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In Hindi, as in any language, it might be good to have some common questions and phrases to help get a conversation started.  Today, we look at many such phrases.

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You can start compelling conversations by asking simple, yet deep, questions like:

The words that we learnt are:

तनाव(tanaav); छुटकारा(chutkaara); संगीत(sangeet); प्रेरणा(prerana); ख़ूबसूरत(khoobsoorat); मुद्दा (mudd); चुनाव(chunaav); महत्वपूर्ण(mahatvapoorn); स्वस्थ(svasth); आगंतुक(aagatuk); सिफ़ारिश(sifaarish);घटना(ghatna)

Quiz:

1) What does this statement mean: आप कहाँ से आ रहे हैं?( Aap kahan se aa rahe haim)?

2) How will you ask this in Hindi: “Where are you going?”

3) Can you recommend a good Hindi movie to see? Frame this question in Hindi.

4) What is “stress” known as?

[1]कुधर would be the correct form, corresponding to “whence?” in English. Corresponding Hindi: उधर (hence)/ जिधर (whence, wherefrom, from where)

[2] किधर would be the correct form, corresponding to “whither?” in English. Corresponding Hindi: इधर (hither)/ जिधर (whither, whereunto, whereto).

[3] इधर would be the correct form, corresponding to “hither” in English.

[4] Class here is a metonym for the subject or curriculum taught therein; itself, a metonym for classroom–for students were classified by rank, i.e., “class”.

[5] Other verbs associated with किराये पर are चढ़ाना/देना : to rent; and चलाना : to hire out.

[6] Synonyms: संस्तुति/ अनुशंसा/अनुग्रह/प्रशंसा –all with करना (अनुग्रह more in the sense of favor; and प्रशंसा more in the sense of praise).

[7] While now meaning “beautiful”, its original meaning is “very much/in abundance” (خوب–now meaning “Super!” or “Great!” in Farsi) + “form” [hence “face”](صورت). Synonyms are अभिराम, सुंदर, मञ्जुल/मंजुल/मञ्जु/मंजु, मनोज्ञ, and, last but not least, मनोरम. Moreover, what makes for a or lovely site/sight depends in large part on the sensitivity and expectations of the beholder and thus open to examination: unexpected, uncommon/rare, pleasing/peaceful to the eye, exciting wonder/admiration/awe, stimulating the senses/emotions/imagination/intellect, etc., leaving you, if not breathless (सांस रोक कर) and speechless (गूंगा/वांगमय), at the very least agape (मुंह बाए), agasp (तेज़ी से सांस लेए) and inarticulate (गदगद)–all are fodder for reflection… except perhaps for the parliamentarian amongst us (सांसद) :-)

[8] “relieve” might be a better word here.

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Here are some phrases and expressions for asking directions in Hindi

English

Hindi

Transliteration

Where is the bank?

बैंक कहाँ है?

Bank kahan hain

It’s on Main Street.

यह मुख्य सड़क पर है

Yah mukhya sadak par hai

It’s next to the post office.

यह डाकघर के बगल में है

Yah dakghar ke bagal mein hai

Where is the Post Office?

डाकघर कहाँ है?

Dakghar kahan hain

It’s in R.T.Nagar, on the 80ft road.

यह आर. टी. नगर में है, 80ft सड़क पर

Yah R.T.Nagar mein hai, 80ft sadak par

How do you get to the bank from here?

आप यहाँ से बॅंक कैसे जाते हैं”

Aap yahan se bank kaise jaate hain

It’s between the bakery and the barber shop.

यह बेकरी और नाई की दुकान के बीच है

Yah bakery aur naayi ki dukaan ke beech hai

How do I get to the railway station?

मैं रेलवे स्टेशन कैसे जाऊ?

Main railway station kaise jaoo

First go to Girinagar Junction, then go straight down the stadium road and turn left.

पहले गिरिनगर जंक्षन जाना है, फिर स्टेडियम रोड से सीधे जाकर बाए मुड़ जाओ

Pahale girinagr junction jaana hai, phir stadium road se seedhe jaakar baaye mud jaao

Can you tell me how to get to the travel agency?

आप मुझे बता सकते हैं की कैसे ट्रॅवेल एजेन्सी पहुँच सकते हैं?

Aap mujhe bata sakte hain ki kaise travel agency pahunch sakte hain

It’s the first turning on the right after the bank.

यह बैंक के बाद ठीक पहले मोड़ पर है

Yah bank ke baad teek pahle mod par hai

You’ll see a large signboard reading SOTC Travels.

आप एक बड़ा तख्ता देखोगे जिसमे सोत्क ट्रॅवेल्ज़ का वाचन होगा

Aap ek bada takhta dekhoge jisme SOTC Travels ka vaachan hoga

Can you give me directions to the bus stop?

आप मुझे बस स्टॉप का रास्ता बता सकते है?

Aap mujhe bus stop ka rasta bata sakte hai

Its just opposite that multistoried building.

वह उस बहुमंज़िला इमारत के बस विपरीत में है

Vah us bahumanzila imarat ke bus vipareet mein hai.

Sorry. I don’t live around here.

माफ़ कीजिए, मैं यहाँ नहीं रहता

Maaf  keejiye, main yahan nahin rahta

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If you ever do any cooking, then you are going to have to talk about units of measures.  In this lesson we cover several different ways to talk about units of measure in Hindi which could come in useful in many different situations.

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Here are some sample phrases and sentences using measure words.

Quiz:

1)   What is meant by “आटे का एक थैली (atte ka ek thaili)?

2)   What do we say “A quart of milk” in Hindi?

3)   A loaf of bread is known as ——–

4)   “छोटी चम्मच” (choti chammach) means ——-

5)   Translate: A drop of water.

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Can you say this in Hindi: “All (of) the people are here.”  Today’s lesson covers this and many related phrases.

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Use of All, None, Some, Most, Many, Several, Few, a Few, a lot of, etc

Examples:

Quiz:

Translate

1)   All the people are here.

2)   Many people are here.

3)   Few people are here.

4)   None of the people are here.

5)   Few people are not here.

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Talk about what you like in Hindi.  Ask what other people like, in Hindi.  This lesson has many Hindi phrases that will be very useful.

[In the Paid Subscribers area you download all of January’s lessons in one zip.  Plus, you can get an “ad free” recording of the lesson and PDFs of the written content are included.

If you are not a paid ISpeakHindi.com subscriber, then consider becoming a paid subscriber. For a small fee you can download all the episodes from September 2009, October 2009, November 2009, and December 2009. Each month's episodes are in convenient zip files making it easy for you to download.]

Quiz:

1)   What do these statements mean?

a)   मुझे तैरना बहुत पसंद है (Mujhe tairna bahut pasand hai)

b)   मुझे खेल बिल्कुल पसंद नहीं है (Mujhe khel bilkul pasand nahin hai)

c)    मुझे घर का काम करना बुरा नहीं लगता (Mujhe ghar ka kaam karna bura nahin lagta)

2)   Translate:

a)   She dislikes sweets.

b)   I love eating fruits.

c)    I don’t like oranges.

[sweets= मिठाई (mithayi), fruits= फल (phal), oranges= संतरे (santare)]