Hindi · Upper intermediate (B2) · Chapter 12 of 12
Final review
पुराने दोस्त, नई बातेंpuraane dost, naee baaten
Review B2 Hindi in one conversation: two old friends catch up, look back, switch to formal Hindi on a work call and make a plan.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Catch up with an old friend in natural, relaxed Hindi
- Look back with regrets, guesses and reported words
- Switch between friendly and formal Hindi
- Use idioms, concession and emphasis in one conversation
Listen
At a café in Delhi, Nandini and Imtiaz, who were at university together, meet for the first time in twelve years. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Nandini
इम्तियाज़! यक़ीन नहीं होता, पूरे बारह साल बाद! तुम बिलकुल नहीं बदले, बस बाल थोड़े सफ़ेद हो गए हैं।
Imtiyaaz! Yakeen naheen hotaa, poore baarah saal baad! Tum bilkul naheen badle, bas baal thore safed ho gaye hain.
Imtiaz! I can't believe it, twelve whole years! You haven't changed at all, your hair's just gone a bit grey.
Imtiaz
और तुम्हें देखकर लगता है कि तुमने ज़िंदगी में कभी कोई टेंशन नहीं ली! बैठो, यार। कॉफ़ी मँगवाऊँ?
Aur tumhen dekhkar lagtaa hai ki tumne zindagee men kabhee koee tenshan naheen lee! Baitho, yaar. Kofee mangvaaoon?
And looking at you, anyone would think you'd never had a worry in your life! Sit down. Shall I order some coffee?
Nandini
हाँ, ज़रूर। तो बताओ, आजकल क्या चल रहा है? पिछली बार सुना था कि तुम दुबई चले गए हो।
Haan, zaroor. To bataao, aajkal kyaa chal rahaa hai? Pichhlee baar sunaa thaa ki tum Dubaee chale gaye ho.
Yes, please. So tell me, what are you up to these days? Last I heard, you'd moved to Dubai.
Imtiaz
गया था, पर पाँच साल बाद वापस आ गया। अब्बू की तबीयत ठीक नहीं रहती थी। हालाँकि वहाँ तनख़्वाह अच्छी थी, फिर भी मुझे कोई अफ़सोस नहीं है।
Gayaa thaa, par paanch saal baad vaapas aa gayaa. Abboo kee tabeeyat theek naheen rahtee thee. Haalaanki vahaan tankhvaah achchhee thee, phir bhee mujhe koee afsos naheen hai.
I did, but I came back after five years. Dad's health wasn't good. Although the pay was good there, I have no regrets.
Nandini
अच्छा किया। मैं तो सोचती थी कि तुम अब तक किसी बड़ी कंपनी के बॉस बन गए होगे।
Achchhaa kiyaa. Main to sochtee thee ki tum ab tak kisee baree kampanee ke bos ban gaye hoge.
You did the right thing. I thought you'd surely be the boss of some big company by now.
Imtiaz
बॉस तो नहीं, पर एक टीम ज़रूर संभालता हूँ। और तुम? तुमने तो पत्रकार बनने का सपना देखा था, याद है?
Bos to naheen, par ek teem zaroor sambhaaltaa hoon. Aur tum? Tumne to patrakaar banne kaa sapnaa dekhaa thaa, yaad hai?
Not the boss, but I do run a team. And you? You were the one who dreamed of becoming a journalist, remember?
Nandini
याद है। अगर उस समय मैंने वह इंटर्नशिप ली होती, तो शायद आज किसी अख़बार में होती। लेकिन मैंने बैंक की नौकरी चुन ली। पापा ने कहा था कि अख़बार की नौकरी में पैसे नहीं हैं।
Yaad hai. Agar us samay mainne vah intarnship lee hotee, to shaayad aaj kisee akhbaar men hotee. Lekin mainne baink kee naukaree chun lee. Paapaa ne kahaa thaa ki akhbaar kee naukaree men paise naheen hain.
