Hindi phrasebook - Wikitravel

Hindi हिन्दी is an Indo-European language spoken in India, Bangladesh, 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, Germany, etc.). Of the 22 national languages and over 1,000 dialects of India, Hindi is promoted by the government and viewed by over half the population as a "link-language."

Hindi is descended from Sanskrit, sometimes called "the mother of all languages," or "Latin of the East." Hindi developed from the proto-Hindi खड़ी बोली Khaṛī Bolī (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, that try 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.

A striking fact is that, depending on the source, Hindi is listed anywhere from the 2nd-5th most widely spoken language in the world. In contrast to languages such as Mandarin or Spanish, there has not been much stress outside of India in promoting Hindi education. In 2006, however, President Bush brought education of India's languages, including Hindi, to the forefront in the United States through the National Security Language Initiative, thus highlighting the need for closer ties and understanding between the two countries.

 Writing

Hindi is written in the Devanāgarī (देवनागरी) script, shared with 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.

 Pronunciation

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: for most of its speakers, Hindi is not a mother tongue, and many native speakers are quite used to regional accents and mangling in various degrees.

 Vowels

The key distinction is the difference between short and long vowels. In this phrase book, long vowels are noted with a macron (ā), which short vowels are listed without one. You will often come across non-standard romanizations, noted in parentheses below when applicable.

Devanagari	Transliteration	Equivalent
अ	a	as in about
आ	ā	as in father
इ	i	as in sit
ई	ī (ee)	as in elite
उ	u	as in put
ऊ	ū (oo)	as in flute
ऋ	ṛ	as in Scottish heard, trip.
ए	e	long e. It is not a diphthong; the tone does not fall.
ऐ	ai	as in Mail, sometimes a longer ए. As in bright (IPA ıj).
ओ	o	not a diphthong; tone does not fall.
औ	au	as in town.

 Consonants

Many Hindi consonants come in three different forms: aspirated, unaspirated and retroflex.

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

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	Transliteration	Equivalent/Comments
क	k	as in skip.
ख	kh	as in sinkhole.
ग	g	as in go.
घ	gh	as in doghouse.
ङ	ṅ	as in sing. Used only in Sanskrit loan words, does not occur independently.
च	c	as in church.
छ	ch	as in pinchhit.
ज	j	as in jump.
झ	jh	as in dodge her.
ञ	ñ	as in canyon. Used only in Sanskrit loan words, does not occur independently.
ट	ṭ	as in tick. Retroflex, but still a "hard" t sound similar to English.
ठ	ṭ	as in lighthouse. Retroflex
ड	ḍ	as in doom. Retroflex
ढ	ḍ	as in mudhut. Retroflex
ण	ṇ	retroflex n. Used only in Sanskrit loan words.
त	t	does not exist in English. more dental t, with a bit of a th sound. Softer than an English t.
थ	th	aspirated version of the previous letter, not as in thanks or the.
द	d	dental d.
ध	dh	aspirated version of the above.
न	n	dental n.
प	p	as in spin.
फ	ph	as in u'ph'ill.
ब	b	as in be.
भ	bh	as in abhor.
म	m	as in mere.
य	y	as in yet.
र	r	as in Spanish pero, a tongue trip. Don't roll as in Spanish rr, German or Scottish English.
ल	l	as in lean.
व	v	as in Spanish vaca, between English v and w, but without the lip rounding of an English w. (IPA: ʋ).
श	ś	as in shoot.
ष	ṣ	almost indistinguishable retroflex of the above. slightly more aspirated. Used only in Sanskrit loan words.
स	s	as in see.
ह	h	as in him.

 Stress

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

yeh kyā hai? ("what's this?") → yeh to kyā hai? - ("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 "dhānyavād" stress "dhā"). But it is a mild stress which occurs naturally, so don't force it. Don't even think about it!

