False friends: Hindi–English
49 traps for an English speaker: English words that came into Hindi and changed their meaning on the way, single English words that Hindi splits into several, phrases that go wrong when translated word for word, and short Hindi words that only sound like English. On the left is what you want to say, next to it the Hindi word for it — and only then the trap. If all you know is what a word does not mean, you are still stuck in the conversation.
English words that changed in Hindi
English words in Devanagari that you hear in your first weeks — at school, at the station, at home in summer — and that mean something slightly or entirely different in India.
| You mean | That is | Not this one | Because that means |
|---|---|---|---|
| picture (a painting or a photo) | तस्वीर | पिक्चर | a film, a movie |
| चलो, आज शाम कोई नई पिक्चर देखते हैं।Let’s see a new film this evening.Spoken Hindi uses पिक्चर for what is on at the cinema. A painting or a photo is a तस्वीर or a फ़ोटो. | |||
| tension (between two countries) | तनाव | टेंशन | personal worry, stress |
| परीक्षा की वजह से मुझे बहुत टेंशन है।I am really stressed because of the exam.टेंशन मत लो is “don’t worry”. Tension between people or countries, and in a rope, is तनाव. | |||
| drama (a play on stage) | नाटक | ड्रामा | a fuss, a scene; also a television serial |
| छोटी-सी बात पर इतना ड्रामा मत करो।Don’t make such a fuss about a little thing.A play in a theatre is a नाटक. ड्रामा is mostly the scene somebody makes. | |||
| paper (a sheet to write on) | काग़ज़ | पेपर | an exam; also the newspaper |
| कल मेरा गणित का पेपर है।I have my maths exam tomorrow.A sheet of paper is काग़ज़; पेपर is the exam you sit, and the paper the paperboy brings. | |||
| station (for buses) | बस अड्डा | स्टेशन | the railway station |
| हम ट्रेन पकड़ने के लिए स्टेशन गए।We went to the station to catch the train.Without another word, स्टेशन means the trains. Long-distance buses leave from the बस अड्डा. | |||
| mess (an untidy muddle) | गड़बड़ | मेस | a canteen, especially in a hostel or the army |
| हॉस्टल के मेस में खाना सस्ता है।The food in the hostel canteen is cheap.An untidy room is बिखरा हुआ; a muddle or a mix-up is गड़बड़. | |||
| cooler (a cool box for a picnic) | आइसबॉक्स | कूलर | an air cooler, a large machine that cools a room with water |
| गर्मियों में हम कमरे में कूलर चलाते हैं।In summer we run the air cooler in our room.A कूलर stands by a window and blows air through wet pads; it is cheaper than an air conditioner. | |||
| fresh (fresh bread, fresh fruit) | ताज़ा | फ़्रेश | freshened up, washed; to freshen up after a journey |
| सफ़र के बाद मैं पहले फ़्रेश हो जाता हूँ।After a journey I freshen up first.फ़्रेश होना is to wash and change, and politely also to use the toilet. Fresh food is ताज़ा. | |||
| case (a suitcase) | अटैची | केस | a court case or a police case |
| उनकी ज़मीन का केस दस साल से अदालत में चल रहा है।Their land case has been in court for ten years.A suitcase is an अटैची or a सूटकेस. केस is something a lawyer or a doctor handles. | |||
| miss (a train, a bus) | छूटना | मिस करना | to miss a person you are fond of |
| मैं अपने परिवार को बहुत मिस करता हूँ।I miss my family very much.A train you do not catch leaves you behind: मेरी ट्रेन छूट गई. People are missed in Hinglish, or remembered: मुझे घर की याद आती है. | |||
The family has more words
English has one uncle, one aunt and two grandmothers. Hindi names each of them by whose side of the family they are on, and the first word a learner meets is often the wrong one.
| You mean | That is | Not this one | Because that means |
|---|---|---|---|
| uncle (your mother’s brother) | मामा | चाचा | your father’s younger brother |
| मेरे चाचा पापा से दो साल छोटे हैं।My uncle is two years younger than my father.Mother’s brother is मामा, father’s elder brother ताऊ, and the husbands of the aunts are मौसा and फूफा. A friendly stranger is अंकल. | |||
| aunt (your mother’s sister) | मौसी | चाची | the wife of your father’s younger brother |
| मेरी चाची बहुत अच्छा खाना बनाती हैं।My aunt is a very good cook.Mother’s sister is मौसी, father’s sister बुआ, and mother’s brother’s wife मामी. Each aunt has her own word. | |||
| grandmother (your mother’s mother) | नानी | दादी | your father’s mother |
| मेरी दादी हमारे साथ रहती हैं।My grandmother lives with us.The mother’s side is नाना and नानी, the father’s side दादा and दादी. Children often spend the summer holidays at नानी का घर. | |||
| grandfather (your mother’s father) | नाना | दादा | your father’s father |
| दादा जी रोज़ सुबह अख़बार पढ़ते हैं।Grandfather reads the newspaper every morning.The जी after the word is respect, and children add it to every grandparent. | |||
| brother-in-law (your sister’s husband) | जीजा | साला | your wife’s brother — and, said to anyone else, an insult |
| मेरी पत्नी का भाई, यानी मेरा साला, कल आ रहा है।My wife’s brother, my brother-in-law, is coming tomorrow.Within the family साला is a plain kinship word; thrown at a stranger it is a common swear word. A sister’s husband is जीजा, often जीजा जी. | |||
One English word, two Hindi ones
Where English has one verb or adjective and Hindi has two or more, and the dictionary hands you the wrong one. The word you chose is a real word and nearly fits, which is why these mistakes outlast all the others.
