Alyssa Sylvia

The everyday Hindi word for money is पैसा (paisā), and in speech it is usually plural, पैसे (paise). The formal word for wealth is धन (dhan).

Go to hell in Hindi is भाड़ में जाओ (bhāṛ meṃ jāo), literally “go into the oven”.

Ice cream is आइसक्रीम (aiskreem), borrowed from English. Many Indians also love कुल्फ़ी (kulfi), a denser traditional frozen dessert.

“I miss you” is मुझे तुम्हारी याद आती है (Mujhe tumhaari yaad aati hai), literally “your memory comes to me”. Use आपकी (aapki) with elders.

In India most people searching this mean Hindi, where “happy” is खुश (khush). The formal word is प्रसन्न (prasann).

The most common Hindi word for dad is पापा (pāpā). A more respectful form is पिताजी (pitājī), and some families say बाबूजी (bābūjī).

“Happy Independence Day” is स्वतंत्रता दिवस की शुभकामनाएँ (svatantratā divas kī śubhkāmnāeṃ).

There is no single language called Indian, so this page gives Hindi. The everyday word is नहाना (nahaana), to bathe. The formal noun is स्नान (snaan).

“Henna” is मेहंदी (mehaṃdī). The word names both the plant paste and the designs drawn on hands and feet.

A kid is a बच्चा (bachcha), the form for a boy or a child in general. A girl is a बच्ची (bachchi) and children are बच्चे (bachche).