Hindi idioms

Said in admiration when something is surprisingly good; as a question with a rising voice it asks what the matter is.

English: wonderful!; well done!

आपने इतना अच्छा खाना बनाया? क्या बात है!You cooked such a good meal? Wonderful!

The same three words do two jobs, and only the voice tells them apart: क्या बात है? with a rising, concerned tone means “what’s wrong?”.

Said early in a conversation to invite the other person to tell their news.

English: so, what’s new?; how are things?

और सुनाइए, घर में सब कैसे हैं?So, how is everyone at home?

Literally “and tell (us) more”. Among friends it is और सुनाओ, and the usual answer is सब ठीक है, all is well.

Said to introduce one’s own opinion, politely and without insisting.

English: in my opinion; I think

मेरे ख़याल से हमें अभी निकलना चाहिए।I think we should leave now.

Literally “according to my thought”. मेरे विचार से says the same in a more formal register.

Said before admitting something the listener may not want to hear.

English: to tell the truth; to be honest

सच कहूँ तो मुझे यह फ़िल्म बिल्कुल पसंद नहीं आई।To be honest, I didn’t like the film at all.

Literally “if I speak the truth”. कहूँ is the subjunctive, the form of a possibility.

Said to come to the real reason or the real point.

English: the thing is

बात यह है कि आज मेरे पास बिल्कुल समय नहीं है।The thing is, I have no time at all today.

Said to set aside what has been discussed and come to a decision or a firm statement.

English: be that as it may; whatever happens

जो भी हो, कल हम ज़रूर चलेंगे।Whatever happens, we will definitely go tomorrow.

Said to add a further reason that settles the matter.

English: anyway; in any case

रहने दीजिए, वैसे भी बहुत देर हो चुकी है।Leave it — it is very late anyway.

वैसे on its own, at the start of a sentence, changes the subject: “by the way”.

Said among friends to let a disagreement or an awkward subject drop.

English: never mind; forget it

चलो, छोड़ो, इस बारे में बाद में बात करेंगे।Never mind, we’ll talk about it later.

Two imperatives in the तुम form, so it belongs between friends. To somebody you address with आप: चलिए, जाने दीजिए.

Said when nobody can know the answer, often with a shrug.

English: who knows; you never know

क्या पता, शायद वह आज ही आ जाए।Who knows, perhaps he will come today after all.

Literally “what is known?”. मुझे क्या पता, “how should I know?”, is less friendly.

Said to grant the other person’s point before adding one’s own.

English: that’s true; fair enough

यह होटल महँगा है। — वह तो है, पर जगह बहुत अच्छी है।This hotel is expensive. — True, but the location is very good.

The little word तो does the work: it grants the point and announces that a “but” is coming.

Said in admiration of somebody’s skill or nerve.

English: I’m impressed; hats off to you

पूरी किताब एक दिन में पढ़ ली? मान गए!You read the whole book in one day? I’m impressed!

Literally “(we) have accepted (it)”. The plural is usual even when one person is speaking.

Said to put an end to an argument, a noise or a long complaint.

English: that’s enough; enough is enough

बस, बहुत हो गया! अब सब चुप हो जाओ।That’s enough! Everybody be quiet now.

Said to reassure somebody who suspects offence, anger or a problem.

English: it’s nothing like that; not at all

क्या आप नाराज़ हैं? — नहीं, ऐसी कोई बात नहीं।Are you annoyed? — No, not at all.

Said to accept that two people like different things.

English: each to their own; there’s no accounting for taste

मुझे चाय पसंद है, मेरे भाई को कॉफ़ी — अपनी-अपनी पसंद।I like tea and my brother likes coffee — each to their own.

Doubling a word spreads it over everybody: अपनी-अपनी is “each person’s own”.

Said to leave a choice entirely to the other person.

English: as you wish; it’s up to you

आप चाहें तो रात को यहीं रुक जाइए, आपकी मर्ज़ी।You can stay here tonight if you like — it’s up to you.

Said to welcome a guest into the house or a room.

