The Around the World phrasebook
Let's learn traveller's Hindi
Not the school kind — the airport, taxi and dinner-table kind. Every phrase with a say-it-out-loud pronunciation.
Nobody expects you to speak fluent Hindi. But ten words in the right places — and the market seller smiles, the driver drops the price, the waiter brings the good stuff. We've gathered 65 phrases that actually work, sorted by the moment you'll need them: the landing, the taxi, check-in, the table. Each with a pronunciation you can read aloud without cringing.
Phrasebook · 1/8
First words
| What you want to say | Hindi | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello (formal) | नमस्ते | na-MAS-teh |
| Hello (informal) | हैलो | HE-lo |
| Goodbye | अलविदा | al-VI-da |
| Thank you | धन्यवाद | dhun-ya-VAD |
| Please | कृपया | kri-PA-ya |
| Yes | हाँ | HAAN |
| No | नहीं | na-HI |
| Sorry | माफ़ कीजिये | maf KEE-jee-yeh |
| I don't understand | मुझे समझ नहीं आया | mu-JHE sa-MAJ na-HI a-YA |
| Do you speak English? | क्या आप अंग्रेज़ी बोलते हैं? | kya aap an-GRE-zi BOL-te hain |
Phrasebook · 2/8
Courtesy & introductions
| What you want to say | Hindi | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | सुप्रभात | SUP-ra-bhaat |
| Good evening | शुभ संध्या | SHUBH san-DHYA |
| How are you? | आप कैसे हैं? | AAP ke-se HAIN? |
| My name is… | मेरा नाम… है | ME-ra naam… HAI |
| Nice to meet you | आपसे मिलकर खुशी हुई | AAP-se MIL-kar KHU-shi HOO-ee |
| I am from Israel | मैं इज़राइल से हूँ | MAIN iz-RA-il se HOON |
| See you | फिर मिलेंगे | PHIR mi-LEN-ge |
Phrasebook · 3/8
At the airport & on the flight
| What you want to say | Hindi | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the gate? | गेट कहाँ है? | GATE ka-HAAN heh? |
| Is the flight delayed? | क्या उड़ान में देरी है? | KYA oo-DAAN mein DEH-ri heh? |
| Boarding pass | बोर्डिंग पास | BOR-ding PAAS |
| My suitcase hasn't arrived | मेरा सूटकेस नहीं आया है | MEH-ra SOOT-kes na-HI a-YA heh |
| I have a connecting flight | मेरी कनेक्टिंग फ्लाइट है | MEH-ri ka-NEK-ting FLIGHT heh |
| Window/aisle seat | खिड़की/गलियारे की सीट | KHIR-kee/ga-li-YA-reh kee SEET |
| Where is the passport control? | पासपोर्ट कंट्रोल कहाँ है? | PAS-port KAN-trol ka-HAAN heh? |
Phrasebook · 4/8
Transport & directions
| What you want to say | Hindi | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| To this address, please. | इस पते पर, कृपया। | IS PA-teh PAR, kri-PYA |
| How much to the center? | केंद्र तक कितना? | KEN-dra TAK KIT-na? |
| One ticket to... | एक टिकट के लिए... | EK TI-kat KE li-YEH... |
| Which platform? | कौन सा प्लेटफार्म? | KAUN SA PLET-farm? |
| Where is the bus station? | बस स्टेशन कहाँ है? | BAS STE-shan ka-HAN hai? |
| Stop here, please. | यहाँ रोकें, कृपया। | YA-han RO-ken, kri-PYA |
| Is it far? | क्या यह दूर है? | KYA yeh DUR hai? |
| Turn left/right | बाएँ/दाएँ मुड़ें | BA-en/DA-en MU-ren |
| Straight | सीधे | SID-heh |
Phrasebook · 5/8
Hotel & stay
| What you want to say | Hindi | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| I have a reservation | मेरे पास आरक्षण है | MEH-reh PAAS a-ra-SHAN heh |
| Check-in | चेक-इन | CHEK-IN |
| Check-out | चेक-आउट | CHEK-OUT |
| Is breakfast included? | क्या नाश्ता शामिल है? | KYA NAASH-ta SHA-mil heh? |
| Room key | कमरे की चाबी | KAM-reh kee CHA-bee |
| Wi-Fi password | वाई-फाई पासवर्ड | WAI-fai PAAS-word |
| Can I leave my luggage? | क्या मैं सामान छोड़ सकता हूँ? | KYA main sa-MAAN CHHOR sak-TA hoon? |
| The air conditioning is not working | एयर कंडीशनिंग काम नहीं कर रही है | AIR kan-DI-shi-ning KAAM na-HI kar ra-HEE heh |
