नमस्ते
namastestandard, Hindi
In Mumbai people greet each other with नमस्ते (namaste), the common Hindi greeting. Marathi, the language of the state, uses नमस्कार (namaskār). It is also called क्या बोलता है (kyā boltā hai).
Meaning: greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Indian | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| नमस्ते | namaste | standard, Hindi |
| नमस्कार | namaskār | Marathi, polite |
| क्या बोलता है | kyā boltā hai | casual, Mumbai slang |
Both are polite and safe. The local street Hindi of Mumbai, often called Bambaiya, has casual greetings such as क्या बोलता है (kyā boltā hai), meaning roughly "what's up".
Which one should you use?
Standard Hindi would say क्या बोल रहे हो in this situation, so क्या बोलता है marks a Mumbai speaker and is used among friends.
Did you know?
- Mumbai is the capital of the state of Maharashtra, where Marathi is the official language, but Hindi is widely spoken in the city.
Examples in context
- नमस्ते, कैसे हैं आप?namaste, kaise haiṁ āp?Hello, how are you?
- नमस्कार, आपका स्वागत है।namaskār, āpkā svāgat hai.Hello, you are welcome.
Example conversation
A tourist greets a shopkeeper near Marine Drive in Mumbai.
- Paryatakनमस्ते, यह कितने का है?namaste, yah kitne kā hai?Hello, how much is this?
- Dukandarनमस्कार, सौ रुपये का।namaskār, sau rupaye kā.Hello, a hundred rupees.
- Paryatakठीक है, मुझे दे दीजिए।ṭhīk hai, mujhe de dījie.Okay, please give it to me.