English: come in, sit down; do come in

आइए, बैठिए, मैं आपके लिए पानी लाती हूँ।Come in, sit down — I’ll bring you some water.

Both verbs are in the polite -इए form. Offering water first is the ordinary courtesy to anybody who has come in from outside.

Said to somebody who is hurrying: there is no need.

English: take your time; easy does it

आराम से खाइए, कोई जल्दी नहीं है।Take your time eating, there is no hurry.

Literally “with comfort”. After a verb it also means “easily”: हम आराम से पहुँच गए, we got there without trouble.

Said by a host who will not accept that a guest wants nothing.

English: do have something; you must have something

आपने तो कुछ खाया ही नहीं, कुछ तो लीजिए!You haven’t eaten anything — do have something!

A first refusal is often heard as modesty, so the host asks again. A guest who really wants nothing says so a second time, kindly.

Said to call people to the table.

English: dinner is served; the food is on the table

चलिए, हाथ धो लीजिए, खाना लग गया है।Come on, wash your hands, the food is on the table.

Literally “the food has been attached”: लगना is used for anything set out in its place, a table as well as a shop.

Said to thank somebody warmly for a kindness or a favour.

English: that’s very kind of you

आपने मेरा भारी बैग उठा दिया, आपकी बड़ी मेहरबानी।You carried my heavy bag for me — that’s very kind of you.

Warmer and more personal than धन्यवाद. The word is feminine, so it is बड़ी, not बड़ा.

Said to apologise for troubling somebody.

English: sorry to trouble you; sorry for the inconvenience

इतनी रात को फ़ोन किया, तकलीफ़ के लिए माफ़ कीजिए।Sorry to trouble you, calling so late at night.

Said to make a polite request sound like a great favour.

English: I would be very grateful

अगर आप यह चिट्ठी डाक में डाल दें तो बड़ी कृपा होगी।I would be very grateful if you could post this letter.

Formal and courteous; in letters and to older people. The verb in the अगर clause stands in the subjunctive.

Said to somebody setting off on a journey.

English: have a good journey; bon voyage

कल सुबह आप जा रहे हैं? आपकी यात्रा शुभ हो!You are leaving tomorrow morning? Have a good journey!

हो here is a wish, “may it be”. Among friends it is often shortened to हैप्पी जर्नी, an English phrase that has become Hindi.

Said with relief when something has turned out well.

English: thank God; thank goodness

भगवान का शुक्र है, सब लोग ठीक-ठाक पहुँच गए।Thank goodness, everybody got there safe and sound.

Many speakers also say शुक्र है on its own. It is an expression of relief rather than a religious statement.

Said after praising a child, a house or good fortune, to keep bad luck away.

English: touch wood

आपका बेटा कितना प्यारा है, नज़र न लगे!What a lovely son you have — touch wood!

Literally “may the (evil) eye not strike”. Praise said too openly is traditionally thought to attract bad luck, and this phrase takes the edge off it.

Said by an older person to a younger one as a blessing, often in reply to a greeting.

English: bless you; be happy

मैंने दादी के पैर छुए, तो उन्होंने कहा, ख़ुश रहो।I touched my grandmother’s feet, and she said: be happy.

In the तुम form, because it goes from old to young. Touching an elder’s feet is a gesture of respect, and a blessing is the answer.

To be heartbroken, deeply disappointed.

English: to be heartbroken

टीम में जगह न मिलने से उसका दिल टूट गया।He was heartbroken when he didn’t get a place in the team.

The picture is the same as in English, and so is the use: not only for love, but for any hope that has come to nothing.

To be moved almost to tears.

English: to be choked up; to have a lump in one’s throat

बेटी की विदाई पर माँ का दिल भर आया।At her daughter’s farewell the mother was close to tears.

Literally “the heart came full”. विदाई is the moment a bride leaves her parents’ home, a scene that brings this phrase out more than any other.

To feel relief after fear or great worry.