शुभकामनाएँ! / śubhkāmnāe! / Good luck

 Hindi Phrases

 Cultural Notes

Greetings: There are no time elemental greetings in 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 is the most ubiquitous greeting, and though of Hindu origin is now mostly secular. It is said with hands folded and a small gesture of bowing – but don't go overboard Japanese style! Namaste literally means "I bow to you." Namaste The original religious significance was of bowing to the soul (ātmā) within another. It is custom to touch the feet of someone older than you when saying Namaste. Namaskār 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 srī akāl is the most common, which comes from the Punjabi ਸਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ meaning "God alone is Truth." Though Sikhism is mostly centered in the Punjab region of India, Punjabi greetings are used by Sikhs all over the world, as Punjabi is the language of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh Scripture. After meeting someone for the first time āpse milkar bahut khuśī huī. may be said, meaning "after meeting you much happiness has happened (to me)."

Civilities: In Western cultures saying phrases like please, thank you, you're welcome, excuse me, sorry, etc. are so ingrained into us from a young age that we 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 (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. Just remember that like Germans, and the French, they sometimes have trouble with English th sounds and therefore pronounce th as थ. 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 infamous "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 travellling 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: With the words for "yes" and "no" jī (जी) may be added before to give it a more polite tone. Sometimes speakers will simply reply with jī, as an affirmation of something someone says. Jī is added to a person's name as a sign of respect. For example; in India Mahatma Gandhi is known simply as Gandhiji (गांधीजी). Another suffix which is indispensable is vāla (-वाला), often rendered in English as "-wallah". Many books devote whole chapters to vāla. 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 dukān) + vāla = shopkeeper (दुकानवाला dukānvāla)
• verb – to come (आना āna) + vāla = (the) ... is coming (... आनेवाला है ... ānevāla hay)

English Loan Words: 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! Upon meeting an Indian, many times you may not even get to practice your Hindi, because they want to practice their English on you! English loan words 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.

Gender & The 2nd Person Pronoun: Certain words have different endings depending on your gender. If you are a man say these with an -a suffix, and if you're a woman, -ī. However; when addressing the person respectively with āp (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 āp is also both the respectful 2nd person pronoun and plural form of address. The other two forms are the familiar tum (तुम) and intimate tū (तू). These change the forms of certain words. Tum is for friends and peers, tū 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 āp, until you become more familiar with the language and culture. Forget about tū 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 āp form.

