Respectful · all ages
नमस्ते
Namaste
Say it: nuh-mus-tay
Hello.
When to use it
A warm first greeting for relatives or someone you’ve just met. A smile is enough; palms together are optional.
The family phrase book
You had me
at namaste.
A little Hindi for one side of the family. A little British English for the other. A few words to turn “lovely to meet you” into a proper conversation.
Perfect accents entirely optional.
With love
WITH LOVE
Hello.
नमस्ते।
Let’s talk.
WITH LOVE
Different words.
The same warm welcome.
A friendly starting point
Use aap (आप) for a respectful “you”. Take your cue from how people introduce themselves; family titles vary.
Sound it out
The “say it” lines are approximate. “aa” is a long a as in “father”; “ee” as in “see”. “kh” and “dh” are k and d with an extra breath.
01
First hellos
Polite · first introductions
आपसे मिलकर बहुत खुशी हुई।
Aap se milkar bahut khushi hui.
Say it: aap say mil-kur buh-hut khoo-shee hoo-ee
It’s lovely to meet you.
When to use it
Use this when meeting either side of the family. The wording works for any speaker.
Polite · all ages
मेरा नाम … है।
Mera naam … hai.
Say it: may-raa naam … hai
My name is…
When to use it
Put your name in the gap. There’s no need to change the sentence for your gender.
Warm · everyday
शुक्रिया
Shukriya
Say it: shook-ri-yaa
Thank you.
When to use it
Lovely after a kind gesture. “Dhanyavaad” (धन्यवाद) also means thank you and can sound a little more formal.
02
At the table
Polite · a request
क्या मुझे पानी मिल सकता है?
Kya mujhe paani mil sakta hai?
Say it: kyaa moo-jhay paa-nee mil suk-taa hai
Could I have some water?
When to use it
A useful request to a host or server. “Paani” is the word for water.
Warm · all ages
खाना बहुत अच्छा है।
Khaana bahut achchha hai.
Say it: khaa-naa buh-hut uch-chhaa hai
The food is very good.
When to use it
Say it to your host or the person who cooked. This is a compliment that needs very little translation.
Friendly · say it gently
बस, शुक्रिया।
Bas, shukriya.
Say it: bus, shook-ri-yaa
That’s enough, thank you.
When to use it
Useful when someone offers another helping. Pair it with a smile and a small hand gesture to make your meaning clear.
03
Time to celebrate
Warm · respectful
आप दोनों को बहुत बधाई!
Aap dono ko bahut badhaai!
Say it: aap doh-noh koh buh-hut bud-haa-ee
Many congratulations to you both!
When to use it
An easy wish for Mansi and Chris together. “Badhaai” means congratulations.
Polite · ask first
क्या हम साथ में फ़ोटो ले सकते हैं?
Kya hum saath mein photo le sakte hain?
Say it: kyaa hum saath mayn fo-toh lay suk-tay hain
Can we take a photo together?
When to use it
A lovely way to gather new friends. Check that everyone is happy to be photographed.
Friendly · an invitation
चलिए, नाचते हैं!
Chaliye, naachte hain!
Say it: chul-i-yay, naach-tay hain
Come on, let’s dance!
When to use it
For the Sangeet or dance floor. Invite with a smile and happily accept a “no, thank you”.
04
A little help
Polite · slightly formal
कृपया फिर से कहिए।
Kripya phir se kahiye.
Say it: krip-yaa fir say kuh-hi-yay
Please say that again.
When to use it
Useful when you miss a word or a name. It’s fine to switch back to English afterwards.
Polite · slightly formal
कृपया धीरे बोलिए।
Kripya dheere boliye.
Say it: krip-yaa dhee-ray boh-li-yay
Please speak slowly.
When to use it
For when you’re following along but need a gentler pace. “Dh” is a breathy d sound.
What they mean in conversation
These are natural meanings, not word-for-word translations. Accents, habits and expressions vary across Britain.
बोलचाल का मतलब
यहाँ बातचीत में इस्तेमाल होने वाला अर्थ दिया गया है। उच्चारण और बोलने का अंदाज़ हर व्यक्ति और क्षेत्र में अलग हो सकता है।
01
Hello, and make yourself at home
Informal · everyday greeting
“You alright?”
Say it: yuh awl-rite
सब ठीक? / कैसे हैं?
Sab theek? / Kaise hain?
A casual “hello, how are you?”
When you’ll hear it
Often just a greeting. If someone sounds concerned, they may be checking how you really feel.
अक्सर यह सिर्फ़ मिलने पर अभिवादन होता है। चिंता भरे लहजे में कहा जाए, तो सच में हाल पूछ रहे हैं।
“Good, thanks. You?”