English: to breathe again; to feel relieved

खोया हुआ बच्चा मिल गया, तो सबकी जान में जान आई।When the lost child was found, everybody could breathe again.

Literally “life came into life”: the fear had almost taken it away.

To be stunned by a shock or a nasty surprise.

English: to be stunned; to be knocked for six

होटल का बिल देखकर मेरे होश उड़ गए।When I saw the hotel bill I was stunned.

Literally “the senses flew away”. होश is plural here, so the verb is उड़ गए.

To be overjoyed, unable to contain one’s happiness.

English: to be over the moon; to be beside oneself with joy

नतीजा सुनकर वह ख़ुशी से फूली न समाई।When she heard the result she was over the moon.

Literally “swollen (with joy), she did not fit (in herself)”. Both verbs agree with the person: फूला न समाया for a man.

To settle in and feel at home somewhere; also, to be able to concentrate on something.

English: to settle in; to get into something

नए स्कूल में अब मेरा मन लग गया है।I have settled in at the new school now.

Negated it is the commonest way to say one is bored or homesick: यहाँ मेरा मन नहीं लगता, I don’t feel at home here.

To fly into a rage.

English: to hit the roof; to be livid

टूटा हुआ फूलदान देखकर पापा आग बबूला हो गए।When Dad saw the broken vase he hit the roof.

Literally “to become a bubble of fire”. It describes sudden anger, not lasting resentment.

To break out in a sweat from fear or nerves.

English: to break out in a cold sweat

मंच पर जाते ही मेरे पसीने छूट गए।The moment I went on stage I broke out in a cold sweat.

To feel one’s heart sink with sudden fear or bad news.

English: one’s heart sinks

रात को अस्पताल से फ़ोन आया, तो मेरा दिल बैठ गया।When the hospital rang at night, my heart sank.

To be delighted.

English: to be thrilled; to be tickled pink

दादी का तोहफ़ा देखकर वह बाग़-बाग़ हो गई।She was thrilled when she saw her grandmother’s present.

Literally “to become garden-garden”: as fresh and happy as a garden in bloom.

To pester somebody until they can bear it no longer.

English: to drive somebody up the wall

इन बच्चों ने मेरी नाक में दम कर रखा है।These children are driving me up the wall.

Literally “to put the breath into somebody’s nose”, as if they could hardly breathe. कर रखा है says it has been going on for some time.

A person who is loved above all others, usually a child.

English: the apple of one’s eye

छोटा पोता अपनी दादी की आँख का तारा है।The youngest grandson is the apple of his grandmother’s eye.

Literally “the star of the eye”, the pupil. English has the same organ and a different fruit.

To pester somebody with talk or questions.

English: to nag; to talk somebody’s ear off

मेरा सिर मत खाओ, मुझे काम करने दो।Stop going on at me, let me work.

Literally “to eat somebody’s head”. Informal; said among family and friends.

To become suddenly alert, usually at something heard.

English: to prick up one’s ears

अपना नाम सुनते ही मेरे कान खड़े हो गए।The moment I heard my name, I pricked up my ears.

The same picture as in English, borrowed from a dog or a horse. खड़े is plural because कान, ears, is.

To feel one’s mouth water at the sight or thought of food.

English: to make one’s mouth water

गरम जलेबियाँ देखकर मेरे मुँह में पानी आ गया।When I saw the hot jalebis my mouth watered.

The same picture as in English, with the person in the possessive: “water came into my mouth”.

To become independent and earn one’s own living.

English: to stand on one’s own two feet

पढ़ाई के बाद वह अपने पैरों पर खड़ी होना चाहती है।After her studies she wants to stand on her own two feet.

The same picture as in English. खड़ा agrees with the person: खड़ी for a woman.

To deceive somebody by a trick, right under their nose.

English: to pull the wool over somebody’s eyes

चोर पुलिस की आँखों में धूल झोंककर भाग गया।The thief hoodwinked the police and got away.

Literally “to throw dust into somebody’s eyes”.

To go after somebody or something with all one’s energy and not let go.

