One possible factor that you started learning Hindi might be its popularity and its deep roots in world history. So, before getting stuck into the complexities of Hindi, you must understand its basics. If you are traveling to India, then you must understand some common Hindi words to make your travel comfortable.
Hindi is an ancient language that was first known as Khariboli during the 13th and 14th centuries. Hindi is a direct descendant of Sauraseni Prakrit, a middle Indo-Aryan language, and it was articulated by the natives of the Hindi Belt.
Therefore, learning Hindi is like knowing more about the cultures and rituals along with it. This is what makes it a little complex. Below is a list of 10 essential Hindi words that are commonly used in daily conversations. These simple words will help you begin your Hindi learning journey with confidence:
| Hindi Word | English Meaning |
|---|---|
| नमस्ते (namaste) | Hello / Goodbye |
| हाँ (haan) | Yes |
| नहीं (nahin) | No |
| कृपया (kripya) | Please |
| धन्यवाद (dhanyavaad) | Thank you |
| पानी (paani) | Water |
| खाना (khaana) | Food / Meal |
| माफ़ कीजिये (maaf kijiye) | Excuse me / Sorry |
| अच्छा (accha) | Good / Okay |
| क्या (kya) | What? |
The name “Hindi” was derived from the Persian language from the word ‘Hind,’ which refers to the land of the Indus River. It happened when Turks invaded Punjab and Gangetic plains in the 11th century; they named that region’s dialect Hindi because that region was known as the land of the Indus River in early history. Further, India derived this language as its national language in 1949.
From the 11th century until today, Hindi has undergone many changes, and Devanagari Lipi is considered modern Hindi. More than 600 million people speak Hindi worldwide, and it ranks at number three in the list of most spoken languages globally.
You can find out about spoken Hindi classes online here on Superprof.
Hindi Words For Beginners - Simple Replies
Haan - Yes
Nahi - No
Kya aapko Hindi aati hai? - Do you know Hindi? (formal)
Thoda-thoda - A little bit
Mujhe Hindi thodi-thodi aati hai - I know a little bit of Hindi
Accha - Okay/Good
Suniye - Listen (used to get someone's attention)
Chaliye - Let's go (used to suggest moving from one place to another)
Imagine you are out shopping with your friends. Here are some basic Hindi words useful for shopping -
Kitne ka hai yeh? - How much is it for?
Thoda Kam Kijiye - Reduce the price
Kya Aap Card Lete Ho? - Do you accept cards?
Do you know you can join Hindi tuition near me in India and learn Hindi with thousands of native speakers on Superprof?
Useful Hindi Phrases for Ordering
- मैं यह लेना चाहूँगा/चाहूँगी (Maine Yeh Lena Chahongi): I would like to have this (for men/women)
- क्या आपके पास ... है? (kya aapke pas (.....) hai?): Do you have...?
- मुझे ... पसंद है (mujhe ... pasand hai): I like...
- मुझे ... नहीं पसंद है (Mujhe ... nahin pasand hai): I don't like...
- यह कितने का है? (Yeh kitne ka hai?): How much is this?
Hindi Language Words That Help In Daily Life
Chai-patti (चाय-पत्ती) - Tea leaves.
Jugaadu (जुगाडू) - A person who is resourceful and able to come up with innovative solutions.
Rangmanch (रंगमंच) - A stage or platform used for performing arts.
Dabba (डब्बा) - A lunchbox or tiffin box.
Chup-chap (चुपचाप) - Quietly or silently.
Nakhre (नखरे) - Tantrums or fussiness.
Fatafat (फटाफट) - Quickly or immediately.
Good morning: शुभ प्रभात (shub prabhat)
Good afternoon: नमस्ते (namaste)
Good evening: नमस्ते (namaste)
Good night: शुभ रात्रि (shubh ratri)
List Of Simple Hindi Words You Can Use In India
Getting proficient in Hindi might take a long time as you have to learn grammar, its alphabet, and its pronunciation. There are several registers in which Hindi is used, and formal and informal are the two major ones.
The formal register is utilized with persons of authority, elders, or strangers and some people also use it out of respect. The informal register works for persons of the same age, friends, and family members.
Moreover, these two registers have several subtleties that depend upon a person’s rank and your relationship with them.
We have provided various words and phrases in transliteration form, which you can save for future reference. However, you won’t be able to pronounce it correctly until you do write practice in Hindi, but you can help others to communicate. They can read and understand what you want to express.
Basic Hindi Words for Beginners: Salutations and Greetings
Namaste - The word ‘namaste’ is said to greet others in Hindi. Meaning, “I bow to you”, which many of them will do while saying namaste. While saying it, a gesture is also made; they bring their palms together at chest level and bow a bit. Namaskar is also used to say hello, and for elders, the word Pranaam is preferred.
Alvida - While taking leave from someone, expressing goodbye, you can simply utter Alvida. Some also greet with the ‘namaste’ word again while leaving in the case of formal speech.
Shubh Prabhat - To wish someone a good morning.
Padhariye - For welcoming a guest whom you know very well, greet them with aaiye padhariye! To welcome a stranger, swaagat, is used in formal registers mostly.
Milkar Khushi hui - At a party or gathering, there are chances to meet some friends of your friends or anybody else you don’t meet regularly. Before saying goodbye, you can greet them using this phrase. Aapse milkar khushi hui or milkar bohot khushi hui. Literally, it is nice to meet you.
