? — hotel
    Where can I find (some)____
    (कुछ) ____ कहाँ मिलेंगे? — (kuch) ... kidharai? (?)
    ____hotels?
    होटलें____ — hotelEIN
    ____restaurants?
    रेस्ट्राँ____? — restRON
    ____bars?
    शराब ख़ाने...? — sharaab khaNE
    ____sites to see?
    ...dekhne layek jaghain*? (...)
    Can you show me on the map?
    मुझे नक़्शे में दिखा दीजिये — mujhe nakSHE mEIN dikhaa deejiYE
    Can you tell me the way to _____?
    मुझे _____ का रास्ता बताइए? — — muJHE _____ kaa rasta bataIYE
    street
    सड़क — saDak
    path
    रास्ता — raastaa
    Turn left.
    बायीं तरफ़ मुड़िये — bāyīn muDiye
    Turn right.
    दाहिनी तरफ़ मुड़िये — dāhinī muDiye
    right
    दाहिना — dāhina
    left
    बायाँ — bāyā
    straight ahead
    सीधे — sīdhe
    towards the _____
    _____ की ओर — _____ kee OR
    past the _____
    _____ के अगले — _____ ke agle
    before the _____
    _____ के पिछले — _____ ke piCHHle
    Watch for the _____.
    _____ देखो — _____ dekho
    intersection
    चौराहा — chOWraahaa
    north
    उत्तर — uttar
    south
    दक्षिण — dakshin
    east
    पूर्व — pūrv
    west
    पश्चिम — paścim
    uphill
    चढ़ाई — chaDHai

    Taxi

    [edit]
    Taxi!
    टैकसी — taiksi
    Take me to _____, please
    _____ जाना है — ____jaanaa hAI
    How much does it cost to get to _____?
    ____ जाने को कितना लगता है? — ____ jaane ko kitnaa lagtaa hAI

    Lodging

    [edit]
    Do you have any rooms available?
    Kamra Kirayi pe milega? (...)
    How much is a room for one person/two people?
    Ek/Do admi ka kitna lagega? (...)
    Does the room come with...
    Room mein ---- hain kya? (...)
    ...bedsheets?
    ...bedsheets? (chaddar hai?)
    ...a bathroom?
    ...ek bathroom? (snaanaghara)
    ...a telephone?
    ...ek telephone? (teliphone)
    ...a TV?
    ...a TV? (teevee)
    May I see the room first?
    May I see the room first? (pehle, kamra dekh lun? )
    Do you have anything quieter?
    Do you have anything quieter? (apkai pas aur chupchap/shA.nta/sthira he?)
    ...bigger?
    ...bigger? (Aur Barrha)
    ...cleaner?
    ...cleaner? (Aur Saaf)
    ...cheaper?
    ...cheaper? (Aur Susta)
    OK, I'll take it.
    OK, I'll take it. (Theek hai, laileinge)
    I will stay for _____ night(s).
    I will stay for _____ night(s). (____raath rahengei)
    Can you suggest another hotel?
    Can you suggest another hotel? (Aur koi hotel batadijeeai)
    Do you have a safe?
    Do you have a safe? (surakShita sthAna hoga?)
    ...lockers?
    ...lockers? (sharAna sthAna)
    Is breakfast/supper included?
    Is breakfast/supper included? (jalapAna/raathka bhojana-byAlu dhArana he?)
    What time is breakfast/supper?
    What time is breakfast/supper? (kaleva/byAlu kis samaya he?)
    Please clean my room.
    Please clean my room. (kamra saaf kurlo.)
    Can you wake me at _____? | Can you wake me at _____? (____time pe jugana)
    I want to check out.
    I want to check out. (mainai nikalna he)

    Money

    [edit]
    Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars?
    Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? (American/australian/canadian doelur mAnthai/svIkara karthai he?)
    Do you accept British pounds?
    Do you accept British pounds? (British pound svIkara karthaihe?)
    Do you accept credit cards?
    Do you accept credit cards? (CreditKaard svIkara karthaihe?)
    Can you change money for me?
    Can you change money for me? (rupaya parivartna karthaihe?)
    Where can I get money changed?
    Where can I get money changed? (paisa parivartna kidhar karloo?)
    Can you change a traveler's check for me?
    Can you change a traveler's check for me? (traveler check parivartna kurlaiga?)
    Where can I get a traveler's check changed?
    Where can I get a traveler's check changed? (traveler check kiddhar parivartna karoo)
    What is the exchange rate?
    What is the exchange rate? (parivartna ka bHaoon kitnae?)
    Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?
    Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? (AeTeeEmm kiddhare?)

