Hindi · Beginner (A1) · Chapter 12 of 12
Your first conversation
आपकी पहली बातचीतaapkee pahlee baatcheet
Put all of A1 Hindi together in a real conversation on a train: introductions, family, likes, time and polite requests.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Have a short conversation with a stranger
- Use आप, polite requests and the right forms for men and women
- Address people the Indian way with भैया, आंटी and बेटा
Listen
On the train from Delhi to Jaipur, Rahul talks with an older woman, Mrs Kapoor. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Mrs Kapoor
नमस्ते। क्या यह सीट ख़ाली है?
Namaste. Kyaa yah seet khaalee hai?
Hello. Is this seat free?
Rahul
जी हाँ, बैठिए।
Jee haan, baithiye.
Yes, please sit down.
Mrs Kapoor
धन्यवाद। मेरा नाम सुनीता कपूर है। आपका नाम क्या है?
Dhanyavaad. Meraa naam Suneetaa Kapoor hai. Aapkaa naam kyaa hai?
Thank you. My name is Sunita Kapoor. What's your name?
Rahul
मैं राहुल हूँ। मैं दिल्ली से हूँ, लेकिन जयपुर में काम करता हूँ।
Main Raahul hoon. Main Dillee se hoon, lekin Jaipur men kaam kartaa hoon.
I'm Rahul. I'm from Delhi, but I work in Jaipur.
Mrs Kapoor
अच्छा? मेरी बेटी भी जयपुर में रहती है। वह डॉक्टर है।
Achchhaa? Meree betee bhee Jaipur men rahtee hai. Vah doktar hai.
Really? My daughter lives in Jaipur too. She's a doctor.
Rahul
आपको जयपुर पसंद है?
Aapko Jaipur pasand hai?
Do you like Jaipur?
Mrs Kapoor
हाँ, बहुत। अच्छा, यह ट्रेन कितने बजे पहुँचती है?
Haan, bahut. Achchhaa, yah tren kitne baje pahunchtee hai?
Yes, very much. Tell me, what time does this train get in?
Rahul
साढ़े बारह बजे। भैया, दो चाय दीजिए।
Saadhe baarah baje. Bhaiyaa, do chaay deejiye.
At half past twelve. (to the tea seller) Bhaiya, two teas, please.
Mrs Kapoor
धन्यवाद, बेटा। आप बहुत अच्छे हैं।
Dhanyavaad, betaa. Aap bahut achchhe hain.
Thank you, dear. You're very kind.
Rahul
कोई बात नहीं, आंटी। आपसे मिलकर ख़ुशी हुई।
Koee baat naheen, aantee. Aapse milkar khushee huee.
Don't mention it, auntie. It's nice to meet you.
Understand
Being polite with आप
Rahul and Mrs Kapoor have just met, so they both use (aap). Here is what you've learned for polite conversation, all in one place. Notice that the verb is always at the end.
| Hindi | Meaning | Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| (aapkaa naam kyaa hai?) | What's your name? | 12 |
| (aap kahaan se hain?) | Where are you from? | 1 |
| (baithiye), (deejiye) | please sit, please give | 3 |
| (maaf keejiye) | excuse me, sorry | 4 |
| … (aapko … pasand hai?) | Do you like …? | 10 |
| … (kyaa aap … aa sakte hain?) | Can you come …? | 11 |
Men and women: a summary
Gender changes many words in Hindi. Verbs follow the person doing the action (your own gender when you say (main)). (meraa) / (meree) and adjectives ending in -aa agree with the person or thing they describe.
| Example | Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|---|
| I work (verb) | (main kaam kartaa hoon) | (main kaam kartee hoon) |
| you're kind (adjective) | (aap bahut achchhe hain) | (aap bahut achchhee hain) |
| my child (possessive) | (meraa betaa), my son | (meree betee), my daughter |
| how are you? | (aap kaise hain?) | (aap kaisee hain?) |
Calling people bhaiya, auntie, beta
Indians often address people with family words, even strangers. Mrs Kapoor calls Rahul (betaa, son): from an older person it's warm, like “dear”. Rahul calls her (aantee). Shopkeepers and drivers are (bhaiyaa), and a woman about your age or a little older is (deedee). An older man is (ankal). With colleagues and people you respect, add (jee) to the name: (Suneetaa jee).
More in the grammar: Adjectives: changing and unchanging · Gender of nouns: masculine and feminine · Pronouns and politeness · Word order: the verb goes last · Commands and requests: आ, आओ, आइए
New words
- सीटseetseat · feminine
- जी हाँjee haanyes (polite) · (jee) makes a word more polite. “No” politely is (jee naheen).
- बैठिएbaithiyeplease sit down · The polite form, used with (aap). To a friend: (baitho).
- आपका नाम क्या है?Aapkaa naam kyaa hai?What's your name?
- बेटीbeteedaughter · feminine
- रहनाrahnaato live, to stay · (vah Jaipur men rahtee hai), she lives in Jaipur
- ट्रेनtrentrain · feminine
- पहुँचनाpahunchnaato arrive, to get to
- बेटाbetaason; dear (to a young person) · Older people say it warmly to a young man, and often to a young woman too.
- आंटीaanteeauntie · feminine; a friendly, respectful way to address an older woman
- अंकलankaluncle · masculine; a friendly, respectful way to address an older man
Practise
1.A woman wants to say “I work in Jaipur.” Which sentence is correct?
2.Put the words in order to ask someone's name, as Mrs Kapoor does in the dialogue.
Tap the words below in the right order.What's your name?
3.Match the Hindi with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
4.Rahul is talking to Mrs Kapoor, an older woman he has just met. Which question is right?
5.Put the words in order: Mrs Kapoor talks about her daughter.
Tap the words below in the right order.My daughter is a doctor.
6.Rahul says the train arrives (saadhe baarah baje). What time is that?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
जी हाँ, बैठिए।
Jee haan, baithiye.
Yes, please sit down.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.