Did you know that India is a country where animals are worshipped? 

For instance, the owl is associated with Goddess Lakshmi—the goddess of wealth. The eagle is the vehicle of Lord Vishnu, while monkeys are associated with Lord Hanuman. And Goddess Saraswati (the goddess of knowledge) rides a swan.

If you’re familiar with the Indian god, Lord Krishna, most pictures and paintings have him playing the flute among the cows and other domestic animals. Hindus also consider cows to be their “mother.” And that’s not all—cows have allegedly become a religious symbol. 

Learning the names of animals in Hindi can not only expand your current vocabulary, but also help you better understand Indians and their intense connection with animals. In addition, knowing these words can make it easier for you to strike up a conversation with just about anyone—animal lovers or not, humans tend to have a strong fascination with the animal world. 

In this article, you’ll also learn the names of animal body parts, what sounds animals make in Hindi, and a few colloquial idioms related to animals. 

Let’s go!

Table of Contents

1. Why learn animal names in Hindi?
2. Animal Vocab Basics
3. At Home (Pets)
4. On the Farm (Farm Animals)
5. In the Wild / Forest / Safari (Land Animals / Mammals)
6. Aquatic Animals
7. Bugs and Insects
8. Birds and Reptiles
9. Animal Body Parts
10. Animal Sounds
11. Animal-Related Idioms and Slang Expressions
12. Improve Your Hindi with HindiPod101.com

1. Why learn animal names in Hindi?

Need some practical reasons to get familiar with Hindi animal words? 

Well, as mentioned, animals play a central role in Hinduism. This means that learning animal names in Hindi will allow you to more easily connect with native speakers and start conversations. 

Living in India also means dealing with lots of unexpected animal encounters! 😉 It may sound strange, but one can often find stray cows and dogs roaming the streets and roads. And the natives happen to be totally okay with it. This is much more common in small towns and rare in big cities. So, if you’re about to visit places that are not metropolitan, be prepared to honk and wait for the animals to move at their own will.

Moreover, farming being the backbone of the Indian economy, cows, bulls, and other cattle are pretty widespread in the country. This is especially the case in villages and rural areas.

I guess we’ve covered plenty of reasons why learning animal names in Hindi is essential. So, let’s jump to our main section without any further delays!

2. Animal Vocab Basics

In the Hindi language, every noun and pronoun has a gender attached to it (masculine or feminine). As you’ll see, many of the animal words on our list have a masculine version and a feminine version, depending on the gender of the animal in question. We have an entire article about grammatical gender in Hindi, so make sure to check it out if you’d like to learn more!

Before we dive into the more specific animal names, let’s look at some basic vocabulary for animal categories: 

• “Animal” = जानवर (jaaNavar) 
  • More popular in daily use
• “Animal” = पशु (pasu) 
  • Very formal, mostly used in textbooks
• “Mammals” = स्तनधारी (STaNaDHaarii)
• “Domestic”= पालतू (paaLaTuu)
• “Pet” = पालतू (paaLaTuu)
• “Wild” = जंगली (jangaLii)
• “Bird” = चिड़िया (cidiyaa)
• “Aquatic” = समुद्री (SamuDrii)
• “Bugs” / “Insects” = कीड़ा / कीड़े (kiidaa / kiide)

3. At Home (Pets)

Would you like to pet a piggy?

Dogs and cats top the list of popular pets in India. We also have plenty of stray dogs, and it is common in Indian culture to feed these homeless animals with leftover meat, bread, chapatis mashed in milk, and other foods.

• “Male cat” = बिल्ला (biLLaa)
• “Female cat” = बिल्ली (biLLii)
• “Male dog” = कुत्ता (kuTTaa)
• “Female dog” = कुतिया (kuTiyaa)
• “Male mouse” = चूहा (cuuhaa)
• “Female mouse” = चुहिया (cuhiyaa)
• “Rabbit” = ख़रगोश (kharagos)
• “Squirrel” = गिलहरी (giLaharii)
• “Guinea pig” = गिनी पिग (giNii pig)

4. On the Farm (Farm Animals)

We’ve already discussed how important farming is in this country, so it should come as no surprise that our farm animals are indispensable! 

The primary farm animals in India are cows, buffaloes, hens, and goats. Sheep, donkeys, and horses are popular in the mountainous regions. Some of these animals are domesticated solely for milk and for carrying loads, while others are raised for their meat.

Meet Oxen: The backbone of farming in India

Here’s a list of common domestic animals in Hindi and English:

• “Cow” = गाय (gaay)
• “Buffalo” = भैंस (bhainS)
• “Horse” = घोड़ा (ghodaa)
• “Donkey” = गधा (gaDHaa)
• “Duck” = बत्तख़ (baTTakh)
• “Hen” = मुर्ग़ी (murgii)
• “Rooster” = मुर्ग़ा (murgaa)
• “Pig” = सुअर (Suar)
• “Female goat” = बकरी (bakarii)
• “Male goat” = बकरा (bakaraa)
• “Sheep” = भेड़ (bhed)

5. In the Wild / Forest / Safari (Land Animals / Mammals)

India has a wide range of terrains. That explains the rich variety of animal species present in the different parts of the country. Here are the names of the most popular wild animals in Hindi and English: 

• “Lion” = शेर (ser)
• “Lioness” = शेरनी (serNii)
• “Tiger” = बाघ (baagh)
• “Tigress” = बाघिन (baaghiN)
• “Male elephant” = हाथी (haaTHii)
• “Female elephant”  = हथिनी (haTHiNii)
• “Fox” = लोमड़ी (Lomadii)
• “Bear” = भालू (bhaaLuu)
• “Wolf” = भेड़िया (bhediyaa)
• “Male monkey” = बंदर (baNDar)
• “Female monkey” = बंदरिया (baNDariyaa)
• “Deer” = हिरण (hiran)
• “Hippopotamus”= दरियाई घोड़ा (Dariyaaii ghodaa)
• “Giraffe” = जिराफ़ (jiraaf)
• “Frog” = मेंढक (mendhak)
• “Male camel” = ऊँट (uunt)
• “Female camel” = ऊँटनी (uuntNii)
• “Mongoose” = नेवला (NevaLaa)
• “Bat” = चमगादड़ (camagaaDad)
• “Owl” = उल्लू (uLLuu)
• “Leopard” = तेंदुआ (TenDuaa)
• “Jackal” = सियार (Siyaar)
• “Panther” = तेंदुआ (TenDuaa)
• “Hyena” = लकड़बग्घा (Lakadabagghaa)

6. Aquatic Animals

The worlds that lie within our oceans and other bodies of water are nothing less than a mystery. The diverse population of fish and aquatic animals invokes such a strong sense of curiosity in our minds. Let’s find out how to pronounce the Hindi names of these popular animals!

Life under the ocean!

• “Shark” = हाँगर (haangar)
• “Dolphin” = सूंस (SuunS)
• “Octopus” = अष्टबाहु (astabaahu)
• “Fish” = मछली (machaLii)
• “Turtle” / “Tortoise” = कछुआ (kachuaa)
• “Whale” = व्हेल (vheL)
• “Starfish” = तारामीन (TaaraamiiN)
• “Jellyfish” = जेलीफ़िश (jeLiifis)
• “Prawns” = झींगा मछली (jhiingaa machaLii)
• “Seahorse” = समुद्री घोड़ा (SamuDrii ghodaa)
• “Sealion” = जलसिंह (jaLaSinh)
• “Oyster” = सीप (Siip)

7. Bugs and Insects

Whether you like it or not, you’re sure to stumble upon bugs and insects from time to time. While these creatures look scary and creepy to some people, there are others who find them colorful and fascinating. Whichever side you’re on, learning the Hindi names of some common bugs won’t harm you! 😉

• “Ant” = चींटी (ciintii)
• “Honeybee” = मधुमक्खी (maDHumakkhii)
• “Spider” = मकड़ी (makadii)
• “Housefly” = मक्खी (makkhii)
• “Butterfly” = तितली (TiTaLii)
• “Mosquito” = मच्छर (macchar)
• “Insect” = कीड़ा (kiidaa)
• “Grasshopper” = टिड्डा (tiddaa)
• “Cricket” = झींगुर (jhiingur)
• “Caterpillar” = इल्ली (iLLii)
• “Earthworm” = केंचुआ (kencuaa)
• “Cockroach” = तिलचट्टा (TiLacattaa)
• “Snail” = घोंघा (ghonghaa)

8. Birds and Reptiles

This category includes some of the most widespread birds and reptiles present around us and in the wild. Some of them even live inside our homes and gardens, such as lizards, sparrows, and chameleons.

• “Birds” = चिड़िया (cidiyaa)
• “Eagle” = चील (ciiL)
• “Parrot” = तोता (ToTaa)
• “Cuckoo” = कोयल (koyaL)
• “Goose” = हंसिनी (haNSiNii)
• “Gander” = हंस (haNS)
• “Myna” = मैना (maiNaa)
• “Pigeon” = कबूतर (kabuuTar)
• “Sparrow” = गौरैया (gauraiyaa)
• “Crow” = कौवा (kauvaa)
• “Dove” = सफ़ेद कबूतर (SafeD kabuuTar)
• “Woodpecker” = कठफोड़वा (kathfodwa)
• “Weaverbird” = बया (bayaa)
• “Vulture” = गिद्ध (giDDH)
• “Kite” = चील (ciiL)
• “Hawk” = बाज़ (baaz)
• “Crocodile” = मगरमच्छ (magaramacch)
• “Lizard” = छिपकली (chipakaLii)
• “Tortoise” = कछुआ (kachuaa)
• “Snake” = साँप (Saanp)
• “Alligator” = घड़ियाल (ghadiyaaL)
• “Chameleon” = गिरगिट (giragit)

9. Animal Body Parts

Knowing the body parts of animals in Hindi is just as important as knowing their names, especially if you’re interested in studying animals. So, what are the Hindi words for different animal body parts? Let’s find out!

What’s in the wild?

• “Wing” / “Feather” = पंख (pankh)
• “Tail” = पूंछ (puunch)
• “Hoof” = ख़ुर (khur)
• “Claw” = पंजा (paNjaa)
• “Trunk” =  सूंड (Suund)
• “Tusk” = हाथी-दांत (haaTHii-DaanT)
• “Stinger” = डंक (dank)
• “Scale” = शल्क (saLk)
• “Spine” = काँटा (kaantaa)
• “Fin” = मछली का पर (machaLii kaa par)
• “Horn” = सींग (Siing)

10. Animal Sounds

It’s time to get familiar with the different animal sounds in Hindi. While they might look a bit complicated now, with practice you’re sure to master them in no time.

• “To growl” = गुर्राना (gurraaNaa)
• “To bark” = भौंकना (bhaunkaNaa)
• “To roar” = दहाड़ना (DahaadaNaa)
• “To chirp” = चहचहाना (cahacahaaNaa)
• “To bellow” = चिंघाड़ना (cinghaadaNaa)
• “To croak” = टरटराना (tarataraaNaa)
• “To buzz” = भनभनाना (bhaNabhaNaaNaa)
• “To hum” = गुनगुनाना (guNaguNaaNaa)
• “To moo” = राँभना (raambhaaNaa)
• “To neigh” = हिनहिनाना (hiNahiNaaNaa)

11. Animal-Related Idioms and Slang Expressions

Finally, we’ve arrived at the most interesting and fun section of the article! You’ll see how animals influence the idioms and slang expressions of native Hindi speakers, which will help you sound more like a native yourself! While the true meanings of these idioms are far from their literal translations, this is what makes them so much fun to study.

Oh! Look at this cutie pie kitten!

• पेट में चूहे कूदना (pet men cuuhe kuuDaNaa)
  Literal Meaning: “Mice jumping in the stomach”
  Actual Meaning: Starving or feeling very hungry

• बलि का बकरा (baLi kaa bakaraa)
  Literal Meaning: “A goat for sacrifice”
  Actual Meaning: To become the scapegoat

• घर की मुर्गी दाल बराबर (ghar kii murgii DaaL baraabar)
  Literal Meaning: “A home-cooked chicken is equivalent to home-cooked lentils.”
  Actual Meaning: Familiarity breeds contempt.

• धोबी का कुत्ता न घर का न घाट का (DHobii kaa kuTTaa Na ghar kaa Na ghaat kaa)
  Literal Meaning: “A dog owned by a washerman is useless.”
  Actual Meaning: A person who has no importance

• शेर की खाल में भेड़िया (ser kii khaaL men bhediyaa)
  Literal Meaning: “A wolf in the skin of a lion”
  Actual Meaning: A person who is trying to act courageous, but is not

• गधे के सर से सींग ग़ायब होना (gaDHe ke Sar Se Siing gaayab hoNaa)
  Literal Meaning: “Like a donkey whose horns vanish”
  Actual Meaning: To disappear like it was never there

• गीदड़ भबकियाँ (giiDad bhabakiyaan)
  Literal Meaning: “Jackal growling”
  Actual Meaning: False threats

• बकरे की माँ कब तक ख़ैर मनाएगी (bakare kii maan kab Tak khair maNaayegii)
  Literal Meaning: “How long will the goat’s mother pray for the life of its goat-child”
  Actual Meaning: Trouble cannot be averted forever

• जल बिन मछली (jaL biN machaLii)
  Literal Meaning: “Fish without water”
  Actual Meaning: To be restless

• ऊँट के मुँह में ज़ीरा (uunt ke munh men ziiraa)
  Literal Meaning: “Feeding a camel with cumin seeds”
  Actual Meaning: Providing a negligible amount where a lot is actually needed

• खिसियानी बिल्ली खंबा नोचे (khiSiyaaNii biLLii khambaa Noce)
  Literal Meaning: “An embarrassed cat attacking and biting a pole”
  Actual Meaning: When embarrassed or defeated, a person tries to take it out on something else.

• सौ चूहे खा के बिल्ली हज को चली (Sau cuuhe khaa ke biLLii haj ko caLii)
  Literal Meaning: “After eating hundreds of mice, the cat is finally going on a religious trip.”
  Actual Meaning: Being a hypocrite

• चूज़ा (cuuzaa)
  Literal Meaning: “Chicken”
  Actual Meaning: Somebody too easy to handle, especially in aggressive or violent situations

• गधा (gaDHaa)
  Literal Meaning: “Donkey” / “Ass” 
  Actual Meaning: A totally stupid person

12. Improve Your Hindi with HindiPod101.com

What’s your favorite pet animal?

As you can see, learning the names of animals in Hindi is something that will prove quite useful while in India. We hope you enjoyed going through this lesson as much as we enjoyed writing it! 

By the way, what’s your favorite animal? Are there any animals in your country or region that we forgot to include on our list? Let us know in the comments, and we’ll be glad to get back to you with its name in Hindi. 

If you want to continue learning Hindi in the fastest, easiest, and most fun way possible, make sure to create your free lifetime account on HindiPod101.com today! In addition to a full-fledged lesson library, we offer our students a grammar bank and a range of free vocabulary lists—not to mention a number of other free resources, such as this Hindi-to-English dictionary. Having trouble accessing any of our content? Feel free to reach out to us or browse through our FAQ section. 

Happy Hindi learning!

Since their invention, phones have been an inseparable part of our lives. They allow us to communicate with others across long distances, and the world has relied heavily on them throughout the coronavirus pandemic. While texting and social media are the favored communication means nowadays, traditional phone calls still make up a sizable chunk of our day-to-day conversations.

If you’re visiting India, living here as a foreigner, or have friends and family here, being well-versed in the most common phone call phrases in Hindi is a must!

Hey, this is me!

To get you started, we’ve prepared a list of the most useful Hindi expressions for phone calls. You’ll pick up essential vocabulary, learn how to talk over the phone in Hindi like a native, and even see a couple of dialogue samples. 

Let’s get going already!

Table of Contents

1. Picking up the Phone
2. Introducing Yourself on the Phone
3. Describing the Reason for Your Call
4. Asking to Speak to Someone
5. Asking Someone to Wait
6. Leaving a Message
7. Asking for Clarification or Repetition
8. Ending the Phone Call
9. Sample Phone Conversations in Hindi
10. Getting the Most Out of HindiPod101.com

1. Picking up the Phone

No matter what language you speak, it’s always important to follow proper telephone etiquette. When you first answer the phone, you’ll likely offer a greeting and then inquire about who’s calling (or whom the caller is trying to reach). Below are several Hindi phone call phrases you can use to initiate the conversation. 

1st Stage

1. हेलो! (heLo)
“Hello!”

A simple “hello” will get the job done if you’re not feeling that confident during your first few moments on the phone.

Using the Phone in Hindi

2. हेलो, आप कौन बोल रहे (male)/रही (female) हैं? (heLo, aap kauN boL rahe/rahii hain?)
“Hello, who is speaking?”

This is one of the most common phone call phrases in Hindi, and it can be used in both formal and informal situations. Keep in mind that the verb conjugation in Hindi changes according to the gender and tone of the person.

3. हेलो, कौन? (heLo, kauN?)
“Hello, who is this?”

This is an informal phrase that Indians use when picking up their personal phone. Please, remember that it’s better to avoid using casual tones like this in more formal situations. This phrase is perfect, however, if you’re not expecting any professional calls.

2nd Stage

This is the stage where you ask for the name of the speaker in case he/she hasn’t told you yet. The phrases below can be used in both professional and personal conversations.

4. आपका नाम क्या है? (aapakaa Naam kyaa hai?)
“What’s your name?”

5. आपको किससे बात करनी है? (aapako kiSaSe baaT karaNii hai?)
“Whom do you wish to speak to?”

2. Introducing Yourself on the Phone

When you’re the one making the call, you’ll need to introduce yourself in Hindi. There are many Hindi phone conversation phrases you can use for this purpose, most of which can be used in any context. Keep in mind, however, that some of the phrases below are best suited for casual situations and others for formal situations.

