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Archive for the 'Hindi Grammar' Category

Learn the Top 150+ Advanced Hindi Words

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Congratulations! At this point in your language learning journey, you are familiar with beginner-level Hindi words and have surpassed the mountain of intermediate Hindi vocabulary. You also have a good understanding of basic sentence structures and grammar concepts, and you can probably hold a short conversation in Hindi. 

While this was enough to help you survive as a new Hindi learner, it’s time to press onward and study some more advanced Hindi words. Being able to use a more sophisticated vocabulary will reflect your strong command of the Hindi language and leave a great impression on native speakers. It could also help you land a job in India and score better on examinations.

So, let’s start our lesson and check out the most useful advanced Hindi words in a variety of categories.

Two Female Colleagues Discussing Something

How to Learn the Difficult Words in Hindi

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hindi Table of Contents
  1. Advanced Academic Words
  2. Advanced Business Words
  3. Advanced Medical Words
  4. Advanced Legal Words
  5. 50+ Lesser-Known Words to Make Your Answers Stand Out in Hindi Exams
  6. Why choose HindiPod101.com?

1. Advanced Academic Words

Our first list of advanced Hindi words consists of academic terms. These are words you’ll often hear used by professors and students in universities throughout India. 

1 – विषय (visay) = “Subject” [Noun]

तुम्हें कौन सा विषय पसंद है? (Tumhen kauN Saa visay paSanD hai?)
“Which subject do you like?”

2 – अनुसंधान (aNuSanDHaaN) = “Research” [Noun]

यह एक अनुसंधान केंद्र है। (yah ek aNuSanDHaaN keNDr hai.)
“This is a research center.”

3 – अंकतालिका (ank TaaLikaa) = “Marksheet” [Noun]

अपनी अंकतालिका दिखाइए। (apaNii ank TaaLikaa Dikhaaiye.)
“Show your marksheet.”

4 – उत्तीर्ण (uTTiirn) = “Passed” [Verb]

पचास छात्र उत्तीर्ण हुए। (pacaaS chaaTr uTTiirn huye.)
“Fifty students passed.”

5 – अनुत्तीर्ण (aNuTTiirn) = “Failed” [Verb]

चार छात्र अनुत्तीर्ण हुए। (caar chaaTr aNuTTiirn huye.)
“Four students failed.”

6 – मूल्यांकन (muuLyaankaN) = “Evaluation” [Noun]

अभी मूल्यांकन चल रहा है। (abhii muuLyaankaN caL rahaa hai.)
“Right now, the evaluation is going on.”

7 – अस्पष्ट (aSpast) = “Ambiguous” [Adjective]

स्थिति अस्पष्ट है। (STHiTi aSpast hai.)
“The situation is ambiguous.”

8 – विवाद (vivaaD) = “Controversy” [Noun]

छात्र नेता विवाद में है। (chaaTr NeTaa vivaaD men hai.)
“The student leader is in controversy.”

9 – महाविद्यालय (mahaaviDyaaLay) = “College” [Noun]

महाविद्यालय यहाँ से बहुत दूर है। (mahaaviDyaaLay yahaan Se bahuT Duur hai.)
“The college is quite far from here.”

10 – विश्वविद्यालय (visvaviDyaaLay) = “University” [Noun]

मैं विश्वविद्यालय जाना चाहती हूँ। (main visvaviDyaaLay jaaNaa caahaTii huun.)
“I want to go to university.”

11 – अंक (ank) = “Marks” [Noun]

किरन को चालीस अंक मिले। (kiraN ko caaLiiS ank miLe.)
“Kiran got forty marks.”

12 – पंजीकरण (panjiikaran) = “Registration” [Noun]

कल पंजीकरण का आख़िरी दिन है। (kaL panjiikaran kaa aakhirii DiN hai.)
“Tomorrow is the last day of registration.”

13 – क्रमांक (kramaank) = “Serial number” [Noun]

सबसे पहले अपना क्रमांक लिखिए। (SabaSe pahLe apaNaa kramaank Likhiye.)
“First, write down your serial number.”

14 – शैक्षणिक (saiksanik) = “Academic” [Adjective]

आपकी शैक्षणिक योग्यता क्या है? (aapakii saiksanik yogyaTaa kyaa hai?)
“What’s your academic qualification?”

15 – कुलाधिपति (kuLaaDHipaTi) = “Chancellor” [Noun]

कुलाधिपति अवकाश पर हैं। (kuLaaDHipaTi avakaas par hain.)
“The chancellor is on leave.”

16 – कुलपति (kuLapaTi) = “Vice-chancellor” [Noun]

कुलपति बैठक में हैं। (kuLapaTi baithak men hain.)
“The vice-chancellor is in the meeting.”

17 – समन्वयक (SamaNvayak) = “Coordinator” [Noun]

रमेश दो साल से इस विभाग का समन्वयक है। (rames Do SaaL Se iS vibhaag kaa SamaNvayak hai.)
“Ramesh has been the coordinator of this department for two years.”

18 – स्नातक (SNaaTak) = “Graduate” [Noun]

मैं एक स्नातक हूँ। (main ek SNaaTak huun.)
“I’m a graduate.”

19 – परास्नातक (paraaSNaaTak) = “Postgraduate” [Noun]

सुमन परास्नातक है। (SumaN paraaSNaaTak hai.)
“Suman is a postgraduate.”

20 – सुधार (SuDHaar) = “Correction” [Noun]

इस शोध में सुधार की ज़रूरत है। (iS soDH men SuDHaar kii zaruuraT hai.)
“This research needs some corrections.”

21 – प्रवेश (praves) = “Admission” [Noun]

मुझे मुंबई के कॉलेज में प्रवेश मिल गया है। (mujhe mumbaii ke kauLej men praves miL gayaa hai.)
“I’ve got admission into a college in Mumbai.”

22 – अवकाश (avakaas) = “A leave” [Noun]

अध्यापिका दो दिन के अवकाश पर गयी हैं। (aDHyaapikaa Do DiN ke avakaas par gayii hain.)
“The teacher is on leave for two days.”

23 – उचित (uciT) = “Appropriate” [Adjective]

पहले इसकी अनुमति लेना अधिक उचित होगा। (pahLe iSakii aNumaTi LeNaa aDHik uciT hogaa.)
“Before this, it’d be more appropriate to ask for permission.”

24 – अनुचित (aNuciT) = “Inappropriate” [Adjective]

इस तरह बात करना अनुचित है। (iS Tarah baaT karaNaa aNuciT hai.)
“It’s inappropriate to talk like this.”

25 – परीक्षा प्रणाली (pariiksaa pranaaLii) = “Examination system” [Noun]

हमारी परीक्षा प्रणाली विश्व-स्तर की है। (hamaarii pariiksaa pranaaLii visv-STar kii hai.)
“We have a world-class examination system.”

26 – शुल्क (suLk) = “Fee” [Noun]

कृपया, मासिक शुल्क समय पर जमा करें। (kripayaa, maaSik suLk Samay par jamaa karen.)
“Please, deposit the monthly fee on time.”

27 – अंतिम तिथि (aNTim TiTHi) = “Last date” [Noun]

फ़ॉर्म जमा करने की अंतिम तिथि क्या है? (faurm jamaa karaNe kii aNTim TiTHi kyaa hai?)
“What is the last date to submit this form?”

28 – रसायन विज्ञान (raSaayaN vigyaaN) = “Chemistry” [Noun]

मुझे रसायन विज्ञान में कोई दिलचस्पी नहीं। (mujhe raSaayaN vigyaaN men koi DiLacaSpii Nahiin.)
“I have no interest in chemistry.”

29 – भौतिक विज्ञान (bhauTik vigyaaN) = “Physics” [Noun]

भौतिक विज्ञान एक कठिन विषय है। (bhauTik vigyaaN ek kathiN visay hai.)
“Physics is a difficult subject.”

30 – अभियांत्रिकी (abhiyaaNTrikii) = “Engineering” [Noun]

ये अभियांत्रिकी की छात्राएं हैं। (ye abhiyaaNTrikii kii chaaTraayen hain.)
“These are the engineering students.”

31 – मनोविज्ञान (maNovigyaaN) = “Psychology” [Noun]

क्या तुम मनोविज्ञान पढ़ना चाहती हो? (kyaa Tum maNovigyaaN padhaNaa caahaTii ho?)
“Do you wish to study psychology?”

32 – राजनीति शास्त्र (raajaNiiTi-saaSTr) = “Political science” [Noun]

राजनीति शास्त्र की कक्षा उस कमरे में चल रही है। (raajaNiiTi saaSTr kii kaksaa uS kamare men caL rahii hai.)
“The political science class is running in that room.”

33 – समाजशास्‍त्र (Samaaj saaSTr) = “Sociology” [Noun]

समाजशास्त्र बहुत ही रोचक विषय है। (Samaaj saaSTr bahuT hii rocak visay hai.)
“Sociology is a really interesting subject.”

34 – ललित कला (LaLiT kaLaa) = “Fine arts” [Noun]

यहाँ ललित कला के चौदह विद्यार्थी हैं। (yahaan LaLiT kaLaa ke cauDah viDyaarTHii hain.)
“There are fourteen students of the fine arts here.”

2. Advanced Business Words

Our next set of advanced vocabulary words in Hindi covers frequently used terms in the business sector. You’ll likely find these words used in Hindi business magazines, in the news, or in business meetings. If you plan to get a job or do business in India, you should definitely have these words up your sleeve! 

1 – व्यवसाय (vyavaSaay) = “Business” [Noun]

व्यवसाय कैसा चल रहा है? (vyavaSaay kaiSaa caL rahaa hai?)
“How is the business doing?”

2 – रणनीति (ranaNiiTi) = “Strategy” [Noun]

इस समस्या से निपटने के लिए कोई रणनीति बनानी पड़ेगी। (iS SamaSyaa Se NipataNe ke Liye koii ranaNiiTi baNaaNii padegii.)
“We’ll have to make a strategy to deal with this problem.”

3 – कंपनी (kampaNii) = “Company” [Noun]

यह एक छोटी कंपनी है। (yah ek chotii kampaNii hai.)
“This is a small company.”

4 – कर्मचारी (karmacaarii) = “Employee” [Noun]

यहाँ 200 कर्मचारी काम करते हैं। (yahaan 200 karmacaarii kaam karaTe hain.)
“200 employees work here.”

5 – नियोक्ता (NiyokTaa) = “Employer” [Noun]

कंपनी के नियोक्ता बहुत भले व्यक्ति हैं। (kampaNii ke NiyokTaa bahuT bhaLe vyakTi hain.)
“The employer of the company is a good man.”

6 – नौकरी (Naukarii) = “Job” [Noun]

क्या तुम नौकरी की तलाश में हो? (kyaa Tum Naukarii kii TaLaas men ho?)
“Are you looking for a job?”

7 – रोज़गार (rozagaar) = “Employment” [Noun]

रोज़गार की दर घट रही है। (rozagaar kii Dar ghat rahii hai.)
“The employment rate is decreasing.”

8 – पेशा (pesaa) = “Profession” [Noun]

आपका पेशा क्या है? (aapakaa pesaa kyaa hai?)
“What’s your profession?”

9 – वित्त (viTT) = “Finance” [Noun]

वित्त मंत्री ने नई घोषणाएं कीं। (viTT maNTrii Ne Nayii ghosnaayen kiin.)
“The finance minister made new announcements.”

10 – आर्थिक (aarTHik) = “Financial” [Adjective]

भूकम्प पीड़ितों को आर्थिक सहायता की ज़रूरत है। (bhuukamp piidiTon ko aarTHik SahaayaTaa kii zaruuraT hai.)
“The earthquake victims need financial help.”

11 – अर्थव्यवस्था (arTHavyavaSTHaa) = “Economy” [Noun]

देश की अर्थव्यवस्था कमज़ोर होती जा रही है। (Des kii arTHavyavaSTHaa kamazor hoTii jaa rahii hai.)
“The economy of the country is growing weak.”

12 – प्रबंधन (prabaNDHaN) = “Management” [Noun]

प्रबंधन इस मामले की जाँच करेगा। (prabaNDHaN iS maamaLe kii jaanc karegaa.)
“The management will look into this matter.”

13 – संगठन (SangathaN) = “Organization” [Noun]

“हेल्प” एक ग़ैर सरकारी संगठन है। (“heLp” ek gair Sarakaarii SangathaN hai.)
“ ‘Help’ is a non-government organization.”

14 – वेतन (veTaN) = “Salary” [Noun]

सफ़ाई कर्मचारी वेतन बढ़ाने की मांग कर रहे हैं। (Safaaii karmacaarii veTaN badhaaNe kii maang kar rahe hain.)
“The cleaning staff is demanding a hike in their salary.”

15 – मानवीय संसाधन (maaNaviiy SaNSaaDHaN) = “Human resource” [Noun]

हमें और अधिक मानवीय संसाधन की आवश्यकता है। (hamen aur aDHik maaNaviiy SaNSaaDHaN kii aavasyakaTaa hai.)
“We need more human resources.”

16 – प्रबंधक (prabaNDHak) = “Manager” [Noun]

सुमन दो साल से होटल प्रबंधक के तौर पर काम कर रही है। (SumaN Do SaaL Se hotaL prabaNDHak ke Taur par kaam kar rahii hai.)
“Suman has been working as the hotel manager for two years.”

17 – महाप्रबंधक (mahaaprabaNDHak) = “General manager” [Noun]

यहाँ के महाप्रबंधक कौन हैं? (yahaan ke mahaaprabaNDHak kauN hain?)
“Who is the general manager here?”

18 – मुख्य कार्यकारी अधिकारी (mukhy kaaryakaarii aDHikaarii) = “Chief executive officer” [Noun]

मुख्य कार्यकारी अधिकारी अभी दौरे पर गए हैं। (mukhy kaaryakaarii aDHikaarii abhii Daure par gaye hain.)
“The chief executive officer is on tour.”

19 – बैठक / सभा (baithak / Sabhaa) = “Meeting” [Noun]

कमरा नंबर 4 में बैठक हो रही है। (kamaraa Nambar 4 men baithak ho rahii hai.)
“The meeting is taking place in room number 4.”

20 – भर्ती (bharTii) = “Recruitment” [Noun]

सेना में भर्ती प्रक्रिया शुरू हो चुकी है। (SeNaa men bharTii prakriyaa suruu ho cukii hai.)
“The army has started the recruitment process.”

21 – बरख़ास्त करना (barkhaaST karaNaa) = “Firing” [Noun]

कंपनी कई लोगों को नौकरी से बरख़ास्त कर रही है। (kampaNii kaii Logon ko barkhaaST kar rahii hai.)
“The company is firing many people.”

22 – त्यागपत्र (TyaagapaTr) = “Resignation” [Noun]

सुरेश ने अपना त्यागपत्र दे दिया है। (Sures Ne apaNaa TyaagapaTr De Diyaa hai.)
“Suresh has given his resignation.”

23 – कर (kar) = “Tax” [Noun]

आयकर नहीं देना एक दंडनीय अपराध है। (aay kar Nahiin Denaa ek DandNiiy apraaDH hai.)
“Not paying the income tax is a punishable offense.”