    Eating

    [edit]
    A table for one person/two people, (please).
    एक/दो लोग/-ओं के लिये जगह चाहिये — ek/do log/-on ke liye jagah cāhiye
    Can I look at the menu, please?
    मेणयू कर्ड दीजिये — menyoo kard diijiyeh
    Can I look in the kitchen?
    Can I look in the kitchen? (kya mai kitchen ke andar dekh sakta hoon)
    Is there a house specialty?
    Is there a house specialty? (iis hotel ka special kya hai)
    Is there a local specialty?
    Is there a local specialty? (iis jaga ka special kya hai)
    I'm a vegetarian.
    मैं शाकाहारी हूँ — main śākāhārī
    I don't eat pork.
    मैं सुअर का मांस नहीं खाता/-ती — main suar ka māns nahīn khāta/-ī
    I don't eat beef.
    मैं गाय का मांस नहीं खाता/-ती — main gāy (gā‘ī) māns nahīn khāta
    I only eat kosher/halal food.
    मैं सिर्फ़ कोशर/हलाल खाना खाता — main sirf kośar/halāl khāna khāta (?)
    Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard)
    Can you make it "lite", please? (kum tail mey mil sakta hai)
    fixed-price meal
    एक दाम का खाना — ek dām ka khāna (?)
    à la carte
    आ-ला कार्ट — ā-lā kārṭ
    breakfast
    नाश्ता — jalapAna
    lunch
    दोपहर का खाना — dopehar ka khāna; sa-pehar ka khāna
    tea (meal)
    शाम का खाना — sa.ndhya ka khāna
    dinner
    रात का खाना — rāt ka khāna
    I want _____.
    मैं _____ चाहिये — mujhe _____ cāhiye
    I want a dish containing _____.
    मैं _____ का खाना चाहिये — — mujhe _____ ka khāna cāhiye (?)
    meat
    मांस — māns
    chicken
    मुर्ग़ — chi.nganA, murgi
    beef
    गाय का मांस — gāy ka māns
    fish
    मछली — machlī
    lamb
    भेड़ का मांस — bheṛ ka māns/mutton
    cheese
    पनीर — panīr, chIja
    eggs
    अंडा — anḍa
    lentils
    दाल — dāl
    (fresh) vegetables
    (ताज़ा) सब्ज़ी — tarakAri, bhAji
    (fresh) fruits
    (ताज़ा) फल — pHal
    bread
    रोटी, नान, पराँठा... — roṭī, parānṭha...
    rice
    चावल — cāval
    sweetmeats
    लड्डू — laḍḍū
    samosa : समोसा — samosa
    spice(s)
    मसाला — mirchi
    chutney
    चटनी — caṭnī
    curry
    सालन, कढ़ी — sālan, kaṛhī (< Tamil கறி)
    ghee (clarified butter)
    घी — ghī
    May I have a glass/cup/bottle of _____?
    मेरे लिये एक ग्लास/प्याला/बोतल _____ लाना — ميرے ﻟﺌﮯ mere liye ek glās/pyāla/boṭal _____ lāna
    coffee
    काफ़ी — kāfī
    tea
    चाय — cāy (i.e. chai)
    juice
    रस — ras
    water
    पानी, जल — pānī, jal
    carbonated water
    सोडा — soḍa
    milk
    दूध — dūdh
    lassi (yoghurt drink)
    लस्सी — lassī
    sweet, salty, mango (lassi)
    मीठा, नमकी, आम — mīṭha, namakī, ām
    cool drink (Indian Eng. 'soda, cola, etc.')
    ठंडी/सौफ़्ट ड्रिंक — ţhanḍī/saufṭ ḍrink
    soft drink (attn- in S. Asia this means a sherbet drink, not cola!)
    शरबत — śarbat
    alcohol
    शराब — sharāb
    beer
    बियर — biyar
    red/white wine
    (लाल/साफ़ेद) मिदरा, वाइन — — madira, vāin
    Whisky
    ह्विस्की, स्काच — hviskī/wiskī, skāc
    May I have some _____?
    May I have some _____? (muje kuch _____ milega)
    salt
    नमक — namak
    black pepper
    काली मिर्च — kālī mirc
    chile
    मिर्च — mirc
    butter
    मक्खन — makkhan
    Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)
    बैरा!, वेटर! — baira!, veṭar!
    I'm finished.
    मैं ख़तम है — main khatam hai (?)
    It was delicious.
    बढ़िया — بڑهيا — baṛhiya
    Please clear the plates.
    प्लेटें लीजिये — pleten lījiye
    The check, please.
    बिल/चेक लाइये — bil/cek lāiye