6. जी, मेरा नाम ___ है। (jii, meraa Naam ___ hai.)
“My name is ___.” [Formal + Informal]

7. जी, मैं ___ का/की दोस्त बोल रहा/रही हूँ। (jii, main ___ kaa/kii DoST boL rahaa/rahii huun.)
“This is ___’s friend speaking.” [Formal + Informal]

8. जी, मैं Y कंपनी/ऑफ़िस से X बोल रहा/रही हूँ। (jii, main Y kampaNii/aufiS Se X boL rahaa/rahii huun.)
“I am X speaking from the company/office Y.” [Formal]

9. मैं हूँ, ___। (main huun, ___.)
“This is me, ___.” [Informal]

10. मैं ___ बोल रहा/रही हूँ। (main ___ boL rahaa/rahii huun.)
“I am ___ speaking.” [Formal + Informal]

Key Hindi Phrases for Professional Phone Calls

3. Describing the Reason for Your Call

Sometimes, we have no real reason for making a phone call. Maybe we just wanted a friendly chat with loved ones or are checking up on an old friend. 

But what if you do have a pressing reason for ringing someone up? For instance, maybe you missed a call from an unknown number or have an important inquiry to make. 

How would you express these reasons in Hindi? Let’s find out!

11. आपका कॉल आया था। (aapakaa kauL aayaa THaa.)
“You had called.” [Informal]

12. इस नंबर से कॉल आया था। (iS Nambar Se kauL aayaa THaa.)
“I got a call from this number.” [Formal + Informal]

13. मैंने ये जानने के लिए/पूछने के लिए फ़ोन किया है… (mainNe ye jaaNaNe ke Liye/puuchaNe ke Liye foN kiyaa hai…)
“I have called to inquire/ask about…” [Formal + Informal]

4. Asking to Speak to Someone

More often than not, you already know whom you wish to speak to. Below are a few phone phrases in Hindi that will come in handy when you need to ask for someone.

14. मुझे ___ से बात करनी है। (mujhe ___ Se baaT karaNii hai.)
“I wish to talk to ___.” [Formal + Informal]

15. क्या ___ घर पे है/हैं? (kyaa ___ ghar pe hai/hain?)
“Is ___ at home?” [Informal]

16. ___ से बात हो सकती है क्या? (___ Se baaT ho SakaTii hai kyaa?)
“May I talk to ___?” [Formal + Informal]

17. क्या ___ से बात हो सकती है? (kyaa ___ Se baaT ho SakaTii hai?)
“Can I talk to ___?” [Informal]

5. Asking Someone to Wait

Now, imagine you’re the receiver and the caller has asked to speak to someone. There are a few phrases you could use to ask them to wait while you transfer them to the correct person. 

18. जी हाँ, एक मिनट। (jii haan, ek miNat.)
“Yeah, just a minute.” [Formal + Informal]

19. मैं उन्हें बुलाता/बुलाती हूँ। (main unhen buLaaTa/buLaaTii huun.)
“I’ll call him/her.” [Formal + Informal]

20. ज़रा होल्ड कीजिए/करना। (zaraa hoLd kiijiye/karaNaa.)
“Please, could you hold on for a second?” [Formal + Informal]

May I Know Your Number?

6. Leaving a Message

If you’ve made a phone call only to find that the person you wanted to reach is unavailable, you should leave a proper message for them. Here are a few Hindi phone call phrases you can use to let the receiver know you’d like to leave a message. 

21. उनसे कह दीजियेगा कि मेरा फ़ोन आया था। (uNaSe kah Diijiyegaa ki meraa foN aayaa THaa.)
“Please tell him/her that I called.” [Formal + Informal]

22. क्या आप उन्हें मेरा मैसेज दे देंगे/ देंगी? (kyaa aap unhen meraa meSej De Denge/Dengii?)
“Would you give him/her my message?” [Formal + Informal]

23. उससे कहियेगा मुझे कॉल करे। (uSaSe kahiyegaa mujhe kauL kare.)
“Please tell him/her to call me back.” [Informal]

24. उनसे बोलियेगा कि इसी नंबर पे मुझसे बात कर लें। (uNaSe boLiyegaa ki iSi Nambar pe mujhaSe baaT kar Len.)
“Please tell him/her to give me a call on this number.” [Formal + Informal]

7. Asking for Clarification or Repetition

As a foreigner, trying to make a phone call in Hindi can be a daunting task. Any number of things could cause confusion or disturbance during the call, such as a limited vocabulary or a bad connection. In situations like this, it’s both necessary and polite to ask the other person to repeat what they’ve said. 

25. माफ़ कीजियेगा, लेकिन आपकी आवाज़ सुनाई नहीं दे रही। (maaf kiijiyega, LekiN aapakii aavaaz SuNaaii Nahiin De rahii.)
“I’m sorry, but I can’t hear you.” [Formal]

26. आपकी आवाज़ नहीं आ रही। (aapakii aavaaz Nahiin aa rahii.)
“Your voice is not clear.” [Formal + Informal]

27. नेटवर्क नहीं आ रहा। (Netavark Nahiin aa rahaa.)
“There is no network.” [Informal]

28. कुछ सुनाई नहीं दे रहा। (kuch SuNaaii Nahiin De rahaa.)
“I can’t hear anything.” [Informal]

29. मैं एक बार वापस दोहरा देता/देती हूँ। (main ek baar vaapaS Doharaa DeTaa/DeTii huun.)
“I’ll repeat it once.” [Formal + Informal]

30. आपका शुभ नाम? (aapakaa subh Naam?)
“Your name, please?” [Formal]

31. आपका नाम क्या है? (aapakaa Naam kyaa hai?)
“What’s your name?” [Formal + Informal]

32. क्या मैं आपका नाम जान सकता/सकती हूँ? (kyaa main aapakaa Naam jaaN SakaTaa/SakaTii huun?)
“May I know your name, please?” [Formal]

Connect Better with Your Hindi-speaking Friends

8. Ending the Phone Call

This last segment deals with how to end a telephone conversation in Hindi! Here are the most commonly used phrases used before hanging up the phone.

33. बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद। (bahuT-bahuT DHaNyavaaD.)
“Thank you so much.” [Formal]

34. शुक्रिया। (sukriyaa.)
“Thank you.” [Formal + Informal]

35. नमस्ते। (NamaSTe.)
“Bye!” [Formal + Informal]

36. और कोई बात? (aur koii baaT?)
“Anything else?” [Informal]

37. आपका दिन शुभ हो। (aapakaa DiN subh ho.)
“Have a good day.” [Highly Formal]

38. तो फिर, __ को __ बजे मिलते हैं। (To phir, __ ko ___ baje miLaTe hain.)
“So, let’s meet on __ at __ .” [Formal + Informal]

39. ठीक है, फिर बाद में बात करते हैं। (thiik hai, phir baaD men baaT karaTe hain.)
“Alright, let’s talk later.” [Informal]

40. चलो ठीक है, फिर मैं फ़ोन रखता/रखती हूँ। (caLo thiik hai, phir main foN rakhaTaa/rakhaTii huun.)
“Alright, I’m hanging up now.” [Informal]

Phone Phrases That Make You Sound Smart!

9. Sample Phone Conversations in Hindi

Now that you have several phrases up your sleeve, it’s time to see what a real-life phone call conversation in Hindi might sound like. We’ve included two sample dialogues here: one informal and one formal. 

Informal Phone Conversation

Here, two friends are setting up a time to meet for lunch on a weekend. This should give you a good idea of how an informal chat might go over the phone. 

A: हेलो, मैं A बोल रही/रहा हूँ। (heLo, main A boL rahii/rahaa huun.)
“Hello, this is A speaking.”

B: हाँ, कैसी/कैसे हो? (haan, kaiSii/kaiSe ho?)
“Hey, how are you?”

A: मैं बिल्कुल ठीक हूँ। कई दिन हुए हम साथ नहीं बैठे। (main biLkuL thiik huun. kaii DiN huye ham SaaTH Nahiin baithe.)
“I’m good. It’s been so long since we spent time together.”

B: हाँ, क्यों ना मिलने का प्लान बनायें? (haan, kyon Naa miLaNe kaa pLaaN baNaayen?)
“Yeah, let’s make a plan and meet soon!”

A: ज़रूर! क्या तुम इस शनिवार को ख़ाली हो? (zaruur! Kyaa Tum iS saNivaar ko khaaLii ho?)
“Sure! Are you free this Saturday?”

B: हाँ, हम इस शनिवार मिल सकते हैं। (haan, ham iS saNivaar miL SakaTe hain.)
“Yep, we could definitely meet up this Saturday.”

A: तो फिर दोपहर का खाना साथ ही खाएंगे। (To phir Dopahar kaa khaaNaa SaaTH hii khaayenge.)
“Great, then let’s have lunch together.”

B: एवरग्रीन रेस्टोरेंट कैसा रहेगा? (evaragriiN reStorent kaiSaa rahegaa?)
“How about at Evergreen Restaurant?”

A: सही है! दोपहर 1 बजे मिलते हैं। (Sahii hai! Dopahar ek baje miLaTe hain.)
“That’s perfect! Let’s meet at one o’clock in the afternoon.”

B: ठीक है, मैं वहीं इंतज़ार करूँगी/करूँगा। (thiik hai, main vahiin iNTazaar karuungii/karuungaa.)
“Fine, I’ll wait for you there.”

A: बिल्कुल, चलो फिर मैं फ़ोन रखती/रखता हूँ। इस शनिवार मिलते हैं। (biLkuL, caLo phir main foN rakhaTii/rakhaTaa huun. iS saNivaar miLaTe hain.)
“Definitely. Okay, I’ll hang up the phone now. See you on Saturday.”

B: ठीक है, बाय! (thiik hai, baay!)
“Okay, bye!”

A: बाय! (baay!)
“Bye!”

Say Goodbye to Boring Calls!

Formal Phone Conversation

Once they’ve set the time and place, one of the friends calls the restaurant to reserve a table. They’ll be using relatively formal language here as this is most appropriate for making reservations. 

A: हेलो, क्या एवरग्रीन रेस्टोरेंट में बात हो रही है? (heLo, kyaa evaragriiN reStorent men baaT ho rahii hai?)
“Hello, is this Evergreen Restaurant?”

Staff Member: जी हाँ, ये एवरग्रीन रेस्टोरेंट है। हम आपकी कैसे मदद कर सकते हैं? (jii haan, ye evaragriiN reStorent hai. Ham aapakii kaiSe maDaD kar SakaTe hain?)
“Yes, it’s the Evergreen Restaurant. How may we help you?”

A: मुझे इस शनिवार लंच के लिए एक टेबल बुक करवानी है। (mujhe iS saNivaar LaNc ke Liye ek tebaL buk karavaaNii hai.)
“I have to book a table for lunch this coming Saturday.”

Staff Member: जी, बिल्कुल। क्या मैं आपका नाम जान सकता हूँ? (jii, biLkuL. Kyaa main aapakaa Naam jaaN SakaTaa huun?)
“Sure. May I know your name, please?”

A: हाँ, मैं A बोल रही हूँ। (haan, main A boL rahii huun.)
“Yes, this is A speaking.”

Staff Member: आपको कितने लोगों के लिए और कितने बजे का रिज़र्वेशन चाहिए? (aapako kiTaNe Logon ke Liye aur kiTaNe baje kaa rizarvesaN caahiye.)
“At what time and for how many people would you like to make this reservation?”

A: सिर्फ़ दो लोगों के लिए और शनिवार दोपहर 1 बजे का रिज़र्वेशन चाहिए। (Sirf Do Logon ke Liye aur saNivaar Dopahar ek baje kaa rizarvesaN caahiye.)
“A table for two and I’d like this reservation at one o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday.”

Staff Member: बिल्कुल हो जायेगा। मैं अभी आपके लिए टेबल बुक कर देता हूँ। (biLkuL ho jaayegaa. Main abhii aapake Liye tebaL buk kar DeTaa huun.)
“Definitely! I’ll book the table for you right away.”

A: धन्यवाद। (DHaNyavaaD.)
“Thank you.”

Staff Member: क्या मैं आपकी कुछ और मदद कर सकता हूँ? (kyaa main aapakii kuch aur maDaD kar SakaTaa huun?)
“Do you need anything else?”

A: जी नहीं, बस इतना ही। (jii Nahiin, baS iTaNaa hii.)
“No, that would be all.”

Staff Member: फ़ोन करने के लिए धन्यवाद। आपका दिन शुभ हो। (foN karaNe ke Liye DHaNyavaaD. aapakaa DiN subh ho.)
“Thank you for calling. Have a good day!”

10. Getting the Most Out of HindiPod101.com

Now that we’ve covered all the essential Hindi phone phrases, we hope you feel more prepared and confident for your future phone calls. Make sure to practice them often!

We always love hearing from you, so feel free to let us know your thoughts on this article. Which of these phrases seems easiest to you, and are there any others you’d like to learn? If you’re uncertain regarding the pronunciation of any phrase, we recommend visiting our comprehensive Hindi pronunciation guide.

Don’t Let the Language Become a Hurdle!

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To start learning, all you have to do is download the Hindi mobile application or sign up on our homepage. So, what are you waiting for? Get access to unlimited Hindi learning resources today!

Simplicity never goes out of style. 

By the same token, today we’ll teach you the simplest yet most practical Hindi beginner words. These words will help ease you into the language, serving as a foundation on which to build your Hindi skills. As you expand your vocabulary, you’ll find that you can speak and understand Hindi with greater and greater proficiency. 

If you’re new to the Hindi language and don’t know where to start, then this lesson is for you!

Reading together is fun!

Before we begin: Rest assured that we haven’t just dumped some random things here. We’ve chosen Hindi words for beginners that are simple, useful, and easy for newbies to pick up. In addition, we’ve carefully designed our list to ensure we cover everything—from pronouns to auxiliary verbs! Memorizing these words will make you a much more fluent speaker and writer in Hindi, so let’s get right to it.

Table of Contents

1. Popular Pronouns
2. Cracking the Numbers
3. Knowing the Nouns
4. Essential Verbs
5. A Splash of Adjectives
6. Connect with Conjunctions
7. Auxiliary Verbs
8. Mastering the Hindi Language with HindiPod101.com

1. Popular Pronouns

As a beginner in Hindi, most of your conversations will be rather simple. You’ll likely spend a lot of time talking about yourself or others, which will require the use of pronouns. In the table below, you’ll find the most common pronouns in Hindi along with examples of how they’re used. 

→ If you would like to learn about Hindi pronouns in greater depth, you can head over to our dedicated article or this free vocabulary list.

Personal Pronouns

“You” = तुम (Tum) / आप (aap) “Me” = मुझे (mujhe) “I” = मैं (main) “We” = हम (ham) “He” = वह (vah) “She” = वह (vah) “They” = वे (ve) “Them” = उनको (uNako) / उन्हें (uNhen)

Example Sentences: हम बाहर जा रहे हैं। (ham baahar jaa rahe hain.) “We are going out.” आप मुझसे कुछ कहना चाहते थे? (aap mujh Se kuch kahaNaa caahaTe THe?) “You wanted to say something to me?”

Demonstrative Pronouns

“This” = यह (yah) “That” = वह (vah) “These” = ये (ye) “Those” = वे (ve)

Example Sentence: यह सेब है। (yah Seb hai.) “This is an apple.”

Interrogative Pronouns

“What” = क्या (kyaa) “Why” = क्यों (kyon) “Where” = कहाँ (kahaan) “How” = कैसे (kaiSe) “When” = कब (kab) “Who” = कौन (kauN) “Whom” = किसको (kiSako) / किसे (kiSe) “Whose” = किसका (kiSakaa) “Which” = कौन-सा (kauN Saa) / कौन-सी (kauN Sii)

Example Sentences: मेरा फ़ोन कहाँ है? (meraa foN kahaan hai?) “Where is my phone?” तुम कौन हो? (Tum kauN ho?) “Who are you?”

Are “those” tomatoes?

2. Cracking the Numbers

How much is it? When’s your birthday? What time is it? 

These are simple everyday questions we ask each other. Did you notice how these cannot be answered without using numbers? Be it money, time, shopping, teaching, or catching a flight, our lives are quite dependent on numbers. Digits keep things so organized and clear for us.

Here are some basic Hindi numbers that even a beginner like you can practice!

Numbers

“One” = एक (ek) “Two”  = दो (Do) “Three” = तीन (TiiN) “Four”  = चार (caar) “Five” = पांच (paanc) “Six” = छः (chah) “Seven” = सात (SaaT) “Eight” = आठ (aath) “Nine” = नौ (Nau) “Ten” = दस (DaS) “Twenty” = बीस (biiS) “Thirty” = तीस (TiiS) “Forty” = चालीस (caaLiS) “Fifty” = पचास (pacaaS) “Sixty” = साठ (Saath) “Seventy” = सत्तर (SaTTar) “Eighty” = अस्सी (aSSii) “Ninety” = नब्बे (Nabbe) “Hundred” = सौ (Sau) “Thousand” = हज़ार (hazaar)

Example Sentences: सीमा ने दो दर्जन केले ख़रीदे। (Siimaa Ne Do DarjaN keLe khariiDe.) “Seema bought two dozen bananas.” दादी की उम्र अस्सी साल है। (DaaDii kii umr aSSii SaaL hai.) “Grandma is eighty years old.”

Two tickets, please!

3. Knowing the Nouns

Oh! What would life be without coffee, or pastries, or Brad Pitt—oops! Sorry, nouns! 😉

Nouns are one of the most essential parts of speech, and you couldn’t have a conversation without them! We use nouns to identify people, places, or things. 

To give you a headstart, we’ve prepared a thorough list of simple Hindi nouns in different categories. 

Let’s have a look!