जवाब: “Good, thanks. You?” — सब अच्छा है, शुक्रिया। आप?
Polite · all ages
“Lovely to meet you”
Say it: luv-lee tuh meet yoo
आपसे मिलकर अच्छा लगा।
Aap se milkar achchha laga.
I’m pleased to meet you.
When you’ll hear it
An easy first introduction, including with older relatives. A natural reply is “You too”.
पहली मुलाक़ात में सभी उम्र के लोगों से कह सकते हैं। जवाब में “You too” कह सकते हैं।
“You too!”
जवाब: “You too!” — मुझे भी!
Informal · context matters
“Cheers!”
Say it: cheerz
शुक्रिया! / जाम उठाते समय शुभकामना
Shukriya! / Jaam uthaate samay shubhkaamna
“Thank you”, or a toast before a drink.
When you’ll hear it
After someone helps: thank you. With raised glasses: a toast. It can also mean goodbye.
मदद के बाद: शुक्रिया। गिलास उठाते समय: शुभकामना। कभी-कभी विदा लेते समय भी कहते हैं।
After a favour: “You’re welcome.”
मदद के बाद जवाब: “You’re welcome.” — कोई बात नहीं।
Friendly · informal
“Fancy a cuppa?”
Say it: fan-see uh kup-uh
चाय पिएँगे?
Chai piyenge?
Would you like a cup of tea?
When you’ll hear it
“Fancy” means “would you like” here. “Cuppa” means a cup of tea.
यहाँ “fancy” का मतलब है “क्या आप चाहेंगे?” और “cuppa” का मतलब एक कप चाय है।
“Yes, please!” or “No, thank you.”
जवाब: “Yes, please!” — जी हाँ! या “No, thank you.” — नहीं, शुक्रिया।
02
Once the conversation gets going
Informal · a happy moment
“I’m chuffed”
Say it: ime chuft
मैं बहुत खुश हूँ।
Main bahut khush hoon.
I’m really pleased.
When you’ll hear it
A delighted reaction to good news. “We’re chuffed for you” means we’re very happy for you.
अच्छी ख़बर पर खुशी जताने के लिए। “We’re chuffed for you” का मतलब है: हम आपके लिए बहुत खुश हैं।
“That’s lovely!”
जवाब: “That’s lovely!” — बहुत अच्छी बात है!
Very casual · choosing something
“I’m easy”
Say it: ime ee-zee
मेरी कोई खास पसंद नहीं है।
Meri koi khaas pasand nahin hai.
I don’t mind; either option is fine.
When you’ll hear it
Usually heard when choosing food, a seat or a plan. Clearer with new acquaintances: “Either is fine, thank you.”
खाने, बैठने या योजना का चुनाव करते समय कहते हैं। नए परिचितों से “Either is fine, thank you” कहना ज़्यादा साफ़ है।
“Shall we sit here, then?”
जवाब: “Shall we sit here, then?” — तो यहाँ बैठें?
Very casual · friends
“Give us a bell”
Say it: giv uz uh bel
मुझे फ़ोन कर देना।
Mujhe phone kar dena.
Give me a phone call.
When you’ll hear it
“Us” can mean “me” in this expression. Use it with people you’re already chatting comfortably with.
इस मुहावरे में “us” का मतलब “मुझे” भी हो सकता है। दोस्तों या परिचितों के बीच इस्तेमाल करें।
“Will do!”
जवाब: “Will do!” — ज़रूर!
Informal · a short goodbye
“See you in a bit”
Say it: see yoo in uh bit
थोड़ी देर में मिलते हैं।
Thodi der mein milte hain.
See you soon.
When you’ll hear it
A relaxed goodbye when you expect to meet again soon. It doesn’t promise an exact number of minutes.
जब जल्द फिर मिलने वाले हों, तब कहते हैं। इससे कोई तय समय नहीं बताया जाता।
“See you!”
जवाब: “See you!” — फिर मिलते हैं!
One useful thing to remember: when somebody says “cheers”, the situation does most of the translating.“Cheers” का मतलब समझने के लिए देखें कि बातचीत किस बारे में हो रही है।
Pronunciation is a friendly approximation. Ask a relative to say a phrase with you — that’s a rather lovely icebreaker in itself.
Back to the phrases ↑Language notes & further reading
The Romanised spellings and “say it” lines are a simple starting point. A family member can help you hear the sounds and practise together.
For pronunciation and conversation practice: University of Texas Hindi greetings.
British usage references: British Council’s guide to UK slang; Cambridge Dictionary entries for cheers, cuppa and chuffed.