    Bars

    [edit]
    Do you serve alcohol?
    Do you serve alcohol? Recommended: Can I get alcohol? (Sharab milega)
    Is there table service?
    Is there table service? (kya table service mil sakti hai)
    A beer/two beers, please.
    A beer/two beers, please. (kripaya ek beer/do beer de)
    A glass of red/white wine, please. एक गिलास लाल/सफेद वाइन (ek glass lal/safed wine)
    A bottle, please.
    A bottle, please. (ek bottle dena)
    _____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please.
    _____ and _____, please. (...)
    whiskey
    whiskey (whiskey/daru)
    vodka
    vodka (...)
    rum
    rum (...)
    water
    पानी (paani)
    club soda
    club soda (soda)
    tonic water
    tonic water (...)
    orange juice
    orange juice (...)
    Coke (soda)
    कोक (kok)
    Do you have any bar snacks?
    Do you have any bar snacks? (kuch khane ke liye hai)
    One more, please.
    One more, please. (ek aur)
    Another round, please.
    Another round, please. (ek aur round milega)
    When is closing time?
    When is closing time? (kab tak khula hai(what time is bar open till)/ bar band kab hota haiWhen does the bar close?)

    Shopping

    [edit]
    Do you have this in my size?
    Do you have this in my size? (...) mere saiz ka milegaa?
    How much is this?
    How much is this? (...) iska kitna hoga?
    That's too expensive.
    That's too expensive. (...) bahut mehnga hai
    Would you take _____?
    Would you take _____? (...) kya aap _____ lena chahege?
    expensive
    महंगा mehnga
    cheap
    सस्ता sastā
    I can't afford it.
    I can't afford it. (...) main nahi le sakta
    I don't want it.
    I don't want it. (...) mujhe nahi chahiye
    You're cheating me.
    You're cheating me. (...) tu mujhe fassa rahe hoo
    I'm not interested.
    I'm not interested. (..) mujhe shauk nahi hai
    OK, I'll take it.
    OK, I'll take it. (...) theek hai, main le letā hoon
    Can I have a bag?
    Can I have a bag? (...) kyā āp mujhe thaili dege
    Do you ship (overseas)?
    Do you ship (overseas)? (...) parcel kar sakthe hoo
    I need...
    मुझे ...चाहिये — mujhe ... cāhiye
    ...toothpaste.
    (दँत) मंजन... — (dant) manjan
    ...a toothbrush.
    टूथ ब्रश... — tūth braś
    ...tampons.
    टैम्पोन... — ṭaimpon
    ...soap.
    साबुन... — sābun
    ...shampoo.
    शैंपू... — śaimpū
    ...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen)
    दर्द की दवा/"ऐस्प्रिन"... — dard kī dawā
    ...cold medicine.
    खाँसी की दवा... — khānsī kī dawā
    ...stomach medicine.
    दस्तावर... — pet ki dawa / dastāvar
    ...a razor.
    रेज़र/उस्तरा... — rezar, ustara
    ...an umbrella.
    छाता... — chātā
    ...sunblock lotion.
    ...sunblock lotion. (...)
    ...a postcard.
    पोस्ट कार्ड... — posṭ kārḍ
    ...postage stamp.
    डाक शुल्क/महसूल... — ḍāk tikat/sṭaimp
    ...batteries.
    बैट्री... — baiṭrī
    ...writing paper.
    काग़ज़... — kāgaz
    ...a pen.
    क़लम... — kalam
    ...a pencil
    पेन्सिल... — pensil
    ...an English-language book.
    अंग्रेज़ी की किताब... — angrezī kī kitāb/pothI
    ... an English-language magazine.
    अंग्रेज़ी की पत्रिका... — angrezī ka/kī patrika/risālah/maigazīn
    ...an English-language newspaper.
    अंगरेज़ी का अख़बार... — angrezī kā akhbār; ...an English-Hindi dictionary. : अंग्रेज़ी-हिन्दी कोश... — angrezī-hindī koś