 Basics

Accha! OK? TK! One of the most useful words to know is accha. 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, 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	Transliteration
Hello (used esp. when answering the phone)	हेलो	helo
Hello/Goodbye	नमस्ते	namaste
Hello/Goodbye	नमस्कार	namaskār
Hello/Goodbye (Hindu, respectful)	प्रणाम	praņām
Hello/Goodbye (Hindu, colloquial)	राम राम	rām rām
Hello/Goodbye (Sikh)	सत श्री अकाल	sat śrī akāl
Hello/Goodbye (Sikh, formal)	वाहिगुरू जी का खाल्स	vāhegurū jī ka khālsa
Hello/Goodbye (Sikh, reply)	वाहिगुरू जी की फ़तह	vāhegurū jī kī fateh
See you later	फिर मिलेंगे	phir milenge
How are you?	आप कैसे/कैसी हैं?	āp kaise/kaisī hai?
How are you?	आप ख़ैरियत से हैँ?	āp khairiyat se hai
I am fine	मैं ठीक हूँ	mai ṭhīk hū
OK/fine (colloq.)	ठीक है	ṭhīk hai
Fine, and you? (more formal reply)	ठीक, आप सुनाइये	ṭhīk, āp sunāiye
What is your name?	आपका नाम क्या है?؟	āpka nām kya hai?
My name is ___ .	मेरा नाम ___ है।	mera nām ___ hai.
Nice to meet you (formal).	आपसे मिलकर बहुत ख़ूशी हुई।	āpse milkar bahut khushi huī
Nice to meet you too (reply).	मुझे भी	mujhe bhī
Yes	हाँ	haa
No/not	नहीं	nahī
Do you speak English?	आपको अंग्रेज़ी आती है?	āpko angrezī ātī hai?
Is there someone here who speaks English?	क्या किसी को अंग्रेज़ी आती है?	kya kisī ko angrezī ātī hai?
I don't speak Hindi.	मुझे हिन्दी नहीं आती है।	mujhe hindī nahī ātī hai.
I can't speak Hindi	मैं हिन्दी नहीं बोल सकता हूँ।	mai hindī nahī bol sakta hū.
I speak some Hindi.	मुझे कुच हिन्दी आती है।	mujhe kuch hindī ātī hai
I don't understand.	मैं समझा/समझी नहीं।	mai samjha/samjhī nahī
Speak more slowly	धीरे धीरे बोलिये	dhīre dhīre boliye
Come again?	फिरसे?	phirse?
What does "..." mean?	"..." का मतलब कया है?	"..." ka artha/matlab kya hai?
How do you say "..."?	"..." कैसे कहते हैं?	"..." kaise kahate hai?
Where are you from?	आप कहाँ से हैं?	āp kaha se hai?
I'm from ...	मैं ... से हूँ	mai ... se hū
Please	कृपया	kṛp-ya
Thank you	धन्यवाद / शुक्रिया	dhanyavād/shukriya (Hindustani/Urdu)
Thank you	थैंक्यू	thainkyū
Thank you very much	बहुत बहुत ...	bahut bahut ...
You're welcome	आपका स्वागत है	āpka svāgat hai
You're welcome (lit. don't mention it)	कोई बात नहीं	koī bāt nahī
Excuse me (getting s.o.'s attention)	सुनिये	suniye
Pardon me	क्षमा कीजिये	kṣama kījiye
Pardon me/I'm sorry	माफ़ कीजिये	maaf kijiye
Where is the toilet?	टॉयलेट कहाँ है?	ṭāyaleṭ kaha hai?
Where is the toilet?	शौचालय कहाँ है?	śaucālay kaha hai?
Good!, really?, nice, etc.	अच्छा	accha
Just one minute	एक मिनट	ek minaṭ

 Forms of Address

English	Hindi	Transliteration
Mr.	मिस्टर	misṭar
Mrs.	मिसेज़	misez
Mr.	श्री	śrī
Mrs.	श्रीमती	śrīmatī
Mr. (Sikh, ਸਰਦਾਰ)	सरदार	sardār
Mrs. (Sikh, ਸਰਦਾਰਨੀ)	सरदारनी	sardārnī
Sir	महोदय	mahodaya
Dr.	डॉक्टर	ḍākṭar

 Interrogatives

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

 Numbers

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.

Roman	Devanagari
0	०
1	१
2	२
3	३
4	४
5	५
6	६
7	७
8	८
9	९

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. These peculiarities don't seem to have effected the proliferation of Indian mathematicians.

 

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	सआंतीस	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	adhika/jyada

 Time

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

 

 Clock time

English	Hindi	Transliteration
one o'clock AM	रात में एक बजे	rāt me ek baje
two o'clock AM	रात में दो बजे	rāt me 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

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

 Days

English	Hindi	Transliteration
Today	आज	āj
Yesterday/Tomorrow (depends on context/tense)	कल	… kal
Day after tomorrow/day before yesterday	परसों	parso
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 Hindu days of the week are each ruled by a planet, and corresponding exactly to ancient cultures in the West, i.e. Sunday = Ravivār (Lord of the Sun's day [lit. time or period]). Thursday/O.N. Þorsdagr, Thor's day = Guruvār (Lord of Jupiter's day), Saturday/Saturn's day = Śani's (Lord of Saturn's day), etc. Unlike her Western counterparts, in India, Astrology is still a vital part of Hindu culture. Though attitudes may vary on its validity, priests are still consulted, as per tradition, for an auspicious day to hold a wedding. -वार (-vār), meaning day, time, or period is often dropped colloquially.

