Vocabulary for India | 50 Basic Hindi Words and Phrases with English Meanings

Need basic Hindi words for India? Start with नमस्ते (namaste) for hello, शुक्रिया (shukriya) for thanks, माफ़ कीजिए (maaf kijiye) for excuse me or sorry, यह कितने का है? (yeh kitne ka hai?) for how much is this, and शौचालय कहाँ है? (shauchalay kahan hai?) for where is the restroom. These phrases can begin an actual conversation instead of sitting unused in a notebook.

This guide teaches 50 Hindi words and phrases with English meanings and approximate romanisation, grouped by real needs: greetings, questions, shopping, food, transport, directions, help and everyday signs. It is for people learning Hindi for daily communication, not only for travelling. Keep the Devanagari spelling visible so a speaker can read your intended word when pronunciation fails.

India is multilingual. Hindi is one of the Union’s official languages, alongside English for official purposes, and many other languages are spoken throughout the country. Hindi is useful in many regions, especially across much of northern India, but it is not every Indian’s first language. Be attentive to local language preferences and ask politely instead of assuming Hindi is the right choice everywhere.

Quick answer: eight phrases to learn first

Hello: नमस्ते — namaste
Thank you: शुक्रिया — shukriya
Sorry / excuse me: माफ़ कीजिए — maaf kijiye
Please (formal): कृपया — kripaya
How much is this?: यह कितने का है? — yeh kitne ka hai?
Where is the restroom?: शौचालय कहाँ है? — shauchalay kahan hai?
I did not understand: मुझे समझ नहीं आया — mujhe samajh nahin aaya
Please help: मदद कीजिए — madad kijiye

Find it quickly: 50 phrases with English meanings · Real conversation examples · Common mistakes · Four-week practice plan · FAQs.

How Hindi vocabulary really works in India

Hindi and India’s language diversity. A country is not a language. India recognises numerous languages in its Constitution, and regional choices matter in daily life. Learning Hindi can help with conversation in areas where it is spoken, but in other areas Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Gujarati, Punjabi or another language may be more relevant. English is another option in some contexts. Begin by asking which language the other person prefers.

Devanagari and romanisation. Hindi is commonly written in Devanagari. The Latin-letter column is only an approximate cue: vowel length, aspiration and dental versus retroflex consonants are not exactly represented by English spelling. For example, ध is not simply the English ‘th’ of ‘this’. Use native-speaker recordings and the original script as you progress.

Respectful address changes verbs. आप (aap) is a respectful or plural ‘you’; तुम (tum) is familiar. Verb and adjective forms may also reflect the person’s gender and grammatical context. In the table, phrases built with -इए (-iye) are common polite request patterns and avoid some beginner pitfalls. A simple नमस्ते जी can sound respectful in many everyday encounters.

Thank-you and please are not always used word-for-word. धन्यवाद (dhanyavaad) is a standard thank-you that may sound more formal than शुक्रिया (shukriya). कृपया (kripaya) is a formal ‘please’, often used in announcements or writing; spoken courtesy is frequently expressed through verb forms and tone rather than adding a single word.

Food terms are not allergen guarantees. ‘Vegetarian’ and ‘not spicy’ help express preferences. They do not prove a dish is free from nuts, dairy, wheat or cross-contact. If health is at stake, show the exact ingredient in Hindi and ask the people preparing the meal to confirm.

50 essential Hindi words and phrases with English meanings

The fifty entries are arranged around situations rather than the alphabet. Learn a greeting, then a request, then a way to clarify an answer. The final column explains where you can use the expression so that you learn more than a dictionary definition.

Greetings and basic courtesy — 1–10

#	Original writing	Romanisation (approx.)	English meaning	Real use
1	नमस्ते	namaste	Hello / respectful greeting	Open a conversation
2	नमस्कार	namaskaar	Respectful greeting	Greet politely
3	आप कैसे हैं?	aap kaise hain?	How are you? (often to a man or mixed group)	Ask how someone is
4	मैं ठीक हूँ	main theek hoon	I am fine	Answer a greeting
5	शुक्रिया	shukriya	Thanks	Express gratitude
6	धन्यवाद	dhanyavaad	Thank you (more formal)	Express gratitude
7	जी	ji	Respectful response / honorific	Respond courteously
8	हाँ	haan	Yes	Confirm
9	नहीं	nahin	No / not	Decline or negate
10	फिर मिलेंगे	phir milenge	See you again	Say goodbye

Begin by opening and closing a conversation. Recall the greeting without reading; then use the right polite form for a person you do not know.

