Hindi is an Indo-European language, meaning that many words come from the same root as English!
If you're learning Hindi or simply looking to expand your vocabulary, you've come to the right place. In this article, we'll provide you with a comprehensive list of frequently used Hindi words and phrases, along with their pronunciation and meaning in Hindi, some Hindi language tips if you will.
Learning the correct pronunciation of Hindi words is crucial for effective communication. That's why we've included audio for each word, so you can hear how it's supposed to be pronounced. We understand that understanding the meaning of words is just as important, so we've also provided the Hindi meaning of each word.
Whether you're a beginner or an advanced Hindi speaker, this article is designed to help you improve your language skills. Obviously, learning Hindi takes a long time. You need to learn not just the Hindi alphabet and pronunciation, but all the grammar rules such as the different verb tenses, how to make an adjective agree with a noun and proper sentence structure.
But to get you started with the Hindi language, here are some basic Hindi vocabulary, expressions, words and phrases that are useful when going to parts of India.
| Term / Phrase | Translation | Transliteration | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello (formal) | नमस्ते | Namaste | Na-ma-stay |
| Hello (informal) | नमस्ते | Namaskaar | Na-muh-skaa |
| Goodbye (formal) | नमस्ते | Namaste | Na-ma-stay |
| Bye (informal) | अलविदा | Alvida | N/A |
| Good morning | शुभ प्रभात | Suprabhaat | shoop-roh-bhat |
| Good evening | शुभ संध्या | shubh sandhya | N/A |
| Nice to meet you | आपसे मिलकर अच्छा लगा | aapase milakar achchha laga | N/A |
| How are you (man or group) | आप कैसे हैं | Aap kaise hain | N/A |
| How are you ( woman or group of only woman) | आप कैसी हैं | Aap kaisi hain | N/A |
| What is your name | आपका क्या नाम है | aapaka kya naam hai | N/A |
The Importance of Learning Hindi
Whether it is spirituality, food, art, architecture or industry that has led you to want to learn Hindi, Hindi is a great language to speak and the learning process doesn't have to be difficult.
Hindi is the most widely spoken language in India and derives from Sanskrit, written in the Devanagari script. Because of their similarities, learning how to speak Hindi will help you to speak Sanskrit, Urdu, Nepalese, Bengali, and Gujarati.
The amount of Hindi speakers around the world
One other thing to remark is that Hindi is written from left to right, so that’s a good start too, right? At least this is something that English speakers are familiar with! It’s also fairly easy to read Hindi as words are generally written as they are pronounced because each character of the Hindi alphabet has a different sound.
First things first... make sure you practice those greetings and basic Hindi phrases!
Hindi Formal Registers
When we speak English, we have several registers in which we talk:
- Formal (used with persons of authority or strangers)
- Informal or Colloquial (for friends and family).
In Hindi, there are many more subtleties to the formal and informal registers. There can be several versions of formal speak, depending on the rank of the person you are talking to (whether in terms of caste or just your boss), and their relationship with you. There are also several informal registers, variations from friendly to intimate.
This is hard for Hindi translators to convey. Words might appear as synonyms and have the same English translation, but belong to different levels of formality. There are many approaches to learning including immersion. One useful tip is to start reading Hindi newspapers and improve your Hindi language skill.
Hindi Greetings and Salutations
1. Hello in Hindi
The Hindi word for “hello” is namaste - literally, “I bow to you” - which they will. Though some Indians will shake hands, most bring their palms together in front of their chest, fingers up, and bow slightly. You can also say namaskaar or, as a respectful greeting to superiors or elders, pranaam. You can say these Hindi words of greeting at any time of day.
If you are speaking Urdu (a language with a lot of Persian and Arabic words), you will say assalaam-aleikum, “may God be with you”, a phrase that the Muslim people of Pakistan took from Arabic.
“Hi” is suno or suniye.
2. Learn to Say Goodbye in Hindi
Knowing how to say goodbye in Hindi is super easy. When leaving, you might say namaste again, or phir milenge (”see you”). A casual “bye” is “alvida, whereas a more formal “farewell” is vidai.
3. Good morning!
Suprabhaat is the Indian greeting for "good morning".
4. Good evening!
5. Welcome!
When welcoming someone you know very well, use aaiye and padhariye!
When welcoming a stranger, use swagat.
6. Nice to Meet You
7. How Are You in Hindi
Saying "how are you":
- To a man or a group of people: Aap kaise hain?
- To a woman or a group of only women: Aap kaisi hain?
There are also casual ways to ask "how are you?" in Hindi, including:
8. I Am Fine
9. Who Are You in Hindi / What Is Your Name
10. My Name Is…
My name is…
Meraa naam (insert name here) hain.