Time

“Hour” = घंटा (ghantaa) “Minute”  = मिनट (miNat) “Second”  = सेकंड (Sekand) “Morning”  = सुबह (Subah) “Afternoon”  = दोपहर (Dopahar) “Evening”  = शाम (saam) “Night”  = रात (raaT) “Day”  = दिन (DiN) “Week”  = सप्ताह (SapTaah) / हफ़्ता (hafTaa) “Month”  = महीना (mahiiNaa) / माह (maah) “Year”  = वर्ष (vars) / साल (SaaL) “Sunday”  = रविवार (ravivaar) / इतवार (iTavaar) “Monday”  = सोमवार (Somavaar) “Tuesday”  = मंगलवार (mangaLavaar) “Wednesday”  = बुधवार (budhavaar) “Thursday”  = बृहस्पतिवार (brihaSpaTivaar) / गुरुवार (guruvaar) “Friday”  = शुक्रवार(sukravaar) “Saturday”  = शनिवार (saNivaar) / शनिचर (saNicar) “January”  = जनवरी (jaNavarii) “February”  = फ़रवरी (farvaarii) “March”  = मार्च (maarc) “April”  = अप्रैल (apraiL) “May”  = मई (mayii) “June”  = जून (juuN) “July”  = जुलाई (juLaaii) “August”  = अगस्त (agaST) “September”  = सितंबर (SiTambar) “October”  = अक्टूबर (aktuubar) “November”  = नवंबर (Navambar) “December”  = दिसंबर (DiSambar) “Autumn”  = पतझड़ (paTajhad) “Winter”  = सर्दी (SarDii) / जाड़ा (jaadaa) “Summer”  = गर्मी (garmii) / ग्रीष्म (griism)  “Spring”    = बहार (bahaar) / बसंत (baSaNT)

Example Sentences: जनवरी में बहुत ठंड होती है। (jaNavarii men bahuT thand hoTii hai.) “It’s so cold in January.” स्कूल जुलाई में खुलेंगे। (SkuuL juLaaii men khuLenge.) “The schools will open in July.”

Family

“Mother”  = माँ (maan) / माता (maaTaa) “Father” = पिता (piTaa) “Brother”  = भाई (bhaaii) “Sister”  = बहन (bahaN) “Son”  = बेटा (betaa) “Daughter”  = बेटी (betii) “Maternal Grandmother”  = नानी (NaaNii) “Maternal Grandfather”  = नाना (NaaNaa) “Paternal Grandmother”  = दादी (DaaDii) “Paternal Grandfather”  = दादा (DaaDaa) “Uncle”  = चाचा (caacaa) “Aunt”  = चाची (caacii) “Mr.”  = श्रीमान (srimaaN) “Mrs.”  = श्रीमती (srimaTii)

Example Sentences: रोहन के पिता लेखक हैं। (rohaN ke piTaa Lekhak hain.) “Rohan’s fatherबेटियाँ is a writer.” मेरी दो बेटियाँ हैं। (merii Do betiyaan hain.) “I have two daughters.”

Places

“School”  = स्कूल (SkuuL) / विद्यालय (viDyaaLay) “Hospital”  =बेटियाँ अस्पताल (aSpaTaaL) “Shop”  = दुकान (DukaaN) “Mall”  = मॉल (mauL) “Pharmacy”  = दवा की दुकान (Davaa kii DukaaN) “Restaurant”  = रेस्टोरेंट (reStorent) “Salon”  = सैलून (SaiLuuN) “Office”  = ऑफ़िस (aufiS) / दफ़्तर (DafTar) “Bakery”  = बेकरी (bekarii) “Bank”  = बैंक (baink)

Example Sentences: दवा की दुकान पास में ही है। (Davaa kii DukaaN paaS men hii hai.) “The pharmacy is nearby.” यह शहर की सबसे अच्छी बेकरी है। (yah sahar kii SabaSe acchii bekarii hai.) “This is the best bakery in the city.”

School/Office Essentials

“Book”  = किताब (kiTaab) “Notebook”  = कॉपी (kaupii) “Pen”  = कलम (kaLam) / पेन (peN) “Pencil”  = पेंसिल (peNSiL) “Eraser”  = रबड़ (rabad) “Sharpener”  = कटर (katar) “File”  = फ़ाइल (faaiL) “Computer”  = कंप्यूटर (kampyuutar) “Printer”  = प्रिंटर (priNtar) “Marker”  = मार्कर (maarkar)

Example Sentences: मुझे एक कलम चाहिए। (mujhe ek kaLam caahiye.) “I need a pen.” प्रिंटर ख़राब हो गया है। (priNtar kharaab ho gayaa hai.) “The printer is not working.”

Body Parts

“Eyes”  = आँख (aankh) “Nose”  = नाक (Naak) “Ears”  = कान (kaaN) “Mouth”  = मुंह (munh) “Teeth”  = दाँत (Daant) “Tongue”  = जीभ (jiibh) “Lips”  = होंठ (honth) “Forehead”  = माथा (maaTHaa) “Face”  = चेहरा (ceharaa) “Neck”  = गर्दन (garDaN) “Throat”  = गला (gaLaa) “Head”  = सिर (Sir) “Back”  = पीठ (piith) “Stomach”  = पेट (pet) “Hands”  = हाथ (haaTH) “Legs”  = पैर (pair) “Knee”  = घुटना (ghutaNaa) “Elbow”  = कोहनी (kohaNii) “Fingers”  = उंगलियां (ungLiyaan) “Toe”  = अँगूठा (anguuthaa) “Nails”  = नाख़ून (NaakhuuN) “Skin”  = त्वचा (Tvacaa) “Hair”  = बाल (baaL) “Muscle”  = माँसपेशी (maanSapesii) “Bone”  = हड्डी (haddii)

Example Sentences: पूनम के बाल बहुत सुंदर हैं। (puuNam ke baaL bahuT SuNDar hain.) “Poonam has such lovely hair.” मानव शरीर में दो सौ छह हड्डियाँ होती हैं। (maaNav sariir men Do Sau chah haddiyaan hoTii hain.) “There are two hundred and six bones in the human body.”

Food

“Water”   = पानी (paaNii) “Vegetables”  = सब्ज़ियाँ (Sabziyaan) “Fruits”   = फल (phaL) “Salad”   = सलाद (SaLaaD) “Milk”   = दूध (DuuDH) “Curd”   = दही (Dahii) “Sugar”   = चीनी (ciiNii) “Eggs”   = अंडे (ande) “Chicken”   = चिकन (cikaN) “Fish”   = मछली (machaLii) “Pulses”   = दाल (DaaL) “Rice”   = चावल (caavaL) “Spice”   = मसाले (maSaaLe) “Butter”   = मक्खन (makkhaN) “Flour”   = आटा (aataa) “Oil”   = तेल (TeL) “Buttermilk”  =  छाछ (chaach) “Clarified butter” = घी (ghii) “Bread”   = ब्रेड (bred) / डबल रोटी (dabaL rotii) “Flatbread”  = रोटी (rotii) “Tea”   = चाय (caay) “Coffee”   = कॉफ़ी (kaufii)

Example Sentences: मुझे दो अंडे मक्खन के साथ चाहिए। (mujhe Do ande makkhaN ke SaaTH caahiye.) “I want two eggs with butter.” फल और सब्ज़ियां एकदम ताज़ी हैं। (phaL aur Sabziyaan ekaDam Taazii hain.) “The fruits and vegetables are really fresh.”

Eggs and milk, please!

4. Essential Verbs

Another set of easy Hindi words for beginners you should learn right away are the essential verbs.

There’s a verb playing in every moment of our lives, whether we recognize it or not. Even if we were to stand as still as a statue, we would still be breathing and our hearts would still be beating. What’s more, verbs can sometimes act as a full sentence in and of themselves: Sit. Shut up. Don’t.

Here’s a list of the most popular verbs used by native speakers.

Daily Routine Verbs

“To get up”   = उठना (uthaNaa) “To eat”   = खाना (khaaNaa) “To drink”   = पीना (piiNaa) “To go”   = जाना (jaaNaa) “To work”   = काम करना (kaam karaNaa) “To study”   = पढ़ाई करना (padhaaii karaNaa) “To drive/ride”   = गाड़ी चलाना (gaadii caLaaNaa) “To sleep”   = सोना (SoNaa) “To write”   = लिखना (LikhaNaa) “To read”   = पढ़ना (padhaNaa) “To speak”   = बोलना (boLaNaa) “To scream” = चीखना (ciikhaNaa) “To laugh”   = हंसना (hanSaNaa) “To cry”   = रोना (roNaa) “To cook”   = पकाना (pakaaNaa) “To run”   = दौड़ना (DaudaNaa) “To walk”   = चलना (caLaNaa) “To talk”   = बात करना (baaT karaNaa) “To meet”   = मिलना (miLaNaa) “To wash”   = धोना (DHoNaa) “To wipe”   = पोंछना (ponchaNaa)

Example Sentences: क्या तुम सोना चाहती हो? (kyaa Tum SoNaa caahaTii ho?) “Do you want to sleep?” कोई भी सुनील से बात करना नहीं चाहता। (koii bhii SuNiiL Se baaT karaNaa Nahiin caahaTaa?) “Nobody wants to talk to Sunil.”

Other Common Verbs

“To give”   = देना (DeNaa) “To take”   = लेना (LeNaa) “To do”      = करना (karaNaa) “To make”  = बनाना (baNaaNaa) “To sit”       = बैठना (baithaNaa) “To stare”   = घूरना (ghuuraNaa) “To look”    = देखना (DekhaNaa) “To remind”  = याद दिलाना (yaaD DiLaaNaa) “To touch”   = छूना (chuuNaa) “To pull”      = खींचना (khiincaNaa) “To push”   = धक्का देना (DHakkaa DeNaa) “To peep”   = झाँकना (jhaankaNaa) “To ask”     = पूछना (puuchaNaa) “To smile”   = मुस्कुराना (muSkuraaNaa) “To find”      = ढूँढना (dhuundhaNaa) “To pick up” = उठाना (uthaaNaa)

Example Sentences: इन फूलों को छूना मना है। (iN phuuLon ko chuuNaa maNaa hai.) “It’s not allowed to touch these flowers.” मैं कुछ देर शांत बैठना चाहती हूँ। (main kuch Der saanT baithaNaa caahaTii huun.) “I want to sit quietly for a while.”

5. A Splash of Adjectives

Looking to add more color and playfulness to your life? Adding some adjectives to your Hindi vocabulary base will help put things into perspective! Adjectives are great tools for sharing how you feel about somebody or something, whether your emotions are positive or negative. Below, you’ll find a table of useful Hindi adjectives to start practicing right away.

What a “busy” day!

Describing People

“Pretty” = सुंदर (SuNDar) “Cute”  = प्यारा (pyaaraa) / प्यारी (pyaarii) “Handsome”  = आकर्षक (aakarsak) “Tall”  = लंबा (Lambaa) “Short”  = नाटा (Naataa) “Healthy”  = स्वस्थ (SvaSTH) “Weak”  = कमज़ोर (kamazor) “Rich”  = अमीर (amiir) “Poor”  = ग़रीब (gariib) “Thin”  = दुबला (DubaLaa) “Fat”  = मोटा (motaa)

Example Sentences: आप काफ़ी कमज़ोर दिख रहे हैं। (aap kaafii kamazor Dikh rahe hain.) “You look quite weak.” स्वस्थ रहना बेहद ज़रूरी है। (SvaSTH rahaNaa behaD zaruurii hai.) “It’s so important to stay healthy.”

Describing Emotions

“Happy”   = ख़ुश (khus) “Sad”   = दुखी (Dukhii) “Angry”   = ग़ुस्सा (guSSaa) / नाराज़ (Naaraaz) “Funny”   = मज़ेदार (mazeDaar) “Tired”   = थका हुआ (THakaa huaa) / थकी हुई (THakii huyii) “Confused”   = उलझन में (uLajhaN men) “Restless”   = बेचैन (becaiN) “Excited”   = रोमांचित (romaaNciT) “Shattered”   = टूटा हुआ (tuutaa huaa) / टूटी हुई (tuutii huyii) “Irritated”   = झुंझलाया (jhunjhaLaayaa) / झुंझलाई (jhunjhaLaayii)

Example Sentences: माँ रात भर बेचैन रही। (maan raaT bhar becaiN rahii.) “Mother was restless all night.” क्या तुम मुझसे नाराज़ हो? (kyaa Tum mujhaSe Naaraaz ho?) “Are you angry with me?”

Describing Weather

“Hot” = गर्म (garm) “Cold”  = ठंडा (thandaa) “Sunny”  = खिली धूप (khiLii DHuup) “Windy”  = तेज़ हवा (Tez havaa) “Rainy”  = बारिश (baaris) “Cloudy”  = बदली (baDaLii) “Dry”  = शुष्क (susk) / सूखा (Suukhaa) “Humid”  = उमस (umaS) / नम (Nam)

Example Sentences: बहुत उमस हो रही है! (bahuT umaS ho rahii hai!) “It’s really humid!” बाहर बहुत ठंड है। (baahar bahuT thand hai.) “It’s so cold outside.”

Describing Objects

“Big” = ड़ा (badaa) “Small”  = छोटा (chotaa) “Long”  = लंबा (Lambaa) “Short”  = छोटा (chotaa) “New”  = नया (Nayaa) “Old”  = पुराना (puraaNaa) “Broken”  = टूटा (tuutaa) “Light” = हल्का (haLkaa) “Heavy”  = भारी (bhaarii) “Fresh”  = ताज़ा (Taazaa) “Stale”  = बासी (baaSii) “Wet”  = गीला (giiLaa) “Dry”  = सूखा (Suukhaa) “Spicy”  = चटपटा (catapataa) “Juicy”  = रसीला (raSiiLaa) “Sour”  = खट्टा (khattaa) “Sweet”  = मीठा (miithaa) “Salty”  = नमकीन (NamakiiN) “Bitter”  = कड़वा (kadavaa)

Example Sentences: यह सूप बहुत चटपटा और स्वादिष्ट है। (yah Suup bahuT catapataa aur SvaaDist hai.) “This soup is so spicy and delicious.” नेपाल एक छोटा देश है। (NepaaL ek chotaa Des hai.) “Nepal is a small country.”

You look so “pretty”!

6. Connect with Conjunctions

Conjunctions serve as the glue between two words, phrases, or sentences. They help us explain reasons, define choices, and add meaning to what we want to say. Here’s a quick look at the essential Hindi conjunction words:

Conjunctions

“And” = और (aur) “But”  = लेकिन (LekiN) “Then”  = फिर (phir) “Because”  = क्योंकि (kyonki) “So”  = इसलिए (iSaLiye) “If”  = यदि (yaDi) / अगर (agar) “Or”  = या (yaa)

Example Sentences: मेज़ पर सेब और संतरे रखे हैं। (mez par Seb aur SaNTare rakhe hain.) “There are apples and oranges on the table.” मैं इसलिए नहीं आ पाया क्योंकि मेरी तबियत ख़राब थी। (main iSaLiye Nahiin aa paayaa kyonki merii TabiyaT kharaab THii.) “I couldn’t come because I was not well.”

Common Stationery Items

7. Auxiliary Verbs

To conclude our list of basic Hindi words for beginners, let’s look at auxiliary verbs. They serve a vital role in speech and you can’t afford to skip them; using them correctly will help you sound more like a native speaker (and less like a newbie!). 

Auxiliary Verbs

“Is” = है (hai) “Am” = हूँ (huun) “Are” = हैं (hain) “To be” = होना (hoNaa) “Was” = था (THaa) / थी (THii) “Were” = थे (THe) / थीं (THiin) “Will be” = होगा (hogaa) / होगी (hogii) “Can” = सकना (SakaNaa)

Example Sentences: बिल्ली सो रही है। (biLLii So rahii hai.) “The cat is sleeping.” मैं अभी व्यस्त हूँ। (main abhii vyaST huun.) “I am busy right now.”

My god, this is so cold!

8. Mastering the Hindi Language with HindiPod101.com

And here we are at the end of our lesson. We hope you enjoyed our list of Hindi beginner words and found it useful. If so, keep in mind that we have so much more to share with you on HindiPod101.com! Check out our blog and website for plenty of other useful Hindi resources and lesson materials.

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Filler words are found in all spoken languages, and they’re an inseparable part of daily conversations. They provide us with the space we need to think before speaking or responding to someone. We also use fillers as a colloquial means to say something more succinctly; at times, a single filler word can express more about how we’re feeling than a lengthy dialogue could.

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about filler words in Hindi and how they’re used. Once you’ve mastered this key element of conversation, your Hindi skills will go from “so-so” to “near-native”!

Table of Contents

1. What are filler words and why are they so popular?
2. Popular Fillers in the Hindi Language
3. Pros and Cons of Filler Words
4. Let’s Crush it with HindiPod101.com

1. What are filler words and why are they so popular?

True to their name, filler words give us an easy way out by “filling” our pauses in speech whenever we’re looking for a specific word or deciding how to phrase something. Hindi filler words are local expressions abundantly used by natives in their day-to-day lives.

They’re so popular because, more often than not, they give us the crucial time we need to think about what we want to say. In addition, filler words make it easy to express an array of emotions: surprise, shock, pain, pleasure, boredom, disappointment, and the list goes on. Using filler words can also help us remain courteous and polite to the other person.

You see, filler words in Hindi are nothing short of life-savers. It goes without saying that it’s hard to imagine life without them, especially for Hindi-speaking natives.

2. Popular Fillers in the Hindi Language

In this section, we’ll be covering the most common Hindi conversation filler words along with explanations and examples of how to use them.

Quick Note: Most of the examples below are dialogues between person A and person B. If “A” and “B” are not mentioned, this means the example is only a sentence spoken by one person.

#1 अच्छा (acchaa) = “Really!” or “Okay”

One of the most common Hindi filler words is अच्छा (acchaa). It’s a multipurpose word that serves beautifully in different situations. For instance, it could represent affirmation, surprise, or even mockery, depending on the context of the conversation.

This word allows the speaker to pause and gain some time to gather their thoughts. Here are two different situations where it can be used:

• अच्छा! (acchaa!) = “Really!”

As you can see, the word here denotes an exclamation of surprise!

A. हेमा ने नया मकान ले लिया है। (hemaa Ne Nayaa makaaN Le Liyaa hai.) B. अच्छा! कब? (acchaa! kab?)

A. “Hema has bought a new house. “B. “Really! When?”

• अच्छा (acchaa) = “Okay”

This is the most basic expression to say “yes” or “okay,” and it can be used to let the other person know that you’ve heard them.

A. मुझे वो फ़ाइल मिल गई है। (mujhe vo faaiL miL gayii hai.) B. अच्छा। (acchaa.)

A. “I have got that file. “B. “Okay.”

#2 हम्म (hmm) = “Hmm”

In situations where you’re immersed in a conversation and just want to nod along, हम्म (hmm) is the perfect filler in Hindi to use. Just like our first example, this phrase gives you the chance to take some time before responding.