I remember. If I'd taken that internship back then, I might be working for a newspaper today. But I chose the bank job. Dad had said there was no money in journalism.
Imtiaz
एक मिनट, ऑफ़िस से फ़ोन है… जी, मिश्रा जी, नमस्ते। जी, रिपोर्ट मैंने कल रात ही भेज दी थी, आपको मिल गई होगी। … जी, कोई बात नहीं, मैं फिर से भेज देता हूँ। कृपया देखकर बताइएगा। धन्यवाद।
Ek minat, ofis se fon hai… Jee, Mishraa jee, namaste. Jee, riport mainne kal raat hee bhej dee thee, aapko mil gaee hogee. … Jee, koee baat naheen, main phir se bhej detaa hoon. Kripyaa dekhkar bataaiyegaa. Dhanyavaad.
Just a moment, it's the office… Yes, Mr Mishra, hello. Yes, I sent the report last night; you should have it by now. … Yes, no problem, I'll send it again. Please let me know once you've looked at it. Thank you.
Nandini
वाह! एक सेकंड में “यार” से “जी, मिश्रा जी” तक! तुम्हारी हिंदी तो बिलकुल बदल गई।
Vaah! Ek sekand men “yaar” se “jee, Mishraa jee” tak! Tumhaaree hindee to bilkul badal gaee.
Wow! From “mate” to “Yes, Mr Mishra” in one second! Your Hindi changed completely.
Imtiaz
क्या करें, बॉस के सामने सब यही करते हैं। वैसे, दाल में कुछ काला है। तुम सिर्फ़ मिलने नहीं आईं, कोई बात ज़रूर है।
Kyaa karen, bos ke saamne sab yahee karte hain. Vaise, daal men kuchh kaalaa hai. Tum sirf milne naheen aaeen, koee baat zaroor hai.
What can you do? Everyone does that with the boss. By the way, something's up. You didn't just come to see me, there's something going on.
Nandini
पकड़ी गई! मैं बैंक छोड़ रही हूँ। मैंने तय किया है कि इस बार अपना सपना नहीं छोड़ूँगी। मैं एक छोटी-सी ऑनलाइन पत्रिका शुरू कर रही हूँ, और मुझे एक अच्छे लेखक की ज़रूरत है।
Pakree gaee! Main baink chhor rahee hoon. Mainne tay kiyaa hai ki is baar apnaa sapnaa naheen chhoroongee. Main ek chhotee-see onlaain patrikaa shuroo kar rahee hoon, aur mujhe ek achchhe lekhak kee zaroorat hai.
You've caught me! I'm leaving the bank. I've decided that this time I won't give up on my dream. I'm starting a small online magazine, and I need a good writer.
Imtiaz
और तुम्हें लगता है कि वह लेखक मैं ही हूँ? चलो, भले ही पैसे ऊँट के मुँह में जीरा हों, मैं तैयार हूँ। जैसे कॉलेज के दिनों में, फिर से साथ!
Aur tumhen lagtaa hai ki vah lekhak main hee hoon? Chalo, bhale hee paise oont ke munh men jeeraa hon, main taiyaar hoon. Jaise kolej ke dinon men, phir se saath!
And you think I'm the writer you need? Well, even if the money's a drop in the ocean, I'm in. Together again, just like in our college days!
Understand
B2 in one conversation
Nandini and Imtiaz use most of what you have learned in B2. The table shows the main points and the chapter where each one was introduced.
| Hindi | Meaning | Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| …, … (haalaanki …, phir bhee …) | although …, still … | 1 |
| , … (bhale hee paise kam hon, …) | even if the money isn't much, … | 1 |
| (aapko mil gaee hogee.) | You'll have got it by now. | 2 |
| (tum bos ban gaye hoge.) | You'll have become the boss. | 2 |
| , … (agar mainne vah intarnship lee hotee, …) | If I had taken that internship, … | 5 |
| (paapaa ne kahaa thaa ki akhbaar kee naukaree men paise naheen hain.) | Dad had said there was no money in newspaper jobs. | 6 |
| (daal men kuchh kaalaa hai.) | Something's up. | 8 |
| (vah lekhak main hee hoon?) | I'm the writer you mean? | 11 |
Switching register
Imtiaz talks to his old friend with (tum) and informal words, then answers his boss's call with (jee), (aap), (kripyaa) and -इएगा (-iyegaa), all within a minute. Hindi speakers switch like this all the time, and choosing the right register is part of speaking Hindi well.