It is interesting to note that this sentence is not modified according to gender - it’s the same phrase whether it is spoken to a man or a woman.
11. See You (Tomorrow)
12. What's New?
13. Nothing Much
Developing a thirst for more Hindi words? Search for Hindi classes to start learning.
Being Polite in Basic Hindi
14. Please
Kripaya, used at the beginning of a sentence.
15. Thank you in Hindi
It is important to know how to say thank you in Hindi, and to be polite when you are in India. When you look in your English-Hindi dictionary for the Hindi translation of “thank you”, you will find dhanyavaad. However, it is important to note that this word is not used lightly in the Indian language.
Thanks for everyday things such as handing someone their Hindi dictionary or holding open the door are implied. The word “dhanyavaad” is frequently used for very big favors and almost never with family or intimate friends - whom you can inadvertently insult if you thank them!
16. You’re Welcome (As a reply to “thank you”)
In case someone else has thanked you (no headache there), here are some ways you can say “You’re welcome”:
17. Excuse Me, Sorry
How do you say excuse me or "sorry" in Hindi?
Like many other aspects of the Hindi tongue, there are several registers for the expression “excuse me”, depending on the formality. This is one thing where Hindi to English translation dictionaries and apps often fail:
18. The Forms of “You”
Some languages have a formal “you” and an informal “you” (English has lost its informal “you”).
Hindi has formal, informal and intimate. Knowing how intimate is intimate enough is difficult, however, so it’s better to err on the side of caution and use the informal with friends and family.
Depending on who you are addressing, you should use:
| Register | To whom? | Word |
|---|---|---|
| Formal/respectful | Elders, superiors | Aap |
| Informal | Good acquaintances, friends | Tum |
| Intimate | Good friends and siblings, lovers | Tu |
19. Mister, Mrs.
While you can use Mistar and Misez for Mr. and Mrs, the Indian designations are Sri and Srimati.
When addressing someone, adding -jee after their name is a sign of respect:
Mataa (mother) = mataa-jee
Pitaa (father) = pitaa-jee
Mina (girl’s name) = Mina-jee
Getting Around in Hindi: Buying and Getting Places
Hopefully, if you get the chance to learn Hindi with a vacation, you will also be doing some shopping - and hopefully more than just at the pharmacy! Here are some simple phrases you might need in shops (and to help you get there!) Rather than have to translate English to the Hindi language on an app on your phone, try to pick up the basics first.
20. How Much Is This?
Not everything is priced in the shops, so you need to know this important phrase:
21. I Like This
When presented with several options in a shop (the red or the blue saree?) you should use these Hindi phrases:
22. I Am Hungry/Thirsty
When on your shopping spree, if you ever feel peckish (or thirsty) and want to go get something to eat, say:
23. Right, Left, and Middle
When searching for the perfect gift, you might need some Indian-language directions to get to the right place:
Right: daya
Left: baya
Middle: madhya
Straight: sidha
24. Means of Transportation
And of course, you need to know how to get there! Here’s how to translate words for modes of transportation:
Taxi:taiksi
Train:tren, relgari
Subway: sabwe, bhumigat paidal par path
Bus: bas
Bus stop: bas stap
Other Useful Hindi Phrases for English Speakers
Of course, dictionaries are useful, and you shouldn’t visit India without a Hindi - English dictionary in your pack or loaded onto your phone.
But words are one thing, intelligible sentences are something else. It’s not enough to simply translate English to Hindi word for word - the sentences need to be grammatically correct, and adapted to the status of the person you are talking to… And while translation software is getting better and better, it’s still not the same as having a human Hindi translator - or learning to speak Hindi yourself.
Here are some ready-to-use Indic phrases to help you out when traveling on the Indian subcontinent.
25. I’m Not Feeling Well.
This sentence is important if you are feeling ill and need to lie down or get to a doctor.
26. Can You Help Me?
If you are among strangers, you need to know how to ask for help without an English dictionary:
Kya aap meri madad kar sakte hain?
Or, in an urgent situation, just “help”:
madad
sahayata
27. Words for “Doctor” and “Police”
The translations from English to Hindi are easy in this case, as the words are taken from English:
doctor = daktar
police = polis
28. Do You Speak English?
While many language courses like to teach you “Do you speak Hindi?” as one of the first phrases in a new language, learning how to say “do you speak English” is much more useful for a beginner Hindi speaker.
Kya ap angrezi bolte/bolti (m/f) hai?
29. I Don’t Speak Hindi
You might sometimes be addressed by people who want to help or just sell you something. Either way, you should tell them this:
Mujhe hindi nahi ati hai . (I don’t speak Hindi.)