Day	Hindi	Transliteration
Sunday	इतवार/रवि‍वार	itvār, ravivār (Sun)
Monday	सोमवार	somvār (Moon); pīr
Tuesday	मंगलवार/मंगल	mangalvār (Mars); mangal
Wednesday	बुधवार/बुध	budhvār (Mercury); budh
Thursday	गुरुवार/बृहस्पितवार	guruvār (Jupiter)/būhaspitvār
Friday	शुक्रवार	śukravār (Venus)
Saturday	शनि‍वार	śanivār (Saturn)

 Months

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

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

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
Caitra	चैत्र/चैत	30	(March - April)
Baisākh	बैसाख	31	(April - May)
Jeṭh	जेठ	31	(May - June)
Asāṛh	असाढ़	days	June-July
Sāvan	सावन	31	(July-August)
Bhādo	भादों	31	(August-September)
Kvār	क्वार	30	(September-October)
Kātik	कातिक	30	(October-November)
Aghan	अगहन	30	(November-December)
Pūs	पूस	30	(December-January)
Māgh	माघ	30	(January-February)
Phagun	फागुन	30	(February-March)
Malmās	मलमास	?	?

 Writing the time and date

Give some examples how to write clock times and dates if it differs from English. 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 just a literal translation of "minutes."

 Colors

Color	Hindi	Transliteration
color	रंग	rang
colorful	रंगिरंगा	bahut bahAna, rangabirangī
colorless	बेरंग	berang
black	काला	kālā
white	सफ़ेद	safed/shwet
red	लाल	lāl
pink, rosy	गुलाबी	gulābī
orange	नारंगी	nārangī
saffron	केसिरया	kesirayā
yellow	पीला	peela
green	हरा	harā
blue	नीला	neelā
turquoise	फ़िरोज़ी	firozī
purple	बैंगनी, जाम्नी	bainganī, jāmnī
brown	भूरा	bhūrā
gray	स्लेटी	sleṭī
golden	सुनहरा	sunaharā
silver	चांदी	chāndhī (also the metal)
shiny	चमकीला	camkeelā
deep, dark	गहरा	gaharā
pale, light	हल्का	halkā

 Transportation

 Travel Vocabulary

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
Rickshaw	रिक्शा	rickśa
Auto Rickshaw	आटो	āṭo
Taxi	टैक्सी	ṭaiksī
Car	गाड़ी, कार	gāṛī, kār
Airplane	हवाई जवाज़	havāī jahāz
Airport	हवाई अड्डा	havāī adda

 Bus and Train

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

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____? — اڈّا...؟ —

____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 — bāyī 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

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

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? (charaapaaii kai loI)

...a bathroom? 

...a bathroom? (snaanaghara)

...a telephone? 

...a telephone? (telipone)

...a TV? 

...a TV? (teevee)

May I see the room first? 

May I see the room first? (phela,kumra dhaik lon? )

Do you have anything quieter? 

Do you have anything quieter? (apkai pas aur chupchap/shA.nta/sthira he?)

...bigger? 

...bigger? (Aur Bharra)

...cleaner? 

...cleaner? (Aur Saaf)

...cheaper? 

...cheaper? (Aur Sustha)

OK, I'll take it. 

OK, I'll take it. (Teeke, lailaithein)

I will stay for _____ night(s). 

I will stay for _____ night(s). (____raath raingai)

Can you suggest another hotel? 

Can you suggest another hotel? (Aur koi hotel pathadiyijeeai)

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

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

A table for one person/two people, (please). 

एक/दो लोग/-ओं के लिये जगह चाहिये — ek/do log/-o 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 — mai śākāhārī

I don't eat pork. 

मैं सुअर का मांस नहीं खाता/-ती — mai suar ka māns nahī khāta/-ī

I don't eat beef. 

मैं गाय का मांस नहीं खाता/-ती — mai gāy (gā‘ī) māns nahī khāta

I only eat kosher/halal food. 

