A Tourist’s Guide to Hindi

When you travel to India, your senses are treated to a variety of new sights, sounds and tastes. Whether you’re enjoying the tropical beaches of Goa, exploring the central jungles in search of elusive tigers or taking in the breathtaking beauty of the Himalayas, a trip to India is the experience of a lifetime.

One way that you can make your travels in India even more enjoyable – and perhaps safer – is by learning a few useful Hindi phrases before you go. With a basic understanding of common words and phrases, you won’t have to resort to sign language to ask where the nearest restaurants or hotels are located.

Greetings

If you’ve ever taken a yoga class, chances are you’ve heard the word “Namaste,” which is Hindi for “Hello.” You can also greet those you encounter with a friendly “Suprabhaat!” which means “Good morning,” or “Shubh sundhyaa” for “Good evening.” Expect to be greeted with “Aapka swaagat hai!” or “Welcome” when you enter a hotel, restaurant or shop. Others may ask, “Aap kaisey hain?” (“How are you?”), and you can answer, “Mein theek hoon, shukriya” to say, “I’m fine, thanks,” or “Accha” for “Good.” To return the question, ask, “Aur aap?” or “And you?”

When it’s time to go, “Alvida” is Hindi for “Goodbye.” “Shubh raatri” means “Good night,” or you can use the phrase “Phir milen-gay!” to say, “See you later!”

Communication

When you’re navigating the cities and villages of India, it’s easy to get lost – but if you know how to ask for help, it might not be disastrous. Since many Indians speak English, begin by asking, “Kyaa aap angrezee mein baat kar saktey hain?” or “Do you speak English?” If not, introduce yourself by saying, “Meera naam (fill in your name) hai” or “My name is __.” You can get the other person’s name by asking, “Aapka naam kyaa hai?” If you want to tell someone that you are American, say, “Mein amerika se hoon” or “Mein amrikan hoon,” meaning “I’m from America” and “I’m an American.”

To tell someone that you are lost, say, “Hum kho gaye hain.” To ask for help, say, “Kya aap meri madad saktey hain?” If someone is giving you directions, s/he might say, “Seedhey jaaey” (“go straight”) or “Phir banyae/danyae mudiye” (“turn left/turn right”).

If you’re looking for something specific – like the bathroom – ask, “Saucaghara kahaan hai?” If you are sick and need help, say, “Meri tabiyut kharaab hai” (“I feel sick”) or “Mujhey doctor kee zaroorat hai” (“I need a doctor”).

Socializing

One of the best parts of traveling for many tourists is encountering new people and creating new friendships. If you’re visiting India, knowing some common Hindi expressions can help you get to know the new friends you’re meeting.

When you first meet someone, say “Aapsey milkar khushi huee!” which means “Nice to meet you.” When talking about your trip, say “Bharat ek adbhut desh hai” or “India is a wonderful country.” If you want to get to know someone better, say, “Aap kyaa kaam kartey hain?” or “What do you do for a living?” You can ask what something is by saying, “Yeh kyaa hai?” If someone gives you a gift or compliments you, respond with, “Aap bahut dayaloo hain!” or “You’re very kind.” If you want something to eat or drink, say, “Mujhey bhookh lagi hai” for “I’m hungry” or “Mujhey pyaas lagi hai” for “I’m thirsty.”

If you’re shopping, and you’d like to know the price of an item, ask the vendor or shopkeeper, “Yeh kaisey diyaa?” to determine the cost. If you’re having trouble understanding the language – a likely occurrence – you can say, “Kyaa aap issey dohraa saktey hain?” to ask the person to repeat himself, or “Kyaa aap dheerae baat karengae?” to ask him to say it more slowly. If you still don’t understand, say so by using the Hindi expression “Mujhey samajh mein nahi aataa.” And of course, don’t forget to say, “Thank you very much” – “Shukriyaa bahut dhanyavaad.”

Becoming fluent – or at least conversational – in Hindi requires several months or years of study and immersion. The language is nuanced, with many idioms and subtle accents that may be difficult for American ears to discern.

It is possible to successfully travel to India even if you aren’t fluent in Hindi. Before you go, study these and other expressions, and spend some time with a native speaker or listen to recordings to get a feel for the sound of the words and learn correct pronunciation. Carry a phrasebook, tell those you encounter that you do not speak the language and always be polite, and you’ll enjoy your experience in India despite the language barrier. If all else fails, you can just say, “Meri Hindi kucch khaas nahi hai” or “My Hindi is bad.”

This guest post article was written and provided by Erica Gustafson who is a freelance writer, avid traveler to India and online media consultant for Expedia.