30. I Don’t Understand.
Being an intermediate student in a language can be frustrating. You know more than a few basic phrases, your vocabulary is fine for everyday situations, but you still often find yourself reaching for your Hindi dictionary to read signs; when talking to people, you will be using an English translator app for some phrases; when listening, use this sentence a lot:
Mai samjha/samjhi nahi.
31. Talk More Slowly
Sometimes the problem is not so much that the person is using new words you don’t know, but that you can’t tell because they are talking so fast your brain can’t catch get it all translated to English by the time they’ve finished the sentence. You can ask them so speak more slowly:
Dhire dhire boliye.
32. What Does It Mean? How Do You Say It?
Of course, everyone appreciates it when someone makes an effort in learning their language. Since many Hindi speak good English, you can try asking these questions and you'l have a good chance of understanding the answer:
What does [insert Hindi word] mean?
How do you say [insert English words]?
Learn Professions in Hindi
Meanwhile, looking for a particular tradesman, craftsman, or service is quite common when traveling or when relocating, so here are just some of the most common professions and their Hindi words.
| Doctor | daaktar |
| Lawyer | vakeel |
| Dentist | dentist |
| Cook | rasolya |
| Banker | mahaajan |
| Secretary | sachiv |
| Gardener | kaachhi |
| Farmer | kisaan |
| Carpenter | badhi |
| Architect | vaastukaar |
| Postman | daakiya |
| Pilot | viman chalak |
| Teacher | adhyaapak |
One Last Lesson From Us: Learning Hindi Numbers!
As well as learning Hindi and Indian greetings, and some simple Hindi phrases and words, numbers can be very useful, too. When confronted with Hindi vocabulary, one thing that seems to stump a lot of people are the Hindi numbers. Hindi uses a decimal system, and as long as you are counting from one to ten it’s literally a simple matter of memory and logic.
After that, they function along the principles of prefix (unit) + suffix (decimal). Thus, pentsadh is 65, chavti is 34.
| Numeral | Word | Prefix | Decimal suffix | Decimal name (20, 30, 40) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ek | ik- | -ah | das |
| 2 | do | ba- | -bis | bees |
| 3 | tin | te- or ti- | -tis | tis |
| 4 | char | chav- | -lis | chalis |
| 5 | panch | pent- | -an | pachas |
| 6 | cheh | chiya- | -sadh | saadh |
| 7 | saat | sata- | -hatar | sattar |
| 8 | aath | adha- | -asi | assi |
| 9 | nao | un- (-1) + the suffix of the next decimal up (unnasi = 80-1 = 79 | -ave | nabbe |
| 10 | das | ek sau |
Eleven is gyaarah
99 is ninyaanave, NOT un-ek-sau
If you wish to learn and have fun, check out our article about Hindi quizzes and games.
Learn Hindi Online
If you just need to know how to say hello in India then a full course or teacher might not be needed. If you want to learn enough Hindu words to have full sentences, it is time for full lessons.
With the wide reach of the Internet, we have access to a range of content, courses and tutors originating from all over the world.
So, with all of this in mind, where do you start when looking for Hindi lessons online?
Advance Your Knowledge with Apps
With some resources like DuoLingo, Rocket Languages, Babbel and HindiPod101, you can benefit from some free lessons, with the opportunity to pay for a subscription if you wish to advance further.
There is no better option, as each tool is different from the others and may have features that appeal to some more than others. See below for more details.
Increase Your Understanding with Podcasts
HindiPod101, is a podcast-style website which additionally offers you the opportunity to work with and talk to a dedicated online tutor, which could be advantageous to those who respond well to a bit of one-to-one tuition.
Learn Hindi with E-Books
Embarking on a Hindi learning adventure with e-books is an ideal choice for the curious and creative minds out there. With a patient and collaborative approach, you can dive into a world of crafted resources.
The Amazon Kindle is a great resource and has many different options for those who are looking to learn Hindi, too.
Take Lessons with a Hindi Tutor
Perhaps you have already mastered the above and have tried to learn even more Hindi words and phrases online, with the use of apps or even by listening to radio and podcasts. Alternatively, you may have found it easier to grasp some of the elements of this language by reading articles or even books which are written in Hindi.
Every learner works differently and gains knowledge at a different pace so, particularly if you're in a hurry to learn a new language, then you may need to turn to Hindi lessons with a real-life instructor if you really want to become proficient in the language.
Tutors are available online and in person and are a great way to interact with second language lessons in a way that fits your lifestyle.
Learn Hindi with Superprof
If you are set on learning Hindi with a tutor, someone who is accustomed to teaching pupils like you how to pick up this Indian language, then why not consult Superprof? Our many tutors are here and ready to help!
With the use of Superprof's user-friendly website, you can instantly locate tutors offering Hindi language services in your area, as well as those farther afield who are able to offer online tuition.
Start learning and unlock the world of Hindi with Superprof's dedicated tutors today!
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