Learn to Speak Hindi: Visiting the Vegetable Market

If you ever happen to visit India for an extended period and have the occasion to shop at a vegetable market, knowing how to speak Hindi will certainly be of help. Thanks to the Internet, it is a breeze to learn to speak Hindi online. The following Hindi article about visiting a vegetable market may help you learn Hindi fast.

Language is actually not a problem for foreigners in India as most Indians can speak and understand English, or, at least the rudiments of English. Indians have the propensity, too, to mix English with a local language to create a hybrid, like, for instance, Hinglish. So it's not common for someone to ask, "Time kya hua?" ("What is the time?") or "Market kahan hai?" ("Where is the market?"). Therefore, there probably won't be too many lost in translation encounters. You can also, of course, always play it safe and shop in a mall.

Malls are mushrooming rapidly in Indian cities, but outdoor vegetable markets still remain very popular. In our town, there's a big vegetable bazaar every Sunday where you can get all kinds of fresh vegetables and fruit. Door-to-door vegetable and fruit vendors also do a brisk business.

A few things to keep in mind:

• The kilo system prevails in India.
• It's polite to say 'Aap' (You, formal) to strangers and older people.
• It's fine to say 'Tum' (You, informal) to friends and family.
• Vegetables are cheaper at an outside vegetable market than at a mall.

I want to go to the vegetable market -

• Mujhe sabji bazaar/ sabji mandi jaana hai.

I am going to go to the vegetable market -

• Main sabji bazaar/ sabji mandi jaane wali hoon. (f.)
• Main sabji bazaar/ sabji mandi jaane wala hoon. (m.)

I am going to the vegetable market -

• Main sabji bazaar/ sabji mandi ja rahi hoon. (f.)
• Main sabji bazaar/ sabji mandi ja raha hoon. (m.)

Do you want to come along with me to the vegetable market? -

• Tumhe mere sath sabji bazaar/ sabji mandi aana hai kya?
• Tum mere sath sabji bazaar/ sabji mandi chalogay?

Where is the vegetable market? -

• Sabji bazaar/ sabji mandi kahan hai?

Does this road lead to the vegetable market? -

• Yeh rasta sabji bazaar/ sabji mandi ki taraf jata hai?

Brother/Sister/Auntie/Uncle, are there any tomatoes? -

• Bhaiyya/Didi/Maasi/Kaka, tamatar hain kya?

I want this -

• Mujhe yeh chahiyeh.

I want that -

• Mujhe woh chahiyeh.

I would like half a kilo of tomatoes -

• Mujhe aadha kilo tamatar chahiyeh.

I want one kilo of potatoes -

• Mujhe ek kilo aalu chahiyeh.

Give me a quarter kilo of French beans -

• Mujhe pav kilo farasbee toh jara dena.

Don't you have cauliflower today? -

• Aaj aapke pas phul-gobi nahi hain?

What is this? -

• Yeh kya hain?

This is fresh, isn't it? -

• Yeh taja hain na?

How much is it? -

• Kitne ko hain?

What is the price of this? -

• Iski kimmat kitni hain?

Pass me the basket -

• Jara tokri mujhe doh toh.

What do I owe you? -

• Kitna huwa?

Won't you give me a discount? -

• Bhav kam nahi karogay kya?

Do you have change? -

• Aapke pas chhuttay paise hain kya?

No, I don't want a plastic bag -

• Nahi, mujhe plastic bag nahi chahiyeh.

Yes, it's okay, thank you, I have a bag -

• Hain, theek hai, shukriya, mere pas thaili hain.

• Beet - Beet
• Bitter Gourd - Karela
• Brinjal - Baingan
• Cabbage - Pattay-gobi
• Capsicum - Dhobli Mirch/ Simla Mirch
• Carrots - Gajar
• Cauliflower - Phul-gobi
• Chillies - Mirchi
• Coriander - Kothimbir
• Curry leaves - Kadipatta
• French Beans - Farasbee
• Garlic - Lasoon
• Ginger - Aadrak
• Gourd - Loki
• Lady's Finger - Bhendi
• Lemon - Nimbu
• Lettuce - Lettuce
• Onions - Kanda
• Potatoes - Aaloo
• Pumpkin - Dangar
• Radish - Mula
• Spinach - Palak
• String Beans - Shravan ghevda
• Sweet Potatoes - Ratala
• Turmeric - Haldi

You can download the Hindi vocabulary and phrases from this article at Hindi Vocabulary and Phrases - Visiting the Vegetable Market. Please also see Learning Hindi - Food and Dinner Vocabulary here on Bright Hub.