मैं सिर्फ़ कोशर/हलाल खाना खाता — mai 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, parāṭha...

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 (< Port. Madeira), 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 — mai khatam hai (?)

It was delicious. 

बढ़िया — بڑهيا — baṛhiya

Please clear the plates. 

प्लेटें लीजिये — plete lījiye

The check, please. 

बिल/चेक लाइये — bil/cek lāiye

 Bars

Do you serve alcohol? 

Do you serve alcohol? (kya aap shaarab bechte hain)

Is there table service? 

Is there table service? (kya table service mil sakti hai)

A beer/two beers, please. 

A beer/two beers, please. (krupaya ek beer/do beers de)

A glass of red/white wine, please. 

A glass of red/white wine, please. (ek glass lal/safed wine)

A pint, please. 

A pint, please. (ek bottle dena)

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 (pānī)

club soda 

club soda (soda)

tonic water 

tonic water (...)

orange juice 

orange juice (...)

Coke (soda) 

Coke (Coke)

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 is closing time?)

 Shopping

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 

expensive (...) mehnga

cheap 

cheap (...) 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... — (dat) 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... — khāsī kī dawā

...stomach medicine. 

दस्तावर... — 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 mehsūl/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

I want to rent a car. 

मुझे कार किराया चाहिये — mujhe kār kirāya cāhiye

Can I get insurance? 

मुझे बीमा का कार सकता है? — mujhe insurance ka kār sakta (-ī) hai? (?)

gas (petrol) station 

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

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 । (police ko bulaaoonga main)

Police! 

पोलीस ! पोलीस ! (police ! police !)

Stop! Thief! 

रुको ! चोर ! (rukho! chor!)

I need your help. 

मुझे अपकी सहायता चाहिये । (mujhe āpki sahayta chahie)

It's an emergency. 

मुसीबत है । (samasya 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. 

मुझे बुख़ार है । (mujhe bhukaar hai)

I've been injured. 

मुझे चोट लगी है । (mujhko chot lagi hai)

I need a doctor. 

मुझे डॉक्टर चाहिये । (mujhko doctor chahie)

Can I use your phone? 

फ़ोन कर सकता हूं ? (phone kar sakta hoon main ?)

 Authority

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 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 karin hai..)

Can I just pay a fine now? 

Can I just pay a fine now? (.Kya mein jurmaana abhi de sakta hoon?..)

 Learning more

• L-Ceps Personaltrainer Hindi - Hindi Language Learning Software
• L-Lingo Hindi - Free 40 Lesson Learn Hindi Online Flash Application
• Hindi Speaking Tree - Hindi Lessons From India
• Speak HindiBasic sentences in Hindi
• ISpeakHindi.com - Daily learn Hindi Podcast
• Hindi Phrasebook - Ten online lessons for Hindi phrases and words

 Books

Despite Hindi being among Chinese, Spanish and English as the most spoken languages, there is a dearth of resources on the subject(s), and even fewer which are worth-while. Instead of anger of frustration, the Hindi student should instead feel a smug superiority of being ahead of everyone else who are learning other languages, which may fill the rows of bookshelves in bookstores now, but cannot compare with the vast amount of volumes to be written on Hindi in the future! Here is a list of the better books and dictionaries. Stay away from books written for Indians who already know another related Indian language (such as the National Integration series), which make such claims as "Learn This or That Language in 30 days!" Remember the rule of thumb: If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. If you know German, Margot Gatzlaff-Hälsig, has continued the incomparable German tradition of Indologie with two dictionaries and numerous books on Hindi.