A. पूरा अख़बार चुनाव की ख़बरों से भरा है। (puuraa akhabaar cuNaav kii khabaron Se bharaa hai.) B. हम्म। तुमने सही कहा। (hmm. TumaNe Sahii kahaa.)

A. “The whole newspaper is filled with election news. “B. “Hmm, you’re right.”

#3 मतलब (maTaLab) = “I mean”

When dealing with delicate topics, it’s wise to be tender and use soft words. One phrase you could use is मतलब (maTaLab), which is similar to “I mean” in English. 

भ्रष्टाचार कितना आम हो गया है। मतलब, लोग अब मुंह खोलकर घूस मांगते हैं। (bhrastaacaar kiTaNaa aam ho gayaa hai. maTaLab, Log ab munh khoLakar ghuuS maangaTe hain.)

“Corruption is so common nowadays. I mean, people openly ask for bribes.”

#4 चलो, ठीक है (caLo, thiik hai) = “Alright”

Have you ever been in a situation where you tried to calm someone down or had to step back to give everyone time to cool off? Then you know just how tense things can get and understand the importance of a well-placed word or expression. 

The exact phrase you’re looking for is चलो, ठीक है (caLo, thiik hai), which means “alright.” It fulfills the purpose of speaking more indirectly in order to encourage politeness in tense circumstances.

A. मेरा मूड बहुत ख़राब है। मुझे अभी अकेला छोड़ दो। (meraa muud bahuT kharaab hai. Mujhe abhii akeLaa chod Do.) B. चलो, ठीक है। जब बेहतर महसूस करो, तो मुझे फ़ोन कर लेना। (caLo, thiik hai. jab behaTar mahaSuuS karo, To mujhe foN kar LeNaa.)

A. “I am really upset. Please, leave me alone. “B. “Alright. Call me when you feel better.”

You know, that’s a planet.

#5 लगता है जैसे (LagaTaa hai jaiSe) = “It feels like”

When our instincts are at their best, we feel things that can’t be explained logically. You just feel it in your heart and in your bones. To express such emotions, the Hindi phrase लगता है जैसे (LagaTaa hai jaiSe), meaning “it feels like,” comes in handy. Please keep in mind that this phrase can easily be used in mundane or lighthearted situations as well.

पिंकी अजीब सा बर्ताव कर रही है। लगता है जैसे वो कुछ छुपा रही है। (pinkii ajiib Saa barTaav kar rahii hai. LagaTaa hai jaiSe vo kuch chupaa rahii hai.)

“Pinki is behaving so weird. It feels like she is hiding something.”

Ah! I have an idea.

#6 ठीक है? (thiik hai) = “Okay?” or “Got it?” or “Deal?”

Sometimes it’s necessary to emphasize what you’re saying in order to be sure that you and the other person are on the same page. In such moments, the Hindi phrase ठीक है? (thiik hai) does the job well. 

ये होमवर्क कल तक जमा करना है। ठीक है? किसी को कुछ पूछना है तो अभी पूछ लो। (ye homavark kaL Tak jamaa karaNaa hai. thiik hai? kiSii ko kuch puuchaNaa hai To abhii puuch Lo.)

“You have to submit this homework by tomorrow. Okay? If anybody has any questions, you can ask me now.”

#7 पता है (paTaa hai) = “You know”

We humans are storytellers. Most of us are quite good at adding spice to our dialogue or provoking curiosity in even the dullest conversation. Are you looking to translate those skills into Hindi? Then just use the phrase पता है (paTaa hai), meaning “you know,” and you’re good to go!

पता है, हमारे शहर में क़रीब पचास अस्पताल हैं। जिनमें से केवल बारह ही सरकारी हैं। (paTaa hai, hamaare sahar men qariib pacaaS aSpaTaaL hain. jiNmen Se kevaL baarah hii Sarkaarii hain.)

“You know, there are around fifty hospitals in this city. And only twelve of them are public.”

#8 सुनो (SuNo) = “Hey”

Want to grab attention in the blink of an eye? Then try uttering the word सुनो (SuNo). This is a popular Hindi filler word similar in function to the English word “hey.”

सुनो, कल मूवी देखने चलें क्या! (SuNo, kaL muuvii DekhaNe caLen kyaa!)

“Hey, let’s go and watch a movie tomorrow!”

#9 जानते हो / जानती हो (jaaNaTe ho / jaaNaTii ho) = “You know”

Another common phrase for “you know” is जानते हो / जानती हो (jaaNaTe ho / jaaNaTii ho). You can never go wrong with this phrase when trying to start a conversation with someone. 

जानते हो, बचपन में मुझे शतरंज खेलना बहुत पसंद था। (jaaNaTe ho, bacapaN men mujhe saTaranj kheLaNaa bahuT paSanD THaa.)

“You know, when I was a kid, I loved playing chess.”

Well, I don’t know. I’m confused.

#10 पता नहीं (paTaa Nahiin) = “I don’t know”

When confused, doubtful, or even hopeless about something, natives often use the Hindi phrase पता नहीं (paTaa Nahiin) to vent. Here’s how to use this Hindi filler phrase:

A. नौकरी बदलने के बारे में क्या सोचा? (Naukarii baDaLaNe ke baare men kyaa Socaa?) B. पता नहीं। मैं फ़ैसला नहीं कर पा रही। (paTaa Nahiin. main faiSaLaa Nahiin kar paa rahii.)

A. “What did you decide about the job change? “B. “I don’t know. I am not able to make up my mind.”

#11 समझ नहीं आता (Samajh Nahiin aaTaa) = “I don’t get it”

Feeling helpless and don’t know how to express it in Hindi? Your safest option is to say समझ नहीं आता (Samajh Nahiin aaTaa). It’s popularly used in personal or casual conversations.

समझ नहीं आता, ये लोग बार-बार वही ग़लती कैसे कर सकते हैं। (Samajh Nahiin aaTaa, ye Log baar-baar vahii gaLaTii kaiSe kar SakaTe hain.)

“I don’t get it, how can they make the same mistake again and again?”

#12 क्या? (kyaa?) = “What?”

Life is never without surprises. We might hear news that’s shocking, stimulating, surprising, or of a greater magnitude than we can even imagine. In such cases, one of the most common Hindi filler words used by natives is क्या? (kyaa), meaning “What?”

Please note that, in this context, the meaning of क्या? (kyaa?) = “What?” is not literal. We’re not actually asking a question, but rather expressing genuine astonishment. Take a look at the example below to better understand this. 

A. गीता और सुनील ने शादी कर ली है। (giiTaa aur SuNiiL Ne saaDii kar Lii hai.) B. क्या?! तुम्हें कैसे पता चला? (kyaa?! Tumhen kaiSe paTaa caLaa?)

A. “Geeta and Sunil got married. “B. “What? How did you come to know?”

#13 फिर? (phir?) = “Now what?”

This is another must-know phrase for when you need to pause and gather your thoughts before responding. 

A. मेरी फ्लाइट छूट गई। (merii fLaait chuut gayii.) B. फिर? अब क्या करोगे? (phir? ab kyaa karoge?)

A. “I missed my flight. “B. “Now what? What will you do now?”

#14 हैं?! (hain?!) = “What?”

In this context, हैं?! (hain?!) is used to ask a rhetorical question. You already know the answer or the situation, but end up saying “what” out of surprise or disbelief. 

A. क्लास में सिर्फ़ दस बच्चे पास हुए हैं। (kLaaS men Sirf DaS bacce paaS hue hain.) B. हैं?! ये कैसे हो सकता है? (hain? ye kaiSe ho SakTaa hai?)

A. “Only ten students have passed the class. “B. “What? That’s impossible!”

What! Really? I can’t be that cute!

#15 देखते हैं (DekhaTe hain) = “Let’s see”

There are two situations where the phrase देखते हैं (DekhaTe hain) could be aptly used:

1) When you’ve already made up your mind about something, but attempt to be polite by saying “let’s see” when you’re asked about it 

2) When you genuinely don’t know what will happen 

A. आज के मैच में इंडिया की टीम काफ़ी अच्छा खेल रही है। (aaj ke maic men iNdiyaa kii tiim kaafii acchaa kheL rahii hai.) B. देखते हैं, आख़िर में किसकी जीत होती है। (DekhaTe hain, aakhir men kiSakii jiiT hoTii hai.)

A. “India is playing so well in today’s match. “B. “Let’s see who wins in the end.”

#16 अरे (are) = “Oh!”

The one bankable Hindi filler word that native speakers use to express regret, pain, surprise, or even irritation is अरे (are), meaning “Oh!” 

अरे! मैं फिर उसका जन्मदिन भूल गई। (are! main phir uSakaa jaNmaDiN bhuuL gayii.)

“Oh! I forgot her birthday again.”

#17 उफ़ (uf) = “Ugh”

उफ़! बहुत गर्मी है। (uf, bahuT garmii hai.)

“Ugh! It’s so hot.”

#18 ओह (oh) = “Oh!”

ओह! इस बिल्ली को तो चोट लग गई है। (oh! iS biLLii ko To cot Lag gayii hai.)

“Oh! This cat is badly hurt.”

Oh no! It’s impossible.

3. Pros and Cons of Filler Words

So, you’ve now seen the most common fillers in Hindi and know how to use them well. But before you start employing them in your conversations, you should be aware of the pros and cons. 

On the one hand, filler words can help you sound more like a native speaker and break the ice with locals. They can also save you from embarrassment in critical situations. Hindi filler words are a wonderful tool to use when your brain needs a quick breath, when you feel awkward, or when you find yourself highly surprised by something. Using them well allows you to be delicate and to avoid scaring or offending the other person.

On the other hand, we would advise you to avoid using them in formal situations. If you’re in an interview, discussing a business plan, or participating in any kind of formal/public speech, using filler words is a no-no. Why, you ask? Well, filler words reflect low confidence. They project you as a person with a lack of clarity in his or her thoughts.

Here’s a tip to help you avoid falling into the trap of filler words:

Whenever you stumble or feel blank, use powerful phrases such as “another vital point is,” “let’s move on to,” or “the next thing I wanted to discuss is.” 

4. Let’s Crush it with HindiPod101.com

Did you enjoy reading this article about Hindi filler words? Which phrase do you relate to the most, and why? Is there any other phrase we didn’t cover? Let us know in the comments below.

Learn Better at HindiPod101.com

Don’t stop yet, because there’s so much more for you to explore with us at HindiPod101.com.

Look up any new words you come across and find out their meaning in our free online dictionary. For a more comprehensive study session, we’ve also created a number of exciting lesson materials and a sound database to help you expand your Hindi vocab.

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Expressing your love or romantic feelings for someone is a delicate matter. You want to make sure you’re using the right words at the right time, because even the most romantic phrases can fall flat if used carelessly or in the wrong context. This can be hard enough to do in your own language, let alone in a foreign language like Hindi!

In this article, we’ll provide you with several words and phrases you can use to say “I love you,” in Hindi. You’ll soon be prepared for all of your future romantic endeavors in India and beyond.

Table of Contents

1. Why Study Love Phrases in Hindi?
2. Must-know Cultural Tips
3. Pick-Up Lines to Confess Your Affection
4. Fall in Deeper: “I Love You,” and More
5. Hear the Wedding Bells?
6. Endearment Terms
7. Must-know Love Quotes
8. Find Your Path with HindiPod101.com

1. Why Study Love Phrases in Hindi?

Being in love with someone from a different country/culture is such a phenomenal experience. If you’re attracted to someone who happens to be a native Hindi speaker, confessing your feelings or asking them out in Hindi may sweep him or her off their feet and melt their heart! After all, what could be more romantic than learning the mother tongue of one’s beloved? 

In addition, you’ll find that the concept of love plays a significant role in the Hindi language. There are numerous words for “love” in Hindi, with the most common ones being: 

• प्यार (pyaar)
• इश्क़ (isq)
• मोहब्बत (mohabbaT)
• प्रेम (prem)

And there’s more where those came from!

Confessing your love in Hindi

2. Must-know Cultural Tips

Human beings have come a long way to be where we are today. And yet, it’s worth remembering that cultures are a bit slow to change. For instance, while Indian culture has grown much more forward over the last two decades, there are still a few things that have remained unchanged.

Women are still a bit shy when it comes to expressing affection or responding to romantic gestures. It’s generally expected for men to take the first step in this regard, whether it be asking a woman on a date, proposing marriage, or saying “I love you.”

Also take note that kissing or hugging in public is strictly off-limits in India. Ideally, couples should limit their public displays of affection to holding hands or placing their hand on the other’s shoulder. For more details, check out our blog post on the basic do’s and don’ts in India.

When given compliments, Indians often smile and blush; this is simply a nonverbal way of happily responding to the compliment. Some may even reply with a confident “thank you” and offer a big, broad smile.

Now that you have a fair idea of the Indian culture and customs surrounding romance, let’s jump to the section that you’ve long been waiting for: our list of the most common love words and phrases in Hindi! 

3. Pick-Up Lines to Confess Your Affection

Friendship is the foundation of every solid relationship. If you play your cards right, that relationship can slowly evolve into a romantic one.

We all go through the initial phase of liking someone and feeling attracted toward them, but it can be so hard to figure out the right words to express our interest. The good news is that, with these subtle love expressions in Hindi, confessing your love to a native speaker will be a piece of cake for you. 🙂

Hindi phrases to make your date unforgettable

Call it old-fashioned, but in Indian culture, the basic Hindi love phrases explained below are typically used by men rather than women. But of course, we all know that exceptions are everywhere! 

1 – आप बहुत सुंदर हैं। (aap bahuT SuNDar hain.)	“You are so beautiful.”
This meaningful yet subtle phrase never goes out of style and it always works like a charm. It would be most appropriate to use this phrase when meeting your crush at a party or another special occasion. Be careful to use the phrase only when you know that the other person likes you, too. Otherwise, you might freak them out!

2 – तुम बहुत प्यारी हो। (Tum bahuT pyaarii ho.)	“You are so cute.”
This one’s a magic phrase, offering a healthy dose of general friendliness combined with a romantic tone. Full of care and love, the innocence contained within the phrase speaks for itself. If you really mean it, then say it to the person you like and watch the magic happen.

3 – क्या आप मेरे साथ बाहर / रात के खाने पर चलेंगी? (kyaa aap mere SaaTH baahar / raaT ke khaaNe par caLengi?)	“Would you like to go out/have dinner with me?”
A simple, safe way to ask someone for a date. Use the word बाहर (baahar) if you would just like to ask the woman to go out with you. To specifically ask her out for dinner, use the phrase रात के खाने पर (raaT ke khaaNe par), or more simply, डिनर पर (diNar par).

4 – क्या तुम मेरी वैलेंटाइन बनोगी? (kyaa Tum merii vaLeNtaaiN baNogii?)	“Would you be my valentine?”
Lovers long the whole year for Valentine’s Day, and Indians are no exception. But why hold back your feelings all year, when you already know how to ask someone to be your valentine?

5 – आप मुझे बहुत अच्छी लगती / अच्छे लगते हैं। (aap mujhe bahuT acchii LagaTii / acche LagaTe hain.)	“I like you a lot.”
Oh, this one’s a favorite of many. It’s a popular phrase that lets you enjoy the healthy space of friendship while simultaneously laying the foundation for a romantic relationship.

When love’s in the air

6 – मुझे आपके साथ बातें करना पसंद है। (mujhe aapake SaaTH baaTen karaNaa paSanD hai.)	“I love talking to you.”
A heart-stealer that could change the whole game in one go.

7 – आपके साथ समय कैसे बीत जाता है, पता ही नहीं चलता। (aapake SaaTH Samay kaiSe biiT jaaTaa hai, paTaa hii Nahiin caLaTaa.)	“When I am with you, time flies away so fast.”
This is a killer line for communicating how much you like the other person. Plus, it’s a great compliment that everybody loves to hear!

8 – तुम मुझे बेहद पसंद हो। (Tum mujhe behaD paSanD ho.)	“I like you a lot.”
Here’s a simple, decent, and stylish way to say that you have more than just friendly feelings for her.

4. Fall in Deeper: “I Love You,” and More

Once the attraction is mutual, stop beating around the bush and tell her how you really feel. But how do you say “I love you,” in Hindi? There are plenty of ways to do that. Pick your favorite!

9 – मैं तुमसे प्यार करता/करती हूँ। (main TumaSe pyaar karaTaa/ karaTii huun.)	“I love you.”
This is the most direct phrase here, so use this line only when you’re sure that the romantic feelings are mutual.

10 – मैं तुम्हें अपना बनाना चाहता हूँ। (main Tumhen apaNaa baNaaNaa caahaTaa huun.)	“I want to make you mine.” / “I want you to be mine.”
Contrary to how intense it sounds in English, the Hindi phrase is quite gentle and romantic (given that both people are in love with each other).

How to say “I love you,” in Hindi

11 – मैं हर वक़्त बस तुम्हारे बारे में सोचता रहता/सोचती रहती हूँ। (main har vaqT baS Tumhaare baare men SocaTaa rahaTaa/SocaTii rahaTii huun.)	“I keep thinking about you all the time.”
Such a sweet phrase to let your beloved know how you feel when being far from each other.

12 – मुझे तुम्हारी बहुत याद आती है। (mujhe Tumhaarii bahaT yaaD aaTii hai.)	“I miss you a lot.”
Another delicate way to express your emotions.

13 – मैं तुम्हें मिस करता/करती हूँ। (main Tumhen miS karaTaa/ karaTii huun.)

“I miss you.”

14 – तुम मेरी ज़िंदगी हो। (Tum merii ziNDagii ho.)	“You are my life.”
Nothing needs to be said after this line. A phrase so full of love in itself, we can understand why it’s so popular among couples.

15 – मैं तुम्हारे बिना नहीं रह सकता / सकती। (main Tumhaare biNaa Nahiin rah SakaTaa / SakaTii.)	“I can’t live without you.”
It’s no secret how desperate lovers can be at times, and this phrase expresses that feeling perfectly.

