Hindi greetings: 11 phrases with pronunciation
Hindi greetings split along a line English does not have: the written form and the spoken one are often different words. सुप्रभात is printed on signs and read on the news, but almost nobody says it to a person in front of them — नमस्ते covers the whole day. Get that distinction right and you sound like someone who has heard Hindi spoken rather than someone who has read a phrasebook.
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“Good morning” in Hindi
सुप्रभात
Suprabhat
“Good morning” in Hindi is सुप्रभात, pronounced Suprabhat. सुप्रभात is formal and mostly written — news broadcasts, messages, signage. In conversation almost everyone says नमस्ते (Namaste), which works at any hour of the day.
Example sentences
Good morning, sir. Please come in.
सुप्रभात सर। अंदर आइए।
Suprabhat sir. Andar aaiye.
Good morning! Did you sleep well?
नमस्ते! अच्छी नींद आई?
Namaste! Achhi neend aayi?
Formal, casual, and other variants
| Version | Hindi | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Formal / written | सुप्रभातSuprabhat | Messages, announcements, addressing elders |
| Everyday spoken | नमस्तेNamaste | Any time of day, anyone |
Common mistake
Saying सुप्रभात out loud to a friend sounds like reading from a greeting card. Use नमस्ते.
“Good night” in Hindi
शुभ रात्रि
Shubh raatri
“Good night” in Hindi is शुभ रात्रि, pronounced Shubh raatri. शुभ रात्रि is the formal written form. Spoken, people usually say the English "good night", or सो जाओ (so jao — go to sleep) to a child or close family member.
Example sentences
Good night, sleep well.
शुभ रात्रि, आराम से सोइए।
Shubh raatri, aaraam se soiye.
Good night, see you tomorrow.
गुड नाइट, कल मिलते हैं।
Good night, kal milte hain.
Common mistake
शुभ रात्रि is not a greeting for meeting someone at night — it is only said when parting or before sleep.
“Hello” in Hindi
नमस्ते
Namaste
“Hello” in Hindi is नमस्ते, pronounced Namaste. नमस्ते works as both hello and goodbye, morning or night, formal or casual. नमस्कार (namaskar) is a shade more respectful. Muslims commonly use सलाम (salaam) instead.
Example sentences
Hello, how are you?
नमस्ते, आप कैसे हैं?
Namaste, aap kaise hain?
Hello everyone, welcome.
सभी को नमस्कार, स्वागत है।
Sabhi ko namaskar, swagat hai.
Formal, casual, and other variants
| Version | Hindi | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | नमस्तेNamaste | Anyone, any time |
| More respectful | नमस्कारNamaskar | Addressing a group or someone senior |
“How are you?” in Hindi
आप कैसे हैं?
Aap kaise hain?
“How are you?” in Hindi is आप कैसे हैं?, pronounced Aap kaise hain?. आप कैसे हैं is formal or plural. With a friend, use तुम कैसे हो (tum kaise ho). When speaking to a woman, कैसे becomes कैसी.
Example sentences
Hello uncle, how are you?
नमस्ते अंकल, आप कैसे हैं?
Namaste uncle, aap kaise hain?
Hey, how are you? Long time!
अरे, तुम कैसे हो? बहुत दिनों बाद!
Are, tum kaise ho? Bahut dinon baad!
Formal, casual, and other variants
| Version | Hindi | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Formal (to anyone senior) | आप कैसे हैं?Aap kaise hain? | Strangers, elders, customers |
| Casual (to a friend) | तुम कैसे हो?Tum kaise ho? | Friends, peers, younger people |
| Speaking to a woman | आप कैसी हैं?Aap kaisi hain? | कैसे becomes कैसी |
Common mistake
Mixing आप and तुम in the same conversation is the giveaway of machine translation. Pick one and stay with it.
“Welcome” in Hindi
स्वागत है
Swagat hai
“Welcome” in Hindi is स्वागत है, pronounced Swagat hai. स्वागत है greets someone arriving. It does not work as a reply to "thank you" — for that say कोई बात नहीं (koi baat nahi), meaning it's nothing.
Example sentences
Welcome to our home.
हमारे घर में आपका स्वागत है।
Hamare ghar mein aapka swagat hai.
Thanks! — You're welcome.
धन्यवाद! — कोई बात नहीं।
Dhanyavaad! — Koi baat nahi.
Common mistake
English "welcome" does double duty; Hindi does not. Answering धन्यवाद with स्वागत है is a classic translation error.