English: to hound somebody; to be dead set on something

पत्रकार उस नेता के पीछे हाथ धोकर पड़ गए हैं।The journalists have been hounding that politician.

Literally “to wash one’s hands and fall in behind”, as if getting ready for a serious job. The person or thing pursued takes के पीछे.

To turn somebody against a third person by telling tales.

English: to poison somebody’s mind

किसी ने मैनेजर के कान भर दिए हैं।Somebody has poisoned the manager’s mind against us.

Literally “to fill somebody’s ears”.

To lose face, to be disgraced in front of others.

English: to lose face

उसकी हरकतों से पूरे परिवार की नाक कट गई।His behaviour disgraced the whole family.

The nose stands for honour: नाक ऊँची रखना is to keep up one’s good name.

To praise and encourage somebody for good work.

English: to pat somebody on the back

जीत के बाद कोच ने हमारी पीठ थपथपाई।After the win the coach patted us on the back.

To realise the truth at last, often after a bad experience.

English: to have one’s eyes opened

उस घटना के बाद मेरी आँखें खुल गईं।That incident opened my eyes.

आँखें is feminine plural, so the past is खुल गईं, with the nasal on the last vowel.

To be utterly astonished.

English: to be amazed; to be lost for words

उसका जादू देखकर सबने दाँतों तले उँगली दबा ली।Everybody was amazed by his magic tricks.

Literally “to press a finger under the teeth”, the old gesture of astonishment.

To spoil somebody, usually a child, by giving in to everything.

English: to spoil somebody rotten

बच्चों को इतना सिर पर मत चढ़ाइए।Don’t spoil the children so much.

Literally “to lift somebody onto one’s head”. Intransitive, सिर पर चढ़ना, it is what the spoilt child then does.

To sit idle when something ought to be done.

English: to sit on one’s hands; to twiddle one’s thumbs

हाथ पर हाथ रखकर बैठने से कुछ नहीं होगा।Nothing will happen if we just sit on our hands.

To go through all kinds of hard work and hardship to get somewhere.

English: to go through the mill

यह नौकरी पाने के लिए मैंने बहुत पापड़ बेले हैं।I went through the mill to get this job.

Literally “to roll out poppadoms”, thin discs of dough rolled out one by one, a long and tedious job.

To be an extremely hard task.

English: a tough nut to crack; uphill work

इस परीक्षा को पास करना लोहे के चने चबाना है।Passing this exam is uphill work.

Literally “to chew iron chickpeas”.

To get ready for a big effort.

English: to roll up one’s sleeves; to gird one’s loins

चुनाव के लिए सभी पार्टियों ने कमर कस ली है।All the parties have rolled up their sleeves for the election.

Literally “to tighten one’s waist”, the way a worker tied his cloth before heavy labour.

To make grand plans that have no basis in reality.

English: to build castles in the air

हवाई क़िले मत बनाओ, पहले पढ़ाई पूरी करो।Stop building castles in the air and finish your studies first.

One of the few pictures that are nearly the same in both languages: “airy forts”.

To learn what everyday life really costs, usually the hard way.

English: to learn the hard way what life costs

अकेले रहोगे, तो आटे-दाल का भाव मालूम हो जाएगा।Once you live on your own, you’ll find out what things cost.

Literally “to know the price of flour and lentils”, the two things every household buys.

To spend money freely, without counting it.

English: to spend money like water

उन्होंने शादी में पानी की तरह पैसा बहाया।They spent money like water on the wedding.

To do something the wrong way round, against the natural order.

English: to put the cart before the horse

छात्र अध्यापक को पढ़ाए? यह तो उल्टी गंगा बहाना है।The pupil teaching the teacher? That’s turning things upside down.

Literally “to make the Ganges flow backwards”.

To be seen very rarely.

English: to be a stranger; long time no see

आजकल तुम तो ईद का चाँद हो गए हो!You’ve become quite a stranger these days!

The new moon that marks the end of the fasting month is thin and waited for anxiously. Said, half in reproach, to a friend who has been too busy to visit.

