Hindi · Intermediate (B1) · Chapter 9 of 12
Health and lifestyle
सेहत और आदतेंsehat aur aadaten
Talk about healthy habits in Hindi: ज़रूरी है कि (it's important that), can and can't manage with पाना, know how with आना, and let with -ने देना.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Talk about habits, diet and exercise
- Say what is important with ज़रूरी है कि (zarooree hai ki)
- Tell apart can, manage to and know how to
- Say what someone lets you do
Listen
In Ranchi, Ravi Kumar, 54, goes back to his doctor, Dr Priya Mishra, to hear the results of his tests. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Dr Mishra
रवि जी, आपकी रिपोर्ट आ गई है। आपका बीपी थोड़ा बढ़ा हुआ है।
Ravi jee, aapkee riport aa gaee hai. Aapkaa beepee thoraa badhaa huaa hai.
Mr Kumar, your report has come in. Your blood pressure is a little high.
Ravi
क्या यह चिंता की बात है, डॉक्टर?
Kyaa yah chintaa kee baat hai, doktar?
Is it something to worry about, doctor?
Dr Mishra
अभी नहीं, लेकिन यह ज़रूरी है कि आप अपनी आदतें बदलें। आप दिन में कितना चलते हैं?
Abhee naheen, lekin yah zarooree hai ki aap apnee aadaten badlen. Aap din men kitnaa chalte hain?
Not yet, but it's important that you change your habits. How much do you walk in a day?
Ravi
सच कहूँ तो बहुत कम। मैं सुबह नौ बजे ऑफ़िस जाता हूँ और रात आठ बजे घर आता हूँ। टहलने का समय ही नहीं मिलता।
Sach kahoon to bahut kam. Main subah nau baje ofis jaataa hoon aur raat aath baje ghar aataa hoon. Tahalne kaa samay hee naheen miltaa.
To be honest, very little. I go to the office at nine in the morning and get home at eight at night. I just don't get the time to go for a walk.
Dr Mishra
रोज़ आधा घंटा चलना ज़रूरी है। अगर सुबह नहीं हो पाता, तो रात को खाने के बाद चलिए।
Roz aadhaa ghantaa chalnaa zarooree hai. Agar subah naheen ho paataa, to raat ko khaane ke baad chaliye.
Walking for half an hour every day is essential. If you can't manage it in the morning, go for a walk after dinner.
Ravi
ठीक है। और खाने में? मुझे चाय में तीन चम्मच चीनी लेने की आदत है।
Theek hai. Aur khaane men? Mujhe chaay men teen chammach cheenee lene kee aadat hai.
All right. And what about food? I'm used to taking three spoons of sugar in my tea.
Dr Mishra
तीन चम्मच? यह बहुत ज़्यादा है। चीनी धीरे-धीरे कम कीजिए। और नमक भी कम खाना पड़ेगा।
Teen chammach? Yah bahut zyaadaa hai. Cheenee dheere-dheere kam keejiye. Aur namak bhee kam khaanaa paregaa.
Three spoons? That's far too much. Cut down on sugar little by little. And you'll have to eat less salt, too.
Ravi
नमक भी कम? लेकिन मेरी पत्नी इतना अच्छा खाना बनाती हैं! क्या मैं कभी-कभी समोसा भी नहीं खा सकता?
Namak bhee kam? Lekin meree patnee itnaa achchhaa khaanaa banaatee hain! Kyaa main kabhee-kabhee samosaa bhee naheen khaa saktaa?
Less salt too? But my wife cooks so well! Can't I even have a samosa now and then?
Dr Mishra
खा सकते हैं, लेकिन हफ़्ते में एक बार से ज़्यादा नहीं। और आप सिगरेट तो नहीं पीते, न?
Khaa sakte hain, lekin hafte men ek baar se zyaadaa naheen. Aur aap sigret to naheen peete, na?
You can, but not more than once a week. And you don't smoke, do you?
Ravi
नहीं, दस साल पहले छोड़ दी थी। पहले मैं छोड़ नहीं पा रहा था, लेकिन मेरी बेटी ने मुझे पीने ही नहीं दिया।
Naheen, das saal pahle chhor dee thee. Pahle main chhor naheen paa rahaa thaa, lekin meree betee ne mujhe peene hee naheen diyaa.
No, I gave up ten years ago. At first I couldn't manage to stop, but my daughter simply wouldn't let me smoke.
Dr Mishra
बहुत अच्छा किया। तो आप यह भी कर सकते हैं। एक महीने बाद आइए, ताकि हम बीपी फिर से चेक कर सकें।
Bahut achchhaa kiyaa. To aap yah bhee kar sakte hain. Ek maheene baad aaiye, taaki ham beepee phir se chek kar saken.
Well done. So you can do this too. Come back in a month, so that we can check your blood pressure again.