24 – अनुबंध (aNubanDH) = “Contract” [Noun]

अभिनेत्री ने दो साल का अनुबंध किया है। (abhiNeTrii Ne Do SaaL kaa aNubanDH kiyaa hai.)
“The actress has signed a two-year contract.”

25 – कारोबार (kaarobaar) = “Business” [Noun]

कारोबार अभी काफ़ी अच्छा चल रहा है। (kaarobaar abhii kaafii acchaa caL rahaa hai.)
“The business is doing really well these days.”

26 – वितरण (viTaran) = “Distribution” [Noun]

पुरस्कार वितरण कल होगा। (puraSkaar viTran kaL hogaa.)
“The prize distribution will be tomorrow.”

27 – लाभ (Laabh) = “Profit” [Noun]

इस वर्ष व्यापारियों को लाभ की उम्मीद है। (iS vars vyaapaariyon ko Laabh kii ummiiD hai.)
“The merchants are hoping for some profits this year.”

28 – घाटा (ghaataa) = “Loss” [Noun]

कपड़ा मिल घाटे में है। (kapadaa miL ghaate men hai.)
“The textile factory is at a loss.”

29 – आंकड़ा (aankadaa) = “Number” [Noun]

रोगियों का आंकड़ा 100 पार कर चुका है। (rogiyon kaa aankadaa Sau paar kar cukaa hai.)
“The number of patients has crossed 100.”

30 – प्रोत्साहन राशि (proTSaahaN raasi) = “Incentive” [Noun]

मेहनती कर्मचारियों को प्रोत्साहन राशि दी जाएगी। (mehaNaTii karmacaariyon ko proTSaahaN raasi Dii jaayegii.)
“The hardworking staff will receive the incentives.”

31 – निगमित नीति (NigamiT NiiTi) = “Corporate policy” [Noun]

यह दफ़्तर की निगमित नीति है। (yah DafTar kii NigamiT NiiTi hai.)
“It’s a corporate policy of this office.”

32 – निगम (Nigam) = “Corporation” [Noun]

नगर निगम शहर के बाहरी छोर पर है। (Nagar Nigam sahar ke baaharii chor par hai.)
“The municipal corporation is on the outskirts of the city.”

3. Advanced Medical Words

If you happen to be interested in the medical field, learning these advanced Hindi vocabulary words could help you get higher marks in exams and perform better in job interviews.

1 – कोशिका (kosikaa) = “Cell” [Noun]

कोशिका शरीर की सबसे छोटी इकाई होती है। (kosikaa sariir kii SabaSe chotii ikaaii hoTii hai.)
“A cell is the smallest unit of the body.”

2 – ऊतक (uuTak) = “Tissue” [Noun]

हमारे शरीर में कई प्रकार के ऊतक होते हैं। (hamaare sariir men kaii prakaar ke uuTak hoTe hain.)
“There are many types of tissue in our body.”

3 – सूजन (SuujaN) = “Inflammation” [Noun]

अस्थिरोग में सूजन आ जाती है। (aSTHi-rog men SuujaN aa jaaTii hai.)
“Inflammation occurs in arthritis.”

4 – सरदर्द (Sar DarD) = “Headache” [Noun]

दादी को सरदर्द हो रहा है। (DaaDii ko Sar DarD ho rahaa hai.)
“Grandma has a headache.”

5 – उल्टी (uLtii) = “Vomiting” [Noun]

उल्टी होना पेट में संक्रमण की निशानी है। (uLtii hoNaa pet men Sankraman kii NisaaNii hai.)
“Vomiting is a sign of a stomach infection.”

6 – उबकाई (ubakaaii) = “Nausea” [Noun]

क्या आपको उबकाई महसूस हो रही है? (kyaa aapako ubakaaii mahaSuuS ho rahii hai?)
“Are you experiencing nausea?”

7 – कर्क रोग (kark rog) = “Cancer” [Noun]

मेरे चाचा को कर्क रोग हो गया है। (mere caacaa ko kark rog ho gayaa hai.)
“My uncle has developed cancer.”

8 – अल्प रक्त-चाप (aLp rakTacaap) = “Hypotension” [Noun]

अल्प रक्तचाप में नमक चीनी का घोल पीना चाहिए। (aLp rakTacaap men Namak ciiNii kaa ghoL piiNaa caahiye.)
“In hypotension, a salt-sugar solution should be given.”

9 – उच्च रक्तचाप (ucc rakTacaap) = “Hypertension” [Noun]

यह उच्च रक्तचाप की दवा है। (yah ucc rakTacaap kii Davaa hai.)
“This is the medicine for hypertension.”

10 – दमा (Damaa) = “Asthma” [Noun]

दमा के रोगियों को प्राणायाम करना चाहिए। (Damaa ke rogiyon ko praanaayaam karaNaa caahiye.)
“Asthma patients should do Pranayama.”

11 – मनोभ्रंश रोग (maNobhraNs rog) = “Dementia” [Noun]

इस विभाग में मनोभ्रंश रोग का इलाज होता है। (iS vibhaag men maNobhraNs rog kaa iLaaj hoTaa hai.)
“Dementia treatment is provided in this department.”

12 – अवसाद (avaSaaD) = “Depression” [Noun]

अवसाद एक गंभीर स्वास्थ्य समस्या है। (avaSaaD ek gambhiir SvaaSTHy SamaSyaa hai.)
“Depression is a serious health problem.”

13 – नाड़ी (Naadii) = “Pulse” [Noun]

मरीज़ की नाड़ी देखो। (mariiz kii Naadii Dekho.)
“Check the patient’s pulse.”

14 – तीव्र (Tiivr) = “Acute” [Adjective]

रोगी को तीव्र ज्वर है। (rogii ko Tiivr jvar hai.)
“The patient has an acute fever.”

15 – संक्रमण (Sankraman) = “Infection” [Noun]

यह संक्रमण गंदे पानी से फैलता है। (yah Sankraman gaNDe paaNii Se faiLaTaa hai.)
“This infection spreads through dirty water.”

16 – बुखार (bukhaar) = “Fever” [Noun]

बच्चे को कल रात से बुखार है। (bacce ko kaL raaT Se bukhaar hai.)
“The kid has had a fever since last night.”

17 – ज़ुकाम (zukaam) = “Common cold” [Noun]

अगर आपको ज़ुकाम है तो अदरक की चाय पियें। (agar aapako zukaam hai To aDarak kii caay piyen.)
“If you are suffering from the common cold, drink ginger tea.”

18 – चयापचय (cayaapacay) = “Metabolism” [Noun]

पुनीत का चयापचय कमज़ोर हो चुका है। (puNiiT kaa cayaapacay kamazor ho cukaa hai.)
“Punit’s metabolism has become weak.”

19 – श्वसन दर (svaSaN Dar) = “Respiration rate” [Noun]

रोगी की श्वसन दर बहुत कम है। (rogii kii svaSaN Dar bahuT kam hai.)
“The patient’s respiration rate is quite low.”

20 – मवाद (mavaaD) = “Pus” [Noun]

चोट में मवाद पड़ चुका है। (cot men mavaaD pad cukaa hai.)
“There is pus formation in the wound.”

21 – रक्त (rakT) = “Blood” [Noun]

इनके शरीर में रक्त की कमी है। (iNake sariir men rakT kii kamii hai.)
“There is a lack of blood in his body.”

22 – रक्तदान (rakTaDaaN) = “Blood donation” [Noun]

सभी को रक्तदान अवश्य करना चाहिए। (Sabhii ko rakTaDaaN avasy karaNaa caahiye.)
“Everybody should participate in blood donation.”

23 – लक्षण (Laksan) = “Symptoms” [Noun]

ये सभी पीलिया के लक्षण हैं। (ye Sabhii piiLiyaa ke Laksan hain.)
“All of these are symptoms of jaundice.”

24 – तंत्रिका-विज्ञान (TaNTrikaa vigyaaN) = “Neurology” [Noun]

तंत्रिका-विज्ञान विभाग दायीं ओर है। (TaNTrikaa vigyaaN vibhaag Daayiin or hai.)
“The neurology department is on the right side.”

25 – दिल का दौरा (DiL kaa Dauraa) = “Heart attack” [Noun]

समीर को दिल का दौरा पड़ा था। (Samiir ko DiL kaa Dauraa padaa THaa.)
“Sameer had a heart attack.”

Two People in a Laboratory Running Tests

Popular Medical Words

26 – मिरगी (miragii) = “Epilepsy” [Noun]

यहाँ मिरगी का निःशुल्क इलाज होता है। (yahaan miragii kaa NihsuLk iLaaj hoTaa hai.)
“They provide free treatment for epilepsy here.”

27 – त्वचा रोग (Tvacaa rog) = “Skin disease” [Noun]

एक्ज़िमा एक तरह का त्वचा रोग है। (ekzimaa ek Tarah kaa Tvacaa rog hai.)
“Eczema is a type of skin disease.”

28 – विशेषज्ञ (visesagy) = “Specialist” [Noun]

हमें बाल-रोग विशेषज्ञ से मिलना है। (hamen baaL rog visesagy Se miLaNaa hai.)
“We need to see a child specialist.”

29 – शल्य चिकित्सा (saLy cikiTSaa) = “Surgery” [Noun]

दादाजी को शल्य चिकित्सा करवानी होगी। (DaaDaajii ko saLy cikiTSaa karavaaNii hogii.)
“Grandpa needs to have surgery.”

30 – हृदय रोग विशेषज्ञ (hriDay rog visesagy) = “Cardiologist” [Noun]

मेरे मामा एक हृदय रोग विशेषज्ञ हैं। (mere maamaa ek hriDay rog visesagy hain.)
“My uncle is a cardiologist.”

4. Advanced Legal Words

Now that you’ve reached an advanced level in Hindi, you will benefit from studying the most common legal terms. While legalese is rather difficult to understand even for the general population, knowing the basics can help you comprehend what you read or hear on the news. It can also allow you to have more complex conversations and avoid unfortunate misunderstandings! 

1 – कचहरी (kacaharii) = “Court” [Noun]

कचहरी कितनी दूर है? (kacaharii kiTaNii Duur hai?)
“How far is the court?”

2 – न्यायपालिका (NyaayapaaLikaa) = “Judiciary” [Noun]

देखते हैं, न्यायपालिका किसके पक्ष में फ़ैसला सुनाती है. (DekhaTe hain, NyaayapaaLikaa kiSake paks men faiSaLaa SuNaaTii hai.)
“Let’s see in whose favor the judiciary gives its verdict.”

3 – न्यायाधीश (NyaayaaDHiis) = “Judge” / “Magistrate” [Noun]

न्यायाधीश बनने के लिए बहुत मेहनत करनी पड़ती है। (NyaayaaDHiis baNaNe ke Liye bahuT mehaNaT karaNii padaTii hai.)
“It takes a lot of hard work to become a judge.”

4 – मुख्य न्यायाधीश (mukhy NyaayaaDHiis) = “Chief justice” [Noun]

मुख्य न्यायाधीश ने जाँच के आदेश दिए। (mukhy NyaayaaDHiis Ne jaanc ke aaDes Diye.)
“The chief justice has ordered an investigation.”

5 – उच्च न्यायालय (ucc NyaayaaLay) = “High court” [Noun]

मामला अब उच्च न्यायलय में जायेगा। (maamaLaa ab ucc NyaayaaLay men jayegaa.)
“The case will now go into the high court.”

6 – उच्चतम न्यायालय (uccaTam NyaayaaLay) = “Supreme court” [Noun]

उच्चतम न्यायालय नयी दिल्ली में है। (uccaTam NyaayaaLay Nayii DiLLii men hai.)
“The supreme court is in New Delhi.”

7 – मुक़दमा (muqaDamaa) = “Case” [Noun]

ग्राहक ने बैंक पर धोखाधड़ी का मुक़दमा किया। (graahak Ne baink par DHokhaaDHadii kaa muqaDamaa kiyaa.)
“The customer filed a fraud case with the bank.”

8 – याचिका (yaacikaa) = “Petition” [Noun]

सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता ने नए क़ानून के विरोध में याचिका दायर की। (Saamaajik kaaryakarTaa Ne Naye qaaNuuN ke viroDH men yaacikaa Daayar kii.)
“The social worker filed a petition against the new law.”

9 – अधिनियम (aDHiNiyam) = “Act” [Noun]

किसानों ने नए अधिनियम का विरोध किया। (kiSaaNon Ne Naye aDHiNiyam kaa viroDH kiyaa.)
“The farmers protested against the new act.”

10 – दायर करना (Daayar karaNaa) = “To file” [Verb]

किसी भी घोटाले के ख़िलाफ़ याचिका दायर करना एक नागरिक का क़ानूनी अधिकार है। (kiSii bhii ghotaaLe ke khiLaaf yaacikaa Daayar karaNaa ek Naagarik kaa qaaNuuNii aDHikaar hai.)
“It’s a citizen’s right to file a petition against any scam.”

11 – वादी (vaaDii) = “Plaintiff” [Noun]

इस मुक़दमे में वह एक वादी है। (iS muqaDame men vah ek vaaDii hai.)
“She is a plaintiff in this case.”

12 – संविधान (SamviDHaaN) = “Constitution” [Noun]

संविधान लोकतंत्र की नींव होता है। (SamviDHaaN Lok TanTra kii Niinv hoTaa hai.)
“The constitution is the foundation of democracy.”

13 – वैध (vaiDH) = “Legal” [Adjective]

सीमा की मौसी उसकी वैध अभिभावक है। (Siimaa kii mauSii uSakii vaiDH abhibhaavak hai.)
“Seema’s aunt is her legal guardian.”

14 – अवैध (avaiDH) = “Illegal” [Adjective]

खुले में शराब पीना अवैध है। (khuLe men saraab piiNaa avaiDH hai.)
“It’s illegal to consume alcohol in a public place.”

15 – अपराधी (apraaDHii) = “Criminal” [Noun]

अपराधी को जेल भेजा गया। (apraaDHii ko jeL bhejaa gayaa.)
“The criminal was sent to jail.”

16 – क़ानूनी कार्यवाही (qaaNuuNii kaaryavaahii) = “Legal action” [Noun]

नियम तोड़ने पर क़ानूनी कार्यवाही होती है। (Niyam TodaNe par qaaNuuNii karyavaahii hoTii hai.)
“Legal action is taken when the law is broken.”

17 – बरी होना (barii hoNaa) = “To be acquitted” [Verb]

कार्यकर्ता को बरी किया गया। (kaaryakarTaa ko barii kiyaa gaya.)
“The activist was acquitted.”

18 – बंदी (baNDii) = “Prisoner” [Noun]

जेल में 300 बंदी हैं। (jeL men 300 baNDii hain.)
“There are 300 prisoners in the jail.”

19 – निर्वाह-धन (Nirvaah-DHaN) = “Alimony” [Noun]

जज ने पति को निर्वाह-धन देने का आदेश दिया। (jaj Ne paTi ko Nirvaah-DHaN DeNe kaa aaDes Diyaa.)
“The judge ordered the husband to give the alimony.”

