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Learn how to show gratitude in both formal and informal settings
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In Hindi, there are many ways to thank someone. “धन्यवाद्” (“dhanyavaad”) is the most common and formal way, while “शुक्रिया” (“shukriyaa”) is a more casual word for friends and family. Keep reading to learn more useful phrases—with a huge number of Hindi speakers in the world, you'll be able to say “thanks” to a good chunk of the world's population in just a few minutes!
Things You Should Know
- Say “dhanyavaad” (धन्यवाद्), pronounced “dhun-yuh-vahd,” to say “thank you” in formal or business settings and with elders.
- Use “shukriyaa” (शुक्रिया), pronounced “shook-ree-ah,” as an informal “thank you” for friends and family.
- Add “bahut” (बहुत), pronounced “buh-hut,” before “dhanyavaad” or “shukriyaa” to say “thank you very much.”
Steps
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Use “dhanyavaad” (धन्यवाद्) as a standard, formal “thank you.” This is a common but formal way of saying “thank you.” Say it in situations where you really want to stress your gratitude, like if you've been given a gift. Or, use it with important business contacts, authority figures, and people who are older than you. To speak this in Hindi , pronounce it in three parts: [1] X Research source
- Lay your tongue against the roof of your mouth to pronounce “dha” with a soft “D” sound that's close to the English “dh” sound. Use the short u sound (as in “stuff”). It should sound close to the English word “the” (not like an “ah” sound).
- Next, say “nyuh” (again, don't use the “ah sound).
- Last, say “vod.” Here, you will use the “ah” sound.
- All together, it sounds like “ dhun-yuh-vahd .”
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Put “bahut” (बहुत) before “dhanyavaad” for “thank you very much.” If you're especially grateful for something, use the superlative “bahut.” This means “very much” or “a lot” and is used the way English speakers might use “very.” [2] X Research source This word is pronounced in two parts:
- First, a short “buh” sound.
- Next, a more forceful “hut” sound. Put the stress on this part—the whole word sounds like “ buh-HUT .”
- Say “dhanyavaad” after this to complete the phrase (“Bahut dhanyavaad”).
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Try “ābhārī hōṅ” (आभारी हुँ) to say “I am grateful.” This is another polite, formal way to say “thank you.” The actual meaning in English is a little closer to “I am grateful.” This word is pronounced in four parts: [3] X Research source
- Say “abb” (rhymes with “rob”). This part isn't pronounced like the English word “ab.”
- Next, say “ha.”
- Then, say “ree.” The “R” sound is very similar to the Spanish “R” and should rhyme with “dee” in English.
- Finish with “hoon” (rhymes with “toon”).
- All together, it sounds like “ abb-ha-ree hoon .”
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Use “shukriyaa” (शुक्रिया) as a standard, informal “thank you.” This is a very common way of giving thanks in Hindi used mainly for your friends and family. If you're talking to someone like a boss or teacher, an authority figure, or an elder, use the more formal “dhanyavaad” instead. Pronounce “shukriyaa” in three parts: [4] X Research source
- First, say “shook.” Make this syllable a little shorter and tighter than you'd say the English word.
- Next, say “ree.” The Hindi “R” sound is a delicate flick of the tongue, like the Spanish “R” sound. This rhymes with “dee.”
- End with “ah.” The sound is somewhere between “uh” and “ah.” It may take a little practice to get this right.
- All together, this sounds like “ shook-ree-ah .” Nailing the “R” and “D” sounds is important here. Try pronouncing it like “shook-uh-ree-ah,” then gradually shrink the “uh” sound until it's just a flick of the tongue.
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Put “bahut” (बहुत) before “shukriyaa” for “thank you very much.” Use “bahut” here to change your basic “thank you” to “thank you very much” or “thanks a lot.” Though you're expressing more gratitude here, this is still considered informal. [5] X Research source
- Bahut is pronounced the same way as in the section above: “ buh-HUT .”
