En capítulo
Native Nuance and Pragmatic Fluency
Advanced Translation: Register and
Register in Hindi requires aligning pronouns, verb conjugations, and vocabulary choice तो (to) the social hierarchy of the situation.
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- तू (Tu) = Intimate or Rude (Use with caution)
- तुम (Tum) = Friends and Family (The middle ground)
- आप (Aap) = Respect and Distance (The default for strangers)
- Vocabulary shifts match the pronoun choice
Quick Reference
| Register | Pronoun | Verb Ending (Imperative) | Vocabulary Vibe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intimate / Rude | तू (Tu) | - (Root usually) ए (e).g., 'कर (Kar)' | Raw, Blunt |
| Familiar | तुम (Tum) | -o ए (e).g., 'Karo' | Casual, Everyday |
| Polite / Formal | आप (Aap) | -iye ए (e).g., 'Kijiye' | Standard, Civil |
| Honorific / Royal | आप (Aap) | -iye (with Honorific verbs) | Urdu (तशरीफ़ (Tashreef)) / Sanskrit (कृपया (Kripya)) |
Ejemplos clave
3 de 10Paani de.
Give water. (Intimate/Rude)
Paani do.
Give water. (Familiar)
Paani dijiye.
Please give water. (Formal)
The 'Ji' Factor
Adding 'ji' after a name or a 'yes/no' (Ha-ji, Nahi-ji) instantly upgrades your politeness level, regardless of the pronoun. It's like a politeness cheat code.
Plural for Respect
Remember, in Hindi, respect = plural. Even if it's one person (like your dad), he is grammatically 'they' (`Ve aa rahe hain`, not `Woh aa raha hai`).
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- तू (Tu) = Intimate or Rude (Use with caution)
- तुम (Tum) = Friends and Family (The middle ground)
- आप (Aap) = Respect and Distance (The default for strangers)
- Vocabulary shifts match the pronoun choice
Overview
### Overview
Think of Hindi registers like a wardrobe. You have your comfy sweatpants for home (Tu), your casual jeans for hanging out with friends (Tum), and your sharp suit or saree for formal events (Aap). At the C2 level, translation isn't just about swapping words; it's about picking the right outfit for the situation. If you translate 'How are you?' literally to a CEO as तू कैसा है? (Tu kaisa hai?), you might get fired. If you say आप कैसे हैं? (Aap kaise hain?) to your dog, people will look at you funny. Mastering register means knowing exactly how much respect, distance, or intimacy to inject into your sentence.
### How This Grammar Works
Register in Hindi isn't just one thing; it's a slider that moves three distinct knobs:
- 1Pronouns: The famous trio:
तू(Tu) (intimate/rough),तुम(Tum) (familiar),आप(Aap) (formal). - 2Verb Conjugations: Verbs change to match the pronoun.
है(Hai) vs.हो(Ho) vs.हैं(Hain). - 3Vocabulary: This is the C2 secret sauce. You can switch between Hindustani (everyday mix), Shuddh Hindi (Sanskritized, formal, official), and Urdu (poetic, courteous, legal).
### Formation Pattern
Here is the hierarchy of politeness:
- 1Intimate/Disrespectful (Tu): Pronoun
तू(Tu) + Verb root +ता/ती/ते(ta/ti/te) +है(hai). - 2Familiar (Tum): Pronoun
तुम(Tum) + Verb root +ते/ती/ओ(te/ti/o) +हो(ho). - 3Respectful (Aap): Pronoun
आप(Aap) + Verb root +ते/ती(te/ti) +हैं(hain). - 4Ultra-Formal/Royal (Aap + Honorifics):
आप(Aap) + Urdu vocabulary (फ़रमाइये(Farmaiye),तशरीफ़(Tashreef)) or Sanskrit vocabulary (पधारिये(Padhariye),ग्रहण करें(Grahan karein)).
### When To Use It
- Tu: Only for God (intimacy), very close childhood friends, or when you want to pick a fight. Seriously, be careful here.