Questions and clear requests — 11–20

#	Original writing	Romanisation (approx.)	English meaning	Real use
11	सुनिए	suniye	Excuse me / listen please	Get someone’s attention
12	माफ़ कीजिए	maaf kijiye	Excuse me / I’m sorry	Apologise or interrupt
13	कृपया	kripaya	Please (formal)	Make a formal request
14	आप अंग्रेज़ी बोलते हैं?	aap angrezi bolte hain?	Do you speak English? (commonly to a man)	Find a shared language
15	मुझे समझ नहीं आया	mujhe samajh nahin aaya	I did not understand	Explain confusion
16	धीरे बोलिए	dheere boliye	Please speak slowly	Ask for slower speech
17	फिर से कहिए	phir se kahiye	Please say it again	Ask for repetition
18	यह क्या है?	yeh kya hai?	What is this?	Identify an item
19	कहाँ है?	kahan hai?	Where is it?	Ask for a place
20	मदद कीजिए	madad kijiye	Please help	Request help

If an answer is unclear, use one of these conversation-repair phrases before guessing. Good communication includes recognising uncertainty.

Food, cafés and prices — 21–30

#	Original writing	Romanisation (approx.)	English meaning	Real use
21	पानी	paani	Water	Ask for a drink
22	चाय	chaay	Tea	Order tea
23	खाना	khaana	Food / meal	Discuss a meal
24	शाकाहारी	shaakaahaari	Vegetarian	Discuss diet
25	कम तीखा	kam teekha	Less spicy	Describe taste preference
26	बिल दीजिए	bil dijiye	The bill, please	Ask to pay
27	यह कितने का है?	yeh kitne ka hai?	How much is this?	Ask a price
28	मुझे यह चाहिए	mujhe yeh chahiye	I would like / need this	Point to an item
29	बिना दूध के	bina doodh ke	Without milk	Describe a specific exclusion
30	मुझे … से एलर्जी है	mujhe … se elarji hai	I am allergic to …	State the exact allergen

Food and payment requests are more useful with the item or price in front of you. Health-related restrictions need a precise explanation, not a vague label.

Rail, roads and directions — 31–40

#	Original writing	Romanisation (approx.)	English meaning	Real use
31	रेलवे स्टेशन	railway station	Railway station	Find a train station
32	बस	bas	Bus	Ask about buses
33	ऑटो रिक्शा	auto riksha	Auto-rickshaw	Identify local transport
34	टिकट	tikat	Ticket	Check a fare
35	सड़क	sadak	Road / street	Read an address
36	प्रवेश	pravesh	Entrance	Read a sign
37	निकास	nikaas	Exit	Find the way out
38	बाएँ	baaen	Left	Follow directions
39	दाएँ	daaen	Right	Follow directions
40	सीधे	seedhe	Straight ahead	Follow directions

Reading signs is a separate skill from speaking. Learn to recognise these words visually, then confirm the route and destination with current information.

Daily needs and services — 41–50

#	Original writing	Romanisation (approx.)	English meaning	Real use
41	शौचालय	shauchalay	Toilet / restroom	Find facilities
42	अस्पताल	aspataal	Hospital	Find medical care
43	दवा की दुकान	davaa ki dukaan	Pharmacy / medicine shop	Find medication
44	पुलिस	pulis	Police	Find official assistance
45	रुपये	rupaye	Rupees	Understand money amounts
46	नकद	nakad	Cash	Discuss payment
47	कार्ड	kaard	Card	Ask about payment
48	खुला	khula	Open	Read a sign
49	बंद	band	Closed	Read a sign
50	बुकिंग	buking	Booking / reservation	Discuss an arrangement

Keep this group visible as written text for practical situations. It is often easier to show a correct word than to guess at a difficult pronunciation.

Real-life Hindi conversations you can reuse

Try speaking each exchange aloud. Then cover the script and reconstruct the conversation from memory. Finally, change the item, direction or place while keeping the request pattern. These dialogues are illustrative; real speakers may answer in many different ways.

Greeting someone politely

You: नमस्ते जी। (Namaste ji.) — Hello, respectfully.
Other person: नमस्ते। (Namaste.) — Hello.
You: आप कैसे हैं? (Aap kaise hain?) — How are you? (commonly to a man; कैसी हैं when addressing a woman).
You: मैं ठीक हूँ, शुक्रिया। (Main theek hoon, shukriya.) — I am fine, thanks.

You can begin with namaste without knowing much grammar. Remember that verbs and adjectives in fuller sentences can change with the person you address. Listen for the form the speaker uses and avoid treating all English translations as universally interchangeable.

Buying food at a stall

You: सुनिए, मुझे यह चाहिए। — Excuse me, I would like this.
You: कम तीखा, कृपया। — Less spicy, please (fairly formal).
You: यह कितने का है? — How much is this?
You: शुक्रिया। — Thank you.

Point to the item when you do not yet know its name. If you have an allergy, explain the precise ingredient separately and confirm food preparation; ‘less spicy’ and ‘vegetarian’ do not convey allergen safety.

Getting directions

You: माफ़ कीजिए, रेलवे स्टेशन कहाँ है? — Excuse me, where is the railway station?
Helper: सीधे, फिर दाएँ। — Straight, then right.
You: धन्यवाद। — Thank you.

