हिन्दी
As my rotation nears its end, I have begun to reflect on some of my biggest learnings here in India. I would like to share one of these with you today: Hindi!
On day one in Mumbai I realized that the official language of the Nielsen office (and Bollywood films) is what I like to call "Hinglish". This means that about every 10th word is English. My colleagues speak to me in English, but I decided that for my sake I would learn "a word a day" in Hindi. This quest of mine has also come in handy with my cab driver and endless shopkeepers. A store is much more willing to accept my bargain when I say in Hindi "Meh narazz ho...chello" (I am disappointed, let's go) after they tell me their price.
Each morning in the car on the way to work, Pradeep, the cab driver, will point to something new and tell me the Hindi word. He then asks me the English word. Funnily enough, with the prevalence of Hinglish, often times he will say things like, "Hindi word for that is traffic. What is the English word?" To which I say, "traffic" and it becomes a very confusing conversation for both of us!
Here are just a few of my favorite phrases that I have picked up in my five months here:
Namaste - Hello
Meh Khush ho - I am happy!
Mujhe bhookh lagi - I am hungry (this is my most used phrase)
Todu - awesome
Kipna piara kutta hay - Your dog is so cute!
Budbudhar - smelly
Although I stick out like a sore thumb, picking up some Hindi has been one way that I have chosen to immerse myself in the culture. Making the effort to learn these words has been a neat way for me to interact with people from diverse backgrounds and share laughs about my mispronunciation. Even after the laughs, everyone tells me that they appreciate my Hindi attempts. Using the language has helped me to feel as though India is a second home to me and not somewhere that I am just passing through.
Cheers,
B
My "Hindi Learnings" sheets that hang at my desk