- Tum: Colleagues of same rank, friends, younger siblings, waiters (though
आप(Aap) is nicer). - Aap: Strangers, elders, bosses, officials, and anyone you want to show distance or respect to.
### When Not To Use It
- Don't use
आप(Aap) with close friends unless you're being sarcastic or dramatic. It creates distance. - Don't use
तू(Tu) with strangers, even if they are younger than you, unless you want to sound uneducated or aggressive. - Don't mix registers! Saying
आप इधर आओ(Aap idhar aao) (Formal pronoun + Casual verb) sounds jarring, like wearing a tuxedo with flip-flops.
### Common Mistakes
- The 'Please' Trap: In English, we add "please" to make things polite. In Hindi, the politeness is baked into the verb (
दीजिये(Dijiye) vsदो(Do)). Addingकृपया(Kripya) everywhere sounds robotic. - Gender Confusion in Plurals: When using
आप(Aap), the verb is always plural (हैं(Hain), notहै(Hai)), even for one person. - Vocabulary Clash: Using high Urdu (
तशरीफ़(Tashreef)) with casual grammar (रखो(rakho)) sounds bizarre.
### Contrast With Similar Patterns
- English: Uses tone and modal verbs ("Could you possibly...") to show register.
- Japanese/Korean: Have strict honorific systems similar to Hindi, but Hindi focuses more on the pronoun-verb agreement than specific honorific prefixes/suffixes.
### Quick FAQ
Q: Can I just use 'Aap' for everyone to be safe?
You *can*, but you'll sound like a politician or a news anchor. It prevents real intimacy.
Q: What if I don't know someone's age?
When in doubt, आप (Aap) it out. It's better to be too polite than rude.
Reference Table
| Register | Pronoun | Verb Ending (Imperative) | Vocabulary Vibe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intimate / Rude | तू (Tu) | - (Root usually) ए (e).g., 'कर (Kar)' | Raw, Blunt |
| Familiar | तुम (Tum) | -o ए (e).g., 'Karo' | Casual, Everyday |
| Polite / Formal | आप (Aap) | -iye ए (e).g., 'Kijiye' | Standard, Civil |
| Honorific / Royal | आप (Aap) | -iye (with Honorific verbs) | Urdu (तशरीफ़ (Tashreef)) / Sanskrit (कृपया (Kripya)) |
The 'Ji' Factor
Adding 'ji' after a name or a 'yes/no' (Ha-ji, Nahi-ji) instantly upgrades your politeness level, regardless of the pronoun. It's like a politeness cheat code.
Plural for Respect
Remember, in Hindi, respect = plural. Even if it's one person (like your dad), he is grammatically 'they' (`Ve aa rahe hain`, not `Woh aa raha hai`).
Tone Matters
You can use 'Aap' and still sound rude if your tone is sarcastic. You can use 'Tu' and sound loving. Register provides the structure, but tone provides the meaning.
Default to Polite
As a learner, you will never offend someone by being too polite (`आप (Aap)`). You *will* offend them by being too casual (`तू (Tu)`). When in doubt, wear the suit.
Ejemplos
10Paani de.
Focus: de
Give water. (Intimate/Rude)
Using 'de' with 'Tu' (implied). Very direct.
Paani do.
Focus: do
Give water. (Familiar)
Standard casual request among friends.
Paani dijiye.
Focus: dijiye
Please give water. (Formal)
Standard polite request for strangers/elders.
तशरीफ़ (Tashreef) rakhiye.
Focus: तशरीफ़ (Tashreef)
Keep your noble self here. (Ultra-Formal/Urdu)
High register, often used in hospitality.
Kahan ja raha है (hai)?
Focus: ja raha है (hai)
Where are you going? (Casual/Male)
Casual `Tu` or `Tum` implied context.
आप (Aap) kahan ja rahe हैं (hain)?
Focus: ja rahe हैं (hain)
Where are you going? (Formal)
Notice `rahe` and `hain` for plural/respect.
Mera dimaag mat kha!
Focus: mat kha
Don't eat my brain! (Slang/Intimate)
Idioms often default to casual register.
