INTRODUCTION}So before we begin to learn Hindi it’s probably a good idea to learn what Hindi actually is first! So then, what is Hindi? Well it’s one of the widest spoken languages in the world with around 500 million speakers. In fact that’s only outnumbered only by Mandarin Chinese, English and Spanish! It is mainly spoken in and around the areas of northern India but, of course, it is spoken by communities all over the world. Hindi is also a very powerful language in terms of global politics, with India being one the fastest growing economies in the world. It is also the main language of Bollywood, the billion dollar film industry. image A map showing the areas of Northern India where Hindi is spoken. Image by Wikipedia. Hindi is a member of what language experts call the Indo-European language family. You may be surprised to know English is a member of this family too! This doesn’t mean they’re that similar though. Hindi has evolved from a language called Sanskrit, much in the same way languages like Spanish and French evolved from Latin. Hindi is very closely related to the language of Pakistan, Urdu. They’re so close in fact that some linguist say they are the same language! You can learn all about Urdu in the special Urdu section, which you can find here. Hindi is written with an alphabet which is known as देवनागरी devnaagree - Devanagari. This is introduced more fully on the page Intro #3. Don’t be put off by it’s ‘strangeness’ though, I can assure you it’s easier than you think to learn! Grammar wise, Hindi is very regular and most of the time everything follows the rules - which makes our lives learning it a lot easier! Of course, don’t be fooled, learning a language is never a walk in the park!
English Phrases Hindi Phrases English Greetings Hindi Greetings: Hi! Namastey! नमस्ते Good morning! Suprabhaat सुप्रभात Good evening! Shubh sundhyaa. शुभ संध्या Welcome! (to greet someone) Aapka swaagat hai! आपका स्वागत हैं। How are you? Aap kaisey hain? आप कैसे हैं ? I'm fine, thanks! Mein theek hoon, shukriya! मैं ठीक हुँ । And you? Aur aap? और आप? Good/ So-So. Accha/ Theek-thaak अच्छा/ ठीक-ठाक Thank you (very much)! Shukriyaa (Bahut dhanyavaad) शुक्रीया (बहुत धन्यवाद) You're welcome! (for "thank you") *** *** Hey! Friend! Arrey, Dost!. अरे, दोस्त I missed you so much! Mujhey aapkee bahut yaad aaee.? मुझे आपकी बहुत याद आयी। What's new? Kyaa chal rahaa hai?; क्या चल रहा हैं? Nothing much Zyaada kuch nahi ज्यादा कुछ नहीं । Good night! Shubh raatri. शुभ रात्री। See you later! Phir milen-gay.! अलविदा। Good bye! Alvida! अलविदा। Asking for Help and Directions I'm lost Hum kho gaye hain. हम खो गये हैं । Can I help you? Kya mein aapki madad kar sakta/ sakti (female) hoon? क्या मैं आपकी मदद कर सकता /सकती हुँ । Can you help me? Kya aap meri madad kar saktey hain? क्या आप मेरी मदद कर सकते हैं । Where is the (bathroom/ pharmacy)? śaucaghara/ pharmacy kahaan hai? शौचघर/ फार्मेसी कहां है Go straight! then turn left/ right! Seedhey jaaey! Phir bānyae/ dānyae mudiye सीधे जाएँ-फिर बाएँ-दाएँ मुडिए । I'm looking for john. Mein John ko dhoondh rahaa/ rahi (female) hoon. मैं जोन को ढुँढ रहा-रही हुँ । One moment please! Ek minat… एक मिनट Hold on please! (phone) Ek minat… एक मिनट How much is this? Yeh kaisey diyaa? यह कैसे दिया । Excuse me ...! (to ask for something) Kshama keejeeae… क्षमा कीजिए । Excuse me! ( to pass by) Kshama keejeeae… क्षमा कीजिए । Come with me! Mere saath aaeeyé! मेरे साथ आइए । How to Introduce Yourself Do you speak (English/ Hindi)? Kyaa aap (angrézee/hindi) mein baat kar saktey hain? क्या आप (अंग्रेजी-हिंदी) में बात कर सकते हैं Just a little. Bus thodaasaa. बस थोडासा What's your name? Aapka naam kyaa hai? आपका नाम क्या है My name is ... Meraa naam …hai. मेरा नाम..... है । Mr.../ Mrs.