Learning basic Hindi words and phrases will do more than increase your vocabulary. It provides an opportunity to learn about the culture and language of Hindi. However, the most crucial thing is that it will help you learn Hindi fast. The average Hindi speaker uses only 20% of their vocabulary while conversing. The 80/20 rule describes this. You may readily communicate in most ordinary situations with only the 20% of the Hindi language that is most commonly used. If you want to learn Hindi and speak it fluently, whether for vacation or to comprehend more Bollywood movies, basic Hindi words and phrases will be a great place to start.
How to Start A Hindi Conversation
Greetings hold great significance in Indian culture. Indian culture is built around being humble and respectful, understanding the meaning of "namaste" or knowing when to use the right greeting is important.
Their warmth and politeness embody the core values of India. Whether it's a first meeting or a continuing relationship, Indians are known to greet each other with warmth and civility. When choosing a greeting, it's important to think about the time of day, the type of relationship between the persons involved, and the formality of the event.
Greetings in Hindi may vary in both meaning and behavior from region to region in India. For instance, "Namaste" is more common in the northern part of India, but "Vanakkam" or "Namaskaram" is more common in the southern part of the country. The wide range of Indian languages and traditions is mirrored in these regional variations.
Greetings in Hindi (Formal)
Namaskar
In Hindi, namaskar (नमस्कार) is the most polite way to welcome someone. The Sanskrit words Namah (meaning "to do" or "to bow") and Kara (meaning "to bow or worship") are the origins of this word. "I bow down to the Divine within you" is the main idea behind this kindling. Namah, in Sanskrit, is to bow before another person in respect.
Pranaam
Pranaam (प्रणाम) is a polite greeting that native Hindi speakers also use. People of all ages utilize it to connect with one another. The term's Sanskrit origins are pra, meaning "before," and namah, meaning "to bow" (the action of bending one's head to worship someone). When welcoming parents, grandparents, and other elderly relatives with this word, people stoop and touch their feet with either their right or both hands to show respect and beg for their blessing.
How To Say 'Thank You' in Hindi?
Gratitude is a universally practiced emotion. Sincere expressions of appreciation often act as the "glue" that keeps partnerships together. Hindi contains a plethora of expressions to convey gratitude.
The most prevalent and official variant is "धन्यवाद्" (meaning "dhanyavaad"), whereas the less formal phrase for friends and family is "शुक्रिया" (meaning "shukriyaa").
"Thank You" in Formal Hindi
For a typical, polite "thank you," "dhanyavaad" (धन्यवाद्) is ideal. The way you show your thanks is formal, but it is also conventional. Say thank you when you wish to show your gratitude for something, like a gift. A second option is to use it while communicating with powerful individuals, such as powerful executives, the elderly, or anybody else in a position of authority.
"Bahut" (बहुत) should come before "dhanyavaad" to mean "thank you very much." "Bahut" is the ultimate compliment to use when expressing profound appreciation. The English word "very" has its counterpart in this language, meaning "a lot" or "very much."
You may try "ābhārī hōṅ" (आभारी हुँ) as a way to show appreciation. Please accept this extra polite and official "thank you." We should translate it as "I am grateful."
'Thank You' in Informal Hindi
The usual casual way of saying "thank you" is "shukriyaa" (शुक्रिय). Thank you is a common Hindi word used to convey heartfelt appreciation to loved ones. For more formal interactions with elders, bosses, teachers, and other people in authoritative positions, use the "dhanyavaad" form.
When you want to say "thank you very much," put "bahut" (बहुत) before "shukriyaa." To make a basic "thank you" seem more like "thanks a lot" or "thank you very much," add "bahut" to the end of your phrase. Casualness persists even if you express greater gratitude here.
An option for cheating is to use the phrase "thaiṅkyū" (夥ैंक्यू). Like most languages, Hindi incorporates borrowed words and phrases into its own vocabulary. This Hindi term rhymes with "thank you" and is a loanword from the English language. Since it isn't "pure" Hindi, it's less stuffy than the alternatives.
Common Hindi Spelling Mistakes [and How to Rectify Them]
Many people make certain Hindi spelling mistakes when they start studying the language. Many things can confuse you, such as the speaker's accent, pronunciation, or the stretching of individual syllables. When studying Hindi, there are a handful of things that will be really helpful.
- Writers use the alphasyllabary method, which divides consonants and vowels into their units, to create the Hindi script.
- Some new phonemes may be confusing for people whose first language is not Hindi. However, getting their pronunciation right could be tricky.
- The length of a syllable has a profound effect on the meaning of a word.
- Feminine gender: The last consonant of all verbs and their conjugations is the ii-sound.
- Masculine gender: The last consonant of every verb and their conjugations is -aa. When used with the masculine plural, every verb and their conjugations finish with -e.
