Learn Hindi speaking online: everyday Hindi, fast
Hindi is the language you'll hear in a Delhi office, a Mumbai local train, a Bollywood film and, increasingly, among colleagues from every state in a Bengaluru or Hyderabad tech park. If you grew up speaking a South Indian language, a little spoken Hindi opens up a lot of conversations.
This page covers the phrases and numbers you'll use every day, the polite forms, the grammar you can safely skip at first, a four-week plan, and a way to practise: one-to-one video calls on Viaraa with hosts who speak Hindi.
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Spoken Hindi is easier than school Hindi
Many people remember Hindi from school as long grammar tables and formal words. Everyday spoken Hindi is much simpler. People mix in English all the time (Hinglish), use short sentences, and forgive mistakes easily.
You'll already know a surprising amount from films and songs: chai, dost, khana, paani, ghar, kal. Start from what you know and build sentences around it.
Ten Hindi phrases for everyday life
- कितना हुआ?Kitna hua?How much is it?
- यहाँ रोकिए।Yahaan rokiye.Stop here, please.
- बस।Bas.That's enough.
- मुझे थोड़ी हिंदी आती है।Mujhe thodi Hindi aati hai.I know a little Hindi.
- समझ नहीं आया।Samajh nahin aaya.I didn't understand.
- फिर से बोलिए।Phir se boliye.Please say that again.
- ठीक है।Theek hai.Okay.
- पानी चाहिए।Paani chahiye.I need some water.
- कहाँ है?Kahaan hai?Where is it?
- धन्यवाद!Dhanyavaad!Thank you! ("shukriya" is just as common)
Aap, tum or tu? Getting polite right
Hindi has three words for "you", and choosing the right one matters more than grammar:
- आप (aap): respectful. Use it with anyone older, anyone you don't know well, shopkeepers, drivers and on the phone. When in doubt, say aap.
- तुम (tum): friendly. For friends of your age and people you know well.
- तू (tu): very close or very informal. Leave it out until you're sure.
Requests change with the word: with aap, add "-iye" (boliye, rokiye, baithiye). It's the Hindi version of saying please.
Grammar you can skip at first
Hindi nouns are masculine or feminine, and verbs change to match: "main jaata hoon" (a man saying I go) and "main jaati hoon" (a woman saying the same). It takes time to get every noun's gender right, and nobody expects a learner to.
Get the words in the right order (the verb comes at the end: "main ghar ja raha hoon", I home am going) and use aap. People will understand you, and you'll pick up the genders by hearing them.
Numbers one to ten
| Number | Hindi | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | एक | ek |
| 2 | दो | do |
| 3 | तीन | teen |
| 4 | चार | chaar |
| 5 | पाँच | paanch |
| 6 | छह | chhah |
| 7 | सात | saat |
| 8 | आठ | aath |
| 9 | नौ | nau |
| 10 | दस | das |
A four-week plan
- 1Week 1, greetings and you: namaste, aap kaise hain?, your name, where you're from, what you do.
- 2Week 2, numbers and money: kitna hua?, bas, zyada (too much), kam (less) and the numbers one to ten.
- 3Week 3, getting around: daayen (right), baayen (left), seedha (straight), yahaan rokiye (stop here).
- 4Week 4, your day: five minutes on what you did today, verb at the end, aap throughout.
Practise speaking on Viaraa
On Viaraa you can video call hosts who speak Hindi, one to one: women aged 18 or over who chose to host, each checked by our team. Tell your host you're learning when the call starts. She can slow down, correct you gently and switch to English, or to your own language if she speaks it, when you're stuck.
Hosts aren't teachers and Viaraa isn't a course: it's real conversation, which is what makes you confident. Calls are paid per minute, from 3,000 coins a minute depending on the host, with no subscription, and Viaraa runs in your browser. See our Hindi video call page, or all the languages you can learn.
Questions, answered
Can I learn Hindi speaking online for free?
You can start for free with the phrases, numbers and plan on this page. Practising on Viaraa video calls is paid per minute, and joining is free.
How long does it take to speak basic Hindi?
With short, regular practice, many people manage everyday conversations within a few weeks, especially if they already know some Hindi from films.
Should I use aap or tum?
Use aap with anyone older or anyone you don't know well. Tum is for friends. When in doubt, aap is always safe.
Is it okay to speak Hinglish?
Yes. Most people mix Hindi and English in everyday talk. Use English words when you don't know the Hindi ones, and swap them in as you learn.
Are Viaraa's hosts Hindi teachers?
No. They're people who speak Hindi and enjoy conversation, which makes calls good practice. Viaraa isn't a course.
Keep reading
- Learn a languageSpeak Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam or Hindi: phrases, plans and video call practice.
- Hindi video call appTalk in Hindi or Hinglish with checked hosts on a 1:1 video call, no app needed.
- Dumb charades (Act & Guess)The classic signs, film titles to try, and how to play dumb charades on a video call.
- Cambly alternativeSpoken practice in English or an Indian language, paid per minute, no subscription.