| You mean | That is | Not this one | Because that means |
|---|---|---|---|
| know (recognise somebody) | पहचानना | जानना | to know a fact, a language, or a person well |
| मैं उनके बारे में और जानना चाहता हूँ।I would like to know more about him.To recognise a face or a voice is पहचानना: आपने मुझे पहचाना?, do you recognise me? For a fact, पता होना is just as common: मुझे पता है. | |||
| you (to a stranger or an older person) | आप | तुम | you, to a friend, a younger relative or a child |
| अरे यार, तुम कब आए?Hey, when did you get here?Start with आप, and keep it for anybody older, for strangers and at work. Move to तुम only when the other person does. | |||
| you (to a friend) | तुम | तू | you, to a very close person, a small child, or God |
| माँ ने बच्चे से कहा, तू बहुत शरारती है।The mother said to the child: you are very naughty.तू is the most intimate form. To anybody outside that circle it sounds rude, and an adult learner rarely needs it. | |||
| ask (for money, for help) | माँगना | पूछना | to ask a question, to enquire |
| मैं आपसे एक बात पूछना चाहती हूँ।I would like to ask you something.पूछनाwants informationमाँगनाwants a thing: मैंने पानी माँगा, I asked for water. | |||
| tell (somebody the way, the news) | बताना | कहना | to say words; to tell somebody to do something |
| आप असल में क्या कहना चाहते हैं?What are you actually trying to say?Giving information is बताना: मुझे रास्ता बताइए, tell me the way. कहना reports words or an instruction. | |||
| learn (find out a piece of news) | पता चलना | सीखना | to learn a skill or a language |
| मुझे गाड़ी चलाना सीखना है।I want to learn to drive.Finding something out is पता चलना: मुझे कल पता चला, I learnt it yesterday. सीखना takes practice. | |||
| see (meet a friend) | मिलना | देखना | to see, to look at, to watch |
| मुझे रात को टीवी देखना पसंद है।I like watching television in the evening.Seeing a person, in the sense of meeting them, is मिलना with से: मैं कल रवि से मिला. | |||
| old (of a person) | बूढ़ा | पुराना | old, of things; former |
| यह हमारा पुराना घर है।This is our old house.A person who is old is बूढ़ा, or more politely बुज़ुर्ग. पुराना दोस्त is an old friend in the sense of a long-standing one. | |||
| free (costing nothing) | मुफ़्त | आज़ाद | free, at liberty, independent |
| भारत 1947 में आज़ाद हुआ।India became free in 1947.Free of charge is मुफ़्त; free to do as you like, or independent, is आज़ाद. | |||
| free (not busy) | ख़ाली | मुफ़्त | free of charge |
| छोटे बच्चों का टिकट मुफ़्त है।Tickets for small children are free.Somebody with time on their hands is ख़ाली: क्या आप आज शाम ख़ाली हैं? | |||
| time (three times, once) | बार | समय | time as a span; the time of day |
| मेरे पास अभी बिल्कुल समय नहीं है।I have no time at all right now.Counting occasions is बार: एक बार, once; तीन बार, three times. The time on the clock is बजे. | |||
| take (somebody somewhere) | ले जाना | लेना | to take, to accept, to buy |
| मैं यह लाल वाली साड़ी लेना चाहती हूँ।I would like to take the red sari.Taking something or somebody to another place is ले जाना: मैं बच्चों को पार्क ले जाऊँगा. The opposite, to bring, is लाना. | |||
| need (I need water) | चाहिए | चाहना | to want, to wish; also to love somebody |
| किसी को इतना चाहना आसान नहीं होता।It is not easy to love somebody so much.A need is चाहिए, with the person in को: मुझे पानी चाहिए. चाहना is a wish, and of a person it means to love. | |||
| can (speak a language, swim) | आना | सकना | can, be able to on a particular occasion |
| क्या आप कल शाम आ सकते हैं?Can you come tomorrow evening?A skill you have is something that comes to you: मुझे हिंदी आती है, I can speak Hindi; उसे तैरना आता है, she can swim. | |||
| have (a car, money) | के पास होना | रखना | to put, to place, to keep |
| जाते समय चाबी मेज़ पर रखना मत भूलिए।Don’t forget to leave the key on the table when you go.Hindi has no verb “to have”. What you own is “near you”: मेरे पास एक गाड़ी है. | |||
| room (space for something) | जगह | कमरा | a room in a building |
| मेरा कमरा दूसरी मंज़िल पर है।My room is on the second floor.Space is जगह: गाड़ी में जगह नहीं है, there is no room in the car. | |||
Carried over word for word
Everyday English phrases that come out wrong, too formal or slightly odd when translated word by word — because Hindi says who has what, and who feels what, in its own way.