20 – निर्दोष (NirDos) = “Innocent” [Adjective]

अपराध साबित होने तक हर व्यक्ति को निर्दोष माना जाना चाहिए। (aparaaDH SaabiT hoNe Tak har vyakTi ko NirDos maaNaa jaaNaa caahiye.)
“Everybody should be considered innocent until proven guilty.”

21 – संदिग्ध (SaNDigDH) = “Accused” [Adjective]

संदिग्धों में कई बड़े नेताओं के भी नाम थे। (SaNDigDHon men kaii bade NeTaaon ke bhii Naam THe.)
“The names of many powerful ministers are on the accused list.”

22 – साक्ष्य (Saaksy) = “Evidence” [Noun]

कई साक्ष्य आग में जल कर नष्ट हो गए। (kaii Saaksy aag men jaL kar Nast ho gaye.)
“Many pieces of evidence were destroyed in the fire.”

23 – साक्षी (Saaksii) = “Witness” [Noun]

पुलिस ने साक्षी को सुरक्षा प्रदान की। (puLiS Ne Saaksii ko Suraksaa praDaaN kii.)
“The police provided security to the witness.”

24 – क़ुबूल करना (qubuuL karaNaa) = “To admit” [Verb]

दीपक ने अपना जुर्म क़ुबूल किया। (Diipak Ne apaNaa jurm qubuuL kiyaa.)
“Deepak admitted his crime.”

25 – कारागार (kaaraagaar) = “Prison” / “Jail” [Noun]

कारागार में कड़ी सुरक्षा व्यवस्था है। (kaaraagaar men kadii Suraksaa vyavaSTHaa hai.)
“There is tight security in the prison.”

26 – अपहरण (apharan) = “Kidnapping” [Noun]

शहर में अपहरण के मामले बढ़ रहे हैं। (sahar men apharan ke maamaLe badh rahe hain.)
“Kidnapping cases are rising in the city.”

27 – दंड (Dand) = “Penalty” [Noun]

मास्क नहीं पहनने पर 200 रुपये का दंड देय होगा। (maaSk Nahiin pahaNaNe par 200 rupaye kaa Dand Dey hogaa.)
“There will be a penalty of 200 rupees for not wearing a mask.”

28 – धमकी (DHamakii) = “Threat” [Noun]

जान से मारने की धमकी देना दंडनीय अपराध है। (jaaN Se maaraNe kii DHamakii DeNaa DandaNiiy aparaaDH hai.)
“A threat to kill is a punishable offense.”

29 – संरक्षण (Sanraksan) = “Guardianship” [Noun]

माँ को बच्चे का संरक्षण दिया गया। (maan ko bacce kaa Sanraksan Diyaa gayaa.)
“The mother was given the guardianship of the child.”

A Gavel in a Courtroom

Polish Your Legal Vocabulary

30 – भरण-पोषण (bharan-posan) = “Maintenance” [Noun]

भरण-पोषण की ज़िम्मेदारी पिता को दी गयी। (bharan-posan kii zimmeDaarii piTaa ko Dii gayii.)
“The father was given the responsibility of providing maintenance.”

31 – तलाक़ (TaLaaq) = “Divorce” [Noun]

पति-पत्नी ने तलाक़ लेने का फ़ैसला किया। (paTi-paTNii Ne TaLaaq LeNe kaa faiSaLaa kiyaa.)
“The couple decided to get a divorce.”

32 – मुआवज़ा (muaavazaa) = “Compensation” [Noun]

पीड़ितों को एक लाख रुपये का मुआवज़ा दिया जायेगा। (piidiTon ko ek Laakh rupaye kaa muaavazaa Diyaa jaayegaa.)
“The victims will be given compensation of one lakh of rupees.”

33 – निर्णय (Nirnay) = “Verdict” [Noun]

जज का निर्णय सर्वमान्य होता है। (jaj kaa Nirnay SarvamaaNy hoTaa hai.)
“The decision of the judge is universally accepted.”

34 – पीड़ित (piiṛiT) = “Victim” (Male) [Noun]

पीड़ित ने अधिकारी के सामने गुहार लगायी। (piidiT Ne aDHikaarii ke SaamaNe guhaar Lagaayii.)
“The victim pleaded in front of the officer.”

35 – पीड़िता (piidiTaa) = “Victim” (Female) [Noun]

पीड़िता ने अधिकारी के सामने गुहार लगायी। (piidiTaa Ne aDHikaarii ke SaamaNe guhaar Lagaayii.)
“The victim pleaded in front of the officer.”

5. 50+ Lesser-Known Words to Make Your Answers Stand Out in Hindi Exams

Finally, here is a list of advanced Hindi vocabulary words that will help you shine when taking exams or writing essays. Once you become familiar with these words, practice using them where appropriate to make the most of your Hindi writing. 

1 – वृहद् (vrihaD) = “Large” [Adjective]

यह समस्या वृहद् स्तर पर फैली हुई है। (yah SamaSyaa vrihaD STar par phaiLii huyii hai.)
“This problem exists on a large scale.”

2 – ज्ञान (gyaaN) = “Knowledge” [Noun]

ज्ञान की प्यास हमेशा होनी चाहिए। (gyaaN kii pyaaS hamesaa hoNii caahiye.)
“One should always have a thirst for knowledge.”

3 – बोध होना (boDH hoNaa) = “To sense” [Verb]

उसे अपनी ग़लती का बोध हुआ। (uSe apaNii gaLaTii kaa boDH huaa.)
“He sensed his mistake.”

4 – गद्यांश (gaDyaans) = “Prose passage” [Noun]

यह गद्यांश बहुत बड़ा है। (yah gaDyaans bahuT badaa hai.)
“This prose passage is too long.”

5 – पद्यांश (paDyaans) = “Poem passage” [Noun]

इस पद्यांश को समझाना मुश्किल है। (iS paDyaans ko SamjhaaNaa muskiL hai.)
“It’s hard to explain this poem passage.”

6 – निम्नलिखित (NimNaLikhiT) = “Following” [Noun]

निम्नलिखित में से किसी 5 प्रश्नों का उत्तर लिखिए। (NimNaLikhiT men Se kiSii 5 prasNon kaa uTTar Likhiye.)
“Answer any five of the following questions.”

7 – विस्तारपूर्वक (viSTaarapuurvak) = “In detail” [Adverb]

उत्तर को विस्तारपूर्वक लिखिए। (uTTar ko viSTaarapuurvak Likhiye.)
“Write the answer in detail.”

8 – वर्णन (varnaN) = “Describe” [Verb]

कवि की भावनाओं का वर्णन कीजिए। (kavi kii bhaavaNaaon kaa varnaN kiijiye.)
“Describe the feelings of the poet.”

9 – व्याकरण (vyaakaran) = “Grammar” [Noun]

कल हिंदी व्याकरण पर चर्चा होगी। (kaL hiNDii vyaakran par carcaa hogii.)
“Tomorrow, we will discuss Hindi grammar.”

10 – प्रत्यय (praTyay) = “Suffix” [Noun]

इस शब्द में सही प्रत्यय लगाएं। (iS sabD men Sahii praTyay Lagaayen.)
“Add the appropriate suffix to the word.”

11 – उपसर्ग (upaSarg) = “Prefix” [Noun]

उपसर्ग की परिभाषा लिखें। (upaSarg kii paribhaasaa Likhen.)
“Write the definition of ‘prefix.’”

12 – क्रिया (kriyaa) = “Verb” [Noun]

क्रिया के दो प्रकार हैं। (kriyaa ke Do prakaar hain.)
“There are two types of verbs.”

13 – संज्ञा (Sangyaa) = “Noun” [Noun]

संज्ञा के उदाहरण बताओ। (Sangyaa ke uDaaharan baTaao.)
“Give a few examples of nouns.”

14 – सर्वनाम (SarvaNaam) = “Pronoun” [Noun]

क्या तुम मुझे सर्वनाम के बारे में पढ़ा सकते हो? (kyaa Tum mujhe SarvaNaam ke baare me padhaa SakaTe ho?)
“Can you teach me about pronouns?”

15 – काल (kaaL) = “Tense” [Noun]

मुख्यतः काल तीन प्रकार के होते हैं। (mukhyTah kaaL TiiN prakaar ke hoTe hain.)
“There are three main tenses.”

16 – विशेषण (visesan) = “Adjective” [Noun]

विशेषण सीखना बहुत ज़रूरी है। (visesan SiikhaNaa bahuT zaruurii hai.)
“It’s really important to learn adjectives.”

17 – पर्यायवाची (paryaayavaacii) = “Synonyms” [Noun]

‘हवा’ के दो पर्यायवाची लिखिए। (‘havaa’ ke Do paryaayavaacii Likhiye.)
“Write two synonyms of ‘wind.’”

18 – विलोम (viLom) = “Antonyms” [Noun]

परीक्षा में विलोम पर भी सवाल पूछे जायेंगे। (pariiksaa men viLom par bhii SavaaL puuche jaayenge.)
“In the examination, there will be questions on the antonyms also.”

19 – मुहावरे (muhaavare) = “Idioms” [Noun]

इस पाठ से 10 मुहावरे याद करने हैं। (iS paath Se 10 muhaavare yaaD karaNe hain.)
“You have to learn ten idioms from this lesson.”

20 – लोकोक्तियाँ (LokokTiyaan) = “Proverbs” [Noun]

भारत में लोकोक्तियाँ बहुत प्रचलित हैं। (bhaaraT men LokokTiyaan bahuT pracaLiT hain.)
“Proverbs are quite popular in India.”

Students Writing Essays in a Classroom

Acing the Hindi Exams!

21 – व्याख्या करना (vyaakhyaa karaNaa) = “To describe” [Verb]

शिक्षक ने कविता की व्याख्या की। (siksak Ne kaviTaa kii vyaakhyaa kii.)
“The teacher described the poem.”

22 – आदेश देना (aaDes DeNaa) = “To order” [Verb]

जज ने कैदी को रिहा करने का आदेश दिया। (jaj Ne kaiDii ko rihaa karaNe kaa aaDes Diyaa.)
“The judge ordered the release of the prisoner.”

23 – चयन करना (cayaN karaNaa) = “To select” [Verb]

प्रार्थियों का योग्यता के आधार पर चयन किया जायेगा। (praarTHiyon kaa yogyaTaa ke aaDHaar par cayaN kiyaa jaayegaa.)
“The candidates will be selected on the basis of qualification.”

24 – उल्लंघन करना (uLLanghaN karaNaa) = “Breaking” [Verb]

नियमों का उल्लंघन करने पर दंड मिल सकता है। (Niyamon kaa uLLanghaN karaNe par Dand miL SakTaa hai.)
“Breaking the law will result in punishment.”

25 – निर्णय लेना (Nirnay LeNaa) = “To decide” [Verb]

उसने शहर छोड़ने का निर्णय लिया। (uSaNe sahar chodaNe kaa Nirnay Liyaa.)
“He decided to leave the city.”

26 – आक्रमण करना (aakraman karaNaa) = “To attack” [Verb]

शेर ने हिरण पर आक्रमण किया। (ser Ne hiran par aakraman kiyaa.)
“The lion attacked the deer.”

27 – समझौता करना (SamjhauTaa karaNaa) = “To reach an agreement” [Verb]

दोनों देशों ने आपस में समझौता कर लिया। (DoNon Deson Ne aapaS men SamjhauTaa kar Liyaa.)
“Both countries reached an agreement among themselves.”

28 – सावधानी बरतना (SaavaDHaaNii baraTaNaa) = “To be careful” [Verb]

आपको सड़क पर चलते समय सावधानी बरतनी चाहिए। (aapako Sadak par caLaTe Samay SaavaDHaaNii baraTaNii caahiye.)
“You should be careful while walking on the road.”

29 – अत्यधिक (aTyaDHik) = “Extremely” [Adverb]

वह अत्यधिक चिंतित है। (vah aTyaDHik ciNTiT hai.)
“He is extremely worried.”

30 – अनावश्यक रूप से (aNaavasyak ruup Se) = “Unnecessarily” [Adverb]

तुम अनावश्यक रूप से नाराज़ हो रहे हो। (Tum aNaavasyak ruup Se Naaraaz ho rahe ho.)
“You are getting upset unnecessarily.”

31 – संदिग्ध तरीक़े से (SaNDigDH Tariiqe Se) = “Suspiciously” [Adverb]

चोर संदिग्ध तरीक़े से कमरे में घुसा। (cor SaNDigDH Tariiqe Se kamare men ghuSaa.)
“The thief entered the room suspiciously.”

32 – सुखपूर्वक (Sukhapuurvak) = “Happily” [Adverb]

और वे सुखपूर्वक रहने लगे। (aur ve Sukhapuurvak rahaNe Lage.)
“They started living happily.”

33 – निडर होकर (Nidar hokar) = “Fearlessly” [Adverb]

निडर होकर अपनी बात कहो। (Nidar hokar apaNii baaT kaho.)
“Speak out fearlessly.”

34 – औपचारिक रूप से (aupacaarik ruup Se) = “Officially” [Adverb]

दोनों औपचारिक रूप से विवाह के बंधन में बंध गए। (DoNon aupacaarik ruup Se vivaah ke baNDHaN men baNDH gaye.)
“Both of them officially got married.”

35 – अनौपचारिक रूप से (aNaupacaarik ruup Se) = “Unofficially” [Adverb]

वे अनौपचारिक रूप से अलग हो चुके हैं। (ve aNaupacaarik ruup Se aLag ho cuke hain.)
“They have unofficially separated.”

36 – त्रैमासिक (TraimaaSik) = “Trimonthly” [Adverb]

यह एक त्रैमासिक पत्रिका है। (yah ek TraimaaSik paTrikaa hai.)
“It’s a trimonthly magazine.”

37 – उसके बावजूद (uSake baavajuuD) = “In spite of that” [Preposition]

उसके बावजूद अनीता ने अपनी पढ़ाई जारी रखी। (uSake baavajuuD aNiiTaa Ne apaNii padhaaii jaarii rakhii.)
“In spite of that, Anita continued her studies.”

38 – बजाय इसके (bajaaye iSake) = “Instead of that” [Preposition]

बजाय इसके तुम्हें सबकी मदद करनी चाहिए। (bajaaye iSake Tumhen Sabakii maDaD karaNii caahiye.)
“Instead of that, you should help others.”

39 – किंतु (kiNTu) = “But” [Conjunction]

किंतु वह किताब क्यों नहीं मिल रही? (kiNTu vah kiTaab kyon Nahiin miL rahii?)
“But why can’t I find that book?”

40 – अपितु (apiTu) = “Rather” [Conjunction]

अपितु दूसरों का सम्मान करो। (apiTu DuuSaron kaa SammaaN karo.)
“Rather respect others.”

41 – अगले ही पल (agaLe hii paL) = “The next moment” [Conjunction]

अगले ही पल दरवाज़े की घंटी बजी। (agaLe hii paL Daravaaze kii ghantii bajii.)
“The next moment, the doorbell rang.”

42 – उदाहरणस्वरूप (uDaaharan-Svaruup) = “For example” [Conjunction]

उदाहरणस्वरूप, जापान एक छोटा लेकिन विकसित देश है। (uDaaharan-Svaruup, jaapaaN ek chotaa LekiN vikaSiT Des hai.)
“For example, Japan is a small yet developed country.”