 

• Lonely Planet Hindi & Urdu Phrasebook by Richard Delacy (Lonely Planet Publications). ISBN: 0864424256. Excellent. Rare, in that both Hindi Devanagari and Urdu Naskh are en face. Also includes glossary and cultural notes, etc. Highly recommended for travellers, and a great auxiliary source for students.
• Teach Yourself Beginner's Hindi Script by Rupert Snell (McGraw-Hill). ISBN: 0071419845. - An entertaining and easy to use introduction to Devanagari.
• Teach Yourself Beginner's Hindi by Rupert Snell (McGraw-Hill). ISBN: 0071424369. If you've never studied a language before or are a younger student this book might be where to start. Otherwise, don't waste your money and get the Complete Course instead.
• Teach Yourself Hindi Complete Course by Rupert Snell with Simon Weightman (McGraw-Hill). ISBN: 0071420126. By far this book is the most popular, and the usual starting point for those interested in learning Hindi. It is highly recommended that you purchase this with accompanying CD's (they are not available separately).
• Teach Yourself Hindi Dictionary by Rupert Snell (McGraw-Hill). ISBN: 0071435034. Companion to his other books in the Teach Yourself series. For Beginners, or younger students. Is not a complete dictionary in any sense of the word.
• Introduction to Hindi Grammar by Usha R. Jain (IAS Publishers). ISBN: 094461325X. Usha R. Jain's books, which she wrote for her Hindi class at the University of California at Berkeley are more straightforward and easier to use than Snell. Her books are preferred by Hindi professors and private teachers alike throughout North America and Europe. Available with a set of accompanying CD's.
• Intermediate Hindi Reader by Usha R Jain (IAS Publishers). ASIN: B000739HIG. 21 readings with serial glossaries to improve the student's comprehension of Hindi and expand vocabulary. Available with accompanying CD's and/or multimedia CD-Rom.
• A Primer of Modern Standard Hindi by Michael C. Shapiro (Motilal Banarsidass Publishers). ISBN: 8120804759. An academic approach, by an eminent scholar of South Asia. Focuses more on written than conversational Hindi.
• Say It in Hindi by Veena T. Oldenburg (Dover Publications). ISBN: 0486239594. If Delacy's book lacked anything, you may find it here. Mostly due to the fact that the book focuses on Hindi only. One major flaw is that the book uses an archaic Devanagari font, which may prove difficult to some readers. Worth taking a look at, but as a supplement to other books.
• Colloquial Hindi: A Complete Language Course by Tej K. Bhatia (Routledge). ISBN: 0415110874. Takes a different approach to teaching the language. Is more sympathetic to the average learner and doesn't go warp speed like Snell and Weightman's Teach Yourself Hindi. However; the biggest flaw is the minimal attention given to Devanagari, and the transliteration is not standard - may be more confusing than necessary to those already comfortable with the conventional style. Perhaps the best feature are the accompanying CD's.

 Dictionaries

• The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary by R. S. McGregor (Oxford University Press). ISBN: 019864339X. Essential for the student.
• Oxford English-Hindi Dictionary by S. K. Verma (Laurier Books Ltd). ISBN: 0195648196. Common companion to R.S. McGregor's dictionary, but somewhat lacking compared with the former.
• The Modern English Hindi-Dictionary by I. N. Anand (Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers). ISBN: 8121504619. Though designed for Indians translating English, this is also a great tool for students. Includes modern and technical terms.
• English-Hindi Dictionary by Father Camille Bulcke (French & European Publications). ISBN: 0828811318. Recommended by many professors for their students.

 Audio

• Hindi by Pimsleur (Pimsleur). ISBN: 0743506251. Great for the auditory learner of for listening to in the car. Helps immerse listener into the sounds of Hindi and developing listening skills. Good overall introduction to the language, but be aware that many of the phrases are much too formal to use in common, everyday speech.
• Teach Yourself Hindi Conversation by Rupert Snell (McGraw-Hil). ISBN: 0071456554. Focus on spoken Hindi. Includes small reference book.
• Spoken Hindi by Surendra K. Gambhir (Audio-Forum). ISBN: 0884326993. Includes book.

 Software

• Rosetta Stone Hindi Personal Edition Level 1 (CD-Rom). Both Mac and PC.