    Driving

    [edit]
    I want to rent a car.
    मुझे कार किराया चाहिये — mujhe kār kirāya par cāhiye
    Can I get insurance?
    मुझे बीमा का कार सकता है? — mera insurance ho sakta (-ī) hai? (?)
    petrol shed
    पेट्रोल पंप — peṭrol pamp
    petrol
    पेट्रोल — peṭrol
    diesel
    डीज़ल — ḍīzal

    Note: Indian Traffic Signs are much like those in Europe. Words are written in English and sometimes the regional language.

    Problems

    [edit]
    Leave me alone.
    (mujhe akela chhod do)
    Don't touch me!
    मुझे मत छूओ । (mujhe chunā mat / mujhe mat chuo)
    I'll call the police.
    I'll call the police. पोलीस को बुलाता हूं । (main police ko bulaaoonga)
    Police!
    पोलीस ! पोलीस ! (police ! police !)
    Stop! Thief!
    रुको ! चोर ! (rukho! chor!)
    I need your help.
    मुझे अपकी सहायता चाहिये । (mujhe āpki sahayta/madad chahie)
    It's an emergency.
    यह एक मुसिबत है । (yeh ek musibat hai)
    I'm lost.
    मैं रास्ता भूल गया । (main rasta bhul gaya)
    I lost my bag.
    मेरा बैग गुम हो गया । (mera bag alage ho gaya)
    I lost my wallet.
    मेरा पर्स गुम हो गया । (mera purse ghoom ho gaya)
    I'm sick.
    मेरी तबियत ठीक नहीं है । (meri tabhiyet tikh nai hei)
    I've been injured.
    मुझे चोट लगी है । (mujhe chot lagi hai)
    I need a doctor.
    मुझे डॉक्टर चाहिये । (mujhe doctor chahie)
    Can I use your phone?
    क्या मै फ़ोन कर सकता हूं ? (kya main phone kar sakta hoon ?)

    Authority

    [edit]
    I haven't done anything wrong.
    I haven't done anything wrong. (.maine kuch galat nahi kiya..)
    It was a misunderstanding.
    It was a misunderstanding. (.Woh ek bhool thi..)
    Where are you taking me?
    Where are you taking me? (.Aap mujhe kahan le ja rahe hain?..)
    Am I under arrest?
    Am I under arrest? (.Kya mein giraftaar ho raha hoon?..)
    I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.
    I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. (.Mein America/Australia/Britain/Canada ka nagrik hoon..)
    I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate.
    I need to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. (.Mujhe America/ Australia/Britain/Canada ke rajdoot se sampark karna hai..)
    I want to talk to a lawyer.
    I want to talk to a lawyer. (.Mujhe apne vakil se baat karni hai..)
    Can I just pay a fine now?
    Can I just pay a fine now? (.Kya mein jurmaana abhi de sakta hoon?..)

    Learning more

    [edit]
    This Hindi phrasebook is a usable article. It explains pronunciation and the bare essentials of travel communication. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.


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