43 – किंचित (kiNciT) = “Somewhat” [Conjunction]

मैं किंचित व्याकुल हूँ। (main kiNciT vyaakuL huun.)
“I am somewhat anxious.”

44 – भीतर (bhiiTar) = “Inside” [Preposition]

संदूक के भीतर क्या है? (SaNDuuk ke bhiiTar kyaa hai?)
“What’s inside the box?”

45 – के मध्य में (ke maDHy men) = “In between” [Preposition]

दोनों पहाड़ों के मध्य में एक घाटी है। (DoNon pahaadon ke maDHy men ek ghaatii hai.)
“There is a valley in between the two mountains.”

46 – समीप (Samiip) = “Near” / “Close to” [Preposition]

मेरे समीप मत आओ। (mere Samiip maT aao.)
“Don’t come near me.”

47 – को छोड़कर (ko chodakar) = “Excluding” [Preposition]

विकास को छोड़कर सभी पार्टी में आएंगे। (vikaaS ko chodakar Sabhii paartii men aayenge.)
“Excluding Vikas, everyone will come to the party.”

48 – को मिलाकर (ko miLaakar) = “Including” [Preposition]

जीतू को मिलाकर छह लोग हुए। (jiiTuu ko miLaakar chah Log huye.)
“There are six people, including Jitu.”

49 – के माध्यम से (ke maaDHyam Se) = “Through” [Preposition]

मैंने पत्राचार के माध्यम से क़ानून की पढ़ाई की है। (mainNe paTraacaar ke maaDHyam Se qaaNuuN kii padhaaii kii hai.)
“I’ve studied law through distance learning.”

50 – के अंतर्गत (ke aNTargaT) = “Under” [Preposition]

सभी गांव इसी ज़िले के अंतर्गत आते हैं। (Sabhii gaanv iSii ziLe ke aNTargaT aaTe hain.)
“All the villages fall under this district.”

51 – उपरांत (upraaNT) = “After” [Preposition]

बैठक के उपरांत भोजन कराया जायेगा। (baithak ke upraaNT bhojaN karaayaa jaayegaa.)
“The food will be served after the meeting.”

52 – की तरफ़ (kii Taraf) = “Toward” [Preposition]

हवा पूर्व दिशा की तरफ़ बह रही है। (havaa puurv Disaa kii Taraf bah rahii hai.)
“The wind is blowing toward the east.”

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Negation in Hindi: How to Make Negative Sentences

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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.

A Guy with an Overly Sad and Disappointed Look on His Face

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.

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hindi 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.

A Girl Disgusted by Peas

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 SentenceNegative 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.

A Guy in a Business Suit Giving the Thumbs-down Sign

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.

A Woman at a Bar Ignoring a Man There

How to Say No to a Request

Interrogative SentenceNegative 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 WordsHindi SentenceEnglish 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!

A Woman Holding Both Palms Out in Front of Her to Indicate No or Stop

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!

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Tenses in Hindi Made Easy

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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.

A Signpost with Signs for Now, Tomorrow, and Yesterday

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”

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hindi 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!

An Image Depicting Evolution of Man

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.”

A Crowd of People Raising Their Arms

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.

A Dinner with Ham, Sausages, Fruit, and More

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.”

Or

“Amar used to eat an apple.”
पारुल स्कूल गयी। 

paaruL SkuuL gayii.

Or

पारुल स्कूल जाती थी। 

paaruL SkuuL jaaTii THii.
“Parul went to school.”

Or

“Parul used to go to school.”
बच्चे सोये। 

bacce Soye.

Or

बच्चे सोते थे

bacce SoTe THe.
“The kids slept.”

Or

“The children used to sleep.”

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.

A Clock

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
TenseMasculine GenderFeminine Gender
SingularPluralSingularPlural
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.

A Split Screen of a Healthy Planet and Desolation

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!

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Our 2021 Guide on How to Learn Hindi Fast!

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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?

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Cracking the Hindi Learning Code

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hindi 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: 

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.

A Group of Two Men and Two Women Chatting with Drinks

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.

Someone Moving a Chess Piece

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:

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.
A Weekly Timesheet with Some Cells Filled In

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… 

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:


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…

A Man Studying in a Library

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.

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The Top 30 Proverbs in Hindi to Impress Native Speakers

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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!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hindi 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. 


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’.”


An Alarm Clock

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.”


A Woman Performing a Yoga Pose

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.”


A Woman in a Red Shirt Holding Her Hand to Her Head with Eyes Closed

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’.”


The Best Man at a Wedding Giving a Toast to the Couple

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.”


A Man Reaching Out His Hand to Help Someone Up a Ledge

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.”


A Road with Arrows on It

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.”


A Woman Dressed Up in a Red Devil Costume

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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Your Ultimate Guide to Hindi Grammar Basics

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Hindi grammar is the skeleton of our language. In Hindi, there are several grammar rules that are way different from those in English and other Romance or Latin languages. Understanding these theories will make your Hindi skills stronger and lower your chances of making an error.

It was with these factors in mind that we decided to create a brief lesson that covers all Hindi grammar topics for you! We’ll touch on a variety of concepts, from word order to tenses, and outline the most important things you need to know.

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hindi Table of Contents
  1. General Rules of Hindi Grammar
  2. Word Order / Sentence Structure
  3. Punctuation and Diacritics
  4. Half-Consonants
  5. Gender
  6. Tenses
  7. Verbs
  8. Formal and Informal Tone
  9. Adjectives
  10. Conclusion

1. General Rules of Hindi Grammar

There are several Hindi grammar rules that differ greatly from those in other languages. Knowledge of these rules will give you an edge over other learners.

  • First of all, grammar in Hindi follows the SOV (Subject – Object – Verb) word order, as opposed to the SVO order English uses.

  • The second rule you need to remember is that everything has a gender in Hindi grammar. There are two grammatical genders in the Hindi language: feminine and masculine.

  • Many new Hindi learners also struggle with the concept of diacritics.

  • In Hindi, we have different pronouns and ways of addressing people depending on the level of respect and formality between them.

  • And the trickiest part of basic Hindi grammar for beginners is verb conjugation. But once we break it down for you with examples, you’ll find it quite easy. 🙂

We’d like to say that this list could go on and on—grammar is a vast aspect of any language. Nonetheless, this Hindi grammar guide will only focus on the most important rules to help you stand on your feet and get going!

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Let’s Start with the Basics

2. Word Order / Sentence Structure

There’s a reason we’re beginning our guide with word order information. I mean, what’s the first thing you do when you meet someone? You introduce yourself, ask their name, or even ask how they are. Even simple phrases like these can confuse you if you’re not confident about which word should be placed where!

While English sentences follow the SVO pattern, Hindi sentences follow the SOV word order.

Here, S = Subject, O = Object, V = Verb

Examples:

English Word OrderI read the book.
Hindi Word Orderमैं किताब पढ़ती हूँ। (main kiTaab padhaTii huun.) [FEMALE]
मैं किताब पढ़ता हूँ। (main kiTaab padhaTaa huun.) [MALE]

English Word OrderFather cooks the food.
Hindi Word Orderपिताजी खाना पकाते हैं। (piTaajii khaaNaa pakaaTe hain.)

Can you see how the sentence pattern changes when we shift from English to Hindi? Looks easy, right?

If you want to learn about this more in-depth, we recommend that you read our comprehensive guide on Hindi Word Order and practice with many more examples!

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3. Punctuation and Diacritics

Now it’s time to see what all the fuss on diacritics is about and in what way punctuation in Hindi differs from that in English.

1 – Punctuation

Regarding punctuation, here’s a quick tip: The Hindi ‘full stop’ is the only punctuation mark different from English or any other language. All the others, such as the comma or question mark, are the same. The ‘full stop,’ also known as the खड़ी पाई (khadii paaii) or पूर्ण विराम (puurn viraam) in Hindi, looks like the capital “।.”

Example:

  • यह मेरा घर है। (yah meraa ghar hai.) = “This is my house.” [Different Punctuation]
  • क्या तुम ठीक हो? (kyaa Tum thiik ho?) = “Are you okay?” [Same Punctuation]

2 – Diacritics

The concept of diacritics is completely new to non-native speakers, especially those who speak English or Romance languages. So, we’ll try to explain it to you in the simplest manner possible.

When a Hindi vowel and consonant are combined, the vowel dissolves by losing its separate identity and changes into a “diacritic” or मात्रा (maaTraa) attached to that particular consonant.

We know it’s easier said than done, so we’ve included a few examples for you to review.

Examples:

  • (ka) + (aa) = का (kaa)
  • (ja) + (ii)  = जी (jii)
  • (Ta) + (uu) = तू (Tuu)

Want to study more about the diacritics and how they can blend with consonants? Check out our detailed lesson on the Hindi Alphabet!

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Explore Our Grammar Bank

4. Half-Consonants

Another concept that English speakers aren’t familiar with is the “half-consonant,” also called the “schwa-less” consonant. This is where the full consonant is replaced with its half version.

Every consonant in Hindi automatically includes a short “-a” sound with it. But sometimes, we might need two consonants together without any vowels between them. That’s where the concept of the “half-consonant” comes in. All we have to do is get rid of the second half of the first consonant letter and attach the other half to the second consonant.

ConsonantHalf-Consonant
  • ब्
  • स्
  • ल्

Examples:

  • डिब्बा (dibbaa) = “Container/Box” 
    • Here, half ब (ba) is attached to the following ब (ba).
  • ल्का (haLkaa) = “Light” 
    • Here, half ल (La) is attached to the following क (ka).
  • ग़ुस्सा (ġuSSaa) = “Anger” 
    • Here, half स (Sa) is attached to the following स (Sa).

5. Gender

Did you know that English has four gender classifications for its nouns and pronouns (masculine, feminine, common, and neuter), which are based on natural gender? This is not the case in Hindi. First of all, every noun and pronoun has a specific grammatical gender category assigned to it. Secondly, there are only two types of gender in the Hindi language: feminine and masculine.

Now, you must be thinking, “Fine, but how do I find out which words are masculine and which are feminine?” That’s a natural question, so we’ve outlined the basics below.

1 – Masculine Gender

More often than not, masculine, or पुल्लिंग (puLLing), nouns and pronouns end with an अ (-a) sound. It’s not spoken separately, but just as breathing space blended into the last letter of the word.

Example:

  • “Fruit” = फ (phaL) = फ् + अ + ल् +

Similarly, we have:

  • “Cloud” = बाद (baaDaL)
  • “Utensil” = बर्तन (barTaN)

2 – Feminine Gender

Feminine nouns and pronouns are easy to spot, too. They usually end with the sounds ई / ी (-ii) and आ / ा (-aa).

  • “Youth” = जवानी (javaaNii) = ज् + अ + व् + अ + न् +
  • “Mat” = चटा (cataaii)
  • “Shadow” = छाया (chaayaa

3 – Exceptions

And here comes the list of exceptions. In Hindi, there are many masculine words that sound feminine and vice-versa; you’ll just have to memorize them. Here are just a few to get you started:

Masculine Word Exceptions

  • “Room” = कमरा (kamaraa
  • “Bungalow” = बंगला (bangLaa)
  • “Dream” = सपना (SapaNaa)

Feminine Word Exceptions

  • “Bottle” = बोत (boTaL)
  • “Evening” = शा (saam)
  • “Morning” = सुब (Subah)
  • “Book” = किता (kiTaab)

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6. Tenses

Just like any other language, Hindi has three main tenses: past, present, and future. We’ll just briefly touch on Hindi grammar tenses here, but at the end of this section you’ll find a link to a comprehensive article on the topic! 

1 – Simple Present Tense

  • Ends with ता हूँ / ती हूँ / -ता है / – ती है / – ते हैं / ती हैं (-Taa huun / -Tii huun /-Taa hai / -Tii hai / -Te hain / -Tii hain).
Example Verb Form खाना (khaaNaa) = “To eat”
For MalesFor Females
1st Personमैं खाता हूँ। (main khaaTaa huun.)
“I eat.”
मैं खाती हूँ। (main khaaTii huun.)
“I eat.”
2nd Personतुम खाते हो। (Tum khaaTe ho.)
“You eat.”
तुम खाती हो। (Tum khaaTii ho.)
“You eat.”
3rd Personवे खाते हैं। (ve khaaTe hain.)
“They eat.”
वे खाती हैं। (ve khaaTii hain.)
“They eat.”

2 – Simple Past Tense

  • Ends with ता था / – ती थी / – ते थे / ती थीं (-Taa THaa / -Tii THii / -Te THe / -Tii THiin).
Example Verb Form खाना (khaaNaa) = “To eat”
For MalesFor Females
1st Personमैं खाता था। (main khaaTaa THaa.)
“I ate.”
मैं खाती थी। (main khaaTaa THii.)
“I ate.”
2nd Personतुम खाते थे। (Tum khaaTe The.)
“You ate.”
तुम खाती थीं। (Tum khaaTii THiin.)
“You ate.”
3rd Personवे खाते थे।  (ve khaaTe The.)
“They ate.”
वे खाती थीं। (ve khaaTii THiin.)
“They ate.”

3 – Simple Future Tense

  • Ends with -ऊँगा / -ऊँगी / -एगा / -एगी / -एंगे / -एंगी (-uungaa / -uungii / -egaa / -egii / -enge / -engii).
Example Verb Form खाना (khaaNaa) = “To eat”
For MalesFor Females
1st Personमैं खाऊंगा। (main khaauungaa.)
“I will eat.”
मैं खाऊँगी। (main khaauungii.)
“I will eat.”
2nd Personतुम खाओगे। (Tum khaaoge.)
“You will eat.”
तुम खाओगी। (Tum khaaogii.)
“You will eat.”
3rd Personवे खाएंगे। (ve khaaenge.)
“They will eat.”
वे खाएंगी। (ve khaaengii.)
“They will eat.”

We all know that tenses are far more comprehensive and complicated than these examples. To help you master them, we’ve got a complete guide on Hindi Tenses for you!

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7. Verbs

In Hindi, verbs conjugate according to gender, tense, and tone. We’ve already explained how tenses work, so now let’s look at some different characteristics of verbs in Hindi.

  • In Hindi, the infinitive verbs end with -ना (-Naa). For example, “to laugh” =  हँसना (hanSaNaa) and “to play” =  खेलना (kheLaNaa).

  • Moreover, the verbs always form the last part of the sentence; they come at the end. For example: सुमन गेंद से खेलती है। (SumaN genD Se kheLaTii hai.) = “Suman plays with a ball.”

  • Verbs conjugated for the masculine gender always end with an -aa or – e sound. Verbs conjugated for the feminine gender end with an -ii or -iin sound.

8. Formal and Informal Tone

In Indian culture, we use different tones for different people, based on factors like age, level of formality, and gender.

Let’s see how!

Talking about person of same ageविकास बाज़ार जाता है
(vikaaS baazaar jaaTaa hai.)
“Vikas goes to the market.”
Talking about an elderly personदादाजी बाज़ार जाते हैं
(DaaDaajii baazaar jaaTe hain.)
“Grandpa goes to the market.”