→ Psst… Do you need even more romantic phrases? Then head over to our free vocabulary list of 15 Love Phrases for Valentine’s Day and really sweep your beloved off their feet!

5. Hear the Wedding Bells?

The concept of marriage might scare the heck out of many people, but when two people are truly in love with each other, getting married sounds to them like the most beautiful thing in the world. Let’s throw a glance at a few of the most common Hindi love phrases you could use if marriage is on your mind.

16 – मैं तुमसे शादी करना चाहता हूँ। (main TumaSe saaDii karaNaa caahaTaa huun.)

“I want to marry you.”

17 – क्या तुम मुझसे शादी करोगी? (kyaa Tum mujhaSe saaDii karogii?)

“Will you marry me?”

18 – मैं चाहती हूँ कि तुम मेरे माता-पिता से मिलो। (main caahaTii huun ki Tum mere maaTaa-piTaa Se miLo.)	“I want you to meet my parents.”
This phrase is typically used by the female partner in order to invite their boyfriend/lover to meet their parents.

Moving a step ahead in your love life

19 – मैं तुम्हें अपने माता-पिता से मिलवाना चाहता हूँ। (main Tumhen apaNe maaTaa-piTaa Se miLavaaNaa caahaTaa huun.)	“I want to introduce you to my parents.”
This one is more often used by males when they wish to introduce their girlfriend to their parents. It goes without saying that this phrase means taking your relationship to a serious level, where the whole family is going to be involved.

20 – क्या तुम हमेशा के लिए मेरी होना चाहोगी? (kyaa Tum hamesaa ke Liye merii hoNaa caahogii?)

“Would you be mine forever?”

21 – मैं तुम्हारे साथ अपना घर बसाना चाहता हूँ। (main Tumhaare SaaTH apaNaa ghar baSaaNaa caahaTaa huun.)	“I want to have a family with you.”
Another sweet and gentle way to steal her heart and ask for marriage.

22 – हमारे घर एक नन्हा मेहमान / नन्हीं परी आने वाली है। (hamaare ghar ek NaNhaa mehamaaN / NaNhiin parii aaNe vaaLii hai.)	“We are going to have a baby.”
This one’s a popular phrase that couples use to share the pregnancy news with each other or with others.

23 – मैं माँ बनने वाली हूँ। (main maan baNaNe vaaLii huun.)	“I am pregnant.”
Women say this phrase in order to share the good news with their partner.

6. Endearment Terms

All around the world, spouses and partners use sweet diminutives and nicknames to refer to each other. There are quite a few pet names that are popular among Indian couples, and the best thing is that these “names” can be used by and for both male and female partners. Let’s find out what these endearment terms are!

Missing your beloved

24 – जानू (jaaNuu)

“My life”

25 – बेबी (bebii)

“Babe” / “Baby”

26 – हनी (haNii)

“Honey”

27 – सुनिए (SuNiye)

“Listen”

An interesting term of endearment to call your spouse, this one is especially used by wives when they’re addressing their husband. In Indian culture, it’s still prevalent for the wife to not call her husband by his first name. In fact, in some regions, the husbands too don’t utter their wife’s name until it is really necessary. In such cases, a simple सुनिए (SuNiye) does the job, particularly when the parents and in-laws are around.

7. Must-know Love Quotes

You now know several Hindi love phrases and other sweet nothings you can whisper in your lover’s ear. But let’s take it up a notch with some of the most romantic Hindi love quotes! There are so many of them out there, so we’ve handpicked only the most noteworthy ones for you. Have a look.

28 – इश्क़ और मुश्क़ छुपाये नहीं छुपते। (isq aur musq chupaaye Nahiin chupaTe.)	“Love and fragrance cannot be hidden.”
No matter how much effort you put into keeping your love affair a secret, friends are the creatures who can pick up the scent of your deepest emotions. They may often tease you with this age-old quote.

29 – इश्क़ पर ज़ोर नहीं, है ये वो आतिश ग़ालिब, जो लगाए न लगे और बुझाये न बने। (isq par zor Nahiin, hai ye vo aaTis ghaaLib, jo Lagaaye Na Lage aur bujhaaye Na baNe.)	“Love is a fire beyond our control; neither can it be ignited, nor can it be doused.”
This quote is from the unparalleled Mirza Ghalib, a poet whose creations still move hopeless lovers to this day. It means that one can neither force love, nor kill it.

30 – प्यार के बिना ज़िंदगी अधूरी है। (pyaar ke biNaa ziNdagii aDHuurii hai.)	“Life without love is incomplete.”
An effortless quote that says it all without much ado.

31 – इश्क़ का कोई मज़हब नहीं होता। (isq kaa koii mazahab Nahiin hoTaa.)	“Love knows no religion.”
Religion is supposed to bring harmony and unite us, but many times, the opposite happens. And when two people from different religions fall in love, such stories have always made history. The quote gives us a strong message conveying that there is no greater religion than that of love.

32 – पोथी पढ़ि पढ़ि जग मुवा, पंडित हुआ न कोय, ढाई आखर प्रेम का, पढ़े सो पंडित होय। (poTHii padhi padhi jag muvaa, pandiT huaa Na koye, dhaaii aakhar prem kaa, padhe So pandiT hoye.)	“Bookish knowledge is worthless; fall in love and you’ll know everything.”
A deep quote by Saint Kabir, which is still popular in modern times.

33 – खुसरो दरिया प्रेम का सो उल्टी वाकी धार! जो उबरा सो डूब गया, जो डूबा वो पार!! (khuSaro Dariyaa prem kaa, So uLtii vaakii DHaar! jo ubaraa So duub gayaa, jo duubaa vo paar.)

“The river of love follows a totally different direction. The one who stays afloat drowns, and the one who is immersed completely to the point of drowning crosses the river.”

8. Find Your Path with HindiPod101.com

Today, you learned some of the best Hindi phrases for lovers as well as some sweet endearment terms and love quotes. Start practicing them right away, and you’ll be prepared to woo the love of your life in their native language before you know it! 

Honestly, we have so much more to share with you on HindiPod101.com. Check out our blog and website for plenty of other free Hindi resources and lesson materials. Enrich your Hindi language skills with our simple and effective teaching methods, and download our free mobile app for an unstoppable language-learning journey.

Facing trouble? Feel free to connect with us through our Help Center. You can also share your queries and clear your doubts by joining the HindiPod101.com Forum.

Learning the language of love in Hindi

Before you go, why not practice some of the romantic Hindi phrases with us? Write your favorite pick-up line in Hindi for us in the comments section! If there are any words, terms, or concepts you’re struggling with, feel free to reach out with any questions, as well. We look forward to hearing from you!

Indian culture is not as practical as Western culture. People in India tend to be more emotional and sensitive regarding the tone and body language of others. What makes the situation even more complex is that they are overly social at times and don’t mind making requests that foreign folks may find a bit intrusive.

No! Don’t say no to me!

These factors make it essential to learn how to properly form and use phrases that are negative in Hindi! You obviously don’t want to mess up the initial relationship-building time with any of your Indian friends or colleagues due to this cultural difference. Given that, a little homework regarding your communication skills can go a long way.

Table of Contents

1. Why is it Important to Study Negation in Hindi?
2. Negating a Statement with नहीं (Nahiin)
3. Giving a Negative Response to a Question
4. Other Negating Words and Phrases
5. Double Negatives
6. Master the Hindi Language with HindiPod101.com

1. Why is it Important to Study Negation in Hindi?

Saying no in Hindi requires a special type of assertiveness that will get your point across without offending the other person. It’s a delicate soft skill, actually. Agreeing with someone (or agreeing to do something) is not always for the best. Disagreements are just a natural element of conversations and relationships. 

This could happen at a workplace, with friends, or even with relatives. Remember: People pay more attention to how you say things rather than what you say. And when we’re talking about Hindi—or any foreign language, for that matter—this is something you should definitely take seriously! 

One careless move could hamper your relationship with the other person. It’s a strange dilemma, to be sure:

How can you decline an offer and still stay on good terms with that person? 

This is why practicing how to politely decline a request matters.

So, let’s jump to our lesson for today and learn about negation in the Hindi language.

I don’t want this!!

2. Negating a Statement with नहीं (Nahiin)

In this section, we’ll discuss how to negate a sentence in Hindi with negative words and show you how it’s done. Relax, because this is not rocket science. It’s a rather simple process. All you have to remember is the correct placement of the words in the sentence. 

First of all, the most common Hindi word for negation is: 

• नहीं (Nahiin) – “No” / “Not”

This word usually comes right before the main verb, though it can also be placed before the helping verb if there is no main verb. For example, in the table below, sentence number 3 (“This is not my room.”) has no main verb. So, नहीं (Nahiin) comes right before the helping verb है (hai), which means “is.”

For more examples, check out the following table.

Positive Sentence	Negative Sentence
किरण दूध पीती है।  (kiran DuuDH piiTii hai.) “Kiran drinks milk.”	किरण दूध नहीं पीती है।  (kiran DuuDH Nahiin piiTii hai.) “Kiran does not drink milk.”
बच्चे खेल रहे हैं।  (bacce kheL rahe hain.) “The kids are playing.”	बच्चे नहीं खेल रहे हैं।  (bacce Nahiin kheL rahe hain.) “The kids are not playing.”
यह मेरा कमरा है।  (yah meraa kamaraa hai.) “This is my room.”	यह मेरा कमरा नहीं है।  (yah meraa kamaraa Nahiin hai.) “This is not my room.”
मानस को बिल्लियां पसंद हैं।  (maaNaS ko biLLiyaan paSanD hain.) “Manas likes cats.”	मानस को बिल्लियां पसंद नहीं हैं। (maaNaS ko biLLiyaan paSanD Nahiin hain.) “Manas does not like cats.”

That wasn’t so difficult after all, was it? You see, in order to make a Hindi sentence negative, all you have to do is copy the whole sentence and insert the phrase नहीं (Nahiin) before the main verb.

That’s not going to happen, dude!

3. Giving a Negative Response to a Question

How should you respond if someone asks a question or requests something that makes you uncomfortable? 

The situation could be tricky because, let’s be honest, who finds it easy to say “no” to something? Nobody! 

But we could definitely make things more tender and decline an offer without breaking someone’s heart. Keep reading to learn how to say “no” with some respect and gentleness.

How to Say No to a Request

Interrogative Sentence	Negative Sentence
क्या यह किताब आपकी है?  (kyaa yah kiTaab aapakii hai.) “Is this your book?”	जी नहीं।  (jii Nahiin.) “No.”
क्या आप चाय लेंगे/लेंगी?  (kyaa aap caay Lenge/Lengii?) “Would you like to have tea?”	जी नहीं, धन्यवाद!  (jii Nahiin, DHaNyavaaD!) “No, thank you!”
क्या किरण दूध पीती है?  (kyaa kiran DuuDH piiTii hai?) “Does Kiran drink milk?”	जी नहीं, किरण दूध नहीं पीती है।  (jii Nahiin, kiran DuuDH Nahiin piiTii hai.) “No, Kiran does not drink milk.”
क्या बच्चे खेल रहे हैं?  (kyaa bacce kheL rahe hain?) “Are the kids playing?”	जी नहीं, बच्चे नहीं खेल रहे हैं।  (jii Nahiin, bacce Nahiin kheL rahe hain.) “No, the kids are not playing.”
क्या मानस को बिल्लियां पसंद हैं?  (kyaa maaNaS ko biLLiyaan paSanD hain?) “Does Manas like cats?”	जी नहीं, मानस को बिल्लियां पसंद नहीं हैं।  (jii Nahiin, maaNaS ko biLLiyaan paSanD Nahiin hain.) “No, Manas does not like cats.”

4. Other Negating Words and Phrases

There are a handful of words and phrases for negation in English and Hindi, but Hindi has a slightly longer list! Some of these phrases display an element of surprise or exclamation along with the denial, while others represent a neutral or firm tone. It’s really more about the context of the conversation and the types of questions being asked.

Here are the negation phrases and other negative words in Hindi you should memorize! 

Other Negating Words	Hindi Sentence	English Sentence
ना  (Naa) “Nah”	लोकेश ने काम पूरा कर लिया?  (Lokes Ne kaam puuraa kar Liyaa?) ना।  (Naa.)	“Did Lokesh finish the task?” “Nah.”
नहीं तो!  (Nahiin To) “No”	मिठाई तुमने खाई थी?  (mithaaii TumaNe khaaii THii?) नहीं तो!  (Nahiin To!)	“Did you eat the sweets?” “No.”
बिल्कुल नहीं  (biLkuL Nahiin) “Not at all!”	क्या आपको क्रिकेट पसंद है?  (kyaa aapako kriket paSanD hai?) बिल्कुल नहीं!  (biLkuL Nahiin!)	“Do you like cricket?” “Not at all!”
अभी नहीं  (abhii Nahiin) “Not now”	क्या हम अभी बात कर सकते हैं?  (kyaa ham abhii baaT kar SakaTe hain?) अभी नहीं।  (abhii Nahiin.)	“Can we talk right now?” “Not now.”
अभी तो नहीं  (abhii To Nahiin) “Not yet”	बच्चे स्कूल से घर आ गए?  (bacce SkuuL Se ghar aa gaye?) अभी तो नहीं।  (abhii To Nahiin.)	“Are the kids back from the school?” “Not yet.”
कोई नहीं  (koii Nahiin) “No one”	इस कुर्सी पर कौन बैठा था?  (iS kurSii par kauN baithaa THaa?) कोई नहीं।  (koii Nahiin.)	“Who was sitting on this chair?” “No one.”
कभी नहीं  (kabhii Nahiin) “Never”	क्या आपने कभी मांसाहारी भोजन खाया है?  (kyaa aapaNe kabhii maanSaahaarii bhojaN khaayaa hai?) कभी नहीं!  (kabhii Nahiin!)	“Have you ever tried a non-vegetarian food?” “Never!”
कुछ नहीं  (kuch Nahiin) “Nothing”	क्या हुआ?  (kyaa huaa) कुछ नहीं।  (kuch Nahiin.)	“What happened?” “Nothing.”
सवाल ही नहीं  (SavaaL hii Nahiin) “Not a chance”	हमारे साथ नदी में तैरोगे?  (hamaare SaaTH NaDii men Tairoge?) [to a male] Or: हमारे साथ नदी में तैरोगी?  (hamaare SaaTH NaDii men Tairogii?) [to a female] सवाल ही नहीं!  (SavaaL hii Nahiin!)	“Would you swim with us in the river?” “Not a chance!”
मत करो  (maT karo) “Don’t”	शोर मत करो!  (sor maT karo!)	“Don’t shout!”
और नहीं  (aur Nahiin) “No”	और चावल चाहिए?  (aur caavaL caahiye?) और नहीं।  (aur Nahiin.)	“More rice?” “No.”
अब नहीं  (ab Nahiin) “Not anymore”	क्या सुनीता और तुम दोस्त हो?  (kyaa SuNiiTaa aur Tum DoST ho?) पहले थे पर अब नहीं।  (pahaLe THe par ab Nahiin.)	“Are you and Sunita friends?” “We used to be, but not anymore.”

This list might seem overwhelming now, but consistent hard work is the key. So, as much as possible, try to practice all these phrases and examples with your native Hindi-speaking friends. Trust us, you’ll come out with flying colors and a more solid understanding of Hindi negation!

I’m not ready for this!

5. Double Negatives

To wrap up our article, let’s discuss the concept of “double negatives,” another type of negation in Hindi. Compared to English, the double negatives in Hindi are not overt. However, we’ll cover a few example sentences to give you a better idea of what we’re talking about.

1. 

आपको टेनिस खेलना पसंद है? 
(kyaa aapako teNiS kheLaNaa paSanD hai?)
“Do you like to play tennis?”

नहीं, लेकिन नापसंद भी नहीं है।
(Nahiin, LekiN NaapaSaND bhii Nahiin hai.)
“No, but I don’t dislike it either.”

2. 

चलो, बाहर चलें।
(caLo, baahar caLen.)
“Come on, let’s go outside.”

नहीं, मुझे नहीं जाना है।
(Nahiin, mujhe Nahiin jaaNaa hai.)
“No, I don’t want to.”

3. 

यह पेंटिंग देख लूँ?
(yah penting Dekh Luun?)
“Can I see this painting?”

नहीं, उसे मत छुओ! वह अभी गीली है।
(Nahiin, uSe maT chuo! vah abhii giiLii hai.)
“No, don’t touch that! It’s still wet.”

6. Master the Hindi Language with HindiPod101.com

That’s it for our comprehensive lesson on negation in Hindi. We hope you found the phrases we included useful and interesting.

Which of these words do you think you’ll use most often (or if you’re living in India, which ones do you hear the most frequently)? Share these words with us in the comments below. We’d also like to encourage our intermediate learners to try making sentences with them!

How to Sound Like a Native!

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Happy learning! 

Learning a language is a serious decision. It takes a lot of grit and discipline to master a new language—in this case, Hindi. 

As you consider your options, you might start asking yourself: Why learn Hindi? Is it really worth the time and effort? 

Of course, the myriad of answers to these questions adds to the confusion and makes it more difficult for you to make a decision. 

It’s interesting to see how even genuinely interested people can, at times, generate so many vague excuses to put off Hindi learning. That’s why it’s important to analyze the top reasons for studying Hindi. If nothing else, remembering the “why” helps us stick to our language learning goal and motivates us to do better.

Ready to be inspired? Come and explore how wonderful the language is!

How Well Do You Know Indian Culture?

Table of Contents

1. The Deep-rooted Hindi-an Culture
2. Benefits of Learning a Language
3. Personal and Professional Gains
4. Hindi is Easy to Learn!
5. HindiPod101.com: The Best Platform for Learning Hindi

1. The Deep-rooted Hindi-an Culture

India has made its mark as one of the world’s largest democracies. Its ancient cultural history has enchanted mankind for ages. Being the offspring of Sanskrit—the mother of many languages—Hindi penetrates the old and new social values of Indian society.

1 – Spoken by the Majority!

India has the second highest population in the world, and the majority of this population speaks Hindi. 

Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi speak Hindi and its various dialects as their mother tongue.