…/ Miss… Shree../Shreematee…/Kumaari…/Kumar (Master) श्री-श्रीमती-कुमारी-कुमार Nice to meet you! Aapsey milkar khushi huee! आपसे मिलकर खुशी हुई । You're very kind! Aap bahut dayaloo hain! आप बहुत दयालू हैं । Where are you from? Aap kahaan sey hain? आप कहाँ से हैं । I'm from (the U.S/ India) Mein (amerika/ bhārata) se hoon. मैं (अम्रीका-भारत) से हुँ । I'm (American) Mein amrikan hoon. मैं अम्रीकन हुँ । Where do you live? Aap kahaan rehtey hain? आप कहाँ रहते हैं I live in (the U.S/ India) Mein (US/ bhārata) mein rehtaa/ rehtee (female) hoon. मैं (US-भारत) में रहता-रहती हुँ । Did you like it here? Kyaa aap ko yahaan accha lagtaa hai? क्या आपको यहाँ अच्छा लगता है India is a wonderful country Bharat ek adbhut desh hai भारत एक अद्भुत देश है । What do you do for a living? Aap kyaa kaam kartey hain? आप क्या काम करते हैं I work as a (translator/ businessman) Mera apnaa vyaapaar hai (I have my own business) मेरा अपना व्यापार है । I like Hindi Mujhey Hindi bhaashaa acchee lagtee hai. मुझे हिंदी भाषा अच्छी लगती है। I've been learning Hindi for 1 month Main ek maheeney sey Hindi seekh raha/ rahee (female) hoon. मैं एक महीनेसे हिंदी सीख रहा-रही हुँ । Oh! That's good! Yeh accha hai! यह अच्छा है । How old are you? Aapkee umar kyaa hai? आपकी उमर क्या है I'm (twenty, thirty...) years old. Mein (bees, tees…) saal ka hoon/ ki hoon (female) मैं (बीस, तीस) साल का हुँ- की हुँ । I have to go Mujhey jaana hogaa मुझे जाना होगा । I will be right back! Mein turant laut key aaoongaa/ aaoongi (female) मैं तुरंत लौट के आऊँगा-आऊँगी । Wish Someone Something Good luck! Shubh Kaamnaayein शुभ कामनाएँ Happy birthday! Janamdin kee shubhaechaen जनमदिन की शुभेच्छाएँ Happy new year! Naaey saal kee shubhaechaen नए साल की शुभेच्छाएँ Merry Christmas! Christmas kee badhaaeeyaan क्रिसमस की बधाइयाँ Congratulations! Badhaaee ho! बधाई हो Enjoy! (for meals...) Bhog keejeeae भोग कीजिए I'd like to visit India one day Mein kabhi Bharat jaana chahoongaa/ chahoongi (female) मैं भी भारत जाना चाहुँगा- चाहुँगी । Say hi to John for me John ko meri taraf sey namastey kehna. जोन को मेरी तरफ से नमस्ते कहना । Bless you (when sneezing) (No expression) Good night and sweet dreams! Shubh raatri शुभ रात्री । Solving a Misunderstanding I'm Sorry! (if you don't hear something) Kyaa aap issey dohraa saktey hain? क्या आप इसे दोहरा सकते हैं Sorry (for a mistake) Kshamaa/ maafee chaahta/ chaahti (female) hu. क्षमा- माफी चाहता/ चाहती हुँ No Problem! Koee baat nuhee कोई बात नहीं । Can You Say It Again? Kyaa aap issey dohraa saktey hain? क्या आप इसे दोहरा सकते हैं Can You Speak Slowly? Kyaa aap dheerae baat karengae? क्या आप धीरे बात करेंगे Write It Down Please! Kripaya karkey yeh likkh deejeeae. कृपया करके यह लिख दीजिए । I Don't Understand! Mujhey samajh mein nahi aataa. मुझे समझ में नहीं आता । I Don't Know! Mujhey nahi maloom मुझे नहीं मालूम । I Have No Idea. Mujhey iss cheez kaa kuchh pata nahi hai मुझे इस चीज का कुछ पता नहीं है । What's That Called In Hindi? Issey Hindi mein kyaa kahtey hain? इसे हिंदी में क्या कहते हैं । What Does "gato" Mean In English? Angrezi mein “maloom” ka kyaa arth hoga? अंग्रेजी में“मालूम” का क्या अर्थ होगा । How Do You Say "Please" In Hindi? Hindi mein “please” kaisey kahtey hain? हिंदी में “प्लीज” कैसे कहते हैं What Is This? Yeh kyaa hai? हिंदी में इसे क्या कहते हैं My Hindi is bad. Meri Hindi kucch khaas nahi hai. मेरी हिंदी कुछ खास नहीं है । I need to practice my Hindi Mujey Hindi ka or abhyaas karnaa hogaa मुझे हिंदी का और अभ्यास करना होगा । Don't worry! Chinta mat karo! चिंता मत करो । Hindi Expressions and Words Good/ Bad/ So-So. Accha/ Boora/ Theek-thaak अच्छा-बूरा-(ठीक-ठाक) Big/ Small Bada Chhota बडा-छोटा Today/ Now Aaj/ Abhi आज-अभी Tomorrow/ Yesterday Kal/ Kal कल-कल Yes/ No Haan/ Naa or Nuhi हाँ- ना-नहीं Here you go! (when giving something) Ye leejeeay (polite)/ Ye lo यह लीजीए- यह लो Do you like it? Kyaa aap ko yeh accha lagta hai? क्या आपको यह अच्छा लगता है I really like it! Mujhey yeh bahut accha lagta hai मुझे यह बहुत अच्छा लगता है। I'm hungry/ thirsty. Mujhey bhookh lagi hai/ Mujhey pyaas lagi hai मुझे भूक लगी है। In The Morning/ Evening/ At Night. Subah ko/ Shaam ko/ Raat ko सुबह को- शाम को-रात को This/ That. Here/There Yeh/ woh. Yahaan/ wahaan यह-वह-यहाँ-वहाँ Me/ You. Him/ Her. Hum/ Tum. Voh/ Voh हम-तुम-वह-वह Really! Such mein? सच में Look! Dekkho! देखो Hurry up! Jaldi karo! जल्दी करो What? Where? Kyaa? Kahaan? क्या? कहां? What time is it? Kitney bajey hain? कितने बजे हैं ? It's 10 o'clock. 07:30pm. Dus bajey hain. Shyaam ke Saat buj kar tees minat hue hain. दस बजे हैं, शाम के सात बज कर तीस मिनट हुए हैं Give me this! Mujhey ye cheez chaaheeye! मुझे यह चीज़ चाहिए। I love you! Mei tumsey pyaar kartaa/ karti (female) hu! मैं तुमसे प्यार करता/ करती हुँ। I feel sick. Meri Tabiyut kharaab hai. मेरी तबीयत खराब है। I need a doctor Mujhey Doctor kee zaroorat hai मुझे डाक्टर की जरुरत है। One, Two, Three Ek, Dow, Teen एक, दो, तीन Four, Five, Six Chaar, paanch, chhey चार, पांच, छः Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten Saat, Aath, Nao, Dus सात, आठ, नौ, दस