In a nutshell, we treat a singular noun or pronoun as plural in the following situations:

  • When talking to an elderly person
  • When trying to show respect
  • When talking to a person of a different gender (especially female)
  • When using a formal tone
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9. Adjectives

If you’re expressive like us Indians, chances are you’ll be needing a lot of adjective words in Hindi. But just knowing the words isn’t enough. You’ll also have to be aware of where to place those adjectives in a Hindi sentence. Moreover, keep in mind that Hindi adjectives also change their forms according to the gender of the noun they describe.

Example:

Let’s take the adjectives “yellow” and “straight” as examples.

Adjective 1Masculine NounFeminine Noun
“Yellow”यह कप पीला है। (yah kap piiLaa hai.)
“This cup is yellow.”
यह साड़ी पीली है। (yah Saadii piiLii hai.)
“This saree is yellow.”

Adjective 2Masculine NounFeminine Noun
“Straight”वह रास्ता सीधा है। (vah raaSTaa SiiDHaa hai.)
“That path is straight.”
वह गली सीधी है। (vah gaLii SiiDHii hai.)
“That street is straight.”

Also remember that an adjective is always placed adjacent to (before or after) the noun. For more information, please feel free to go through our wonderful article on Hindi Adjectives.

10. Conclusion

We’ve not even covered all the Hindi grammar points yet, as our goal was to give you a quick glimpse into the most important concepts. Sort of like a way to break the ice between you and Hindi grammar. 🙂

Did you enjoy our overview? If yes, let us know what you like about it. If not, we’d love to hear your suggestions on what else we could have included to make it better!

Do you want to delve even deeper into Hindi grammar and culture? We’re constantly adding new world-class lesson materials for you on our website. For beginners and intermediate learners, we also have a free online Hindi-English dictionary to help you out as you come across unfamiliar words or phrases.

So, don’t wait any longer! Get started with our Premium Membership to access an unlimited bundle of knowledge. It’s high time to talk like a native and impress your Hindi-speaking friends.

For those who are always on the go but want to continue their Hindi learning, we’ve got a treat for you. Sign up on HindiPod101.com and download our mobile-friendly app to learn anywhere, anytime.

Happy Hindi learning!

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Is Hindi Hard to Learn? Our Verdict.

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If you’re a native English-speaker looking to learn the beautiful Hindi language, you may have asked yourself “Is Hindi hard to learn?” Doubts like this are understandable, given the massive difference between the Hindi and English language scripts. However, not all answers are black and white. 

There are a number of factors that can influence how easily you learn Hindi:

Confident about the first two factors? Leave everything else to HindiPod101.com! We’re committed to making Hindi learning as interesting as possible.

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Learning Hindi Table of Contents
  1. Hindi: Yay or Nay!
  2. Why Should You Learn Hindi?
  3. The Most Easygoing Parts of Learning Hindi
  4. The Hardest Parts
  5. Handy Tips for a New Hindi Learner
  6. Why is HindiPod101.com Great for Learning Hindi?

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Making Hindi Learning Fun for You!

1. Hindi: Yay or Nay!

You want to know how difficult (or easy!) learning Hindi will be for you. You want to know if you should take the plunge or not. 

We won’t lie: Learning Hindi is no piece of cake! That said, there are some things that make Hindi hard to learn, and others that are very simple. Once you get the drift of it, you won’t be able to help falling in love with the language’s many amazing features. 🙂

For instance, Hindi is spoken just the way it’s written. Once you learn the alphabet, you’ve already won half the battle! (And with HindiPod101.com, you can learn the alphabet in no time.)

Now, let’s get going already and cover the basics of learning Hindi. In this article, we’ll give you some marvelous facts about the Hindi language, show you the good, bad, and ugly of the learning process, and give you tips for success along the way! 

2. Why Should You Learn Hindi?

Why on earth would you want to learn Hindi? Honestly, the benefits are plenty, especially if you’re planning to stay in India for a while. Allow us to list some of the best reasons to learn Hindi with us.

1 – Wide Popularity

Hindi is one of the most spoken languages in India. Did you know that Hindi is the official language in a total of nine Indian states, collectively known as the Hindi Belt? But the language’s huge reputation doesn’t end there. In fact, natives of South India are quite familiar with the Hindi language as well. What’s more, take into account the massive fan base of Bollywood movies all over India—and the world—to see just how popular Hindi language media has become! 

2 – Professional Benefits

Learning Hindi will open up many job opportunities for you. To say the least, it will give you a strong advantage in the Indian atmosphere. People in India are more inclined to hire someone who knows such a prevalent language like Hindi than someone who only knows English (or another less-popular language). When you know Hindi, they actually begin to see you as a part of their own society and culture.

3 – Social Mingling

Knowing at least a little Hindi will definitely give you an edge in many ways, from breaking the ice in conversations to dating someone. It will help you connect with natives and socialize with them in both personal and professional scenarios. This is especially true if you’re in Northern India, where conversing in Hindi is the real shortcut to people’s hearts.

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4 – Practical Advantages

Knowing Hindi will help you in a variety of daily activities, such as grocery shopping, bargaining for a lower price, taking a taxi, or asking for directions. It’s a life-saver in case of an emergency. Basic knowledge of Hindi will help you gel with neighbors and have fun at parties. You would have the luxury of laughing with natives when they make a joke (instead of feeling left out). 

5 – Command Over Other Regional Languages

Hindi has inspired many other regional languages, such as Gujarati, Punjabi, Rajasthani, and Bihari. All of these languages spoken in the Northern area have many words in common. So, studying Hindi will automatically make you more familiar with these languages too, which is a big bonus!

3. The Most Easygoing Parts of Learning Hindi

Learning Hindi isn’t all fun and games, but there are a few aspects of the language that really aren’t so bad! 

1 – Phonetic Language

When a language is phonetic, it means that it’s spoken exactly as it’s written. Once you learn to recognize the alphabet, there are no hidden or confusing pronunciation rules. 

So, starting from scratch, your first priority should be to master the Hindi alphabet. Here are some examples of how Hindi may actually be easier than English in this regard:

  • In English: Consider the sound of ‘u’ in “put” and “bush,” and then compare it to the sound of ‘u’ in “cut” and “rush.” They sound different, right? Moreover, “rough” and “cough” produce the sound of ‘f,’ whereas “though” and “plough” don’t.

  • In Hindi: You won’t find such ambiguity in the Hindi language. Each sound or letter has one—and only one—way of being spoken. For example, र (ghar) = “house,” घंटी (ghantii) = “bell,” and घूमना (ghuumaNaa) = “wander,” all generate the same sound of ‘gh’ as in “ghost.”

2 – Familiar Sounds

Although Hindi is a completely different language, it still has its fair share of common sounds with English. This factor turns things in the learner’s favor and fills them with some self-confidence from the beginning.

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Delving into these familiar sounds right away and building a personal vocab list is an easy way to start practicing Hindi.

Examples of Familiar Sounds:

Familiar SoundsHindi ExamplesEnglish Examples
अ (a) Sound
  • नार (aNaar) = “Pomegranate”
  • नोखा (aNokhaa) = “Strange”
Used as [a] in “alone,” “about,” “aloof”
आ (aa) Sound
  • म (aam) = “Mango”
  • ज (aaj) = “Today”
Used as [aa] in “farm,” “farmer,” “bark”
इ (i) Sound
  • तवार (iTavaar) = “Sunday”
  • मली (imaLii) = “Tamarind”
Used as [i] in “still,” “fit,” “live”
  • ई (ii) Sound
  • श्वर (iisvar) = “God”
  • ईद (iiD) = “Eid”
Used as [ee] in “meat,” “sheep”
च (c) Sound
  • लना (caLaNaa) = “To walk”
  • चाँद (caaND) = “Moon”
Used as [ch] in “cherry,” “chalk,” “chips”
ज (j) Sound
  • हाज़ (jahaaz) = “Ship”
  • जानवर (jaanavar) = “Animal”
Used as [j] in “junk,” “jam,” “junior”

3 – Plenty of English Words

Many borrowed English words have become a common part of our day-to-day Hindi. So, in a situation where the right Hindi word doesn’t come to your mind, you can get away with the survival English phrase for that word.

Given below are some Hindi sentences with common English words in them.

  • मेरी शाम की फ़्लाइट है I (merii saam kii fLaait hai.)
    “I have an evening flight.”
  • क्या आज रात आप मेरे साथ डिनर करेंगे? (kyaa aaj raaT aap mere SaaTH diNar karenge?) [Talking to a male]
    “Would you have dinner with me tonight?”
  • क्या आज रात आप मेरे साथ डिनर करेंगी? (kyaa aaj raaT aap mere SaaTH diNar karengii?) [Talking to a female]
    “Would you have dinner with me tonight?”

4 – Warm Culture

The quality of your surroundings plays a great role in how effectively you pick up new concepts. A warm and supportive atmosphere guarantees that you’ll learn faster and with more confidence. In the accommodating Indian culture, you’ll get all the encouragement needed to polish your Hindi language skills and speak like a native.

4. The Hardest Parts

Now it’s time to face the challenging parts. Given that Hindi is way out of league for any English-speaker, you’re bound to bump into some difficult stages during the learning process. So why is Hindi hard to learn, and how can you overcome these obstacles?

1 – Unfamiliar Sounds

This part is a nightmare for English-speakers. There are so many sounds in Hindi that non-native speakers are completely unaware of. Hence, it’s vital to focus on the pronunciation of unfamiliar sounds as soon as possible, because these concepts can get tricky.

Let’s look at a couple of these unique Hindi sounds.

Unfamiliar SoundsHindi ExamplesEnglish Examples
त (T) Sound
  • रबूज़ (Tarabuuz) = “Watermelon”
  • तेज़ (Tez) = “Fast”
Used as [t] in “pasta,” “restaurant”
ख/ख़ (kh) Sound
  • ख़रगोश (kharagos) = “Rabbit”
  • खट्टा (khattaa) = “Sour”
Used as [kh] in “Khan,” “Bach

2 – Diacritics

Once you’ve spent some time on the unfamiliar letters and sounds, the second most important thing is to study Hindi grammar and diacritics (maaTraa) religiously. Otherwise, everything that follows will leave you puzzled.

Here are a few illustrations to show you how a little diacritic can turn the meaning of a word upside-down.

  • रा (bharaa) = “Full”
    भूरा (bhuuraa) = “Brown”
  • घंटी (ghantii) = “Bell”
    घंटा (ghantaa) = “Hour”
  • रोज़ (roz) = “Daily”
    रोज़ा (rozaa) = “Fasting done by Muslims”
  • ल (phaL) = “Fruit”
    फूल (phuuL) = “Flower”
  • पा (paaN) = “Betel leaf”
    पानी (paaNii) = “Water”

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3 – Gender-specific Conjugation

Let’s come back to the question, “Is Hindi hard to learn for English-speakers?” Up to a limit, the language can be pretty difficult, especially when it comes to something English-speakers aren’t familiar with in their own language: gender-specific conjugation.

In English, except for personal pronouns, there’s no grammatical gender to worry about. Sadly, that’s not the case in Hindi.

In the Hindi language, everything has a gender and the whole conjugation pattern changes accordingly.

Examples:

Masculine Gender (Singular)राम घर जा रहा है I
(raam ghar jaa rahaa hai.)
“Ram is going home.”
Feminine Gender (Singular)सीता घर जा रही है I
(SiiTaa ghar jaa rahii hai.)
“Sita is going home.”

Masculine Gender (Plural)दो आदमी सो रहे हैं I
(Do aaDamii So rahe hain.)
“Two men are sleeping.”
Feminine Gender (Plural)दो औरतें सो रही हैं I
(Do auraTen So rahii hain.)
“Two women are sleeping.”

4 – Homonyms

Homonyms are words that are spelled and pronounced identically, but have different meanings. Just like every language, Hindi is full of them. This may be bad news for beginners because it all comes down to context. Context is the only thing that hints at the correct meaning of a word in a given conversation.

  • खाना (khaaNaa) = “To eat” (verb)
    खाना (khaaNaa) = “Food” (noun)
  • सोना (SoNaa) = “To sleep”
    सोना (SoNaa) = “Gold”
  • जग (jag) = “World”
    जग (jag) = “Jug” (example: “jug of water”)

5 – Slang / Colloquial Words

Another feature that can really twist your mind is the Hindi texting slang, which can often be labeled untranslatable. It’s practically impossible to cover all of the texting slang and phrases you’ll come across, so please make sure to check out the links above and memorize as many words as possible.

Just to give you an idea, here are a couple of popular slang phrases:

  • लंका लग गयी (Lankaa Lag gayii) = “Weird Sh*t Happens”
  • ढाबा (dhaabaa) = “Roadside restaurant”

Little Kids Practicing Their Reading Together

Practicing with the Natives

6 – Formal Tone

India is a country where tone matters. So much so that we have different ways of addressing elders versus young people. To be on the safer side, until and unless you’re well-acquainted with Indian culture, it’s better to use the formal tone for everyone without exception.

As a beginner, you may find it helpful to study this table about etiquette rules. 

Example Sentence: “What will you eat?”
FormalInformalHighly Casual
For Addressing
  • Elderly
  • Senior in position
  • Strangers
  • Opposite gender
  • In official relations
  • Friends
  • Of the same gender
  • Young people / children
  • Siblings
  • Close friends
  • Siblings
Common Words Usedआप (aap)
आपको (aap ko)
तुम (Tum)
तुमको (Tum ko)
तू (Tuu)तुझे
(Tujhe)
Addressing Malesआप क्या खाएंगे?
(aap kyaa khaayenge?)
तुम क्या खाओगे?
(Tum kyaa khaaoge?)
तू क्या खायेगा?
(Tuu kyaa khaayegaa?)
Addressing Femalesआप क्या खाएंगी?
(aap kyaa khaayengii?)
तुम क्या खाओगी?
(Tum kyaa khaaogii?)
तू क्या खायेगी?
(Tuu kyaa khaayegii?)

5. Handy Tips for a New Hindi Learner

Everybody could use some help, especially beginners. With these valuable tips and methods, you can make your learning journey more interesting and unconventional.

1 – Watch Movies and TV Shows

We all learn faster when it’s fun. So, the first way to drive away boredom is to start watching hit Bollywood movies. It’s even better if they have subtitles in your mother tongue. If you’re not into films, you can opt for Hindi songs or TV shows in your favorite genre. Check out our list of the Top Hindi TV Shows to get started.

A Man Jamming Out to Music on Headphones

Don’t Study Hard. Study Smart.

2 – Listen to Audiobooks

Listening to audiobooks or radio programs in Hindi can be really useful when you’re getting started. It’s especially time-efficient when you’re stuck in traffic or commuting by metro. For more tech-savvy learning, feel free to check out our free Hindi audiobooks.

3 – Practice with Native Speakers

On a regular basis, talk to someone who’s a native Hindi-speaker. There’s nothing like gaining first-hand experience with natives. Moreover, practicing with native folks means you’ll get instant feedback, cultural tips, and information on minute details. And, hold on, isn’t it so much more fun!

4 – Review Everyday

If you don’t review and revise often, you’ll lose all of the progress you’ve made! Imagine planting a tree every day but forgetting to water them. The same is the case with studying Hindi. Revision and practice are almost as necessary as learning something new.