Try reading प्रवेश (entrance) and निकास (exit) on signs. In practice, transport terms may also appear in English. Confirm the station and destination using current information.

When the reply is too fast

You: मुझे समझ नहीं आया। — I did not understand.
You: धीरे बोलिए। — Please speak slowly.
You: फिर से कहिए। — Please say it again.

These phrases protect you from agreeing to a time, price or route you have not understood. When the exact detail matters, ask the person to show it in writing.

Asking for medical services

You: अस्पताल कहाँ है? — Where is the hospital?
You: मदद कीजिए। — Please help.
You: मुझे … से एलर्जी है। — I am allergic to … (supply the exact allergen).

Knowing the word for hospital is only a first step. For treatment, prescription directions and emergencies, obtain appropriate assistance and reliable interpretation rather than improvising with a beginner word list.

Mistakes to avoid when using these phrases

Treating India as one-language country. Hindi is valuable, but language preferences differ greatly by state and community.
Using the informal tum with everyone. Aap is a more respectful form and a sensible starting point.
Translating ‘please’ mechanically as kripaya. In many spoken settings a polite verb form sounds more natural.
Ignoring Devanagari. A written label can be easier to show than a difficult phrase to pronounce.
Confusing gender-sensitive forms. A fuller Hindi question may change when addressing a man, woman or group.
Assuming a vegetarian or mild dish is allergy-safe. Confirm exact ingredients and cross-contact.
Guessing numbers or prices. Ask to see or write the amount if it matters.

A practical four-week vocabulary study plan

The goal is retrieval and transfer: to remember a phrase after a delay and to use it in a different situation. The Fencing Method is useful here as a learning analogy. Begin with a small set that solves immediate problems, strengthen it through successful recall, then expand the boundary of what you can express. Avoid learning dozens of rare words before you can ask for help or recognise a sign.

Week 1 — survive: Practise the eight quick phrases and the first ten greetings. Spend 10–15 minutes daily reading, listening and recalling them without looking. Record whether you can greet, thank and say goodbye appropriately.
Week 2 — clarify: Learn the ten questions and conversation-repair phrases. Practise asking for repetition and for slower speech. Write three short dialogues set at a counter, on a street and at an appointment.
Week 3 — function: Learn food, shopping and transport vocabulary. Use role-play to ask a price, find the correct exit, order an item and confirm a destination. Combine two different groups in each role-play.
Week 4 — thrive: Learn the final group and create ten original micro-conversations. Test all 50 meanings without the English column. Revisit mistakes after one day, three days and a week, using native audio to refine pronunciation.

Why a list of 50 phrases can be more useful than 500 random words

Imagine meeting a stranger and asking for help. A vocabulary list can tell you the nouns for station, water and money; it cannot by itself show how to make a polite request. The real unit of learning is often a short social action: open the exchange, state your need, check the answer and close politely. Once that pattern is secure, you can replace the destination or item and solve a different problem.

To check whether this is working, cover the English translations and ask yourself three questions: Can I recall the phrase? Do I know when it would be appropriate? Could I adapt it to a different place? If any answer is no, practise that particular phrase again instead of indiscriminately rereading the entire table.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say hello in Hindi?

नमस्ते (namaste) is a widely useful polite greeting. नमस्कार (namaskaar) is another respectful form.

How do you say thank you in Hindi?

धन्यवाद (dhanyavaad) and शुक्रिया (shukriya) both express thanks; the first often feels more formal.

How do you ask how much something costs in Hindi?

यह कितने का है? (yeh kitne ka hai?) means ‘How much is this?’

How do you ask where the restroom is?

शौचालय कहाँ है? (shauchalay kahan hai?) asks where the toilet is. In colloquial speech, the borrowed English word ‘toilet’ is also common.

Is Hindi India’s only official language?

No. Hindi in Devanagari is an official language of the Union, and English continues to be used for official purposes; Indian states and communities use many other languages.

What is ji in Hindi?

जी (ji) is a respectful particle or form of address, often used in courteous replies or after a name.

Is Hindi written in the same alphabet as English?

No. Standard Hindi is commonly written in Devanagari. Romanised hints are useful initially but cannot capture all sounds precisely.

What should I learn after 50 Hindi phrases?

Learn the Devanagari letters, numbers, respectful verbs and daily listening patterns with people who speak Hindi.

Continue reading with eduKate

These are connected guides, not a requirement to read every article. Choose the country overview for context, the language-learning guide for deeper study, or a different country phrasebook when you want to compare ways of expressing the same needs.

Sources, editorial accuracy and limitations

The language and cultural references below were used to cross-check core expressions and identify context. This is original educational writing and an introductory phrasebook, not certified interpretation. Local varieties, pronunciation and social register vary. Do not use an approximate phrase as the sole basis for a medical, legal, financial or safety-critical decision.

Reviewed: November 2026.