Mind you! Uttar Pradesh is the most heavily populated state in India, while Delhi is a melting pot of various cultures and occupants from different states—this naturally adds to the rising number of Hindi speakers.

2- Spiritual / Literary Learning

Every year, people from all over the world love to visit India for spiritual purposes. More often than not, their Indian mentors deliver the discourses in Hindi. In such cases, knowing the Hindi language helps the seeker connect with their Indian Gurus in a more personal way, while allowing them to better understand the context behind the whole learning process.

3 – Global Influence

Another compelling reason to learn Hindi is that this language has impressed the world for so long. Don’t believe us? Apart from India, more than ten nations fall under the category of Hindi-speaking countries.

Even the versatile English language has many loanwords from Hindi. To name a few: Karma, Mantra, Guru, Yoga. Sound familiar?

Language Learning can Improve Your Thinking Process

2. Benefits of Learning a Language

Learning a foreign language comes with several added benefits. For example, the language learning process is known to enhance your cognitive and creative abilities! And did you know that when you’re studying a second language, it actually improves your command of your mother tongue, too?

Trying on a language yet unknown to you is like opening a treasure chest. Once you unlock it, many priceless things come pouring out.

4 – Boost Your Brain Power

Learning a new language activates the neurons and sharpens the thinking process. Not only that, but it also enhances your memory while slowing down the aging process of the brain cells. How cool is that! Working on a second language has proven effects on positive cognitive skills. For instance, your way of thinking changes when the brain tries to create thought patterns in a new language.

5 – It’s So Creative!

Marveling over a completely new language is a creative way to experience the vivid richness of this world and the course of human evolution. 

Learning Hindi opens the door to better understanding the Indian culture and gaining first-hand experience when you arrive here. 

There are a lot of elements that go missing once a book is translated from the source language to the target language. Learning Hindi will give you much easier access to so many commendable books and Upanishads in their original language. You’ll be able to explore the Hindi literary works of brilliant writers and poets, such as Munshi Premchand, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, and Mahashveta Devi.

Learn Hindi. Get Better Jobs.

3. Personal and Professional Gains

Is India calling? 

Whether you want to visit or live here for personal or professional reasons, the bottomline is that you should take a crash course in Hindi first! We cannot emphasize enough how much it’s going to help you. 

Let’s look at a few reasons why you should learn Hindi before your visit and examine a few situations where knowing the language can save you from petty troubles.

6 – Be a Bad*ss Tourist!

Traveling has its own set of pros and cons, especially when you’re about to explore a foreign land with a foreign language. Let’s face it: India, known for its mesmerizing natural beauty and countless tourist spots, is a whole new world for many.

We have a totally different culture from what you’re probably used to. Our way of dressing, the Indian cuisine, our style of greeting, and even the popular Indian gestures are enough to puzzle any English speaker. And you can add to that the communication gap!

But once you’re familiar with Hindi survival phrases, things will be much better. As a tourist, Hindi gives you an essential edge while shopping and bargaining, during emergencies, while asking for directions or other kinds of help—not to mention it’s a great way to show off. 😉

7 – Job Opportunities

Are you looking for work in India and wish to improve your chances of getting a job? Or maybe you’re already working in India and want to gel up with your new colleagues? Learning Hindi is a sure way to boost your career, attract many opportunities, and connect with native speakers. 

Another great reason to learn Hindi? You’ll finally begin to understand the context and colloquialism of your daily conversations, and have a hearty laugh with your Indian friends/coworkers. As a result, your bonds in the workplace will become stronger. You’ll develop a more solid social network as well. 

8 – Bollywood Movies and Songs

Nowadays, people of every nationality and linguistic background are enjoying Bollywood movies and music! 

There’s just something about Hindi songs and music that touches the soul and makes our hearts dance to the beats.

If you too are an avid fan, then welcome to our Hindi cult. We can promise that once you’ve started learning Hindi, all the lyrical expressions will make much more sense, and you’ll feel rather connected with the songs and stories depicted in the Hindi-language movies.

Movies, anyone?

9 – When Love’s in the Air!

The world has become a global village. Nowadays, people can easily connect with anyone from anywhere. This connection could turn into an amazing friendship, and who knows—maybe even into a romantic relationship! The point is, there’s nothing more romantic than to have someone learn and express their love in your native language.

So, if you feel kind of crazy in love with a person who speaks Hindi, sweep them off their feet by learning these romantic phrases in Hindi. And if you’re already married to a native Hindi speaker, learning the language could also deepen your bond with your partner and his/her family! 

4. Hindi is Easy to Learn!

Sure, Hindi might not sound like a piece of cake when you’ve grown up speaking English or any European language. But it isn’t as difficult as you might imagine. There are many aspects of Hindi which make it quite fun and straightforward to learn. For example: 

10 – You Speak as You Write

Each syllable is spoken just as it’s written, thanks to the Devanagari script. Even for beginners, there’s no confusion when it comes to pronouncing Hindi words. Unlike English, which has a twisted way of saying “plough” and “tough” (or “cut” and “put,” for that matter), Hindi pronunciation is much cleaner and simple.

Speak as You Write

In short, each vowel and consonant is spoken just the way it’s written, and this rule never changes. So, once you’ve mastered the ability to read Hindi and recognize the diacritics, you’ve won half the battle. Isn’t that wonderful and relieving to know!

5. HindiPod101.com: The Best Platform for Learning Hindi

Gone are the days when one had to search for a tutor and meet them everyday, in person. Let alone the trouble of getting tied to a fixed time and juggling that into one’s daily schedule. And even if that was an option, what chances are there of doing that during this pandemic?

In such circumstances, the online Hindi learning platform HindiPod101.com offers great value. It’s time-saving, energy-saving, and personalized. What’s more, you can learn Hindi anywhere, anytime, at your convenience. And honestly, why wouldn’t someone be interested when there are as many as 15 ways to learn Hindi for free?

Boost Your Hindi with HindiPod101.com

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s study together at HindiPod101.com and explore the best learning materials. Feeling clueless about where to start? Reach out to our Help Center. Our page First Steps with the System will help you get started smoothly.

All the while, we’ll be waiting to hear your topmost reason to study Hindi. Are you traveling to India or planning to date someone from here? Maybe you’re in love with the Indian music? Whatever it is, we’d love to work with you on this journey!

Today, you’ll learn about tenses in the Hindi language—a crucial topic for any beginner.

Imagine talking about your future plans in the past tense! How puzzling would that be? And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Without using the correct tenses, it would be difficult for you to express or understand when a given event took place. This would lead to much confusion, not to mention the exchange of incorrect information. 

To avoid such embarrassment, you really ought to understand how the grammatical tenses work in Hindi. In our lesson today, we’ll talk about how to form tenses in Hindi and when each one should be used. 

It may seem difficult now, but with time, you’ll become familiar with the proper usage of each tense and its subcategories.

What are the Hindi tenses?

Important Note: For more clarity, we’ll be using the same three verbs in Hindi as examples throughout the article. The infinitive forms of these verbs are:

• खाना (khaaNaa) = “to eat”
• जाना (jaaNaa) = “to go”
• सोना (SoNaa) = “to sleep”

Table of Contents

1. The Different Hindi Verb Tenses
2. Present Tense = वर्तमान काल (varTamaaN kaaL)
3. Past Tense = भूतकाल (bhuuTakaaL)
4. Future Tense = भविष्य काल (bhavisy kaaL)
5. Verb Conjugation in Hindi
6. Break Through with HindiPod101.com

1. The Different Hindi Verb Tenses

In Hindi grammar, there are three main types of tenses. These are the present tense, past tense, and future tense. Each tense is again divided into three subcategories.

1. Present Tense = वर्तमान काल (varTamaaN kaaL)

a. Simple present
b. Present continuous
c. Present perfect

2. Past Tense = भूतकाल (bhuuTakaaL)

a. Simple past
b. Past continuous
c. Past perfect

3. Future Tense = भविष्य काल (bhavisy kaaL)

a. Simple future
b. Future continuous
c. Future perfect

In the following sections, we’ll be discussing these in the same order. Here we go!

The journey through time

2. Present Tense = वर्तमान काल (varTamaaN kaaL)

The present tense is used when the action is happening at the current moment. The basic types of present tense are simple present, present continuous, and present perfect tense. 

A- Simple Present Tense

The simple present tense in Hindi is normally used with indefinite verbs, which are verbs that indicate a fixed pattern, such as a routine or habit.

To help you better understand this concept, here are a few examples. 

Simple Present Tense
अमर सुबह सेब खाता है।  amar Subah Seb khaaTaa hai.	“Amar eats an apple in the morning.”
पारुल रोज़ स्कूल जाती है।  paaruL roz SkuuL jaaTii hai.	“Parul goes to school daily.”
बच्चे दोपहर में सोते हैं।  bacce Dopahar men SoTe hain.	“The kids sleep in the afternoon.”

As you can see, each verb form gives us a hint that the said action is taking place on a regular basis. 

B- Present Continuous Tense

The present continuous tense in Hindi expresses an action that is happening now, in the exact moment. 

In English, this tense is formed by using a conjugated form of the verb “to be” and then adding “-ing” to the end of the root form of the main verb: 

• [“to be” verb] + “eat” + “ing” = to be eating

In Hindi, these two steps are replaced by simply using one of these terms: 

• रहा है (rahaa hai)
• रही है (rahii hai) 
• रहे हैं (rahe hain)

Here are a few examples of how this works:

Present Continuous Tense
अमर सेब खा रहा है। amar Seb khaa rahaa hai.	“Amar is eating an apple.”
पारुल स्कूल जा रही है। paaruL SkuuL jaa rahii hai.	“Parul is going to school.”
बच्चे सो रहे हैं। bacce So rahe hain.	“The kids are sleeping.”

Being in the present moment

C- Present Perfect Tense

We use the present perfect tense to indicate that an action was completed not long ago.

In English, you would form this tense by using the auxiliary “has” or “have,” followed by the third form of the main verb. For example:

• has / have + eaten 

In Hindi, you would replace the “has” or “have” with one of these terms:

• चुका है (cukaa hai)
• चुकी है (cukii hai)
• चुके हैं (cuke hain)

Let’s take a look:

Present Perfect Tense
अमर सेब खा चुका है। amar Seb khaa cukaa hai.	“Amar has eaten an apple.”
पारुल स्कूल जा चुकी है। paaruL SkuuL jaa cukii hai.	“Parul has gone to school.”
बच्चे सो चुके हैं। bacce So cuke hain.	“The kids have gone to sleep.”

3. Past Tense = भूतकाल (bhuuTakaaL)

The past tense in Hindi is used to talk about events that have already taken place. The most commonly used subcategories of this tense are the simple past, past continuous, and past perfect.

A- Simple Past Tense

In Hindi, we use either indefinite verbs or the second form of verbs to make the simple past tense. This tense can be used to indicate a past habit or the completion of an action in the past.

I loved the dinner last night!

Here are some examples of what the simple past tense in Hindi looks like:

Simple Past Tense
अमर ने सेब खाया।  amar Ne Seb khaayaa. Or अमर सेब खाता था।  amar Seb khaaTaa THaa.	“Amar ate an apple.”
पारुल स्कूल गयी।  paaruL SkuuL gayii. Or पारुल स्कूल जाती थी।  paaruL SkuuL jaaTii THii.	“Parul went to school.”
बच्चे सोये।  bacce Soye. Or बच्चे सोते थे। bacce SoTe THe.	“The kids slept.”

B- Past Continuous Tense

We use the past continuous tense to describe a continuous action that was taking place at a specific time in the past. 

In English, this tense is formed by using the auxiliary “was” or “were,” followed by the root form of the main verb + “-ing.” For example: 

• [was / were] + eat + ing = was/were eating

In Hindi, you would replace these two elements with one of these terms: 

• रहा था (rahaa THaa)
• रही थी (rahii THii)
• रहे थे (rahe THe)

Here are some examples for you:

Past Continuous Tense
अमर सेब खा रहा था। amar Seb khaa rahaa THaa.	“Amar was eating an apple.”
पारुल स्कूल जा रही थी। paaruL SkuuL jaa rahii THii.	“Parul was going to school.”
बच्चे सो रहे थे। bacce So rahe THe.	“The kids were sleeping.”

C- Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect tense is used to express actions that were performed and completed in the past.

In English, you would form this tense by using the auxiliary “had,” followed by the third form of the main verb: 

• [had] + eaten = had eaten

In Hindi, the auxiliary “had” is replaced by one of these terms: 

• चुका था (cukaa THaa)
• चुकी थी (cukii THii)
• चुके थे (cuke THe)

For example: 

Past Perfect Tense
अमर सेब खा चुका था। amar Seb khaa cukaa THaa.	“Amar had eaten an apple.”
पारुल स्कूल जा चुकी थी। paaruL SkuuL jaa cukii THii.	“Parul had gone to school.”
बच्चे सो चुके थे। bacce So cuke THe.	“The kids had slept.”

4. Future Tense = भविष्य काल (bhavisy kaaL)

We’ve finally arrived at the future tense! 

The future tense in Hindi is used to talk about events that are yet to take place. The most commonly used future tenses are the simple future, future continuous, and future perfect.

Will you meet me tomorrow?

A- Simple Future Tense

As the name suggests, the simple future tense indicates activities that are certain to happen in the future.

Note in the examples below that all three sentences end with either गा (gaa), गी (gii), or गे (ge). This is the trademark of the future tense in Hindi.

Simple Future Tense
अमर सेब खाएगा।  amar Seb khaayegaa.	“Amar will eat an apple.”
पारुल स्कूल जाएगी।  paaruL SkuuL jaayegii.	“Parul will go to school.”
बच्चे सोएंगे।  bacce Soyenge.	“The kids will sleep.”

B- Future Continuous Tense

Similarly to the present and past continuous, the future continuous tense also contains the term रहा (rahaa). The only difference is that, in the future continuous tense, it’s followed by either होगा (hogaa), होगी (hogii), or होंगे (honge).

In English, this tense is formed by using the auxiliary “will be,” followed by the first form of the main verb + “-ing.” For example: 

• [will be] + “eat” + “ing” = will be eating

In Hindi, however, you replace these elements with one of these terms: 

• रहा होगा (rahaa hogaa)
• रही होगी (rahii hogii)
• रहे होंगे (rahe honge)

Here are some examples for you: 

Future Continuous Tense
अमर सेब खा रहा होगा। amar Seb khaa rahaa hogaa.	“Amar will be eating an apple.”
पारुल स्कूल जा रही होगी। paaruL SkuuL jaa rahii hogii.	“Parul will be going to school.”
बच्चे सो रहे होंगे। bacce So rahe honge.	“The kids will be sleeping.”

C- Future Perfect Tense

To form the future perfect tense in English, you would use the auxiliary “will have” or “shall have,” followed by the third form of the main verb:

• [will have / shall have] + eaten = will/shall have eaten 

In Hindi, you would replace the auxiliary with one of these terms: 

• चुका होगा (cukaa hogaa)
• चुकी होगी (cukii hogii)
• चुके होंगे (cuke honge)

Future Perfect Tense
अमर सेब खा चुका होगा। amar Seb khaa cukaa hogaa.	“Amar will have eaten an apple.”
पारुल स्कूल जा चुकी होगी। paaruL SkuuL jaa cukii hogii.	“Parul will have gone to school.”
बच्चे सो चुके होंगे। bacce So cuke honge.	“The kids will have gone to sleep.”

Now that we’ve covered several of the common Hindi tenses with examples, it’s time to learn a little bit about verb conjugation in sentences. 

5. Verb Conjugation in Hindi

Did you know that the Hindi language is quite peculiar when it comes to verb conjugation? 

There are three factors that influence the conjugation of Hindi verbs: 

• Tense
• Gender
• Number 

You’ve already seen a glimpse of verb conjugation in the examples above, but how about we break it down a little more using all three factors? 

Tenses and Verb Conjugation
Tense	Masculine Gender		Feminine Gender
	Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Simple Present	– ता है (Taa hai)	– ते हैं (Te hain)	– ती है (Tii hai)	– ती हैं (Tii hain)
Present Continuous	– रहा है (rahaa hai)	– रहे हैं (rahe hain)	– रही है (rahii hai)	– रही हैं (rahii hain)
Present Perfect	– चुका है (cukaa hai)	– चुके हैं (cuke hain)	– चुकी है (cukii hai)	– चुकी हैं (cukii hain)
Simple Past	– ता था (Taa THaa)	– ते थे (Te THe)	– ती थी (Tii THii)	– ती थीं (Tii THiin)
Past Continuous	– रहा था (rahaa THaa)	– रहे थे (rahe THe)	– रही थी (rahii THii)	– रही थीं (rahii THiin)
Past Perfect	– चुका था (cukaa THaa)	– चुके थे (cuke THe)	– चुकी थी (cukii THii)	– चुकी थीं (cukii THiin)
Simple Future	– गा (gaa)	– गे (ge)	– गी (gii)	– गीं (giin)
Future Continuous	– रहा होगा (rahaa hogaa)	– रहे होंगे (rahe honge)	– रही होगी (rahii hogii)	– रही होंगी (rahii hongii)
Future Perfect	– चुका होगा (cukaa hogaa)	– चुके होंगे (cuke honge)	– चुकी होगी (cukii hogii)	– चुकी होंगी (cukii hongii)

6. Break Through with HindiPod101.com

Tenses in Hindi might appear a bit confusing in the beginning. But just like in English, there are fixed patterns of main and auxiliary verbs in Hindi; learning them will make this aspect of the language so much easier for you! We hope you found this lesson useful and interesting.

Let’s work toward a better future.

What things do you find the easiest and most difficult about Hindi tenses so far? Could you add some more examples for each category? Well, we’re all ears! 

Remember that no matter your current Hindi level, we’re here to help you learn every step of the way. Polish your Hindi skills by studying with our world-class vocabulary resources and practicing with flashcards. For even more accessibility, download our mobile app and get going. 

Keep learning, keep shining!

Many aspiring students long to know the estimated duration of their Hindi learning—and this makes perfect sense! Without a well-defined deadline, one could easily derail from the language learning path. It would be like traveling to an undisclosed destination with no idea of when you would reach it. 