Aapka naam kya hai? - Formal way of asking someone's name.
Tumhara naam kya hai? - Informal way of asking someone's name.
Mera naam_____ hai - Suppose your name is Raj and you want to tell this to someone, then the phrase mera naam Raj(put your name here) will convey your message.
Aap kaise/kaisi hain? - To ask how you are? To a man or a group, simply ask, aap kaise hai? And for asking the same to a woman or group of women, aap kaisi hain?
Main theek hoon - Answer “aap kaise/kaisi hain?” with, main theek hun.
Phir milte hai or Kal milengey - To tell, see you or see you tomorrow to someone.
Kya chal raha hai? - If you want to question anybody, what’s new?
Kuch khaas nahi - The answer to What’s new? Is kuch khaas nahi. It means if you are not doing anything or there’s nothing new.
Some Common Words and Phrases in Hindi For Daily Conversations
Kripya - To annotate 'please' in any request.
Dhanyawad - Hindi word for Thank You. It is not a common word in Hindi. It is said only when someone does a big favour. Otherwise, for more minor things, nobody uses it.
Mera saubhagya hai - It is the reply of thank you. In English, it said you’re welcome.
Maafi/Maaf kijiye/Kshama kijiye - For apologizing in Hindi, you have to pronounce "maafi dijiye" or Maaf kijiye or kshama kijiye.
These phrases can be used in formal, casual, and informal conversation.
Aap/Tum/Tu - In Hindi, there are various versions of ‘you’. You have to say ‘aap’ when being formal and to call elders. In the same age group, use ‘tum’ to call each other; it can be between classmates, colleagues, etc. Lastly, use ‘tu’ to call your best friends, siblings, or any younger person.
Shri and Shrimati - Mr./ Mrs.
Kya aap meri madad karengey? - Use this phrase if you are stuck somewhere and need help from someone.
Aap ko angrezi aati hai? - When you have to ask 'Do you speak English?'
Mujhe Hindi nahi aati - To tell someone that you don’t speak Hindi.
Hindi Words List Essentially For Travellers
Learning Hindi can make traveling to India a lot easier. These words are very commonly spoken in India. Here are some of the most common Hindi basic words that can be useful for travelers:
Namaste (नमस्ते/Nuh-muh-stay) - Hello/Greeting
Shukriya (शुक्रिया/Shu-Kri-ya) - Thank you
Aap kaise hain? (आप कैसे हैं?) - How are you?
Main theek hoon (मैं ठीक हूँ) - I'm fine
Chai (चाय) - Tea
Rasta (रास्ता) - Road/direction
Hotel (होटल) - Hotel
Bazaar (बाज़ार) - Market
Thik hai (ठिक है) - OK
Kahaan jana hai? (कहाँ जाना है?) - Where do you want to go?
Best Resources To Learn Basic Hindi Words
You can easily become proficient in spoken and written Hindi by practicing it continuously for a longer period. If you are wondering how to learn Hindi, then you should try these sources.
Newspapers - Many Indian newspapers are published in Hindi only. Hindi newspapers will be beneficial in understanding modern Hindi.
Some famous Hindi newspapers that you can read for Hindi basics:
- Amar Ujala
- Dainik Bhaskar
- Dainik Jagran
- Hindustan
- Lokmat
Books - if you read books published by Indian authors, you must be aware that they are also published in Hindi. You can buy such books in the translated version and understand the usage of Hindi.
Podcast - There are various podcasts available online that can help you understand the pronunciation of various Hindi words.
Some of the popular Hindi podcasts in India:
- The Tastes of India Podcast
- The Seen And The Unseen
- The Navbharat Gold - Hindi Podcast
- The Indicast Show
- Kahani Suno
Games - Several platforms offer fun games to learn Hindi. Apps like Learn Hindi and Hindi Bubbles are very famous.
E-Learning Apps - It is currently the best way to learn Hindi as several apps offer free lessons in the Hindi language, and some of them are free. Duolingo, Mondly, HindiPod101.com, and Memrise are some favorite apps that can help you grasp Hindi.
Hindi Tuition To Make Learning Hindi Easier
Getting a passionate teacher is very difficult, and if you get one, no one is luckier than you. Superprof is an incredible platform that has a staff of excellent faculty members. Their teaching methods are creative and new, which can make you understand things very fast.
They have customized Hindi classes for beginners in which they analyze the level of understanding and then start teaching accordingly. You can also clear doubts any time online. If you are trying to learn Hindi online at home, Superprof is the best choice.
Other than these qualities, Superprof also offers -
Free demo class - Superprof offers you first class for free.
Whenever you start with a new teacher, you will get a free demo from them. You can make up your mind in that class if you wish to continue with that teacher or not. Once you get a perfect tutor, hire them for further lessons.
One-on-one classes - Superprof provides an option to choose between learning in a group or hiring a personal tutor. This depicts how much they care about the preferences of their students. One-on-one classes can help in grasping Hindi more easily and quickly.
You can choose Superprof without a doubt, and they provide the best Hindi tuition.
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Hindi is not an official language.
Yes, it is regarded as an official language. It is not a national language. :)
Excellent article for Hindi lovers!
This website is very help full i love it
Thank you for your kind words!