Hindi Phrases to Remember

When it comes to traveling to a foreign country, some of the challenges that you will face are understanding and speaking the local language. Even though you don’t need to speak the language fluently like a native, knowing a few basic phrases can make your trip much more convenient. India is a country rich in various languages but there are some common phrases that you can learn in order to communicate with the locals better. These phrases can also help you avoid any situation where you might be taken advantage of. They can also assist you in handling your transactions better.
To greet someone, you usually say “Hello, how are you?” in English. Directly translated to Hindi, this will be “Namaste, kaise hain?” “Namaskar” is also another variation for “hello”. When somebody asks you the same question, you can politely respond by saying “Main theek hoon” which means “I am fine.”
When shopping for items, eating in restaurants or booking your hotel, you probably need to know the cost of what you are purchasing. In these situations, you can ask “Kitna hua?” (How much?) or “Kitna daam hai?” (What is the cost?).
When riding taxis or taking the public transportation, you can tell the driver “Mujhe hotel jana hai” if your destination is the hotel. Substitute your other destinations in this phrase when going to a different place. When introducing yourself to someone or making new acquaintances, a couple of useful phrases would be “Mera naam…hai” (My name is…) and “Apka naam Kya hai?” (What is your name?) Other phrases that can be useful in everyday conversation are “Haan” (Yes), “Nahi” (No), “Shukriya/Dhanyavaad” (Thank you), “Achaa” (OK) and “Main chalta hoon” (Goodbye).