| With a friend | With a senior | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| (haan, yaar.) | (jee, sar.) | Yes. |
| (riport bhej dee thee, dekh lo.) | (riport bhej dee thee, kripyaa dekh leejiye.) | I sent the report; have a look. |
| (bataanaa.) | (bataaiyegaa.) | Let me know. |
| (koee tenshan naheen.) | (koee samasyaa naheen hai.) | No problem. |
| (thainks, yaar.) | (bahut-bahut dhanyavaad.) | Thanks (very much). |
Summing up and deciding
To sum up, use (kul milaakar) in conversation and (sankshep men) in a talk or in writing. To announce a decision, say … (mainne tay kiyaa hai ki …), I've decided that …, followed by the future. … (baat yah hai ki …), the thing is …, prepares the listener for news, and (chalo) or (chaliye) moves things on.
- कुल मिलाकर, मैं बहुत ख़ुश हूँ।Kul milaakar, main bahut khush hoon.All in all, I'm very happy.
- बात यह है कि मैं नौकरी छोड़ रहा हूँ।Baat yah hai ki main naukaree chhor rahaa hoon.The thing is, I'm leaving my job. (a man speaking)
- मैंने तय किया है कि मैं हिंदी में लिखूँगी।Mainne tay kiyaa hai ki main hindee men likhoongee.I've decided that I'll write in Hindi. (a woman speaking)
More in the grammar: If and if only: अगर … तो, काश · Emphasis: ही, भी, तो · Idioms and set phrases (मुहावरे) · Linking ideas: although, because of, therefore · Probably: the presumptive (होगा) · Register: everyday and formal Hindi
New words
- आजकलaajkalthese days, nowadays · (aajkal kyaa chal rahaa hai?), what are you up to these days?
- बाल सफ़ेद होनाbaal safed honaato go grey · (baal), hair, is masculine plural here
- टेंशन लेनाtenshan lenaato worry, to get stressed · informal; (tenshan) is feminine: (koee tenshan naheen lee)
- बन गए होगेban gaye hogewill (probably) have become · the presumptive with (tum); to a woman: (ban gaee hogee)
- पत्रकारpatrakaarjournalist · masculine, also used for women
- सपना देखनाsapnaa dekhnaato dream (of) · (patrakaar banne kaa sapnaa), the dream of becoming a journalist
- ली होतीlee hoteehad taken (but didn't) · the unreal past of (lenaa), agreeing with a feminine object
- मिल गई होगीmil gaee hogeewill have arrived, you'll have got it · the presumptive, agreeing with (riport), which is feminine
- क्या करेंkyaa karenwhat can you do? · a shrug: literally “what should we do?”
- पकड़ी गईpakree gaeeyou've caught me (a woman) · a man says (pakraa gayaa)
- पत्रिकाpatrikaamagazine · feminine
- लेखकlekhakwriter, author · masculine; a woman writer is (lekhikaa)
Practise
1.Imtiaz thinks his boss has probably got the report by now. What does he say?
2.Nandini looks back at a chance she missed. Which sentence means “If I had taken that internship, …”?
3.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.I'm leaving the bank. (a woman speaking)
4.Match the Hindi with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
5.On the phone to his boss, how does Imtiaz ask him to let him know later?
6.What does (bhale hee paise oont ke munh men jeeraa hon, main taiyaar hoon) mean?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
यक़ीन नहीं होता, पूरे बारह साल बाद!
Yakeen naheen hotaa, poore baarah saal baad!
I can't believe it, twelve whole years!
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.