Phrases and words you need to know before going to India [Hindi]

First things first

Hindi or Modern Standard Hindi is a standardised and Sanskritised register of the Hindustani language. Along with the English language, Hindi written in the Devanagari script is the official language of India.

It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of the Republic of India. However, it is not the national language of India because no language was given such a status in the Indian constitution.

Hindi is the fourth most-spoken first language in the world, after Mandarin, Spanish and English.
It is the third most-spoken language in the world, after Mandarin and English.

As you can see below, Hindi is written in the Devanagari script. Devanagari consists of 11 vowels and 33 consonants and is written from left to right. Unlike for Sanskrit, Devanagari is not entirely phonetic for Hindi. (source)

hindi india alphabet

Hindi

10 basic words to get you started in Hindi

  • Yes Haan
  • No Nahi
  • Hello Namastey
  • Thank you Dhanyawaad
  • Please Krpya
  • What is your name? Aapka naam kyaa hai
  • My name is… Mera naam hai…
  • Delicious Svaadisht
  • How much? Kitana?
  • (Do you speak) English? (Kyaa aap) English (bolte hain)?

7 Days of the Week in Hindi

  • Monday Somavaar
  • Tuesday Mangalavaar
  • Wednesday Budhavaar
  • Thursday Guroovaar
  • Friday Shukravaar
  • Saturday Shanivaar
  • Sunday Ravivaar

10 extra words in Hindi

  • This or that yah ya vah?
  • (less) spices Thaki (kam)
  • temple  Mandir
  • lake  Jheel
  • hotel Hotal
  • restaurant Khaane kee dukaan
  • food Bhojan
  • tea Chaaj
  • coffee Kofee
  • Water (bottle) Paanee (botal)

20 numbers in Hindi

  • 1 ek
  • 2 dow
  • 3 teen
  • 4 chaar
  • 5 paanch
  • 6 chhey
  • 7 saat
  • 8 aath
  • 9 nao
  • 10 dus/das
  • 20 bees
  • 30 tis
  • 40 chalis
  • 50 pachas
  • 60 saadh
  • 70 sattar
  • 80 assi
  • 90 nabbe
  • 100 ek sau
  • 1000 ek hazaar
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