To run away quickly.

English: to take to one’s heels; to make a run for it

पुलिस को देखते ही चोर नौ दो ग्यारह हो गए।The moment they saw the police, the thieves took to their heels.

Literally “to become nine (and) two (is) eleven”. Nobody quite knows why; the sums are as quick as the escape.

Far too little of something to make any difference.

English: a drop in the ocean

इतने बड़े परिवार के लिए एक किलो चावल ऊँट के मुँह में जीरा है।For such a large family, a kilo of rice is a drop in the ocean.

Literally “a cumin seed in a camel’s mouth”.

To praise oneself.

English: to blow one’s own trumpet

वह हमेशा अपने मुँह मियाँ मिट्ठू बनता है।He is always blowing his own trumpet.

मियाँ मिट्ठू, “Mr Sweetie”, is what people call a pet parrot; the boaster is a parrot repeating his own praise.

Somebody who knows nothing of the world beyond their own small circle.

English: a stick-in-the-mud; parochial

कभी शहर से बाहर निकलो, कुएँ के मेंढक मत बनो।Get out of town sometimes — don’t be a frog in a well.

The frog at the bottom of a well thinks the circle of sky above it is the whole sky.

Said when something seems suspicious.

English: something fishy is going on

वे दोनों बार-बार फुसफुसा रहे हैं, दाल में कुछ काला है।Those two keep whispering — there’s something fishy going on.

Literally “there is something black in the lentils”, where nothing black should be.

A very difficult task.

English: a hard nut to crack

दादी को मोबाइल चलाना सिखाना टेढ़ी खीर है।Teaching Grandma to use a mobile phone is a hard nut to crack.

Literally “crooked rice pudding”, a dish nobody could hope to eat neatly.

A person on whom no advice or criticism has any effect.

English: like water off a duck’s back

उसे कितना भी समझाओ, वह तो चिकना घड़ा है।However much you reason with him, it’s like water off a duck’s back.

Literally “a greasy pot”: water runs straight off it.

To waste something good on somebody who cannot appreciate it.

English: to cast pearls before swine

उसे क्रिकेट के नियम समझाना भैंस के आगे बीन बजाना है।Explaining the rules of cricket to him is a waste of breath.

Literally “to play the snake-charmer’s pipe in front of a buffalo”.

To change one’s opinions or loyalties whenever it suits.

English: to be a turncoat; to blow hot and cold

वह नेता गिरगिट की तरह रंग बदलता है।That politician changes sides whenever it suits him.

Literally “to change colour like a chameleon” — a reproach in Hindi, whatever chameleons may think of it.

To celebrate joyfully at a piece of good news.

English: to kill the fatted calf; to celebrate

बेटे की नौकरी लगने पर घर में घी के दीये जलाए गए।When their son got a job, the family celebrated.

Lamps burning clarified butter instead of cheap oil were a sign of a great occasion.

To make a tremendous noise or fuss.

English: to raise the roof; to kick up a fuss

खिलौना न मिलने पर बच्चे ने आसमान सिर पर उठा लिया।When he didn’t get the toy, the child kicked up a huge fuss.

Literally “to lift the sky onto one’s head”.

People reap the consequences of their own actions.

English: as you sow, so shall you reap

उसने पूरे साल पढ़ाई नहीं की और फ़ेल हो गया। जैसी करनी वैसी भरनी।He didn’t study all year and failed. As you sow, so shall you reap.

The two nouns rhyme: what one does (करनी) is what one fills one’s own pot with (भरनी).

Small amounts add up to a lot in time.

English: every little helps; many a mickle makes a muckle

हर महीने थोड़ा बचाओ, बूँद-बूँद से घड़ा भरता है।Save a little every month — every little helps.

Literally “drop by drop the pot fills”.

Said of somebody who blames circumstances for their own lack of skill.

English: a bad workman blames his tools

वह कहता है कि बल्ला ख़राब था। नाच न जाने आँगन टेढ़ा!He says the bat was no good. A bad workman blames his tools!