If you’re like most aspiring Hindi language learners, you probably have this important question on your mind: How long does it take to learn Hindi? 

In this article, we will… 

• …give you an outline of how long it takes to reach each level of Hindi. 
• …offer you some tips on how to learn Hindi fast.
• …provide you with some motivational facts to keep you going strong. 

It’s natural to be curious, and you might also be wondering how difficult it is to learn the Hindi language. You can check out the following article to discover the hardest (and easiest) parts of the language: Is Hindi Hard to Learn? Our Verdict. 

Now, are you ready to unpack the topic at hand?

Cracking the Hindi Learning Code

Table of Contents

1. Why Should You Know How Long it Takes to Learn Hindi?
2. How Long Does it Take to Achieve Beginner Level?
3. How Long Does it Take to Achieve Intermediate Level?
4. How Long Does it Take to Achieve Advanced Level?
5. Motivational Facts
6. How to Use HindiPod101.com to the Fullest

1. Why Should You Know How Long it Takes to Learn Hindi?

It’s important to get a fair idea of how long it will take to learn Hindi because this will help you set a realistic language learning goal and develop a suitable strategy. Once you have an approximate duration in mind, you’re ready to assign the required time and energy in a balanced manner. This way, you can work toward your goals without feeling crushed! 

Before moving forward, we’d like to remind you that, according to the ILTS TLP Hindi proficiency test, there are three levels of Hindi proficiency: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Each level requires a different time commitment from the student. Read on to learn more about what each level looks like and how to reach them effectively. 

2. How Long Does it Take to Achieve Beginner Level?

The answer to this question depends on a number of factors, such as your study methods and how much time you spend actively learning.

If you’re consistently in touch with native speakers, watch Hindi movies and shows, and listen to Hindi podcasts every day, then you’ll be able to pick up the basics within 3-4 months. 

Clueless where to begin? Our blog is a great place to get ideas! See our posts on: 

• Hindi movies
• Hindi Netflix shows
• Hindi YouTube channels 

As a beginner, it’s a good idea to start by learning the Devanagari script used for reading and writing, some popular Hindi greetings, and common Hindi words that are used on a daily basis. Once you have a solid foundation in those areas, slowly begin to focus on the pronunciation, diacritics, and conjugations, as these are quite unique and crucial to the Hindi language.

Practicing with the Native Friends

Here are a few simple Hindi words and phrases for beginners:

• नमस्ते। (NamaSTe.) = “Hello.”
• कैसी हैं आप? (kaiSii hain aap?) = “How are you?” [to a female]
• कैसे हैं आप? (kaiSe hain aap?) = “How are you?” [to a male]
• मैं ठीक हूँ। (main thiik huun.) = “I am fine.”
• धन्यवाद। (DHaNyavaaD.) = “Thank you.”
• आपका नाम क्या है? (aapakaa Naam kyaa hai?) = “What is your name?”
• मेरा नाम ___ है। (meraa Naam ___ hai.) = “My name is ____.”

Although it normally takes one a few months to master the key Hindi phrases, you don’t have to wait that long! How, you ask? By working on your reading skills and listening skills right away, you can increase your pace and pick up the basics faster than other people.

Having the Right Strategy is Important!

Helpful Links

There’s a lot of ground to cover at this stage of your Hindi learning! To give you a headstart on the basic phrases you should know, HindiPod101.com has comprehensive lessons on the following topics:

• How to introduce yourself 
• How to say hello 
• How to say thank you 

We also provide our students with spaced repetition flashcards. Reviewing them once in a while is a wonderful way to easily memorize new words and retain them for longer.

In addition to picking up new vocabulary, you should focus on learning the basic rules of Hindi grammar and syntax. For example, did you know that Hindi uses a different sentence structure than English does? Hindi is an SOV language, while English is an SVO language.  

Each of our beginner lessons features a dialogue by native speakers, a vocabulary list of relevant words and phrases, and lesson notes to summarize the main points. You can also download a PDF of the lesson transcript to keep it handy! We recommend you start with our Absolute Beginner Pathway, which covers everything you should know before pressing onward toward the intermediate level. 

3. How Long Does it Take to Achieve Intermediate Level?

According to the U.S. Foreign Service Institute (FSI), English speakers can reach an intermediate level of Hindi in 3 months, given that they study consistently for an hour each day. But if you wish to take your Hindi learning more lightly and at a slower pace, 6-8 months could do the job!

Once you achieve this level, you’ll be able to…

• …have fluent informal conversations. 
• …pronounce unfamiliar sounds correctly. 
• …follow Hindi conjugation rules in a flawless manner.

Daily Speaking is the Key!

Helpful Links

The journey from beginner to intermediate is long, with lots of progress made along the way. Wondering how to learn Hindi effectively at this point? HindiPod101.com has you covered! 

As mentioned, you should be able to hold informal conversations at this level. This includes things like… 

• …talking about your family.
• …telling (or asking for) the time.
• …giving (or asking for) directions. 

Pronunciation is another huge factor at this point. Did you know that many of the sounds in Hindi are completely new to English speakers? The good news is that, within 6 months, most students are ready to flaunt their improved pronunciation skills! 

Before you reach the intermediate level, you should also be quite familiar with the different parts of speech in Hindi:

• Nouns
• Pronouns
• Verbs
• Conjunctions

4. How Long Does it Take to Achieve Advanced Level?

You’ve made a ton of progress by now, but there’s still a ways to go. How long does it take to learn Hindi fluently? For most learners, this process takes about 1100 hours (or about 3 years) of consistent study—but the payoff is worth it! 

Once you reach the advanced level, you’ll be able to make formal conversation and understand many different colloquial expressions. You’ll be more than capable of using Hindi in a variety of day-to-day situations! 

Helpful Links

Reaching the advanced level means that you not only know the language, but that you understand how to apply it in the context of Indian culture. This means having a good working knowledge of…

• …gender rules and conjugations.
• …various tenses. 
• …Indian etiquette. 
• …local idioms and proverbs.
• …untranslatable words. 
• …slang terms.

Think Beyond the Books

5. Motivational Facts

Learning the Hindi language isn’t easy, but there are plenty of reasons to stick with it anyway. Here are some motivational facts to keep you going strong! 

• Not everyone in India speaks Hindi correctly. India is a land of several languages and countless dialects. It’s possible to meet Indian people who know not a single word of Hindi.
  
  At the same time, there are those who speak (or are trying to learn) Hindi as a second or third language. Their mother tongue is likely an Indian regional language such as Telugu, Tamil, or Kannada, and English is their second language.
  
  So, chillax if you’re still a beginner at Hindi; you can find many Indians who have less command over Hindi than you do!

• Having an accent is acceptable. Indian people are quite supportive when it comes to foreigners having an accent or struggling with the right pronunciation. If it’s any consolation, there are some local folks who have an accent in English as well as in Hindi. And we’re totally okay with that!


• It gets better and easier with time. The more time you spend learning and practicing Hindi, the more fluent you’ll get at it. If you enjoy watching movies and listening to songs, use those hobbies to learn Hindi. Pick any artist or movie genre of your choice in Hindi and focus on the words and pronunciation.
  
  Running out of time? Plug in your earphones while you work out, do the dishes, or walk to that nearby park. Daily activities like these are golden opportunities to learn Hindi. You can use the time to listen to simple Hindi podcasts, songs, or the daily news.

• How quickly you learn depends a lot on your background and mother tongue. What if you’re not a native English speaker? Hindi shares a lot of sounds with and has loanwords from languages like Russian, Arabic, Persian, and even French. Language learners from those particular countries have an edge when it comes to unfamiliar sounds in Hindi.


• We use lots of English words in daily spoken Hindi. To give you just a sample, you’ll find the following words used in the Hindi language: “bus” / “train” / “hospital” / “nurse” / “doctor” / “time” / “bread” / “coffee” / “computer.” This is quite helpful because you can easily bank upon these English words to communicate, even if you don’t know the Hindi words for them.


• We speak as we write. There’s no hidden pronunciation rules or guesswork. Unlike English, where the pronunciation of a given letter or letter combination varies greatly from one word to another, Hindi is predictable and straightforward. You can’t explain why “rough” cannot be spoken as “plough,” or “cut” as “put”? Well, you don’t have to struggle with these inexplicable rules in Hindi. The phonetics-based Devanagari script used in Hindi makes sure that each word is spoken exactly as it’s written.

6. How to Use HindiPod101.com to the Fullest

If you’ve decided to learn Hindi, HindiPod101.com is ready to offer you the best online study materials to make your journey that much smoother.

Did you know that there are 15 ways to study Hindi free at HindiPod101.com! No? Then features like our Grammar Bank are sure to sweep you off your feet. Just type in any keyword/topic you wish to study, and the Grammar Bank will display the whole list of related lessons.

Hindi is a rich and colorful language, so it should come as no surprise that proverbs are a huge part of daily life in India. Learning proverbs in Hindi is an excellent way to gain a deeper understanding of Indian culture while expanding your vocabulary at the same time! 

In our lesson today, we’ll introduce you to the most widely used Hindi proverbs and their meanings. We intend for this to be a useful Hindi learning tool for intermediate learners as well as beginners, so our list of proverbs in Hindi will cover only the sayings you’re most likely to hear while in India. 

Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

1. How Relevant Are Hindi Proverbs?
2. Hindi Proverbs List
3. Conclusion

1. How Relevant Are Hindi Proverbs?

To Indians, Hindi proverbs are more than a bunch of literary phrases or clever sayings. We’ve been hearing these words of wisdom from our grandparents and parents since childhood. It would be no exaggeration to say that using and hearing these proverbs takes us back to our childhood—and who doesn’t love that? 

As a Hindi learner, being able to use Hindi proverbs correctly will give you an edge and help you stand out from the crowd. Our Hindi proverbs list will give you the information and tips you need to sound smart, grasp the context of each proverb quickly, and contribute to any conversation that comes your way. 

→ If you’re looking to add even more flair to your Hindi conversations, then make sure to check out our vocabulary list of the Essential Idioms That Will Make You Sound Like a Native Speaker.
→ And if you’re a beginner, you may find it useful to study our Hindi Pronunciation Guide before continuing.

2. Hindi Proverbs List

Below you’ll find thirty of the most common Hindi proverbs covering a range of topics. For your convenience, we’ve also included their literal translations, their meanings, and how to use them in the right context.

#1 जब जागो तब सवेरा (jab jaago Tab Saveraa)

Literal Translation: “Whenever you wake up, that’s your morning.”

Similar English Proverb: “Better late than never.”

Usage in Context: It’s never too late to realize your mistake. Imagine a person who’s careless and insensitive to his/her spouse. Their marriage is about to break. But before it gets to that point, the person realizes their mistake, changes their behavior, and saves the marriage.

Example Sentence: 

हेमा ने अपनी ग़लती समझकर अपनी शादी बचा ली। ये तो वही बात हुई, जब जागो तब सवेरा।
(hemaa Ne apaNii gaLaTii Samajhakar apaNii saaDii bacaa Lii. ye To vahii baaT huii, jab jaago Tab Saveraa.)
“Hema realized her mistake and saved her marriage from falling apart. This is what we call, ‘better late than never’.”

Better late than never!

#2 अधजल गगरी छलकत जाये (aDHajaL gagarii chaLakaT jaaye)

Literal Translation: “A half-filled container spills more water.”

Similar English Proverb: “An empty vessel makes the most noise.”

Usage in Context: Imagine you’re an expert at painting while your friend is just a beginner. But when sitting around with others, he boasts a lot about painting as if he knows everything.

Example Sentence: 

सुनील पेंटिंग के बारे में ऐसे बात करता है जैसे उसे सब कुछ पता हो। अधजल गगरी छलकत जाये।
(SuNiiL peNting ke baare men aiSe baaT karaTaa hai jaiSe uSe Sab kuch paTaa ho. aDHajaL gagarii chaLakaT jaaye.)
“Sunil is just a beginner but he talks about painting as if he knows everything. It’s true, ‘an empty vessel makes the most noise’.”

#3 नाच न जाने आँगन टेढ़ा (Naac Na jaaNe aangaN tedhaa)

Literal Translation: “Not knowing how to dance but calling the courtyard crooked.”

Similar English Proverb: “A bad workman blames his tools.”

Usage in Context: A friend of yours doesn’t know how to cook, but instead of admitting so, he always gives one excuse or another for his bad cooking.

Example Sentence: 

पुनीत को खाना बनाना नहीं आता और वह हर बार कुछ गड़बड़ कर देता है। लेकिन अपनी ग़लती मानने की बजाय वो बर्तनों में नुक्स निकालता है। सच ही है, नाच न जाने आँगन टेढ़ा।
(puNiiT ko khaaNaa baNaaNaa Nahiin aaTaa aur vah har baar kuch gadabad kar DeTaa hai. LekiN apaNii gaLaTii maaNaNe kii bajaaye vo barTaNon men NukS NikaaLTaa hai. Sac hii hai, Naac Na jaaNe aangaN tedhaa.)
“Punit doesn’t know how to cook and he ruins the food all the time. But he will never admit it and always blames the cooking pots. He reminds us of the proverb, ‘a bad workman blames his tools’.”

#4 उल्टा चोर कोतवाल को डांटे (uLataa cor koTavaaL ko daante)

Literal Translation: “When caught, the thief scolds the policeman.”

Similar English Proverb: “Pot calling the kettle black.”

Usage in Context: Suppose you’re buying some items from the grocery store. The shopkeeper tries to cheat you and doesn’t give you the due change—when you point it out, he begins to argue with you.

Example Sentence: 

Customer: आपने मुझे पैसे वापस नहीं दिए। (aapaNe mujhe paiSe vaapaS Nahiin Diye.)
“You didn’t return me the balance.”

Shopkeeper: मैंने तो वापस दिए थे। आप झूठ मत बोलिये। (maiNe To vaapaS Diye THe. aap jhuuth maT boLiye.)
“I did. You are lying.”

Customer: अच्छा! उल्टा चोर कोतवाल को डांटे! (acchaa! uLataa cor koTavaaL ko daante!)
“Oh! So, the pot’s calling the kettle black!”

#5 जान है तो जहान है (jaaN hai to jahaaN hai)

Literal Translation: “If there is life, then there is the world.”

Similar English Proverb: “Health is wealth.”

Usage in Context: Some people overwork themselves and ignore their health in the process. They forget the value of a healthy body and peaceful mind.

Example Sentence: 

A: फ़रहा ने चार महीनों से एक भी छुट्टी नहीं ली है। इस वजह से वो कमज़ोर होती जा रही है।
(farahaa Ne caar mahiiNon Se ek bhii chuttii Nahiin Lii hai. iS vajah Se vo kamazor hoTii jaa rahii hai.)
“Farah has not taken any leave in four months. That’s why she is getting weaker.”

B: हाँ, उसे कुछ दिन घर पर रहकर आराम करना चाहिए। आख़िर, जान है तो जहान है।
(haan, uSe kuch DiN ghar par rahakar aaraam karaNaa caahiye. aakhir, jaaN hai To jahaaN hai.)
“Yes, she should stay at home and take rest for a few days. After all, health is wealth.”

Health is Wealth!

#6 जिस की लाठी उसकी भैंस (jiSakii Laathii uSakii bhainS)

Literal Translation: “The buffalo belongs to the person who holds a stick.”

Similar English Proverb: “Might is right.”

Usage in Context: In modern times, virtues like honesty and loyalty hardly seem to matter. Oftentimes, the wrong people get their way by using their power and money.

Example Sentence: 

A: बेईमान नेता ने उस ईमानदार अधिकारी का तबादला करवा दिया। (beiimaaN NeTaa Ne uS iimaaNaDaar aDHikaarii ka TabaaDaLaa karavaa Diyaa.)
“The corrupt minister got the honest officer transferred.”

B: हाँ, जिसकी लाठी उसकी भैंस। (haan, jiSakii Laathii uSakii bhainS)
“Yeah, might is right.”

#7 अब पछताए होत क्या जब चिड़िया चुग गई खेत (ab pachaTaaye hoT kyaa jab cidiyaa cug gayii kheT)

Literal Translation: “There’s no use repenting when the birds have already damaged the crops in the field.”

Similar English Proverb: “There’s no use crying over spilled milk.”

Usage in Context: You might use this proverb after someone neglects to finish their work and ends up regretting it.  

Example Sentence: 

A: करन उदास था। वह भर्ती परीक्षा नहीं दे पायेगा क्योंकि उसने फ़ॉर्म समय पर नहीं जमा किया था।
(karaN uDaaS THaa. vah bharTii pariiksaa Nahiin De paayegaa kyonki uSaNe form Samay par Nahiin jamaa kiyaa THaa.)
“Karan was sad as he will miss the entrance exam because he didn’t submit the form on time.”

B: अब क्या हो सकता है! अब पछताए होत क्या जब चिड़िया चुग गयी खेत।
(ab kyaa ho SakaTaa hai! ab pachaTaaye hoT kyaa jab cidiyaa cug gayii kheT.)
“What can be done now! There’s no use crying over spilled milk.”

Do you have regrets in life?

#8 दूध का जला छाछ भी फूंक कर पीता है (DuuDH kaa jaLaa chaach bhii phuunk kar piiTaa hai)

Literal Translation: “The person who’s burned from milk is scared of buttermilk too.”

Similar English Proverb: “Once bitten twice shy.”

Usage in Context: A person who almost drowned once while trying to get on a boat will always be scared of doing so in the future.

Example Sentence: 

A: चलो, नाव पर चलें। (caLo, Naav par caLen)
“Come on, let’s go boating.”

B: नहीं, एक बार मैं नदी में डूबते-डूबते बचा था। मुझे डर लगता है। (Nahiin, ek baar main NaDii men duubaTe-duubaTe bacaa THaa. mujhe dar LagaTaa hai.)
“No, once I was about to drown in a river. I am scared of boating.”

A: ओह! सच है कि दूध का जला छाछ भी फूंक कर पीता है। (oh! Sac hai ki DuuDH kaa jaLaa chaach bhii phuunk kar piiTaa hai.)
“Oh! It’s true. Once bitten twice shy.”

#9 चोर-चोर मौसेरे भाई (cor-cor mauSere bhaaii)

Literal Translation: “Two thieves are just like cousins.”