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Use “thaiṅkyū” (थैंक्यू) if you want to cheat. Hindi, like almost every language, borrows words and phrases from other languages. This Hindi loan word is pronounced exactly like “thank you” in English (because it is English in origin). Because this isn't “pure” Hindi, it's considered less formal than the options in the section above. [6] X Research source
- English is one of the official languages of India, so much of the population will likely be familiar with this phrase even if they don't speak English fluently.
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Use “svaagat haiṅ” (स्वागत है) for “you're welcome.” When you use any of the “thank you” phrases above, you may get this in return. This phrase means almost exactly “you are welcome.” In fact, you can even say “svaagat” on its own if you're greeting someone who's just arrived (just like you'd use “welcome” in English). To pronounce this phrase: [7] X Research source
- First, say “swah.” This sounds like the English word “swab” without the “b.”
- Next, say “gut.”
- Finally, say “hey.” Don't be confused by the “n” in the romanization—this sounds almost exactly like the English word “hey.”
- All together, sounds like “ swah-gut hey .”
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Put “āpa kā” (आप का) before “svaagat haiṅ” to say “you are welcome.” The meaning here is not very different from a plain “svaagat haiṅ.” The difference is like saying “you are welcome” versus “you're welcome” (people will react the same way no matter which one you use). Pronounce this phrase in two parts: [8] X Research source
- First, say “aap” (as in “post-op”).
- Then, say “kuh” (rhymes with “the”).
- All together, sounds like “ aap-kuh .” Follow this with “svaagat haiṅ” for “you are welcome.”
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Use “koii baat nahee” (कोई बात नही) for “it's nothing.” This is another way to express that you don't mind doing something for someone else. Use this phrase similarly to how you'd use “don't mention it” or “no problem” in English. [9] X Research source This phrase is pronounced in four parts:
- First, say “coy” (rhyming with the name Zoey).
- Then, say “baat” (as in “bath”).
- Next, say a very short “nuh” (rhymes with “the”).
- End with a longer “hee” (sounds like the English word “he”). Put a little extra stress on this syllable—the last part sounds like “nuh-HEE.”
- All together, it sounds like “ coy baat nuh-HEE .”
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Community Q&A
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QuestionAre there any additional responses besides those mentioned in the article?Community AnswerYes, there are. Many know English; just saying thanks or thank you is OK.
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QuestionWhat is the meaning of baas?Community AnswerMeaning of baas is that it is used to refer to when you have something in enough quantity. For example if you have enough food on your plate and someone offers you more but you don't need it, so you will say "Baas, maine bahut kha liya hai, shukriya," which means "That's it. I have too much food, thank you."
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QuestionHow do I write "family secrets" in Hindi?Community Answer"Humare ghar ki baat" (हमारे घर की बात), or family matter is paarivarik maamla (पारिवारिक मामला).
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Tips
- It’s not always considered polite to thank an Indian host at the end of a meal. [10] X Research source This can come across as a little impersonal. Instead, praise the food and invite your hosts for dinner in the future.Thanks
- In Indian culture, it isn't always considered necessary to respond when someone says “thank you.” If you get a polite smile or silence after you tell someone “dhanyavaad,” they probably aren’t trying to be rude. [11] X Research sourceThanks
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References
- ↑ http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hindi.php
- ↑ https://onlinevisaindia.co.uk/show-appreciation-india-hint-dont-say-thank/
- ↑ http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hindi.php
- ↑ https://onlinevisaindia.co.uk/show-appreciation-india-hint-dont-say-thank/
- ↑ https://onlinevisaindia.co.uk/show-appreciation-india-hint-dont-say-thank/
- ↑ https://onlinevisaindia.co.uk/show-appreciation-india-hint-dont-say-thank/
- ↑ https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hindi.php
- ↑ https://anilmahato.com/how-to-response-reply-thank-you-in-hindi-learn-hindi-lesson/
- ↑ https://youtu.be/dXEv5OIwI1I?t=49
About This Article
Article Summary
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To say a basic formal "thank you" in Hindi, say "dhanyavaad" (dhun-yuh-vaad). For a more informal "thanks" used for close friends and family, you can say "shukriyaa" (shook-dee-ah). If you want to learn other variations or how to respond back in Hindi, keep reading!
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