“See you later” in Hindi
फिर मिलेंगे
Phir milenge
“See you later” in Hindi is फिर मिलेंगे, pronounced Phir milenge. Literally "we will meet again" — the standard goodbye. अलविदा (alvida) sounds far more final and is reserved for long or permanent partings.
Example sentences
See you later, take care.
फिर मिलेंगे, अपना ध्यान रखना।
Phir milenge, apna dhyaan rakhna.
See you tomorrow at the office.
कल ऑफिस में मिलते हैं।
Kal office mein milte hain.
Common mistake
अलविदा for an everyday goodbye sounds like you are leaving forever. Use फिर मिलेंगे.
“Long time no see” in Hindi
बहुत दिनों बाद मिले
Bahut dinon baad mile
“Long time no see” in Hindi is बहुत दिनों बाद मिले, pronounced Bahut dinon baad mile. A warm greeting for someone you have not run into in a while. कहाँ गायब थे (kahan gayab the — where did you disappear to) is the more playful version among friends.
Example sentences
Long time no see! How have you been?
बहुत दिनों बाद मिले! कैसे हो?
Bahut dinon baad mile! Kaise ho?
Where have you been hiding?
कहाँ गायब थे इतने दिन?
Kahan gayab the itne din?
“Happy birthday” in Hindi
जन्मदिन की शुभकामनाएँ
Janmadin ki shubhkaamnaayein
“Happy birthday” in Hindi is जन्मदिन की शुभकामनाएँ, pronounced Janmadin ki shubhkaamnaayein. The full formal wish, good for cards and posts. On WhatsApp, जन्मदिन मुबारक हो (janmadin mubarak ho) is shorter and sounds friendlier.
Example sentences
Happy birthday! May you live long.
जन्मदिन की शुभकामनाएँ! आप लंबी उम्र जिएँ।
Janmadin ki shubhkaamnaayein! Aap lambi umar jiyein.
Happy birthday, brother!
जन्मदिन मुबारक हो, भाई!
Janmadin mubarak ho, bhai!
Formal, casual, and other variants
| Version | Hindi | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Formal / written | जन्मदिन की शुभकामनाएँJanmadin ki shubhkaamnaayein | Cards, posts, colleagues |
| Warm / casual | जन्मदिन मुबारक होJanmadin mubarak ho | Friends and family |
“Congratulations” in Hindi
बधाई हो
Badhai ho
“Congratulations” in Hindi is बधाई हो, pronounced Badhai ho. बधाई हो covers weddings, births, exam results, and promotions equally well. मुबारक हो (mubarak ho) is an equally common alternative.
Example sentences
Congratulations on your new job!
नई नौकरी की बधाई हो!
Nayi naukri ki badhai ho!
Congratulations, you passed!
बधाई हो, तुम पास हो गए!
Badhai ho, tum paas ho gaye!
“Happy new year” in Hindi
नव वर्ष की शुभकामनाएँ
Nav varsh ki shubhkaamnaayein
“Happy new year” in Hindi is नव वर्ष की शुभकामनाएँ, pronounced Nav varsh ki shubhkaamnaayein. The formal written greeting. In speech, most people simply say the English "happy new year".
Example sentences
Happy new year to you and your family.
आपको और आपके परिवार को नव वर्ष की शुभकामनाएँ।
Aapko aur aapke parivaar ko nav varsh ki shubhkaamnaayein.
Happy new year, may this year be good for you.
नया साल मुबारक हो, यह साल आपके लिए अच्छा रहे।
Naya saal mubarak ho, yeh saal aapke liye achha rahe.
“Take care” in Hindi
अपना ध्यान रखना
Apna dhyaan rakhna
“Take care” in Hindi is अपना ध्यान रखना, pronounced Apna dhyaan rakhna. Literally "keep care of yourself". Warm and very common when ending a call. Use रखिए (rakhiye) instead of रखना for someone senior to you.
Example sentences
Take care, call me when you reach.
अपना ध्यान रखना, पहुँच कर फ़ोन करना।
Apna dhyaan rakhna, pahunch kar phone karna.
Please take care of your health.
अपनी सेहत का ध्यान रखिए।
Apni sehat ka dhyaan rakhiye.
Formal, casual, and other variants
| Version | Hindi | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | अपना ध्यान रखनाApna dhyaan rakhna | Friends, siblings, children |
| Respectful | अपना ध्यान रखिएApna dhyaan rakhiye | Elders, colleagues, strangers |
The grammar behind these phrases
- Hindi greetings — which greeting fits which hour and which person
- आप, तुम and तू — the choice every greeting forces you to make