Similar English Proverb: “Birds of a feather flock together.”

Usage in Context: This proverb might be used when two mischievous people bond and support each other like nobody else. 

Example Sentence: 

सभी बेईमान नेता हर घोटाले में एक दूसरे की मदद करते हैं। चोर-चोर मौसेरे भाई।
(Sabhii beiimaaN NeTaa har ghotaaLe men ek DuuSare kii maDaD karaTe hain. cor-cor mauSere bhaaii.)
“All the corrupt ministers support each other in every scam. Birds of a feather flock together.”

#10 जैसी करनी वैसी भरनी (jaiSii karaNii vaiSii bharaNii)

Literal Translation: “What you receive is the consequence of your actions.”

Similar English Proverb: “As you sow, so you shall reap.”

Usage in Context: When someone does something bad to another person, karma finds its way back.

Example Sentence: 

A: सोहन ने रेस जीतने के लिए कमल को धक्का दे दिया। लेकिन जज ने उसे ही रेस से बाहर कर दिया।
(SohaN Ne reS jiiTaNe ke Liye kamaL ko Dhakkaa De Diyaa. LekiN jaj Ne uSe hii reS Se baahar kar Diyaa.)
“Sohan pushed Kamal to win the race. But the judge saw and put him out of the race.”

B: बहुत अच्छा हुआ। जैसी करनी वैसी भरनी।
(bahuT acchaa huaa. jaiSii karaNii vaiSii bharaNii.)
“Good. As you sow, so you shall reap.”

#11 ऊँट के मुंह में जीरा (uunt ke munh men jiiraa)

Literal Translation: “A pinch of cumin seeds in the camel’s mouth.”

Similar English Proverb: “A drop in the bucket.”

Usage in Context: This one depicts a situation where a person gets way less than he/she needs.

Example Sentence: 

भारत में किसानों को बाज़ार से जो पैसा मिलता है वह ऊंट के मुंह में जीरे के बराबर है।
(bhaaraT men kiSaaNon ko baazaar Se jo paiSaa miLaTaa hai vah uunt ke munh men jiire ke baraabar hai)
“In India, the profit farmers get from the market is like a drop in the bucket.”

#12 अंत भला तो सब भला (aNT bhaLaa To Sab bhaLaa)

Literal Translation: “If it’s a happy ending, then everything was worth it.”

Similar English Proverb: “All’s well that ends well.”

Usage in Context: You could use this proverb after enduring several hurdles to find that everything ended just like you wanted it to. 

Example Sentence: 

पूरी फ़िल्म में हीरो हर क़दम पर मात खाता रहा। लेकिन बाद में उसने अपनी मंज़िल पा ली। इसे कहते हैं अंत भला तो सब भला।
(puurii fiLm men hiiro har kaDam par maaT khaaTaa rahaa. LekiN baaD men uSaNe apaNii maNziL paa Lii. iSe kahaTe hain anT bhaLaa To Sab bhaLaa.)
“During the whole movie, the hero kept failing at every stage. But then, he achieved his goal. This is called ‘all’s well that ends well’.”

All’s well that ends well.

#13 दूर के ढोल सुहावने लगते हैं (Duur ke dhoL SuhaavaNe LagaTe hain)

Literal Translation: “Distant drums sound pleasant.”

Similar English Proverb: “The grass is always greener on the other side.”

Usage in Context: We always end up thinking that other people have better lives or better things than we do, which is not always true. It’s just that we’re not fully aware of the reality.

Example Sentence: 

लोग विदेश जाने के लिए पागल हैं लेकिन वो ये नहीं समझते कि वहां की अपनी अलग दिक्कतें हैं। असल में, दूर के ढोल सुहावने लगते हैं।
(Log viDes jaaNe ke Liye paagaL hain LekiN vo ye Nahiin SamajhaTe ki vahaan kii apaNii aLag DikkaTen hain. aSaL men, Duur ke dhoL SuhaaavaNe LagaTe hain.)
“People are crazy about moving to other countries. However, they don’t realize that there will be other kinds of problems. Actually, distant drums sound pleasant.”

#14 आगे कुंआ पीछे खाई (aage kunaan piiche khaaii)

Literal Translation: “A well in front and a ditch behind.”

Similar English Proverb: “Between the devil and the deep blue sea.”

Usage in Context: You might use this saying to describe a situation where you’re surrounded by troubles from all sides and feel stuck in life.

Example Sentence: 

नोटबंदी में पुराने नोट बंद हो गए और एटीएम में पैसे नहीं। यानी आगे कुआँ पीछे खाई।
(NotabanDii men puraaNe Not banD ho gaye aur e-tii-em men paiSe Nahiin. yaaNii aage kunaan piiche khaaii.)
“During demonetization, the old notes were scrapped and there was no money in the ATM machines. It was like being stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea.”

#15 डूबते को तिनके का सहारा (DuubaTe ko TiNake kaa Sahaaraa)

Literal Translation: “To a drowning person, even a grain could be a great help.”

Similar English Proverb: “Drowning man catches at a straw.”

Usage in Context: When going through a really tough time, even the smallest bit of help can mean a lot.

Example Sentence: 

जब सुमन का बिज़नेस ठप हो गया था, तो उसके दोस्तों ने पैसे जुटाकर उसकी मदद की। मुसीबत के समय में डूबते को तिनके का सहारा भी काफ़ी होता है।
(jab SumaN kaa bizaNeS thap ho gayaa THaa, To uSake DoSTon Ne paiSe jutaakar uSakii maDaD kii. muSiibaT ke Samay men DuubaTe ko TiNake kaa Sahaaraa bhii kaafii hoTaa hai.)
“When Suman’s business was in a huge loss, her friends pooled some money to help her out. And Suman was like a drowning man who catches at a straw.”

#16 बन्दर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद (baNDar kyaa jaaNe aDarak kaa svaaD)

Literal Translation: “How would a monkey know the taste of ginger!”

Similar English Proverb: “Casting pearls before swine.”

Usage in Context: You may give a person the most useful thing in the world, but it won’t impress them if they don’t know its value.

Example Sentence: 

हर कोई अच्छी क़िताबों का महत्व नहीं समझता। सच है, बन्दर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद।
(har koii acchii kiTaabon kaa mahaTva Nahiin SamajhaTaa. Sac hai, baNDar kyaa jaaNe aDarak kaa SvaaD.)
“Not everyone understands the value of good books. It’s like casting pearls before swine.”

#17 सौ सुनार की, एक लोहार की (Sau SuNaar kii, ek Lohaar kii)

Literal Translation: “Hundred blows of a goldsmith, single blow of a blacksmith.”

Similar English Proverb: “A single blow of a blacksmith is equal to a hundred blows of a goldsmith.”

Usage in Context: Some people may bother you or keep complaining about every little thing, but you can shut them up at once by drawing a bigger line.

Example Sentence: 

नेता रोज़ झूठे वादे करता था। जनता ने उसके ख़िलाफ़ वोट देकर एक ही बार में उसे हरा दिया। इसे कहते हैं, सौ सुनार की एक लोहार की।
(NeTaa roz jhuuthe vaaDe karaTaa THaa. jaNTaa Ne uSake khiLaaf vot Dekar ek hii baar men uSe haraa Diyaa. iSe kahaTe hain, Sau SuNaar kii, ek Lohaar kii.)
“The minister would always over-promise things. The public voted against him and kicked him out at once. This is called ‘a single blow of a blacksmith is equal to a hundred blows of a goldsmith’.”

#18 नेकी कर दरिया में डाल (Nekii kar Dariyaa men daaL)

Literal Translation: “Help others and drop the thought in the river.”

Similar English Proverb: “Do good and cast into the river.”

Usage in Context: Kindness loses its value when the doer tries to flaunt it. True compassion is always a secret.

Example Sentence: 

भले लोग छुप कर ग़रीबों की मदद करते हैं। वो नेकी कर दरिया में डाल देते हैं।
(BHaLe Log chup kar gariibon kii maDaD karaTe hain. Vo Nekii kar Dariyaa men daaL DeTe hain.)
“Kind-hearted people help the poor in secret. They do good and cast into the river.”

Help someone and forget about it.

#19 घर का भेदी लंका ढाये (ghar kaa BHeDii Lankaa dhaaye)

Literal Translation: “The person knowing the secrets of the house can cause the fall of Lanka.”

Similar English Proverb: “A small leak will sink a great ship.”

Usage in Context: One inside person can reveal all the secrets and cause irreparable damage.

Example Sentence: 

मधुर ने अपनी कंपनी के सारे प्लान दूसरी कंपनी को बता दिए और प्रॉजेक्ट दूसरों को मिल गया। सच ही है, घर का भेदी लंका ढाये।
(maDHur Ne apaNii kampaNii ke Saare pLaaN DuuSarii kampaNii ko baTaa Diye aur projekt DuuSaron ko miL gayaa.)
“Madhur revealed all the plans of his company to others and someone else got the project. It’s true that a small leak will sink a great ship.”

#20 बोये पेड़ बबूल का तो आम कहाँ से पाए (boye ped babuuL kaa To aam kahaan Se paaye)

Literal Translation: “If you have sown the seeds of acacia, how would you get mangoes from it?”

Similar English Proverb: “You will reap what you sow.”

Usage in Context: When we do something wrong, we sometimes fail to think of its consequences. But life gives us exactly what we deserve.

Example Sentence: 

जतिन ने कभी अपने बेटे से प्यार नहीं किया और अब उसका बेटा उससे बात तक नहीं करता। वही बात है कि बोये पेड़ बबूल का तो आम कहाँ से पाए।
(jaTiN Ne kabhii apaNe bete Se pyaar Nahiin kiyaa aur ab uSakaa betaa uSaSe baaT Tak Nahiin karaTaa. Vahii baaT hai ki boye ped babuuL kaa To aam kahaan Se paaye.)
“Jatin never loved his son and now his son doesn’t even talk to Jatin. They say, you will reap what you sow.”

#21 मुंह में राम, बगल में छुरी (munh men raam, bagaL men churii)

Literal Translation: “Name of Lord Rama on the tongue and hiding a knife in the side.”

Similar English Proverb: “A honey tongue, a heart of gall.”

Usage in Context: Many people lack authentic behavior. They may say all the sweet things to your face but badmouth behind your back.

Example Sentence: 

बबिता सामने तो बहुत अच्छे से बात करती है लेकिन पीठ पीछे काजल की बुराई करती है। इसे कहते हैं मुंह में राम, बगल में छुरी।
(babiTaa SaamaNe To bahuT acche Se baaT karaTii hai LekiN piith piiche kaajaL kii buraaii karaTii hai. iSe kahaTe hain munh men raam, bagaL men churii.)
“Babita talks very sweetly to Kajal but gossips about Kajal behind her back. This is called, ‘speak praise on the face and stab him from behind’.”

#22 जहाँ चाह वहाँ राह (jahaan caah vahaan raah)

Literal Translation: “If you wish to do something, you’ll create a path for it.”

Similar English Proverb: “Where there is a will, there’s a way.”

Usage in Context: Hurdles are not an excuse to drop your goal. If you really want to achieve something, you’ll surpass all the challenges no matter what.

Example Sentence: 

मैरी कॉम ने तमाम परेशानियों के बावजूद दुनिया में अपनी पहचान बनायी क्योंकि जहाँ चाह वहाँ राह।
(mairii kaum Ne Tamaam paresaaNiyon ke baavajuuD DuNiyaa men apaNii pahacaaN baNaayii kyonki jahaan caah vahaan raah.)
“Mary Kom made her mark in the world despite all the troubles, because where there is a will, there’s a way.”

Create your own path.

#23 ऊँची दुकान फीके पकवान (uuncii DukaaN phiike pakavaaN)

Literal Translation: “A grand shop serving bland food items.”

Similar English Proverb: “All that glitters is not gold.”

Usage in Context: What looks precious and beautiful from outside may not be the same on the inside.

Example Sentence: 

बॉलीवुड इंडस्ट्री बाहर से जितनी अच्छी दिखती है असल में अंदर से वैसी है नहीं। बस ऊँची दुकान फीके पकवान हैं।
(bauLiivud induStrii baahar Se jiTaNii acchii DikhaTii hai aSaL men aNDar Se vaiSii hai Nahiin. baS uuncii DukaaN phiike pakavaaN hain.)
“The Bollywood industry is not as appealing from the inside as it looks from the outside. You know, all that glitters is not gold.”

#24 अपना हाथ जगन्नाथ (apaNaa haaTH jagaNNaaTH)

Literal Translation: “Own hands are like that of God.”

Similar English Proverb: “If you want a thing done right, do it yourself.”

Usage in Context: The best person to do your work is you.

Example Sentence: 

रीमा ने किसी का इंतज़ार किये बिना ख़ुद ही कॉलेज में एडमिशन ले लिया क्योंकि अपना हाथ जगन्नाथ।
(riimaa Ne kiSii kaa iNTazaar kiye biNaa khuD hii kauLej men edamisaN Le Liyaa kyonki apaNaa haaTH jagaNNaaTH.)
“Without waiting for someone else, Reema herself got admission into the college because if you wish to do something, the best way is to do it yourself.”

#25 दाल में काला (DaaL men kaaLaa)

Literal Translation: “Something black in the lentil.”

Similar English Proverb: “To smell a rat.”

Usage in Context: This phrase is used when something doesn’t feel normal or right.

Example Sentence: 

सभी बच्चे इतने शांत क्यों हैं? मुझे तो दाल में काला नज़र आता है।
(Sabhii bacce iTaNe saaNT kyon hain? Mujhe To DaaL men kaaLaa Nazar aaTaa hai.)
“Why are all the kids so quiet? I can smell a rat here!”

#26 जो गरजते हैं वो बरसते नहीं (jo garajaTe hain vo baraSaTe Nahiin)

Literal Translation: “When there’s thunder, there is no rain.”

Similar English Proverb: “Barking dogs do not bite.”

Usage in Context: Some people talk about doing things that they don’t actually have the guts to do. It’s just empty words and fake threats.

Example Sentence: 

A: तनु ने नौकरी छोड़ने की इतनी धमकियाँ दीं लेकिन वो तो अभी तक उसी कंपनी में काम कर रही है। (TaNu Ne Naukarii chodaNe kii iTaNii DHamakiyaan Diin LekiN vo To abhii Tak uSii kampaNii men kaam kar rahii hai.)
“Tanu threatened to leave the job so many times, but she is still working for the same company.”

B: जो गरजते हैं वो बरसते नहीं। (jo garajaTe hain vo baraSaTe Nahiin)
“Barking dogs do not bite.”

#27 जल में रहकर मगर से बैर (jaL men rahakar magar Se bair)

Literal Translation: “Don’t upset a crocodile while sharing the same water.”

Similar English Proverb: “You cannot live in Rome and fight with the Pope.”

Usage in Context: When you’re dealing with a powerful person, it’s better not to get in trouble with him/her.

Example Sentence: 

A: हमारे विद्यालय के अध्यापक ने प्रधानाचार्य से ही झगड़ा कर लिया।
(hamaare viDyaaLay ke aDHyaapak Ne praDHaaNaacaary Se hii jhagadaa kar Liyaa.)
“One of the teachers in our school got into a quarrel with the principal.”

B: ये तो ठीक नहीं हुआ। जल में रहकर मगर से बैर ठीक नहीं होता।
(ye To thiik Nahiin huaa. jaL men rahakar magar Se bair thiik Nahiin hoTaa.)
“This is not good. You cannot live in Rome and fight with the Pope.”

#28 नाम लिया और शैतान हाज़िर (Naam Liyaa aur saiTaaN haazir)

Literal Translation: “Utter the name and the devil would present itself.”

Similar English Proverb: “Talk of the devil and the devil appears.”

Usage in Context: Suppose that some coworkers are gossiping about their wicked boss, and he appears in the blink of an eye. This would be the perfect time to use this saying! 

Example Sentence: 

A: बॉस हमें कभी छुट्टी नहीं देते। (bauS hamen kabhii chuttii Nahiin DeTe.)
“Boss never gives us any leaves.”

B: चुप हो जाओ। वो अभी अपने कमरे से निकले हैं। (cup ho jaao. Vo abhii apaNe kamare Se NikaLe hain.)
“Keep quiet. He has just come out of his room.”

A: ओह! नाम लिया और शैतान हाज़िर! (oh! Naam Liyaa aur saiTaaN haazir!)
“Oh! Talk of the devil and the devil appears.”

Talk of a devil!

#29 साँच को आंच क्या (Saanc ko aanc kyaa)

Literal Translation: “Pure gold is unaffected by the flame.”

Similar English Proverb: “Truth fears none.”

Usage in Context: Those who are honest and speak the truth have no reason to fear anything.

Example Sentence: 

कभी-कभी भले लोगों पर भी झूठे आरोप लगते हैं। लेकिन वे ऐसी बातों की परवाह नहीं करते। क्योंकि साँच को आंच क्या!
(kabhii-kabhii bhaLe Logon par bhii jhuuthe aarop LagaTe hain. LekiN ve aiSii baaTon kii paravaah Nahiin karaTe. kyonki Saanc ko aanc kyaa!)
“Sometimes even the most humble people are falsely accused. But they remain unaffected by such things because truth fears none.”

#30 जैसा देश, वैसा भेष (jaiSaa Des, vaiSaa bhes)

Literal Translation: “Like country, like dress.”

Similar English Proverb: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

Usage in Context: When foreigners decide to move to gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, they follow the same etiquette for dress, food, and other behaviors to fit in with the locals. 

Example Sentence: 

सऊदी अरब में विदेशी औरतों को भी बुर्क़ा पहनना पड़ता है। ज़ाहिर सी बात है, जैसा देश वैसा भेष।
(SauDii arab men viDesii auraTon ko bhii burqaa pahaNaNaa padaTaa hai. zaahir Sii baaT hai, jaiSaa Des vaiSaa bhes.)
“In Saudi Arabia, even the foreign women have to cover their heads. After all, it’s true that when in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

3. Conclusion

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Well, that’s it from our side! You now know thirty famous Hindi proverbs and sayings that you can start using right away. Which one did you find the most insightful? 

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