Friday, November 10, 2017

The Limits

“The limits of my language are the limits of my world.” (Ludwig Wittgenstein)

Hindi is the official language of India. In India, Hindi is spoken as a first language by nearly 425 million people and as a second language by some 120 million more. Significant Hindi speech communities are also found in South Africa, Mauritius, Bangladesh, Yemen, and Uganda.

 

Talking to Hindi-speaking people in a polite manner will have many advantages for you. The time you spend to become more fluent is worth all your effort. The courteous expressions below will provide you first with the English words, the English spelling of the Hindi phrase, and then the Hindi spell of the expression:

1.   Excuse me please (casual), kṣamā kareṃ, क्षमा करें

2.   Excuse me please (formal), kṣamā kījie, क्षमा कीजिए

3.   Excuse me please (very polite), kṛpayā kṣamā kījie, कृपया क्षमा कीजिए

4.   Excuse me, māpha kījie, माफ़ कीजिए।

5.   I’m sorry about that, mujhe aphasosa hai, मुझे अफसोस है

6.   Many thanks, bahuta śukriyā, बहुत शुक्रिया

7.   Sorry, māpha kījie, माफ कीजिए

8.   Thank you, dhanyavāda, धन्यवाद

9.   Thanks a lot, bahuta śukriyā, बहुत शुक्रिया

10.       Thanks for your help (casual), madada kelie śukriyā, मदद केलिए शुक्रिया

11.       Thanks for your help (formal), āpakī madada kelie dhanyavāda, आपकी मदद केलिए धन्यवाद

12.       You are kind (casual), āpa dayālu haiṃ, आप दयालु हैं

13.       You are kind (formal), āpa bahuta dayālu haiṃ, आप बहुत दयालु हैं

14.       You’re welcome, āpa kā svāgata hai, आप का स्वागत है

“Be sure to taste your words before you serve them to others.” (Sneh Desai)[i]


[i] Sources used:
·        “Hindi Language” by the Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica
·        “Polite Hindi Words” and “Pronouncing Polite Hindi Words” (https://www.rocketlanguages.com/hindi/salutations/polite-hindi-words)
Topic suggested by my daughter, Allena Kinker
 

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