Literally “(she) cannot dance, (and says) the courtyard is crooked”. The verb has the old form जाने for “knows”.

What one has at home is never valued as much as it deserves.

English: familiarity breeds contempt; a prophet has no honour in his own country

बाहर सब उसकी तारीफ़ करते हैं, पर घर में कोई ध्यान नहीं देता। घर की मुर्ग़ी दाल बराबर।Outside everyone praises her, but at home nobody notices. Familiarity breeds contempt.

Literally “the chicken at home is worth no more than lentils”: a delicacy one owns counts for no more than the everyday dish.

Whoever is strongest gets their way.

English: might is right

बड़ी कंपनी ने छोटी दुकानों को बंद करवा दिया। जिसकी लाठी उसकी भैंस।The big company had the small shops closed down. Might is right.

Literally “whoever has the stick has the buffalo”.

Somebody without taste or knowledge cannot appreciate something fine.

English: what does a philistine know of it

वह इस संगीत को शोर कहता है। बंदर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद!He calls this music noise. What does he know!

Literally “what would a monkey know of the taste of ginger?”. It is cheeky, and said about somebody rather than to them.

Things seem better from a distance than they turn out to be.

English: the grass is always greener on the other side

विदेश में ज़िंदगी आसान लगती है, पर दूर के ढोल सुहावने होते हैं।Life abroad seems easy, but the grass is always greener on the other side.

Literally “drums at a distance sound pleasant”.

Said when far too many people want one single thing.

English: too many people chasing too few

एक नौकरी के लिए पाँच सौ अर्ज़ियाँ आई हैं। एक अनार सौ बीमार।Five hundred applications for one job — far too many people chasing too little.

Literally “one pomegranate, a hundred sick people”, all hoping to eat it to get well.

Among people who know nothing, somebody who knows a little passes for an expert.

English: in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king

हममें से किसी को कंप्यूटर नहीं आता, इसलिए थोड़ा जानने वाला भी अंधों में काना राजा है।None of us knows computers, so anyone who knows a little is king.

One of the few proverbs that English shares almost word for word.

With enough determination a way can always be found.

English: where there’s a will, there’s a way

पैसे कम हैं, पर हम पढ़ाई पूरी करेंगे। जहाँ चाह वहाँ राह।There’s little money, but we will finish our studies. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Said of something that looks impressive and turns out disappointing.

English: all show and no substance

इतना महँगा रेस्तराँ और खाना बिल्कुल बेस्वाद। ऊँची दुकान फीका पकवान!Such an expensive restaurant and such tasteless food. All show and no substance!

Literally “a tall shop, bland sweets”.

It is too late for regret once the damage has been done.

English: it’s no use crying over spilt milk

पूरे साल खेलते रहे और अब रो रहे हो? अब पछताए होत क्या, जब चिड़िया चुग गई खेत।You played all year and now you’re crying? It’s no use crying over spilt milk.

An old verse rather than modern Hindi: होत is an old form of “is”. Literally “what use is regret now, when the birds have pecked the field bare?”.

Said when one thing brings a double profit.

English: a double gain; to profit twice over

पुरानी किताबें बेचकर पैसे भी मिले और जगह भी बनी। आम के आम गुठलियों के दाम।Selling the old books brought in money and freed up space — a double gain.

Literally “mangoes as mangoes, and money for the stones too”.

Said of a hypocrite who talks kindly and plans harm.

English: a wolf in sheep’s clothing

उसकी मीठी बातों पर भरोसा मत करो, उसके मुँह में राम बगल में छुरी है।Don’t trust his sweet words — he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Literally “God’s name in the mouth, a knife under the arm”.

Said when one action achieves two purposes.

English: to kill two birds with one stone

बाज़ार गई तो दादी की दवा भी ले आई। एक पंथ दो काज।I went to the market and picked up Grandma’s medicine too — two birds with one stone.

Literally “one road, two jobs”. Nobody gets hurt in the Hindi version, birds included.