- Homonyms: Novices in Hindi could easily make a fool of themselves without the proper preparation.
- Interrogative words in Hindi appear before the main or helping verb. Some questions that people often ask in Hindi are:
- Kyaa means what.
- Ab stands for when.
- Where is translated as कहाँ.
- Why means क्यों.
- There are special diacritics used in Hindi. They are called maatraa in Hindi. Let's explore how completely misrepresenting your Hindi maybe if you remove a few seemingly harmless maatraas.
- सुना (SuNaa) = “Listened” / “Heard” | सूना (SuuNaa) = “Feeling empty” / “Deserted”
- काम (kaam) = “Work” | कम (kam) = “Less” / “Few”
- दिन (DiN) = “Day” | दीन (DiiN) = “Poor” / “Underprivileged”
- सिलना (SiLaNaa) = “To sew” | सीलना (SiiLaNaa) = “Damp” / “Soggy”
- ओर (or) = “Toward” | और (aur) = “And”
Compliments in Hindi
The Hindi words for compliment are तारीफ़ (Taariif) or प्रशंसय (Prasansaa). When you start a conversation or compliment someone in Hindi, you radiate energy that is both eager and confident.
Best Compliments for a Girl and a Guy in Hindi
आप वाक़ई बेहद ख़ूबसूरत हैं। (“You are really extremely gorgeous.”)
तुम तो ज़बरदस्त खाना बनाते हो! (Your cooking is mindblowing!)
आप बाहर से जितने सुन्दर हैं, और भी ज़्यादा अंदर से हैं| (You are even more beautiful inside.)
तुम्हारी वजह से मैं एक बेहतर इंसान बनना चाहता हूँ| (You make me want to be a better person.)
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Hindi Words to Praise Someone
- शाबाश! (Great job!)
- वाह! (Wow!)
- शानदार! (Superb!)
- क्या बात है! (Fantastic!)
- अंदरूनी सुंदरता (Internal beauty)
- उत्कृष्ट (Excellent)
- लाजवाब (Excellent)
- सराहनीय (Commendable)
- विशेष (Special)
- प्रतिभाशाली (Talented)
- महान (Great)
- अद्भुत (Wonderful)
- उत्तम (Superior)
Hindi Jokes
Laughter may have several positive effects on health. Having a good sense of humor is like having a well-oiled immune system.
Depressed episodes in reaction to unpleasant stimuli are typical in cynical people, and recurrence of depression is usual after that. So, why not learn some funny Hindi jokes to brighten someone's day?
Funny Words in Hindi
- चिरकुट
- झंड
- लप्पू झन्ना
- फुंतड़ू
- एथी
- चंपू
- भसड़
- चोमू
- बकबकिया
- फुकरे
Very Funny Chutkule (Jokes) in Hindi & English
- एक लड़के ने एक लड़की को कमाल का फूल दिया?
लड़की ने उसको एक थप्पड़ मार दिया,
लड़का बोला मैं तो बीजेपी का प्रचार कर रहा हूं,
लड़की बोली में भी कांग्रेस का प्रचार कर रही हूं। - लड़का: चलते चलते यूंही रुक जाता हूं मैं
बेठे-बेथे यूंही खो जाता हूं मैं
क्या ये ही प्यार है. . .???
लड़की: नहीं ये कमज़ोरी हाई
सुभा शाम ग्लूकोज पिया करो। . . - सरदार की शायरी-
“एक लड़की को देखा तो ऐसा लगा,
दूसरी लड़की को देखा तो वैसा लगा,
पर दोनों ने थप्पड़ मारा तो एक जैसा लगा" - पति: सम्मोहन क्या है?
पत्नी: किसी को अपने वश में
कर के हमसे मन चाहा काम
करवाना.
पति: अरे नहीं इसे तो शादी
कहते हैं - पति: तुमसे शादी करके मुझे एक बहुत फ़ायदा हुआ।
पत्नी: कौन सा फ़ायदा?
पति: मुझे मेरे गुनाहों की सजा-जीते-जी ही मिल गई
Daily 10 Common English Words With Hindi Meaning
Learning Hindi may take time, hence you must understand the basic Hindi words before you get into learning the advanced grammar of the language.
Some of the words you can start with:
- Help - मदद (Madad)
- Friend - दोस्त (Dost)
- Water - पानी (Pānī)
- Food - खाना (Khānā)
- House - घर (Ghar)
- Day - दिन (Din)
- Night - रात (Rāt)
- Happy - खुश (Khush)
- Sad - उदास (Udās)
- Sorry - माफ़ कीजिये (Māf Kijiye)
Learning Hindi in 2024 can be an enjoyable and enriching experience, especially with the many resources and technologies available today. Immerse yourself in the history of this beautiful language.
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