Common Hindi Phrases to Use While Traveling Across India

Students keep coming to me with the same question - Sir, do I really have to speak Hindi to travel in India? And I tell them straight, no one is expecting fluency. But a few words? Yes, they make all the difference.

I will never forget a student of mine in Singapore. He pointed at a samosa, stuttered through, “Ek… ek… chahiye.” Not smooth at all. The vendor laughed kindly, and handed it over anyway. That’s when he realized, effort matters more than perfect grammar. A handful of basic Hindi sentences will take you farther than silence ever will.

Do you really need Hindi in India?

In big hotels or airports? No. You’ll manage fine with English. But India is not only hotels and airports. Step into a railway station in Jaipur, or a bazaar in Pushkar, and suddenly English doesn’t help.

One traveler told me he tried three times in English to ask a rickshaw driver the fare. The man just looked blank. Then he tried “Kitne paise?” The driver broke into a grin and gave him the price straight away. Just like that, the problem was solved. That one common Hindi phrase turned the whole thing around.

Even shaky Hindi phrases for beginners open doors. I can’t even tell you how often I’ve seen this with travelers. (And if you want to prep before leaving, Sanskriti’s 

courses cover basic Hindi phrases in a simple way.)

What greetings work best with locals?

Start with Namaste. Simple. Universal. Say it with folded hands, a smile. People respond instantly. A simple Shukriya means thank you, or Aap kaise hain? If you want to ask how someone is. I tell my students all the time, these short phrases may look simple, but I have seen them open doors again and again.

She smiled, tapped his arm, and waved him in. A few minutes later, he had a steaming cup of chai, tripping over new Hindi words while everyone around laughed like old friends. That’s exactly what basic Hindi phrases can do for you. A learner once told me about an old woman near Udaipur. He smiled and said “Namaste.” They are not just translations, they are connections.

How do you ask for directions without stress?

India’s streets… Well, they rarely match the map. Alleys twist, buses stop without warning, and road signs? Sometimes only in Hindi.

That’s when a few Hindi travel phrases keep you sane:

• One line I always teach is Yeh jagah kahan hai? In English, that is just “Where is this place?” but it works everywhere.

• Similarly, Seedha jaiye – Go straight

• Baaye mur jaiye – Turn left

• Daiṅe mur jaiye – Turn right

I have heard travelers butcher the pronunciation, and still, locals get it right away. I always tell my students. Don’t freeze up. Try. A clumsy word with a smile works better than perfect silence.

(If you like practice exercises, the Sanskriti blog is packed with them.)

How do you order food in Hindi?

Food in India is unforgettable. But menus? Often only in Hindi. That is when a few food orders in Hindi phrases save the day:

• Ek thali dijiye – One platter, please

• Thoda kam mirchi daaliye – Less chili, please

• Paani laiye – Bring water, please

One student told me he asked for something “light” in English and ended up with a curry so spicy it nearly made him cry. Everyone at the next table laughed with him. After that, he never forgot “Thoda kam mirchi daaliye.”

Another time, a waiter corrected a traveler’s pronunciation of mirchi, laughed, and later brought him the tastiest meal of his trip. That’s the thing—common Hindi phrases don’t just help you order. They turn meals into stories.

So, how do you actually bargain in Hindi?

I always tell students, markets are noisy and full of life. Music, chatter, color, spices that make you sneeze. And the funny thing? The bargaining isn’t stressful; it is actually part of the game. Without Hindi, you might pay too much. With it, you join the game.

Here are the three I always teach:

• Yeh kitne ka hai? – How much is this?

• Thoda sasta kijiye – Please make it cheaper

• Achha hai, le loonga – It’s good, I’ll take it

One student used “Yeh kitne ka hai?” in Pushkar. The seller’s grin spread wide. They laughed, bargained back and forth like old friends. In the end, he left with a scarf and a great story. That’s what Hindi phrases for tourists do. They make shopping playful, not stressful.

Does Hindi really change the experience?

Yes. Every time.

On a train to Agra, a student said Shukriya after a family shared snacks with him. The father grinned, leaned over, and started teaching him new words. By the time they got off, the student had a page full of vocabulary and a memory for life.

That is why I say: common Hindi words and phrases create bonds, not just transactions.

(And if you want a quick pocket helper, the Sanskriti products page has guides with useful Hindi phrases for travelers.)

Can you manage with just a handful of phrases?

Yes. Absolutely. You don’t need grammar books. A greeting here, a few Hindi travel phrases for directions, words for food and shopping—that’s enough. These Hindi phrases for travellers are like keys. They won’t open every door, but they unlock the important ones.

And if you fall in love with the language, you can always move past Hindi phrases for beginners with Sanskriti’s Hindi courses.

Final Thoughts

I warn my students, India isn’t quiet. The horns don’t stop, chai kettles whistle, dust hangs in the air, and people fill every corner. But the memories that stay with you? They are smaller. 

A shopkeeper laughs when you stumble over a word. A child tugs your hand to teach you a new one. A driver leans out and shouts directions so you don’t get lost. Most of these begin with nothing more than a few Hindi travel phrases. 

So before you board that flight, practice some Hindi phrases for tourists. They are not fancy. They are warm. They are human. More than vocabulary, they are invitations - tiny bridges into someone else’s world.