Ravi
ज़रूर। मेरे घर के पास एक स्विमिंग पूल भी है, लेकिन मुझे तैरना नहीं आता। शायद अब सीखने का समय आ गया है।
Zaroor. Mere ghar ke paas ek sviming pool bhee hai, lekin mujhe tairnaa naheen aataa. Shaayad ab seekhne kaa samay aa gayaa hai.
Certainly. There's a swimming pool near my house too, but I can't swim. Maybe it's time to learn.
Understand
It's important that: ज़रूरी है कि
(zarooree) means “important, necessary”. For a general rule, use the -ना (-naa) form: (roz chalnaa zarooree hai), walking every day is essential. For one person, use (ki) and the subjunctive: (yah zarooree hai ki aap apnee aadaten badlen), it's important that you change your habits.
You now have several ways to say what someone should or must do. They differ in how strong they are and where the pressure comes from.
| Hindi | Meaning | Feels like |
|---|---|---|
| (aapko chalnaa chaahiye.) | You should walk. | advice |
| (aapko kal aanaa hai.) | You're to come tomorrow. | a plan or duty |
| (namak kam khaanaa paregaa.) | You'll have to eat less salt. | no choice |
| (yah zarooree hai ki aap chalen.) | It's important that you walk. | strong, serious advice |
Can, manage to, know how to
(saknaa), from A1, is “can”: it is possible or allowed. (paanaa) after a stem means “to manage to”, mostly in the negative, when you try but fail: (main chhor naheen paa rahaa thaa), I couldn't manage to stop. (ho paanaa) is “to manage to happen”: (agar subah naheen ho paataa), if you can't manage it in the morning.
For skills, Hindi says the skill “comes” to you: (mujhe tairnaa aataa hai), I can swim, I know how to swim; (mujhe tairnaa naheen aataa), I can't swim. With a language: (mujhe thoree Hindee aatee hai), I know a little Hindi.
- आज मैं नहीं आ सकती, मेरी मीटिंग है।Aaj main naheen aa saktee, meree meeting hai.I can't come today, I have a meeting. (a woman speaking)
- मैं कल रात सो नहीं पाया।Main kal raat so naheen paayaa.I couldn't sleep last night. (a man speaking)
- क्या आपको खाना बनाना आता है?Kyaa aapko khaanaa banaanaa aataa hai?Can you cook?
Let me go: -ने देना
To say “let someone do something”, put the verb in the -ने (-ne) form and add (denaa). The person who is allowed takes (ko): (mujhe jaane deejiye), please let me go. In the past, takes (ne): (meree betee ne mujhe peene naheen diyaa), my daughter didn't let me smoke.
To ask for permission yourself, use (saknaa) as in A2: (kyaa main andar aa saktaa hoon?), may I come in?
- मुझे भी बोलने दीजिए।Mujhe bhee bolne deejiye.Let me speak too, please.
- बच्चों को पार्क में खेलने दो।Bachchon ko paark men khelne do.Let the children play in the park.
More in the grammar: Should and have to: चाहिए, है, पड़ना · Joining actions: -कर, -आ हुआ, -ते ही · The subjunctive: करूँ, करे, करें
New words
- बढ़ा हुआbadhaa huaahigh, raised · from (badhnaa), to go up, to increase; (beepee) is blood pressure
- चिंता की बातchintaa kee baatsomething to worry about · (chintaa), worry
- ज़रूरीzarooreeimportant, necessary · never changes
- आदतaadathabit · feminine; plural (aadaten). … (mujhe … kee aadat hai), I'm in the habit of …
- सच कहूँ तोsach kahoon toto be honest · literally “if I tell the truth”
- टहलनाtahalnaato go for a walk, to stroll
- रोज़rozevery day · same as (har din)
- पानाpaanaato manage to (after a stem) · (naheen ho paataa), it doesn't get done, I can't manage it
- चम्मचchammachspoon, spoonful · masculine
- धीरे-धीरेdheere-dheereslowly, little by little
- नमकnamaksalt · masculine
- सिगरेटsigretcigarette · feminine; (sigret peenaa), to smoke
- पीने नहीं दियाpeene naheen diyaadidn't let (someone) smoke · -ने देना (-ne denaa), to let (someone do something)
- तैरना आनाtairnaa aanaato know how to swim · (mujhe tairnaa naheen aataa), I can't swim
Practise
1.How do you say “It's important that you walk every day”?
2.Ravi doesn't know how to swim. Which sentence is correct?
3.Ravi talks about swimming. Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.I can't swim.
4.Match the Hindi with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
5.How do you say “My daughter didn't let me smoke”?
6.Ravi says (pahle main chhor naheen paa rahaa thaa). What does he mean?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
सच कहूँ तो, मुझे समय नहीं मिलता।
Sach kahoon to, mujhe samay naheen miltaa.
To be honest, I don't get the time.
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.