| You mean | That is | Not this one | Because that means |
|---|---|---|---|
| please (when asking for something) | दीजिए | कृपया | please, in notices, announcements and formal letters |
| कृपया अपना मोबाइल बंद कर दें।Please switch off your mobile phone.Spoken Hindi is polite in the verb, not in an added word: एक चाय दीजिए, a tea please. कृपया on every request sounds like a notice on a train. | |||
| I am cold | ठंड लगना | ठंडा होना | to be cold to the touch, to go cold |
| आपका खाना ठंडा हो रहा है, जल्दी आइए।Your food is getting cold — come quickly.A person feels the cold: मुझे ठंड लग रही है. मैं ठंडा हूँ describes your temperature, like a stone’s. | |||
| have (a brother, a sister) | का होना | के पास होना | to have with you, to own |
| मेरे पास दो टिकट हैं।I have two tickets.Relatives are not possessions: मेरा एक भाई है, उनकी दो बेटियाँ हैं. के पास is for things you have with you or own. | |||
| my (when I am the subject) | अपना | मेरा | my — but not when “I” is the subject of the same sentence |
| यह मेरा भाई है।This is my brother.When the owner is also the subject, Hindi says “own”: मैं अपनी माँ को फ़ोन करूँगा, I will call my mother. | |||
| Mr (before a name, when speaking) | जी | मिस्टर | Mr, used mostly on forms and in offices |
| मिस्टर शर्मा आज दफ़्तर नहीं आए।Mr Sharma did not come to the office today.Respect goes after the name: शर्मा जी, राधा जी. It works for men and women, with the first name or the family name. | |||
| sorry (I didn’t catch that) | क्या कहा | माफ़ी | forgiveness; an apology for something you did |
| मैंने देर से आने के लिए माफ़ी माँगी।I apologised for coming late.To ask somebody to repeat, क्या कहा? or a rising जी? is enough. माफ़ी is for a real apology. | |||
Sounds like English
Short Hindi words that sound like an English word and have nothing to do with it. Nobody confuses them in writing; in a fast sentence the ear hears the English one first.
| You mean | That is | Not this one | Because that means |
|---|---|---|---|
| come | आना | कम | little, less, few |
| चाय में चीनी कम डालिए।Put less sugar in the tea.The k of कम has no puff of breath, and the vowel is short. | |||
| more | और | मोर | a peacock |
| मोर भारत का राष्ट्रीय पक्षी है।The peacock is the national bird of India.More is और or ज़्यादा: थोड़ा और दीजिए. | |||
| pull | खींचना | पुल | a bridge |
| नदी पर एक नया पुल बना है।A new bridge has been built over the river.Doors in India often say खींचें, pull, and धकेलें, push. | |||
| mat | चटाई | मत | don’t (before a command) |
| अंदर मत जाइए, कमरा गीला है।Don’t go in, the room is wet.A mat to sit on is a चटाई; a doormat is a पायदान. | |||
| tail | पूँछ | तेल | oil |
| खाना बनाने में कम तेल डालिए।Use less oil when you cook. | |||
| cheese | पनीर | चीज़ | a thing, an object |
| यह क्या चीज़ है?What is this thing?The fresh cheese of Indian cooking is पनीर. Shops call processed cheese चीज़ too, so the word does both jobs; the sentence decides. | |||
| kill | मारना | कील | a nail |
| तस्वीर टाँगने के लिए दीवार में एक कील लगाइए।Put a nail in the wall to hang the picture.मारना is also to hit, and मार डालना to kill. | |||
| fool | बेवक़ूफ़ | फूल | a flower |
| मैंने माँ के लिए कुछ फूल ख़रीदे।I bought some flowers for my mother.The ph of फूल has a puff of breath; many speakers say it almost as an f. | |||
| bat (for cricket) | बल्ला | बात | a thing said, a matter; a conversation |
| मेरी बात ध्यान से सुनिए।Listen to what I am saying carefully.The t of बात is made with the tongue on the teeth, and the vowel is long. | |||
| cup | कप | कब | when |
| आप भारत कब आ रहे हैं?When are you coming to India?A cup is कप, with a p; कब, when, ends in a b. | |||
| deer | हिरण | देर | a delay; late |
| माफ़ कीजिए, आज बहुत देर हो गई।Sorry, I am very late today. | |||
| pass (go past a place) | गुज़रना | पास | near; also to pass an exam |
| मेरा घर स्टेशन के पास है।My house is near the station.Two words that sound the same: के पास, near, is Hindi, and पास होना, to pass an exam, is English. Going past a place is से गुज़रना. | |||