<!-- hindi phrasebook -->
Essential Hindi phrases
for travellers (printable)
how to say hello in hindi
नमस्ते — nuh-MUS-tay — is how you say hello in Hindi. It works at any hour, anywhere the language is spoken, with anyone. Pair it with धन्यवाद (DHUN-yuh-vaad) for thank you and you already have the two words you will use most.
Below are 36 phrases worth knowing before you land, grouped by the situation you will need them in. Every one has a plain-English respelling — stressed syllable in capitals — because IPA is no use to anyone standing at a pharmacy counter. Northern and central India — around 610 million speakers including second-language use, making it the third most spoken language in the world. Also searched as India, Indian.
take it with you
The whole card, on one page
All 36 phrases on a single sheet — print it, fold it into a passport, or keep it on your phone. Free, no signup, no watermark.
The essentials
The six words that carry most of a trip.
| English | Hindi |
|---|---|
| Hello | नमस्तेnuh-MUS-tay |
| Goodbye | अलविदाul-vih-DAAनमस्ते works for goodbye too, and is far more common. |
| Please | कृपयाKRIP-yaa |
| Thank you | धन्यवादDHUN-yuh-vaadThe English "thank you" is used at least as often. |
| Yes / No | हाँ / नहींhaan / nuh-HEEN |
| Excuse me / Sorry | माफ़ कीजिएmaaf KEE-jee-ay |
Getting by
What to say when the conversation outruns you.
| English | Hindi |
|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | क्या आप अंग्रेज़ी बोलते हैं?kyaa aap ung-RAY-zee BOL-tay hain |
| I don't understand | मुझे समझ नहीं आयाMOO-jhay SUM-ujh nuh-HEEN AA-yaa |
| Could you repeat that? | फिर से कहिएPHIR say KUH-hee-ay |
| Please speak slowly | धीरे बोलिएDHEE-ray BO-lee-ay |
| My name is… | मेरा नाम … हैMAY-raa naam … hai |
| Nice to meet you | आपसे मिलकर खुशी हुईAAP-say MIL-kar khoo-SHEE hoo-EE |
Getting around
Streets, stations and the one question everyone needs.
| English | Hindi |
|---|---|
| Where is…? | … कहाँ है?… kuh-HAAN hai |
| How do I get to…? | … कैसे जाएँ?… KAI-say JAA-ayn |
| Where is the toilet? | शौचालय कहाँ है?shau-CHAA-lay kuh-HAAN hai"Toilet kahan hai" is understood everywhere and used more. |
| Left / Right | बाएँ / दाएँBAA-ayn / DAA-ayn |
| Straight ahead | सीधेSEE-dhay |
| Is it far? | क्या यह दूर है?kyaa yeh DOOR hai |
Food and drink
Ordering, allergies, and asking for the bill.
| English | Hindi |
|---|---|
| A table for two, please | दो लोगों के लिए मेज़do lo-GON kay lee-ay mayz |
| The menu, please | मेन्यू दीजिएMEN-yoo DEE-jee-ay |
| I would like… | मुझे … चाहिएMOO-jhay … CHAA-hee-ay |
| Water, please | पानी दीजिएPAA-nee DEE-jee-ay |
| I am allergic to… | मुझे … से एलर्जी हैMOO-jhay … say e-LUR-jee hai |
| The bill, please | बिल दीजिएbil DEE-jee-ay |
Shopping and money
Prices, cards, and politely not buying anything.
| English | Hindi |
|---|---|
| How much is it? | यह कितने का है?yeh KIT-nay kaa hai |
| That's too expensive | यह बहुत महंगा हैyeh buh-HOOT muh-HUN-gaa hai |
| Do you take cards? | क्या कार्ड चलेगा?kyaa kaard chuh-LAY-gaa |
| I am just looking | मैं सिर्फ़ देख रहा हूँmain SIRF daykh ruh-HAA hoonरही (ruh-HEE) if you are female. |
| Do you have…? | क्या … है?kyaa … hai |
| A receipt, please | रसीद दीजिएruh-SEED DEE-jee-ay |
Emergencies
Worth reading once before you need them.
| English | Hindi |
|---|---|
| Help! | मदद!MUH-dud |
| Call the police | पुलिस को बुलाइएpoo-LIS ko boo-LAA-ee-ay |
| Call an ambulance | एम्बुलेंस बुलाइएAM-byoo-lens boo-LAA-ee-ay |
| I need a doctor | मुझे डॉक्टर चाहिएMOO-jhay DOK-tar CHAA-hee-ay |
| I am lost | मैं रास्ता भूल गयाmain RAAS-taa bhool guh-YAAगई (guh-EE) if you are female. |
| Where is the hospital? | अस्पताल कहाँ है?us-puh-TAAL kuh-HAAN hai |
<!-- saying it right -->
Four things that fix
most of the accent
Namaste covers hello and goodbye, all day
Said with palms together at the chest. It works in every register and every hour, which makes it the single most useful word on this page.
Aspirated consonants carry a puff of air
क and ख, त and थ, प and फ are different letters, distinguished only by the breath after them. Hold a hand in front of your mouth: kh, th and ph should move it. Getting this wrong changes words.
Retroflex t and d curl the tongue back
ट and ड are made with the tongue tip curled up against the roof of the mouth, further back than an English t or d. It is the sound most associated with an Indian accent in English, and it works in reverse.
English is not cheating
Hindi speakers mix English constantly — "toilet kahan hai" is entirely normal speech. Substituting an English noun into a Hindi frame is what locals do.
Spotted a mistake in the Hindi? Tell us and we will fix it.
You will not remember
all 36
Nobody does. OmniTalk speaks Hindi for you in real time — point the camera at a menu, or put the phone between you and let it translate both sides of the conversation as you talk. It works offline once you download the language, so it keeps going when your roaming does not.