5 – Don’t Be Afraid to Ask

When confused about something, ask. It’ll save you from embarrassment later. Remember, Indians are generous when it comes to assisting others. They don’t mind stopping what they’re doing to help you out. So, shake off any hesitation and reach out to them. People will actually respect you more because of your interest in their native language.

6. Why is HindiPod101.com Great for Learning Hindi?

By now, you may be wondering what makes HindiPod101.com so special. Why should someone choose this platform above all the others? Read on to find out the unique perks and facilities HindiPod101.com has to offer you—unbeatable features that you’ll find nowhere else. Let’s dig in! 

1 – World-Class Materials

From free PDFs to quality learning materials, grammar exercises, and countless video and audio lessons, we’ve got everything to help you speak Hindi fast. Our students also enjoy using flashcards, a free Hindi-English dictionary, a comprehensive grammar bank, and our fun Word of the Day feature! 

2 – Effective Strategies

We know how hard learning Hindi can be. But there’s always a way to get through in one piece! HindiPod101.com shares various effective strategies to keep things simple for you. These may include pinpointing your favorite way of learning Hindi, using quick memory techniques, etc.

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Slow and Steady Wins the Race

3 – Customized Learning

Do you want to learn Hindi to get a better job? Are you trying to date someone in India? Maybe you just need some survival phrases in Hindi for a quick visit. Whatever your purpose for learning Hindi, just let us know and we’ll create a Learning Path that specially caters to your needs and goals. 

4 – Personal Assistance

Got a question? The MyTeacher Messenger is there to help you with your doubts 24/7. All you have to do is sign up at our website and become a Premium PLUS student. A Hindi teacher will be assigned to you for all your language-related questions. Just leave a message and your teacher will respond back within a few hours. How cool is that!

5 – Hindi at Your Fingertips!

We want nothing to stand between you and your desire to study Hindi. That’s why HindiPod101.com has designed a brilliant, user-friendly app for learning Hindi whether you’re feeling lazy or have a jam-packed schedule. Now you can improve your Hindi skills no matter where you are

Let us know in the comments how you feel about learning Hindi now. More confident, or do you still have some questions or concerns? We look forward to hearing from you!

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How to Avoid the Top 10 Common Mistakes in Learning Hindi

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Mistakes are a part of life. But some of them may get us in trouble or in quite an embarrassing situation. This is especially true when learning a new language.

Being a non-native, you may have already experienced the pain of making common Hindi grammar mistakes. Honestly, we feel you! But we can’t bend the rules for you. After all, it’s a language, something you can’t mess with!

A Little Girl Mixing Different Liquids in a Jar for a Science Experiment

Mistakes are a part of life!

But we’re not saying that you can’t do anything about it. There are several ways that you can make the learning process easier on yourself and plenty of strategies to get ahead of others.

So, in this lesson, we’ll be sharing some quick tricks and tips on how to avoid spelling mistakes in the Hindi language, in addition to common grammatical errors.

Let’s get started, guys!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hindi Table of Contents
  1. Oh, the Curse of Phonetics!
  2. The Gender Conflict
  3. Confusing Homonyms
  4. “Where” to Place “What” and “Why”!
  5. The Politeness Code
  6. Stay Away from Redundancy
  7. Clever Diacritics
  8. When to Skip the jii Suffix
  9. The Local Dialect
  10. The Fear of Making Mistakes
  11. Overcoming Your Hindi Mistakes with HindiPod101.com

1. Oh, the Curse of Phonetics!

Well, as they say, eat your frogs first. Phonetics is a real pain for any Hindi language learner. And it’s scary as hell. So, let’s tackle that first.

Common Hindi pronunciation mistakes abound when new learners begin speaking the language. Whether it’s the accent, the pronunciation, or the stretch of a syllable, this one is a head-scratcher. But HindiPod101.com has your back!

Before this scary monster begins to overpower your abilities and crush your self-confidence, check out our comprehensive guide on Hindi pronunciation. It will give you deep insight into the micro-concepts of the language and help you learn faster.

When studying Hindi, there are certain facts worth knowing about the language. We’ll do our best to cover these facts in the following sections.

1 – Writing System

Exampleक    +     म +    र +   आ = कमरा (kamaraa) = “room”
(ka) + (ma) + (ra) + (aa)

2 – Unfamiliar Sounds

  • There are a handful of new sounds in Hindi that are completely unfamiliar to non-natives. So, it’s quite possible to get confused while pronouncing them.
Examples of Unfamiliar Sounds
त (T) = This is the soft sound of [t] as used in “barista” or in the Italian pronunciation of “pasta.”
त्र (Tr) = This is the coupled sound of soft [T] + [r] to make [Tr], as in “Dmitrij” or the Italian pronunciation of “restaurant.”
ख or ख़ (kh) = This is the coupled sound of [k] + [h] to make [kh], as in “Khan” or “Bach.” Of course, both are loan words from the Urdu and German languages, because there’s no such English word with the “-kh” sound.

And we’re not even close to covering all the points which so frequently lead to the most common Hindi pronunciation mistakes.

3 – Syllables

  • A longer or shorter stretch of a syllable may completely change the meaning of a word.
Syllable ExamplesLonger StretchShorter Stretch
पेटSpoken as (pet) as in “gate” or “late”

पेट (pet) = “stomach” / “belly”
Spoken as (pet) as in “get” or “set”

पेट (pet) = “pet animal”
जेल Spoken as (jeL) as in “bale” or “tail”

जेल (jeL) = “prison”
Spoken as (jeL) as in “tell” or “fell”

जेल (jeL) = “gel”

Now, don’t sweat over it. These concepts may feel overwhelming, but with time and practice, you’ll soon be able to master them. 🙂

A Couple Helping Their Daughter Ride a Bike

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

2. The Gender Conflict

You probably know that English verbs are gender-neutral, and that only the pronouns vary based on gender. However, that’s not the case in the Hindi language.

Using the wrong gender-verb conjugation is one of the most common Hindi grammar mistakes. And it’s totally understandable because, for a beginner, the rules can be tricky at times.

Nonetheless, we have one secret code that will not only help you catch the tiger by its tail, but also tame it.

Feminine GenderAll of the verbs and other conjugations end with the -ii sound.

This rule applies to both singular and plural nouns/pronouns.
Examplesजाती है (jaaTii hai) = “goes”
सोती है (SoTii hai) = “sleeps
“खाती है (khaaTii hai) = “eats”

Masculine GenderFor the singular masculine gender, all of the verbs and other conjugations end with the -aa sound.

For the plural masculine gender, all of the verbs and other conjugations end with the -e sound.
Singular Examplesजाता है (jaaTaa hai) = “goes”
सोता है (SoTaa hai) = “sleeps”
खाता है (khaaTaa hai) = “eats”
Plural Examplesजाते हैं (jaaTe hain) = “go”
सोते हैं (SoTe hain) = “sleep”
खाते हैं (khaaTe hain) = “eat”

What we’ve covered here are just the basic rules of thumb to help you avoid conjugation-related Hindi grammar mistakes. In fact, the conjugation rules vary according to the tense, mood, and tone as well. For the more curious souls, have a look at our amazing Verb Conjugation article!

3. Confusing Homonyms

Even if you think you’ve mastered how to avoid spelling mistakes in the Hindi language, there are always things that can go wrong. Why? Because not everything has a shortcut. So, don’t judge yourself or be super-critical about minor mistakes.

Some skills take time to develop and grow. Remember: Slow and steady wins the race! 😉

One of the most troublesome concepts is that of “homonyms.” And mind you, these pairs of words are the exact copies of each other. It’s so easy for beginners to make a mistake in Hindi here without the proper experience and exposure. The only way to crack the code and differentiate between their meanings is by looking at the entire context of a conversation.

A Man Talking about Himself in an Interview

Messed up in a meeting because you said the wrong word?

Here are a few common homonyms that are easily confused.

Hindi WordEnglish Meaning 1English Meaning 2
कल (kaL)“Yesterday”“Tomorrow”
फल (phaL)“Gold” (noun)“To sleep” (verb)
फल (phaL)“Fruits” (noun)“Result” / “Outcome”
खाना (khaaNaa)“Food” (noun)“To eat” (verb)

4. “Where” to Place “What” and “Why”!

Before we continue, some good news for you: We’re almost halfway through this lesson. Yay! Give yourself a pat on the back!

Don’t get too carried away, though, because we have another brain teaser waiting for us.

Now, we’ll be talking about the Hindi sentence pattern and word order. Or, to be precise, about where you should place interrogative words when asking a question. Pay attention, because confusion on this topic leads to many Hindi mistakes! 

Unlike in English, in Hindi, we place the interrogative words right before the helping verb or main verb. Just for easy reference, here are a few common Hindi question words:

  • क्या (kyaa) = “what”
  • कब (kab) = “when”
  • कहाँ (kahaan) = “where”
  • क्यों (kyon) = “why”

5. The Politeness Code

Offending someone is the last thing you want to do in a foreign country. In India, following the proper code of conduct and showing respect and courtesy matter a lot.

Just like people in many Asian countries, we Indians have particular words and phrases we use to show respect to our elders, strangers, and other people in formal situations. We’ll admit that this isn’t so much a set of Hindi mistakes as it is a cultural difference.

So, whenever you’re meeting someone:

  • for the first time;
  • elderly;
  • of the opposite gender;
  • officially senior to you;
  • who is a stranger,

Our rule of thumb is to go with the word आप (aap) rather than तुम (Tum). Both words are Hindi translations for the pronoun “you.” But remember that आप (aap) is more than just a word; it’s a gesture of showing respect and proper etiquette.

6. Stay Away from Redundancy

A frequent mistake Hindi-learners make is to crowd a sentence with unnecessary words. Well, honestly, the crime of redundancy is not unique to Hindi, but it’s still important to cover.

First of all, repetitive words make us sound clumsy and cluttered. Redundancy steals the sharpness and freshness from our sentences and turns them into long, boring lines.

A Kid Listening to Music, Happy about an A+ on His Homework

Mastering Hindi the fun way!

Here are a few examples of common mistakes that are made while learning Hindi.

Example 1Hindi SentenceLiteral English Meaning
Wrong Wayमैं तुमसे सोमवार के दिन मिलूंगा Imain Tum Se Somavaar ke DiN miLuungaa.“I will meet you on the day of Monday.”
Right Wayमैं तुमसे सोमवार को मिलूंगा Imain Tum Se Somavaar ko miLuungaa.“I will meet you on Monday.”

Example 2Hindi SentenceLiteral English Meaning
Wrong Wayट्रेन को आने में दो घंटे का समय लगेगा ItreN ko aaNe men Do ghante kaa Samay Lagegaa.“The train will arrive in two hours of time.”
Right Wayट्रेन को आने में दो घंटे लगेंगे ItreN ko aaNe men Do ghante Lagenge.“The train will arrive in two hours.”

Example 3Hindi SentenceLiteral English Meaning
Wrong Wayक्या मुझे एक गिलास पीने का पानी मिलेगा?kyaa mujhe ek giLaaS piiNe ka paaNii miLegaa?“Can I get a glass of drinking water?”
Right Wayक्या मुझे एक गिलास पानी मिलेगा?kyaa mujhe ek giLaaS paaNii miLegaa?“Can I get a glass of water?”

As you can see, the phrases “the day of,” “of time,” and “drinking” in Examples 1, 2, and 3 respectively, are unnecessary. Removing them from the sentence doesn’t affect the meaning at all. In fact, removing those words helps us construct shorter, cleaner statements.

7. Clever Diacritics

Make no mistake! Hindi diacritics are a total game-changer. They can make you or break you. But what is a diacritic, anyway? Check out our lesson to find more information about the Hindi maatraa.

Assuming that you have a little bit of an idea about the Hindi maatraa, let’s see how missing a seemingly innocent sign here and there can completely distort the meaning of your statement.

सुना (SuNaa) = “Listened” / “Heard”

सूना (SuuNaa) = “Feeling empty” / “Deserted”

का(kaam) = “Work”

म (kam) = “Less” / “Few”

दिन (DiN) = “Day”

दीन (DiiN) = “Poor” / “Underprivileged”

सिलना (SiLaNaa) = “To sew”

सीलना (SiiLaNaa) = “Damp” / “Soggy”

र (or) = “Toward”

र (aur) = “And”

As you can see, a slight change in diacritics can greatly change a word’s meaning. Ignorance about the significance of diacritics is another common mistake Hindi-learners make, so watch out for these! 

8. When to Skip the jii Suffix

It’s always okay, and especially important, to add the जी (-jii) suffix when calling an elder person by their name. The one and only condition where using जी (-jii) may do you more harm than good, is when you attach it to your own name.

Yeah, that could leave your Indian friends laughing out loud. It just doesn’t go well with our own names. So, always remember to avoid getting into this pitfall, because it’s a natural mistake that Hindi grammar lessons don’t often talk about!

A Little Girl Practicing the Piano

9. The Local Dialect

Nearly every language can be said to have its own colloquial words. This may include synonyms, regional accents, local dialects, and so on. So, basically, a word can have the same meaning in different dialects, even if each dialect says it quite differently. 

To give you an idea, let’s recall words like “yeah” / “yup” / “ya” which all mean “yes.” Similarly, we also use “buddy” / “bud” / “pal” / “man” / “dude,” all of which mean the same thing.

Likewise, in Hindi, a category of similar words may confuse a beginner. What are these words? Well, here are some examples:

Interchangeable Hindi WordsEnglish Meaning
वह (vah) / वो (vo)“He” / “She” / “That”
सब (Sab) / सारे (Saare) / सभी (Sabhii)“All” / “Everyone”
क्यों (kyon) / काहे (kaahe) / किसलिए (kiSLiye)“Why”
कहाँ (kahaan) / किधर (kidhar)“Where”

You get the drift, right? It’s not a matter of one phrase being right and the others being wrong. It’s just a matter of preference by the individual or the regional dialect.

A Woman Covering Her Mouth

How to avoid those oops moments!

10. The Fear of Making Mistakes

You’ve now learned how to improve Hindi mistakes that new learners make, and most of them are quite easy to fix. But what about the biggest mistake? 

Face your fears and don’t be ashamed of your common Hindi grammar mistakes. Have you seen a child falling again and again when trying to walk for the first time? We don’t call their fall a failure or mistake, do we? We take it as part and parcel of learning.

In our mind, we know that it’s practically impossible for him or her to crawl one day and start walking perfectly the next day. The same is true of Hindi language-learning. As long as you’re afraid of making mistakes, you’ll never learn to move forward.

So, instead of acting on the natural tendency to escape, it’s time to master the tips from this article on how to avoid Hindi language mistakes.

11. Overcoming Your Hindi Mistakes with HindiPod101.com

All right! We’ve finally covered all of the common mistakes in learning Hindi and tips on how to avoid them. We hope this lesson has been useful and easy for you to understand.

If you have any doubts or questions, reach out to us at MyTeacher Messenger. All you need to do is download our free mobile app and start learning.

Is there anything we didn’t cover in this article that you want to know about? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and connect with other learners as well!