Phrasebook · 6/8
Restaurant & food
| What you want to say | Hindi | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Table for two, please. | दो लोगों के लिए मेज, कृपया। | DO lo-GON ke LI-ye MEJ, KRI-pya. |
| The menu, please. | मेनू, कृपया। | ME-nu, KRI-pya. |
| What do you recommend? | आप क्या सुझाते हैं? | AAP kya su-GHA-te HAIN? |
| The bill, please. | बिल, कृपया। | BIL, KRI-pya. |
| Tap water, please. | नल का पानी, कृपया। | NAL ka PA-ni, KRI-pya. |
| I have a nut allergy. | मुझे नट्स से एलर्जी है। | mu-JHE NATS se e-LER-ji HAI. |
| No meat, please. | मांस नहीं, कृपया। | MANS na-HIN, KRI-pya. |
| It was excellent. | यह उत्कृष्ट था। | YEH ut-KRISH-t THA. |
| Can I pay by card? | क्या मैं कार्ड से भुगतान कर सकता हूँ? | KYA main CARD se bhu-GHAT-an kar SAK-ta HOON? |
Phrasebook · 7/8
Shopping & money
| What you want to say | Hindi | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| How much does it cost? | यह कितना है? | YEH KIT-na HEH |
| It's too expensive. | यह बहुत महंगा है। | YEH ba-HOOT ma-HAN-ga HEH |
| Do you accept cards? | क्या आप कार्ड स्वीकार करते हैं? | KYA AAP KARD svi-KAR kar-TEH HAIN? |
| I'm just looking. | मैं बस देख रहा हूँ। | MAIN bas DEKH ra-HA HOON |
| Can I have a receipt? | क्या मुझे रसीद मिल सकती है? | KYA mu-JHE ra-SEED mil SAK-ti HEH? |
| Where is an ATM? | एटीएम कहाँ है? | EH-tee-YEM ka-HAN HEH? |
| A smaller size. | छोटा आकार। | CHO-ta a-KAR |
Phrasebook · 8/8
Emergencies & health
| What you want to say | Hindi | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | बचाओ! | ba-CHA-o |
| Call a doctor | डॉक्टर को बुलाओ | DOK-tar ko bu-LA-o |
| Call the police | पुलिस को बुलाओ | pu-LIS ko bu-LA-o |
| Where is the pharmacy? | दवा की दुकान कहाँ है? | da-VAH kee du-KAAN ka-HAAN he |
| I don't feel well | मुझे अच्छा नहीं लग रहा | mu-JHEH a-CHHA na-HEE lag ra-HA |
| I'm lost | मैं खो गया हूँ | meh kho GA-ya hoon |
| I need a hospital | मुझे अस्पताल चाहिए | mu-JHEH as-pa-TAAL CHAH-ye-heh |
| It hurts here | यहाँ दर्द हो रहा है | ya-HAAN dard ho ra-HA he |
Q&A
Answers to your questions
How do you say "thank you" in Hindi?
"धन्यवाद" (dhun-ya-VAD). It's one of the five words worth knowing by heart before you land.
How much Hindi do I need for a trip?
Not much. Five or six courtesy words (hello, thank you, please, sorry, yes/no) open doors, and another ten to fifteen phrases for fixed situations — a taxi, check-in, the restaurant bill — cover almost any trip. The rest: a camera-translation app.
Can you get by in English where Hindi is spoken?
In city centres, hotels and tourist sites — usually yes, especially with younger people. Outside them — markets, transport, small towns — a few words of the local language make a real difference and are warmly received.
Which countries have Hindi as an official language?
Hindi is a main language in 1 countries: India.
What's the difference between the formal and casual greeting?
Most languages have a formal "hello" for strangers, service staff and elders, and an everyday version for friends and peers. As a traveller it's always safer to open with the formal one — nobody is offended by too much politeness.
How do you politely ask someone to speak English?
"क्या आप अंग्रेज़ी बोलते हैं?" (kya aap an-GRE-zi BOL-te hain) — "do you speak English?". Lead with "excuse me" in the local language and it comes across as respectful.
About this page
Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.
Sources: Phrasebook: the Around the World team · Language-to-country: Around the World data