✗ आप इधर आओ (आप (Aap) idhar aao). → ✓ आप (Aap) idhar aaiye.
Focus: aaiye
You (respectful) come here (casual).
Don't mix `Aap` with `Tum` verb endings.
✗ कृपया (Kripya) paani do. → ✓ Paani dijiye.
Focus: dijiye
Please give (casual) water.
Politeness is in the verb conjugation, not just the word 'please'.
Shubh naam?
Focus: Shubh naam
Your auspicious name?
Elliptical formal phrase, implying 'What is your name?'.
Ponte a prueba
Choose the correct verb for a formal setting (Boss to Employee context, polite).
Kya aap कल (kal) meeting में (mein) ___?
With 'Aap', we use the plural/respectful ending 'enge', so 'aayenge' is correct.
You are talking to a very close childhood friend. Translate 'Sit here'.
Yahan ___.
For intimate friends ('Tu' level), the root 'baith' or 'baith ja' is appropriate. 'Baitho' is for 'Tum', 'Baithiye' for 'Aap'.
Complete the request to an elder: 'Please eat food.'
Khana ___ lijiye.
This is a compound verb structure. 'Kha lijiye'. The polite part is in 'lijiye'.
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Ayudas visuales
Vocabulary Shifts by Register
Which Pronoun Should I Use?
Are they God or your Mom?
Is it a formal situation?
Register Scenarios
Use 'Aap'
- • Boss
- • Elder
- • Stranger
Use 'Tum'
- • Classmate
- • Sibling
- • Waiter
Preguntas frecuentes
20 preguntasIn some regions (like Bihar or UP) or in royal contexts, people use Hum (We) to refer to themselves. It's a regional marker of register, adding weight to the speaker.
Traditionally, no. Modern couples often use तुम (Tum) or तू (Tu), but in front of elders, they might switch back to आप (Aap) or तुम (Tum) to show proper upbringing.
It's acceptable, but आप (Aap) is classier. Using आप (Aap) with service staff shows that *you* have class (Khandani).
Aapka shubh naam kya hai? Using Shubh naam (auspicious name) is the gold standard for polite introductions.
Yes! If you are female, you say Main jaati hoon. But register affects the *listener's* gender agreement in the second person less often, except in specific constructions.
It's a Hindi phrase meaning 'speaking rudely'. If someone says 'Don't do tu-tadak with me', they mean 'Don't use तू (Tu) with me, show respect'.
Sometimes! Parents might use आप (Aap) with children to teach them manners or to show affection. It's cute, like calling a kid 'Sir'.
Absolutely. 'Aapka *presentation* bahut *good* tha.' This is very common in corporate India (Hinglish).
Maaf kijiye or Kshama karein. Sorry bol is very casual.
Namaste is general greeting. Pranaam is specifically for elders or gurus, often accompanied by touching feet. It's a physical register.
Yes. Tera (Your - Tu) vs Tumhara (Your - Tum) vs Aapka (Your - Aap). Getting this possessive adjective wrong is a dead giveaway.
Apologize immediately! Say Maaf kijiye, galti se nikal gaya (Sorry, slipped out by mistake). Switch to आप (Aap) instantly.
Yes, written Hindi is often more Sanskritized (Shuddh). You write Patra (letter) but say Chitthi.
Use आप (Aap) + English nouns. Aap email check kijiye is professional but modern. Kripya vidyut patra jaanchiye is absurdly stiff.
No! Yaar (friend/buddy) is strictly informal. Never call your boss Yaar unless you want to be promoted to 'customer'.
Ji nahi, shukriya (No, thanks). Just saying Nahi can sound blunt.
A suffix for respect. Doctor sahab, Boss sahab. It adds a layer of deference.
Usually no, unless you are being funny or talking to a very majestic animal (like an elephant or tiger in stories).
People often drop to तू (Tu) when angry to insult the other person. Tu jaanta nahi main kaun hoon! (You don't know who I am!)
It's neutral. Bhai sahab is polite. Bhai alone is casual.
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