Happy Hindi learning!

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Top 10 Conversation Questions in Hindi & How to Answer Them

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“What’s up?”

“May I know your name?”

“Oh, how are you?”

These are simple questions that carry the potential to bond two people, and they serve as great conversation starters. Today, you’ll learn and practice similar English-to-Hindi question-answer patterns that are popular in Indian society. These on-the-spot questions to ask in Hindi will help you break the ice and, on some occasions, save you from unnecessary challenges.

Before we start, you may want to get familiar with the most common Hindi question words. We have relevant lessons on our website that you can check out for the question words  “what,” “where,” and “when.” 

Now, there may be a ton of survival interrogative phrases. But let’s be honest: we can’t cram everything into just one lesson. So, here’s the deal. We’ll bring you the ten best conversation questions in Hindi and teach you different ways to answer them.

You’ll also learn the English meaning of each and every Hindi word while practicing the various sentence structures.

Quick Note: As this lesson mainly focuses on the top Hindi questions, we’ll only be explaining each word from the questions, instead of covering both Q&A.

Let’s begin the adventure and check out the ten most popular question sentences in Hindi!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hindi Table of Contents
  1. What’s in a name, after all?
  2. How do you do?
  3. Where are you from?
  4. What do you do for a living?
  5. Do you speak Hindi?
  6. How is everyone in the family?
  7. Time, please?
  8. Would you like to have something?
  9. What’s wrong?
  10. How much is it?
  11. Ice-Breaking with HindiPod101.com

1. What’s in a name, after all?

Well, a lot. The first personal thing we get to know about someone is his/her name. If it’s your first conversation with this person, then this is certainly one of the good questions to ask a Hindi native.

You’ll not only sweep them off their feet, but you’ll also enjoy the credit of breaking the ice! 

In a nutshell, asking somebody’s name is one of the top Hindi questions you need to know in India. Luckily, doing so isn’t that hard.

So, here we go!

Q.आपका नाम क्या है?
aap kaa Naam kyaa hai?
“What’s your name?”
A.मेरा नाम मनीषा है।
meraa Naam maNiisaa hai.
“My name is Manisha.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1आपका“your”aap kaa
Word 2नाम“name”Naam
Word 3क्या“what”kyaa
Word 4है“is”hai

Q.आपका शुभ नाम क्या है?
aap kaa subh Naam kyaa hai?
“What’s your good name?”
A.मेरा नाम अदित है।
meraa Naam aDiT hai.
“My name is Adit.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1आपका“your”aap kaa
Word 2शुभ“good”subh
Word 3नाम“name”Naam
Word 4क्या“what”kyaa
Word 5है“is”hai

Voila! You’ve just mastered the very first conversation questions in Hindi! Wasn’t that easy? Based on the patterns of these basic Hindi questions and answers, you can see how your answer should be constructed. All you need to do is insert your name in place of the example name.

First Encounter

2. How do you do?

Okay, how do you show your care and concern for somebody? By asking how they are. This etiquette rule applies all over the world, and India is no exception. Because this is so important for strengthening any relationship, we’ll show you some simple Hindi questions and answers you can expect.

These may be easy questions to ask in Hindi, but they’re also a sureshot way to touch someone’s heart. One simple question, and they may pour out their pain, sadness, joy, or happiness to you in a moment. And an experience like that can make you feel so precious and strengthen your bond with that person.

Q.कैसे हैं आप?
kaiSe hain aap?
“How are you?”
A.मैं ठीक हूँ।
main thiik huun.
“I’m good/okay.”
A.मैं परेशान हूँ।
main paresaaN huun.
“I’m worried.”
A. मैं ख़ुश हूँ।
main khus huun.
“I’m happy.”
A. मैं नाराज़ / उदास हूँ।
main Naaraaz / uDaaS huun.
“I’m upset/sad.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1कैसे“how”kaiSe
Word 2हैं“are”hain
Word 3आप“you”aap

Above, we outlined the Hindi questions with answers for a variety of circumstances. This will allow you to become more fluent when using conversational Hindi questions, as you’ll be able to understand (or give) different answers. 

Q.क्या हाल-चाल हैं?
kyaa haaL-caaL hain?
“How do you do?”
A.बिल्कुल बढ़िया!
biLkuL badhiyaa!
“Great!” / “Absolutely fine!”
A.बकवास!
bakavaaS!
“Terrible!”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1क्या “what”kyaa
Word 2हाल-चाल “well-being”haaL-caaL
Word 3हैं“are”hain

Here are some of the best Hindi adjectives to help you express the various shades of your moods.

3. Where are you from?

Now, what are some general Hindi questions and answers that you can expect as a foreigner in India? 

Well, our third question is for asking where someone is from.

In this day and age, when the whole world has become a global village, people from all cultures and places can meet each other. In such circumstances, asking about someone’s hometown/country is inevitable.

And given India’s warm and social culture, you’ll find yourself either asking or answering Hindi questions like these often. So, check out these questions and impress the natives with your fluent Hindi.

Q.आप कहाँ से हैं?
aap kahaan Se hain?
“Where are you from?”
A.मैं भारत से हूँ।
main bhaaraT Se huun.
“I’m from India.”
A.मैं जापान से हूँ।
main jaapaaN Se huun.
“I’m from Japan.”
A.मैं रूस से हूँ।
main ruuS Se huun.
“I’m from Russia.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1आप“you”aap
Word 2कहाँ“where”kahaan
Word 3से“from”Se
Word 4हैं“are”hain

If you’re located in India or currently living there, people may ask you the same thing, but in a slightly different way.

Q.आपका घर कहाँ हैं?
aap kaa ghar kahaan hai?
“Where do you live?”
A.मेरा घर लाजपत नगर में है।
meraa ghar LaajapaT Nagar men hai.
“I live in Lajpat Nagar.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1आपका “your”aap kaa 
Word 2घर“home”ghar
Word 3कहाँ“where”kahaan
Word 4है“is”hai

4. What do you do for a living?

Indians are quite upfront and casual when it comes to asking about others’ source of living. What you do and how you explain your work may have a wonderful impression on the locals. So why waste the chance to leave them speechless with your amazing Hindi vocab? 

And while we’re at it, it won’t take long to check out these straight-to-business questions and answers in Hindi!

Q.आप क्या करते हैं?
aap kyaa karaTe hain?
“What do you do?”
A.मैं टीचर हूँ।
main tiicar huun.
“I’m a teacher.”
A.मैं वक़ील हूँ।
main vaqiiL huun.
“I’m a lawyer.”
A.मैं कलाकार हूँ।
main kaLaakaar huun.
“I’m an artist.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1आप“you”aap
Word 2क्या“what”kyaa
Word 3करते“do”karaTe
Word 4हैं“are”hain

Q.आप क्या काम करते हैं?
aap kyaa kaam karaTe hain?
“What’s your profession?”
A.मैं तैराकी सिखाती हूँ।
main Tairaakii SikhaaTii huun.
“I teach swimming.”
A.मैं होटल में मैनेजर हूँ।
main hotaL men maiNejar huun.
“I’m a hotel manager.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1आप“you”aap
Word 2क्या“what”kyaa
Word 3काम“work”kaam
Word 4करते“do”karaTe
Word 5हैं“are”hain

Yes, having your own business or being in a job does make a difference in Indian society. In fact, if you could grab a government job, you’d be treated as nothing less than a king/queen. However, things are changing and people are becoming more open-minded (though there’s still a long way to go for us Indians).

In your first few meetings, talking about each other’s professions falls under the category of good questions to ask a Hindi speaker. So, if you’re out of ideas, feel free to use such questions for a friendly chat.

Q.आप व्यापार करते हैं या नौकरी?
aap vyaapaar karaTe hain yaa Naukarii?
“Are you in a business or job?”
A.मेरा ख़ुद का ब्यूटी पार्लर (व्यापार) है।
meraa khuD kaa byuutii paarLar (vyaapaar) hai.
“I run my own beauty parlor (business).”
A.मैं जिम में काम करता हूँ।
main jim men kaam karaTaa huun.
“I work at a gym.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1आप“you”aap
Word 2व्यापार“business”vyaapaar
Word 3करते“do”karaTe
Word 4हैं“are”hain
Word 5या “or”yaa 
Word 6नौकरी“job”Naukarii

5. Do you speak Hindi?

Some of you may be surprised to know that not all Indians speak Hindi. In fact, there are more than twenty local Indian languages spoken in different parts of the country.

The bottom line is that whenever you meet an Indian, it’s better not to assume that they speak Hindi.

Two People Looking at a Map

Can you speak Hindi?

Here are the basic Hindi questions and answers you can use to ask about someone’s Hindi-speaking abilities or answer about your own. 

Q.क्या आप हिंदी समझते / बोलते हैं?
kyaa aap hiNDii SamajhaTe / boLaTe hain?
“Do you understand/speak Hindi?”
A.हाँ, मुझे ठीक-ठाक हिंदी आती है।
haan, mujhe thiik-thaak hinDii aaTii hai.
“Yeah, my Hindi is alright.”
A.हाँ, मुझे बहुत अच्छी हिंदी आती है।
haan, mujhe bahuT acchii hinDii aaTii hai.
“Yeah, I am quite fluent in Hindi.”
A.नहीं, मुझे ज़्यादा हिंदी नहीं आती।
Nahiin, mujhe zyaaDaa hinDii Nahiin aaTii.
“No, I don’t know much Hindi.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1क्या“do”kyaa
Word 2आप“you”aap
Word 3हिंदी“Hindi”hinDii
Word 4समझते“understand”SamajhaTe
Word 5बोलते“speak”boLaTe
Word 6हैं“are”hain

6. How is everyone in the family?

Family holds a special place in every part of the world, and this may be even more true for Indians than for most other people.

A Family Enjoying a Meal Outside Together

How’s your family?

So whenever you bump into a local friend, remember that family is definitely a topic of choice if you need some good questions to ask a Hindi native and melt his or her heart.

Q.घर में सब कैसे हैं?
ghar men Sab kaiSe hain?
“How’s everyone in the family?”
A.घर में सब ठीक हैं।
ghar men Sab thiik hain.
“Everything’s great at home.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1घर “home” / “family”ghar    
Word 2में“in”men
Word 3सब“everyone”Sab
Word 4कैसे“how”kaiSe
Word 5हैं“are”hain

Q.और सब ठीक-ठाक है?
aur Sab thiik-thaak hai?
“Everything’s well in the family?”
A.जी, सब अच्छा है।
jii, Sab acchaa hai.
“Yeah, everything’s going great!”

Do you know what we call family members in Hindi? Here’s our quick list for family members in India. Have a look!


HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1और “and”aur   
Word 2सब“everything”Sab
Word 3ठीक-ठाक“okay”thiik-thaak
Word 4है“is”hai

7. Time, please?

Isn’t it remarkable to learn so many Hindi question words in just one lesson? Well, don’t worry. We still have plenty of material for you in this guide.

This section is about asking for the time, which is another really important and practical question in Hindi. Before we teach you how to ask a Hindi question about time, you might like to take a sneak-peek at our Tell the Time in Hindi lesson for a more thorough knowledge.

Q.कितने बज रहे हैं?
kiTaNe baj rahe hain?
“What’s the time?”
A.सुबह के सात बज रहे हैं।
Subah ke SaaT baj rahe hain.
“It’s seven in the morning.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1कितने “what”kiTaNe 
Word 2बज“time” / “o’clock”baj
Word 3रहे“happening”rahe
Word 4हैं“are”hain

Q.वक़्त क्या हो रहा है?
vaqT kyaa ho rahaa hai?
“What’s the time?”
A.दो बज रहे हैं।
Do baj rahe hain.
“It’s two o’clock.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1वक़्त “time”vaqT 
Word 2क्या“what”kyaa
Word 3हो रहा“happening”ho rahaa
Word 4है“is”hai

8. Would you like to have something?

We all like to treat our guests in the best possible way. Suppose you’re on a date or having lunch with a colleague/friend. Wouldn’t it be marvelous to welcome them with some Hindi greetings?

Someone Picking Up a Slice of Pizza

Hey, would you like to eat with us?

Fortunately, there are many ways to impress people, and you can choose whichever sounds easiest and more apt to you.

Without further ado, here are the most popular Hindi questions and answers when welcoming your guests.

Q.क्या लेना पसंद करेंगे?
kyaa LeNaa paSaND karenge?
“What would you like to have?”
A.मैं एक कप चाय ले लूँगी।
main ek kap caay Le Luungii.
“I’ll have a cup of tea.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1क्या “what”kyaa 
Word 2लेना“take”LeNaa
Word 3पसंद“like”paSaND
Word 4करेंगे“do”karenge

Q.कुछ चाहिए?
kuch caahiye?
“Do you want something?”
A.जी, मुझे पानी पीना है।
jii, mujhe paaNii piiNaa hai.
“Yeah, I’d like to have some water.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1कुछ “something”kuch 
Word 2चाहिए“want” / “need”caahiye

Q.चाय पिएंगे या ठंडा?
caay piyenge yaa thandaa?
“Would you have something hot or cold?”
A.जी, मैं शरबत लूँगा।
jii, main sarbaT Luungaa.
“Yeah, I’ll have sherbet.”
Juices, Smoothies, and Fruits & Veggies Arranged on a White Background

Some fresh juice, please?


HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1चाय “tea”caay 
Word 2पिएंगे“will drink” / “have drink”piyenge
Word 3या“or”yaa
Word 4ठंडा“cold drink”thandaa

9. What’s wrong?

Now, you don’t want to miss out on the Hindi phrases you’ll need when something goes wrong!

After all, when sad, all one wants is someone to show that they care. So, if you see that your friend’s feeling low, just asking these simple things may lighten their mood, and they may just share their feelings with you.

Q.क्या हुआ?
kyaa huaa?
“What happened?”
A.मेरी तबियत ठीक नहीं है।
merii TabiyaT thiik Nahiin hai.
“I’m not feeling well.”
A.नहीं, कुछ नहीं हुआ।
Nahiin, kuch Nahiin huaa.
“No, everything’s alright.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1क्या “what”kyaa 
Word 2हुआ“happened”huaa

A Girl Lying on the Couch, Holding a Stuffed Animal

Is something wrong?

Q.कोई बात है क्या?
koi baaT hai kyaa?
“Is something wrong?”
A.मेरा झगड़ा हुआ है।
meraa jhagadaa huaa hai.
“I’ve had a fight.”
A.नहीं, कुछ नहीं हुआ।
Nahiin, kuch Nahiin huaa.
“No, everything’s alright.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1कोई “something”koi 
Word 2बात“wrong”baaT
Word 3है“is”hai
Word 4क्या“what”kyaa

10. How much is it?

Our final section is related to shopping, bargaining, asking prices, and so on. Practice these phrases and grab yourself the best deal in the market by proving your Hindi knowledge.

Q.इसका दाम क्या है?
iS kaa Daam kyaa hai?
“What’s the price of this?”
A.इसका दाम पचास रुपये है।
 iS kaa Daam pacaaS rupaye hai.
“It’s fifty bucks.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1इसका“its”iS kaa 
Word 2दाम“price”Daam
Word 3क्या“what”kyaa
Word 4है“is”hai

A Little Kid Pointing at Something in the Sky

Oh, what’s that?

Q.ये कितने का है?
ye kiTaNe kaa hai?
“How much is this?”
A.ये सात सौ बीस रुपये का है।
ye SaaT Sau biiS rupaye kaa hai.
“It’s seven hundred and twenty rupees.”

HindiEnglishRomanization
Word 1ये “this”ye 
Word 2कितने“how much”kiTaNe
Word 3का“of”kaa
Word 4है“is”hai

11. Ice-Breaking with HindiPod101.com

Finally, we’re at the end of this lesson. By now, you must have become familiar with many different questions in Hindi, the process of asking these questions, and even their proper responses.

But no matter how much you read, it’s just not worth it without regular practice. At HindiPod101.com, we make it possible for you to stay in touch 24/7, even when you’re on the go. All you have to do is download our mobile app and go through the lesson materials whenever possible.

Meanwhile, we’d love to hear from you! Let us know which of these Hindi questions and answers seem easiest to you. You can also make up some new questions on your own and flaunt your Hindi skills to the world!

Got any questions? Feel free to ask us through our Premium PLUS feature MyTeacher, and we’ll get back to you with an answer. Happy learning, guys!

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Basic Rules for Mastering the Top 10 Hindi Sentence Patterns


Thumbnail

Today’s lesson is about the ten most popular Hindi sentence patterns that Indians use on a daily basis. For each sentence category, we’ll provide both simple and more complex Hindi sentence structure examples.

Learning these basic Hindi sentence patterns will not only give you an edge over others, but also help you craft many more useful sentences so you can talk like a pro!

The best thing about this lesson is that even if you’re a beginner, you can understand the examples without much trouble, and gradually use every Hindi sentence pattern to practice your day-to-day conversational skills.

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get started. 🙂

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Hindi Table of Contents
  1. Sentences Linking Two Nouns
  2. Sentences with Adjectives
  3. Sentences to Express Desire
  4. Sentences to Express Needs
  5. Sentences to Express Your Likes
  6. Sentences to Express Requests
  7. Sentences for Seeking Permission
  8. Asking the “What” Questions
  9. Asking About the Time
  10. Asking About the Location
  11. How to Get the Most Out of HindiPod101.com

1. Sentences Linking Two Nouns

Our first Hindi sentence pattern is used to link two nouns together. For instance, who is what, what is whose, who gave you what, and so on! 

How do you do that? Well, as far as the subjects are concerned, this simple Hindi sentence pattern is very similar to its English counterpart. In simpler words, the main subject is always at the beginning of the sentence.

A Little Toddler Holding a Straw Basket

If you’re completely new to the concept of Hindi sentence structure and sentence patterns, then you can start to figure it all out with our lesson on Hindi Conjugations. 

दीपक मेरा भाई है।Diipak meraa bhaaii hai.Deepak is my brother.”
मेरी बहन एक रंगमंच कलाकार है।merii bahaN ek rangamaNc kaLaakaar hai.“My sister is a theater artist.”
यह लैपटॉप मेरे दोस्त का है।yah Laipataup mere DoST kaa hai.“This is my friend‘s laptop.”

Let’s make it even better and try out some complex Hindi sentence patterns with three nouns. 

मेरी टीचर और मेरी बहन दोनों बचपन की सहेलियां हैं।merii tiicar aur merii bahaN DoNon bacapaN kii SaheLiiyaan hain.“Both my teacher and my sister are childhood friends.”
यह कार और बाइक मुझे तोहफ़े में मिली हैं।yah kaar aur baaik mujhe Tohafe men miLii hain.“I got this car and bike as gifts.”

2. Sentences with Adjectives

No matter what languages we speak, it’s hard to imagine our conversations without adjectives. Have you found someone beautiful, tasted delicious Indian food, or wished to buy that blue shirt? Hindi adjectives are the best way to express exactly what you’re talking about.

Feel free to check out our comprehensive article on the Top 100 Hindi Adjectives, and polish your Hindi language sentences!

Red Roses and Other Flowers on a Golden Cloth

One useful tip is that the adjective always comes after the related noun. However, if there happens to be an adverb in the sentence, it may disrupt this noun and adjective placement in a few cases.

Here are some examples of how to make a Hindi sentence using adjectives:

तुम बहुत सुंदर हो।Tum bahuT SunDar ho.“You are beautiful.”
ये सब्ज़ी स्वादिष्ट है।yah Sabzii SvaaDist hai.“This curry is delicious.”
जूस बहुत ठंडा है।juuS bahuT thaNdaa hai.“The juice is quite chilled.”
मेरे कमरे की दीवार नीली है और दरवाज़ा भूरे रंग का है। mere kamare kii Diivaar NiiLii hai aur Daravaazaa bhuure rang kaa hai.“The walls in my room are blue and the door is brown.”
यह उपन्यास डरावना भी है और दिलचस्प भी।yah upaNyaaS daraavaNaa bhii hai aur DiLacaSp bhii.“This novel is scary and interesting at the same time.”

3. Sentences to Express Desire

Sentence Patterns

Desires are like water bubbles in the human heart. Each moment brings a new wish. Well, not every wish can be fulfilled, but with the right Hindi sentences, there’s no stopping us from expressing them.

Whether you’re craving a cup of coffee or dying to have that chat over the phone with your friends, the examples below will give you a fair idea of how to let someone know.

मुझे एक कप चाय चाहिएmujhe ek kap caay caahiye.“I want a cup of tea.”
मेरा आराम करने का मन हैmeraa aaraam karaNe kaa maN hai.“I want to get some rest.”
ललिता आपसे कुछ पूछना चाहती हैLaLiTaa aap Se kuch puuchaNaa caahaTii hai.“Lalita wants to ask you something.”

It’s time to up your game and practice these complicated Hindi sentence patterns now.

मैं चाहती हूँ कि तुम ख़ूब मेहनत करो और जीवन में तरक़्क़ी करो।main caahaTii huun ki Tum khuub mehaNaT karo aur jiivaN men Taraqqii karo.“I want you to work really hard and progress in life.”
सरिता सिर्फ़ यह जानना चाहती है कि क्या उसे यहाँ नौकरी मिल सकती है?SariTaa Sirf yah jaaNaNaa caahaTii hai ki kyaa uSe yahaan Naukrii miL SakaTii hai?“Sarita just wants to know if she could get a job here?”

4. Sentences to Express Needs

Sometimes, things are urgent and you really have to get them done. In these situations, you may need to let others know about these necessities or top-priority tasks! 

A Notebook Filled with Sentences

Most of these Hindi sentence patterns use infinitive verb forms at the end of the sentence. Here are some relevant Hindi sentence structure examples:

मुझे घर जाना हैmujhe ghar jaaNaa hai.“I have to go home.”
मुझे दवा खानी हैmujhe Davaa khaaNii hai.“I have to take medicine.”
मुझे एक छाता चाहिएmujhe ek chaaTaa caahiye.“I need an umbrella.”

In addition to the basic Hindi sentence patterns, it’s also important to practice the more complex sentences. Because, let’s face it, you’ll need them at one point or another.

मुझे कल सुबह चार बजे किसी भी हाल में हवाई अड्डे पहुँचना होगाmujhe kaL Subah caar baje kiSii bhii haaL men havaaii adde pahuncaNaa hogaa.“I need to reach the airport tomorrow by four a.m.”
आपको दिन में दो बार खुली हवा में सैर करना चाहिएaap ko DiN men Do baar khuLii havaa men Sair karaNaa caaahiye.“You should go for a walk in the fresh air twice a day.”

5. Sentences to Express Your Likes

Next in our list of Hindi sentence patterns are the phrases you can use to talk about your likes and preferences. These may include your hobbies, favorite movies, or way of living.

We’ve included a few Hindi sentence examples to make it really simple and easy to understand. As you can see, even beginners can practice them and learn how to form sentences in Hindi.

मुझे खाना बनाना पसंद हैmujhe khaaNaa baNaaNaa paSaND hai.“I like to cook.”
तुम्हें किताबें पढ़ने का शौक़ हैTumhen kiTaaben padhaNe kaa sauq hai.“You like to read books.”
मुझे शतरंज खेलना पसंद हैmujhe saTaraNj kheLaNaa paSaND hai.“I like to play chess.”
सीमा को सर्दी के मौसम में जल्दी उठ कर दौड़ लगाना अच्छा लगता हैSiimaa ko SarDii ke mauSam men jaLDii uth kar Daud LagaaNaa acchaa LagaTaa hai.“In the winter season, Seema likes to get up early and go running.”
फ़ैज़ को शाम में दोस्तों के साथ समय बिताना बेहद पसंद हैfaiz ko saam men DoSTon ke SaaTH Samay biTaaNaa behaD paSaND hai.“Faiz loves to spend some time in the evening with his friends.”

6. Sentences to Express Requests

Another essential Hindi sentence pattern is that for expressing requests. Whether in the office, or another public place like a restaurant or hospital, a gentle request can take you a long way.

Let’s see the most common Hindi sentence pattern for making requests in Hindi and winning people’s hearts.

कृपया बैठ जाइये।kripayaa baith jaaiye.Please, take your seat.”
कृपया शांति बनाये रखें।kripayaa saaNTi baNaaye rakhen.Please, maintain silence.”
कृपया ध्यान से सुनें।kripayaa DHyaaN Se SuNen.Please, listen carefully.”
कृपया लाइन में खड़े होकर शांतिपूर्वक अपनी बारी का इंतज़ार करें।kripayaa LaaiN men khade hokar saaNTipuurvak apaNii baarii kaa iNTazaar karen.Kindly, stand in line and wait for your turn.”
कृपया मुझे मेज़ पर रखी वो काले रंग की किताब उठाकर दें। kripayaa mujhe mez par rakhii vo kaaLe rang kii kiTaab uthaakar Den.Please, pass me that black book kept on the table.”
A Family Ordering Food

As you can see, the magic word “please,” or कृपया (kripayaa) in Hindi, gets the job done in each example. Moreover, grammatically, these basic Hindi sentence patterns for making requests also use plural verb forms, regardless of whether the noun is singular or plural. 

7. Sentences for Seeking Permission

Sentence Components

Courtesy is an inseparable aspect of humankind; the last thing we wish to do is offend someone. To avoid any such situations, it’s important that you learn an appropriate way to ask for permission!

The most commonly used Hindi phrases for “can” or “may” are: सकता हूँ (SakaTaa huun), सकती हूँ (SakaTii huun), and सकते हैं (SakaTe hain).

Here are some examples of useful Hindi sentence constructions for asking permission:

क्या मैं अंदर आ सकता हूँ / सकती हूँ?kyaa main aNDar aa SakaTaa huun / SakaTii huun?May I come in?”
क्या मुझे पीने का पानी मिल सकता है?kyaa mujhe piiNe kaa paaNii miL SakaTaa hai?Can I get some water?”
क्या मैं आपका शुभ नाम जान सकता / सकती हूँ?kyaa main aapakaa subh Naam jaaN SakaTaa / SakaTii huun?May I know your good name, please?”
क्या मैं भी आपके साथ लखनऊ में होने वाला पुस्तक मेला देखने चल सकता / सकती हूँ?kyaa main bhii aapake SaaTH LakhaNauu men hoNe vaaLaa puSTak meLaa DekhaNe caL SakaTaa / SakaTii huun?Can I come with you to the book fair going on in Lucknow?”
क्या हम सब स्कूल की तरफ़ से बैडमिंटन प्रतियोगिता में भाग ले सकते हैं?kyaa ham Sab SkuuL kii Taraf Se baidamiNtaN praTiyogiTaa men bhaag Le SakaTe hain?Can we participate in the badminton tournament from the school side?”

8. Asking the “What” Questions

There are many types of questions people ask each other on a daily basis. We’ll start with the Hindi sentence pattern for asking simple “what” questions.

A Woman Studying on a Bus

In Hindi, “what” is क्या (kyaa). When we’re asking about a thing or for information, क्या (kyaa) comes right before the helping verb or the main verb. But of course, there can be exceptions.

यह क्या है?yah kyaa hai?What is this?”
आपका नाम क्या है?aapakaa Naam kyaa hai?What is your name?”
बॉस ने क्या कहा?baauS Ne kyaa kahaa?What did the boss say?”
इस लिपस्टिक का दाम क्या है?iS LipaStik kaa Daam kyaa hai?What is the price of this lipstick?”
हमने कल जो बिरयानी खायी थी उसका नाम क्या था? hamaNe kaL jo birayaaNii khaayii THii uSakaa Naam kyaa THaa?What was the name of that biryani we had yesterday?”
A Birthday Cake with a Question Mark Candle

9. Asking About the Time

After “what” comes “when” (i.e. asking about when a particular event, arrival, or departure will happen). In Hindi, “when” is कब (kab) or कितने बजे (kiTaNe baje).

Just like “what” in the Hindi sentences above, the interrogative word “when” comes at the beginning in English, but is placed just before the verb or helping verb in Hindi.

आप कब फ़्री हैं?aap kab frii hain?When are you free?”
मीटिंग कब है?miiting kab hai?When is the meeting?”
बस कब आएगी?baS kab aayegii?When will the bus arrive?”
कंपनी को जो प्रॉजेक्ट मिला है वो कब शुरू होगा?kampaNii ko jo praujekt miLaa hai vo kab suruu hogaa?When will the project that our company grabbed start?”
दिवाली की पूजा कितने बजे शुरू होगी?DivaaLii kii puujaa kiTaNe baje suruu hogii?“At what time will the Diwali puja begin?”

10. Asking About the Location

The last type of Hindi sentence pattern we’ll look at is used to ask “where” things are happening. In Hindi, “where” can be loosely translated in many ways. Some of the common phrases are कहाँ (kahaan), किस तरफ़ (kiS Taraf), and किधर (kiDHar).

तुम अभी कहाँ हो?Tum abhii kahaan ho?Where are you right now?”
ये होटल किस तरफ़ है?ye hotaL kiS Taraf hai?Where is this hotel?”
लिफ़्ट किधर है?Lift kiDHar hai?Where is the elevator?”
आप जो दुकान बता रहे थे वो किधर है?aap jo DukaaN baTaa rahe THe vo kiDHar hai?Where is that shop you were talking about?”
दिल्ली में थोक बाज़ार कहाँ पर है?DiLLii men THok baazaar kahaan par hai?Where is the wholesale market in Delhi?”

11. How to Get the Most Out of HindiPod101.com

So, with this, we come to the end of our lesson on ten of the most useful Hindi sentence structures and sentence patterns. It wasn’t that difficult after all, right?

The key strategy is to take one step at a time. For instance, if you want to learn how to make a request in Hindi, just focus on those particular Hindi sentence patterns and master them. Once you’re confident with those, move on to the next category.

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This lesson is designed for beginners. So, if you have any doubts or issues, now is the time to get rid of them. Share your issues with us in the comments below at HindiPod101.com, and we’ll do our best to resolve them for you. Meanwhile, you may also find our Hindi-English online dictionary to be quite helpful as you start your Hindi learning journey.

Even intermediate-level learners can enjoy and learn so much more from our world-class learning materials. So, have fun and keep learning!

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